Storytown USA - CoasterBuzz

I stumbled upon this and just thought I would share it with you.

This was The Great Escape long before any major rides were added and WAY long before Six Flags came into the picture. A few of those things are actually still there!

For example, the Shoe, the Jack in the Beanstalk, the Swan Boats, Alice in Wonderland...

Enjoy.

Wow, I actually remember going to story town when I was a kid. It's amazing how much things change over time.

Interesting pictures. According tothis site, that dragon tram originally came from Freedomland.
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Ripple Rock Amusement Park

Actually... you'd be surprised, but I've got a picture that I stumbled across back in 1983, and compared it to one taken in almost the exact same spot in 1993, and there were VERY little changes. Possibly the trees are a little larger, and there's a few more dippin' dots/lemon icee stands, but that's about it.
Again, that's just in select areas where they did carry over the "Storytown" theme, such as the miniature houses, all the little fairy tales, Alice in Wonderland, and a few other places.

Let's see. I was just there this year, and I remember being there as a kid back in 1980 when it WAS Storytown, and just recently as a month or so ago.... plus w/ these pics...
The Swan Boat ride is still there, and hasn't changed a bit, but wow... the area is a LOT more open than today... wow. I recognize the old lady in the shoe, but there's lush trees & such now, that you can't see the shoe unless you're on the Magic Carpet ride!

That dragon train ride I remember fondly, as they used to keep that train around for years & years afterwards where Boomerang is now located. It was dorment until they got rid of it, but I think there's still some remains of the track.

Man, that brings back memories... but then again, some of that stuff goes WAY back before I could even imagine that place!

I remember the dragon ride too. It was still there in the 90's. I also remember:

when there was a ferris wheel where the Flying Trapese is,

Ghost Town Train

Cinema 180

"Spider" style ride

Thunderbolt

Original Swinging Ship (Sea Dragon)

Tea Cups that tilted!

I'm only 18 so these rides were a the park within the last two decades. I don't remember the small steel roller coaster where the bumper cars are now (where the giant kiddie obstacle course was). Does anyone know anything about this?

Also, I was looking at a brochure from 1984. This is when the Sky Lab was new. Had anyone ever ridden the "Screamer" located where the rainbow is now? How about what looks like an "upside down" ferris wheel where the Condor now is?

FYI: I believe the Screamer was a Huss Ranger, and the "upside down ferris wheel" is a Chance Skydiver.

-Nate

I LOVED the tea cups that tilted. I don't know why they got rid of that ride. They replaced it with that Trabant ride which is no where as good.

I believe the steel roller coaster was called the Mousetrap or something like that.

I also miss Cinema 180. They replaced it with an arcade that is usually empty. Such a shame.

Ahh yes, the Tip Top. Fortunately we have one of these tilting tea cups at WW/EV in WA. Virtually the only ride to make me feel dizzy. And I have a strong stomach for spin-n-pukes.

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So long Stealth, don't forget to write...

Those tea cups were amazing. I actually have a picture somewhere with me riding them. I think it was in the late 80's. When I find it I'll put it online.

I don't like the trabant nearly as much. The only problem is that the Trabant came in before Six Flags took over. Because of that, I have to put the blame on Charlie Wood for that.

The addition of the trabant was part of a major ride exapnsion one year. I dno't remember what year it was though. I think that same year they also got:

-The Flying Trapese

-Thunderbolt

-The Black Cobra

-Pirate Ship

Anyone remember the free mini golf course near the Raging River? I always thought that was a great thing but it's gone now.

Also, I totally agree with SpiralingShape. Turning the Cinema 180 into an arcade was a bad mood. 60% of that park is all games. (rolling eyes)

The "free minigolf" was a joke. I remember going there with my parents when I was a lad back then. Actually, it was more or less closer to when I was 15, because I think it was 1990 if I remember correctly.

Anyway, that miniature golf wasn't even worth it for free... it's one of those bogus ones that you find at places which just have one just to say they got one...

Black Cobra (wet/dry slides, right?) didnt come along until the mid/late 90's when they actually put a water-park in there.

Man, I remember that park for the longest time didn't have any sort of waterpark. It was so thrilling to get the Raging River because Desperado Plunge can only get you so-wet... so it was a relief to finally get true waterpark attractions.

I think they were a little behind on the times before finally catching up to what other theme/amusement parks offered. Took them many years to get a waterpark & even more years to get a signature ride.

Actually DawgByte II, the Black Cobra was the first water attraction (besides the Desperado Plunge and Raging River) that was put in. It didn't come with a water park. It sat alone in it's own section in the back of the park for a while. (I'm not sure if Noah's Sprayground was there yet).

A year or so after that, Wood added the three water slides and officially created Splashwater Kingdom.

I guess you're right. The mini-golf was pretty lame. I guess it was just nice because it was free. Also, mini-golf is an EMPIRE in Lake George. They are EVERYWHERE. Maybe Wood wanted to make sure he had one at his park.

I mean come on, someone who has a mansion on Lake George actually has a mini golf course on one of their floors. It's an obsession here! ;-)

Not sure what it was like when it was Story Town, but I wasn't overly impressed by Great Escape. I guess I went in with too high of expectations.

But talk about expectations being dashed in Lake George...

Three words: Fort William Henry.

I guess I am a little spoiled living 30 minutes from Gettysburg PA... and I guess I was a little spoiled after visiting excelently preserved Fort Niagara earlier on our vacation... but I was horrified to see that the reconstructed fort was nothing more than a tourist trap and a badly presented one at that. Only the little bronze and stone marker / monument to the 35th Regiment of Foot was worth the stop.

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Half of the people surveyed agree, half disagree and another half are unsure.

Very true NewYorkSuperman.

It's funny you mention Fort William Henry SLFAKE. I used to work next door at the Lake George Steamboat Co. It's a popular tourist attraction so I know there has to be SOMEONE on this site who's been there.

Anyway, I used to sell stuff outside and would listen to that stupid cannon go off at the fort everyday. It was amusing (sarcastic).

So what is this Chance Skydiver? Is it similar to the upside down ferris wheel at Wild Safari?

This is a Skydiver.
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Ripple Rock Amusement Park

Thanks for that link.

Actually, here's the same type ferris wheel that sat where the Flying Trapese now is:

http://www.flatrides.com/Ride%20Index%20Pages/astrowheel.html

ah yes the steamboat company, I love those boat rides I go every year. The former owner of the GE lives on Lake George, the tour guides point out his house its amazing.