Great Escape to add new rollecoaster along with new themed area.

I tried to submit this as news but kept getting a server error. Here's the article from www.poststar.com

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[copyrighted text removed... don't post it here, link to it. -J]

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The article in the paper this morning was a little different and included a picture of the plans. I tried to upload the picture into my profile but I got an error every time I did that as well.

Thanks. :) *** Edited 1/10/2005 4:07:31 AM UTC by Jeff***

"Character Cafe" eh? I'm not sure I like the direction this is leading...

Pretty sure you're posting copyrighted (copywritten?) material, bub. Whatever though, this sounds pretty cool. *** Edited 1/10/2005 3:15:25 AM UTC by MarimbaGuy87***

I've often wondered from time to time, how to write good poetry- and make it all... Work.

Here is the link for you.

http://www.poststar.com/newsbrief.asp?storyid=157094

Army Rangers lead the way

Once again, Zamperla goes "Ka-Ching!"

I don't think this is a great addition because they already have so many kiddie rides and jr. coasters.

They don't have ANY jr. coasters... they have "family coasters" which are the likes of Alpine Bobsleds, Canyon Blaster, and to a smaller extent... the Nightmare indoor coaster.

This is a good move for Great Escape... but I don't like too much the idea of renaming & re-theming the jungle-land (safari-land) & Cocoloco restaurant... unless this helps in the whole grand scheme of things where-as the landscaping & whole theme will fit in nicely.

I hope that they open up the path between Jungleland & Ghost Town, as it would make traffic flow much nicer & avoid having a dead-end. I might want to check out the kiddie area, but I dont want to hit a dead end & head back where I came from.

I will miss any of the live animals they had, however... including the more recent bears that they put I think in 1998 or around there... as well as the petting zoo. But if this is for the better... more power towards Great Escape!!

Oops. Sorry about posting the article. I should have realized it was copy written.

I'm to the point where I don't even care WHAT they're getting. The fact that they're actually getting something is exciting to me. Any change is a good change. Besides, there are currently no rides in Jungle Land. Its location in the park also makes it lightly traveled by park goers. Fixing up the "Safari Walk" will be great also. That thing has barely been touched since the 70's. ;)

The same thing goes for the Coco-Loco Restaurant. That thing is pretty run down. It'll be great to see the entire Jungle Land area all made over.

I'm not sure what kind of kiddie coaster the park is getting. I'm looking at the drawings right now and it's basically just an oval with a circle right in the center of the layout. I can't think of any kiddie coasters that have that layout. Anyone else?

The drawings lead me to believe there will be an alternate route into Jungle land. On the north side of the Coco-Loco, there is a separate walkway drawn in. This probably exits on the south side of the petting zoo. IMO, they should just move the petting zoo INTO Jungle Land. It's geared more toward younger children anyway.

Basically every ride that Great Escape is getting is from Zamperla... the kiddie coaster will be brand spanking NEW.... but a few of the other kiddie rides will be from Great Adventure's Loony Tunes area.

These are a few that I remember:

1)Crazy Bus
2)Speedway (from SFGrAdv)
3)Rio Grande Train (from SFGrAdv)
4)Lolly Swing
5)Red Baron
6)Kiddie Rollercoaster (Brand NEW
7)Kiddie Boats (from SFGrAdv?)

?? Not sure on the other two rides....
Might be a frog hopper or some free-fall.

Wouldn't the coaster just be a Zamperla Family Coaster or Mini Mouse? I just assumed since all of the other rides are from Zamperla.

Schwarzkopf shuttle loops...The most possible fun in 36 seconds.

Well Great Escape is my home park and once you've been there once it's enough. It's a great family park, but for a coaster enthusiast it is absolutely nothing special. But what ever Great Escape gets isnt going to be great so its no shocker.

DawgByte II said:
They don't have ANY jr. coasters... they have "family coasters" which are the likes of Alpine Bobsleds, Canyon Blaster, and to a smaller extent... the Nightmare indoor coaster.

That's what I meant, family coasters. Still though, even if they are getting a true kiddie coasters, Canyon Blaster and Alpine Bobsled aren't too intense, and the only real good coaster is Comet.

It's still a good move I guess since a lot of famlies go to the Adirondacks during the summer. Teenagers go up during the winter to ski/board.

Intense and intimidating are two different things. Young kids - ages 3, 4, 5 - are probably going to be too intimidated to ride Apine Bobs and Canyon Blaster. They'll gladly get on this kiddie coaster.

Dragster said:
but for a coaster enthusiast it is absolutely nothing special.

Its a good thing you don't speak for *all* enthusiasts. You're bonkers, dude. If the only thing there was a parking lot and Comet, I'd still gladly make the 3 hour trip a couple times a year.

Not to mention its easy to get a little jaded when it comes to one's home parks. We go there a lot...it gets old to us.

I realize, especially when your park doesn't get major attractions that often. But c'mon, saying that the park doesn't have *anything* to offer enthusiasts is a bit short sighted.

Edit: Hey, at least he doesn't have to say his home park is SFMM. ;) *** Edited 1/11/2005 1:31:03 AM UTC by matt.***

I was adding to your reply to Dragster, Matt...not replying to you directly.

As for SFMM, the same applies. I know plenty of people from out of town who have great times at the park.

Well I'm a local and I'm thrilled! Jungle Land has just been SITTING there with nothing in it for years.

Here's the official list of new attractions. These were listed on the picture in the paper...

-Ranger Station (Not quite sure what this is. It didn't have a queue shown in the picture so I don't think it's a ride).
-Portal (Entrance Sign into the new area).
-Crazy Bus
-Frog Hopper
-Speedway
-Red Baron
-Safari Walk (Already exists).
-Theatre (Already exists).
-Pop Jet Fountain (Small interactive fountain area?)
-Boats
-Train
-Zamperla Jr. Coaster
-Lolly Swing

The Coco Loco Restaurant will also be revamped and the patio will be extended for extra seating. The picture is up on Screamscape if anyone would like to see it.

One interesting thing about the picture is that there are things listed as 1-13. Then there are two things listed as 15 and 16. They skipped over 14. It's probably nothing more than a type-o but it did catch my eye. *** Edited 1/11/2005 3:31:52 AM UTC by UBRhino***

> The Ranger Station is the old school-house re-themed... probably serving as an unofficial entrance to the area.

Theater was the wildlife show they had, which will probably be used as a kiddie show, I'm assuming. The Cocoloco restaurant will be renamed, and I hope rennovated...

...this is a good sign of things to come. I really hope they relocate any of the storybook themed attractions, because that's what makes the parks entire charm...

...but you take this, along with a new hotel & pedestrian bridge towards the end of 2005, and you got a New York Six Flags park that is really spending a lot of capital to bring it up with the big-boys.

...2005 is for the kiddies, I can understand that, and take that quite well, despite not having young kids... I can't wait now to see what 2006 offers for the big boys :)

Yeah, hopefully they will get a bigger attraction in the near future.

To me, Ghost Town and now Jungle Land are done. I hope next the park decides to fix up the front of the park. The area near the Rainbow ride and Boomerang could use a little work.

I'm really looking forward to the pedestrian bridge. Do you think with the addition of the bridge that the light will be removed? It would be nice to drive through there without people walking across the street.

The area for the hotel is coming along nicely as well. I'm still in awe that they basically removed that mountain to make that hotel. The parking lot has been raised a few feet as well. It looks like they're going to pave it. I know that takes a lot of money. I think 2005 will be the first year we'll have to pay for parking at the park. :(