Comet (Great Escape)
Encyclopedia
The Comet is a wooden
roller coaster
located at The Great Escape & Splashwater Kingdom, Lake George
in Queensbury, New York
, in the United States
.
(an amusement park near Niagara Falls, Ontario
) as a ride known as the Cyclone
in 1927. The Cyclone was known as a fearsome coaster which often injured its riders. This apparently occurred so often that there was a permanent first aid station at the end of the ride. Its metal support structure was torn down and rebuilt as the Comet in 1947. The ride was saved shortly after the park closed down forever after the 1989 season. Charlie Woods
, the owner of The Great Escape in Queensbury, New York successfully bid for The Comet and it sat in storage for a few years in Fantasy Island
before making its way to the park in Queensbury where it began service again in 1993.
Owing to its location at the back of the park and simple queue maze, wait time for the Comet is usually under twenty minutes; wait time generally only exceeds this if the queue line overflows the maze. If both trains are running on days of low attendance it is possible to move through the queue line in less than five minutes. Park regulars know that heading directly to the back of the park when the main gates open can assure guests of three or four uninterrupted rides before the queue line grows appreciably.
Riders generally describe the Comet as fast and smooth, with little chatter or shaking during the run. This can be attributed to its special design, for although the ride is billed as a wooden roller coaster, it is technically a hybrid coaster: it has a steel framework on which is placed wooden bed, on top of the wooden bed are the steel rails the coaster wheels run on. Turns are tight and only very slightly banked. On-ride-photos are taken by a camera mounted on a dip closest to the control booth.
A sign in the loading area gives most of the history of the Comet, and notes that the sheltered area for the queue line uses much of the original metal latticework from the old Cyclone.
roller coaster
located at The Great Escape & Splashwater Kingdom, Lake George
in Queensbury, New York
, in the United States
.
(an amusement park near Niagara Falls, Ontario
) as a ride known as the Cyclone
in 1927. The Cyclone was known as a fearsome coaster which often injured its riders. This apparently occurred so often that there was a permanent first aid station at the end of the ride. Its metal support structure was torn down and rebuilt as the Comet in 1947. The ride was saved shortly after the park closed down forever after the 1989 season. Charlie Woods
, the owner of The Great Escape in Queensbury, New York successfully bid for The Comet and it sat in storage for a few years in Fantasy Island
before making its way to the park in Queensbury where it began service again in 1993.
Owing to its location at the back of the park and simple queue maze, wait time for the Comet is usually under twenty minutes; wait time generally only exceeds this if the queue line overflows the maze. If both trains are running on days of low attendance it is possible to move through the queue line in less than five minutes. Park regulars know that heading directly to the back of the park when the main gates open can assure guests of three or four uninterrupted rides before the queue line grows appreciably.
Riders generally describe the Comet as fast and smooth, with little chatter or shaking during the run. This can be attributed to its special design, for although the ride is billed as a wooden roller coaster, it is technically a hybrid coaster: it has a steel framework on which is placed wooden bed, on top of the wooden bed are the steel rails the coaster wheels run on. Turns are tight and only very slightly banked. On-ride-photos are taken by a camera mounted on a dip closest to the control booth.
A sign in the loading area gives most of the history of the Comet, and notes that the sheltered area for the queue line uses much of the original metal latticework from the old Cyclone.
roller coaster
located at The Great Escape & Splashwater Kingdom, Lake George
in Queensbury, New York
, in the United States
.
(an amusement park near Niagara Falls, Ontario
) as a ride known as the Cyclone
in 1927. The Cyclone was known as a fearsome coaster which often injured its riders. This apparently occurred so often that there was a permanent first aid station at the end of the ride. Its metal support structure was torn down and rebuilt as the Comet in 1947. The ride was saved shortly after the park closed down forever after the 1989 season. Charlie Woods
, the owner of The Great Escape in Queensbury, New York successfully bid for The Comet and it sat in storage for a few years in Fantasy Island
before making its way to the park in Queensbury where it began service again in 1993.
Owing to its location at the back of the park and simple queue maze, wait time for the Comet is usually under twenty minutes; wait time generally only exceeds this if the queue line overflows the maze. If both trains are running on days of low attendance it is possible to move through the queue line in less than five minutes. Park regulars know that heading directly to the back of the park when the main gates open can assure guests of three or four uninterrupted rides before the queue line grows appreciably.
Riders generally describe the Comet as fast and smooth, with little chatter or shaking during the run. This can be attributed to its special design, for although the ride is billed as a wooden roller coaster, it is technically a hybrid coaster: it has a steel framework on which is placed wooden bed, on top of the wooden bed are the steel rails the coaster wheels run on. Turns are tight and only very slightly banked. On-ride-photos are taken by a camera mounted on a dip closest to the control booth.
A sign in the loading area gives most of the history of the Comet, and notes that the sheltered area for the queue line uses much of the original metal latticework from the old Cyclone.
Wooden roller coaster
A wooden roller coaster is most often classified as a roller coaster with laminated steel running rails overlaid upon a wooden track. Occasionally, the structure may be made out of a steel lattice or truss, but the ride remains classified as a wooden roller coaster due to the track design...
roller coaster
Roller coaster
The roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885...
located at The Great Escape & Splashwater Kingdom, Lake George
The Great Escape & Splashwater Kingdom
The Great Escape & Splashwater Kingdom is an amusement and waterpark located in Queensbury, New York. It is advertised as being located in Lake George, New York...
in Queensbury, New York
Queensbury, New York
Queensbury is a town in and the county seat of Warren County, New York, United States. The town is located in the southeastern part of the county. The population was 25,441 at the 2000 census. The town is named in honor of Queen Charlotte, the consort of George III of Great Britain and Ireland. It...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
History
The coaster started its existence at Crystal BeachCrystal Beach, Ontario
Crystal Beach is a community within Fort Erie, Ontario with a population of 3,800. It was named for the "crystal-clear" water conditions present when it was founded on the northeast shore of Lake Erie, across from Buffalo....
(an amusement park near Niagara Falls, Ontario
Niagara Falls, Ontario
Niagara Falls is a Canadian city on the Niagara River in the Golden Horseshoe region of Southern Ontario. The municipality was incorporated on June 12, 1903...
) as a ride known as the Cyclone
Crystal Beach Cyclone
The Crystal Beach Cyclone is one of a 'Terrifying Triplet' of highly extreme and vicious Roller Coasters designed and built by Harry G. Traver in the late 1920s. The Cyclone was located at the Crystal Beach Amusement Park in Ontario, Canada.-History:...
in 1927. The Cyclone was known as a fearsome coaster which often injured its riders. This apparently occurred so often that there was a permanent first aid station at the end of the ride. Its metal support structure was torn down and rebuilt as the Comet in 1947. The ride was saved shortly after the park closed down forever after the 1989 season. Charlie Woods
Charles Wood (businessman)
Charles R. "Charley" Wood was an American businessman.-Biography:Wood was born in Lockport, New York, in 1914.After seeing the amusement park Knott's Berry Farm in southern California he was inspired in 1954 to open his own park in Queensbury, New York, which he named Storytown USA. In order to do...
, the owner of The Great Escape in Queensbury, New York successfully bid for The Comet and it sat in storage for a few years in Fantasy Island
Martin's Fantasy Island
Martin's Fantasy Island is an amusement park located in Grand Island, New York.- History :Fantasy Island opened in 1961 and went bankrupt in 1982. It was acquired out of bankruptcy by Charles Wood, the original owner of Storytown USA. He sold the park to International Broadcasting Corporation in...
before making its way to the park in Queensbury where it began service again in 1993.
Ride experience
Roller coaster enthusiasts recognize it as one of the best wooden roller coasters in North America because of its historical significance, elements of hills and drops, and terrific "air" time giving riders the sensation of floating out of their seats. The coaster operates two trains, one red and one blue, each one capable of carrying twenty four riders in four cars in three rows, two across. Minimum height requirement is 48 inches (1,219.2 mm) to ride.Owing to its location at the back of the park and simple queue maze, wait time for the Comet is usually under twenty minutes; wait time generally only exceeds this if the queue line overflows the maze. If both trains are running on days of low attendance it is possible to move through the queue line in less than five minutes. Park regulars know that heading directly to the back of the park when the main gates open can assure guests of three or four uninterrupted rides before the queue line grows appreciably.
Riders generally describe the Comet as fast and smooth, with little chatter or shaking during the run. This can be attributed to its special design, for although the ride is billed as a wooden roller coaster, it is technically a hybrid coaster: it has a steel framework on which is placed wooden bed, on top of the wooden bed are the steel rails the coaster wheels run on. Turns are tight and only very slightly banked. On-ride-photos are taken by a camera mounted on a dip closest to the control booth.
Theming
While using the historical name of the Comet, little is done to take advantage of the name with theming or decoration. On ride photos can be purchased with flames superimposed over the train to give the artificial appearance of actually riding a comet. Signage in the park directing guests to the Comet are similarly themed, along with the large lighted sign on the coaster structure itself.A sign in the loading area gives most of the history of the Comet, and notes that the sheltered area for the queue line uses much of the original metal latticework from the old Cyclone.
Roller coaster landmark
On September 8, 2009, American Coaster Enthusiasts named the Comet a Roller Coaster Landmark.Awards
| Golden Ticket Awards: Top Wooden Roller Coasters | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | 2000e fr | Ranking | |||||||||
| Mitch Hawker's Best Roller Coaster Poll: Best Wooden-Tracked Roller Coaster | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
| Ranking | ||||||||||||||||
External links
- The Sights and Sounds of The Comet & Crystal Beach from Steve Cichon's staffannouncer.com
- A Review of The Comet
Footnotes
The Comet is a woodenWooden roller coaster
A wooden roller coaster is most often classified as a roller coaster with laminated steel running rails overlaid upon a wooden track. Occasionally, the structure may be made out of a steel lattice or truss, but the ride remains classified as a wooden roller coaster due to the track design...
roller coaster
Roller coaster
The roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885...
located at The Great Escape & Splashwater Kingdom, Lake George
The Great Escape & Splashwater Kingdom
The Great Escape & Splashwater Kingdom is an amusement and waterpark located in Queensbury, New York. It is advertised as being located in Lake George, New York...
in Queensbury, New York
Queensbury, New York
Queensbury is a town in and the county seat of Warren County, New York, United States. The town is located in the southeastern part of the county. The population was 25,441 at the 2000 census. The town is named in honor of Queen Charlotte, the consort of George III of Great Britain and Ireland. It...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
History
The coaster started its existence at Crystal BeachCrystal Beach, Ontario
Crystal Beach is a community within Fort Erie, Ontario with a population of 3,800. It was named for the "crystal-clear" water conditions present when it was founded on the northeast shore of Lake Erie, across from Buffalo....
(an amusement park near Niagara Falls, Ontario
Niagara Falls, Ontario
Niagara Falls is a Canadian city on the Niagara River in the Golden Horseshoe region of Southern Ontario. The municipality was incorporated on June 12, 1903...
) as a ride known as the Cyclone
Crystal Beach Cyclone
The Crystal Beach Cyclone is one of a 'Terrifying Triplet' of highly extreme and vicious Roller Coasters designed and built by Harry G. Traver in the late 1920s. The Cyclone was located at the Crystal Beach Amusement Park in Ontario, Canada.-History:...
in 1927. The Cyclone was known as a fearsome coaster which often injured its riders. This apparently occurred so often that there was a permanent first aid station at the end of the ride. Its metal support structure was torn down and rebuilt as the Comet in 1947. The ride was saved shortly after the park closed down forever after the 1989 season. Charlie Woods
Charles Wood (businessman)
Charles R. "Charley" Wood was an American businessman.-Biography:Wood was born in Lockport, New York, in 1914.After seeing the amusement park Knott's Berry Farm in southern California he was inspired in 1954 to open his own park in Queensbury, New York, which he named Storytown USA. In order to do...
, the owner of The Great Escape in Queensbury, New York successfully bid for The Comet and it sat in storage for a few years in Fantasy Island
Martin's Fantasy Island
Martin's Fantasy Island is an amusement park located in Grand Island, New York.- History :Fantasy Island opened in 1961 and went bankrupt in 1982. It was acquired out of bankruptcy by Charles Wood, the original owner of Storytown USA. He sold the park to International Broadcasting Corporation in...
before making its way to the park in Queensbury where it began service again in 1993.
Ride experience
Roller coaster enthusiasts recognize it as one of the best wooden roller coasters in North America because of its historical significance, elements of hills and drops, and terrific "air" time giving riders the sensation of floating out of their seats. The coaster operates two trains, one red and one blue, each one capable of carrying twenty four riders in four cars in three rows, two across. Minimum height requirement is 48 inches (1,219.2 mm) to ride.Owing to its location at the back of the park and simple queue maze, wait time for the Comet is usually under twenty minutes; wait time generally only exceeds this if the queue line overflows the maze. If both trains are running on days of low attendance it is possible to move through the queue line in less than five minutes. Park regulars know that heading directly to the back of the park when the main gates open can assure guests of three or four uninterrupted rides before the queue line grows appreciably.
Riders generally describe the Comet as fast and smooth, with little chatter or shaking during the run. This can be attributed to its special design, for although the ride is billed as a wooden roller coaster, it is technically a hybrid coaster: it has a steel framework on which is placed wooden bed, on top of the wooden bed are the steel rails the coaster wheels run on. Turns are tight and only very slightly banked. On-ride-photos are taken by a camera mounted on a dip closest to the control booth.
Theming
While using the historical name of the Comet, little is done to take advantage of the name with theming or decoration. On ride photos can be purchased with flames superimposed over the train to give the artificial appearance of actually riding a comet. Signage in the park directing guests to the Comet are similarly themed, along with the large lighted sign on the coaster structure itself.A sign in the loading area gives most of the history of the Comet, and notes that the sheltered area for the queue line uses much of the original metal latticework from the old Cyclone.
Roller coaster landmark
On September 8, 2009, American Coaster Enthusiasts named the Comet a Roller Coaster Landmark.Awards
| Golden Ticket Awards: Top Wooden Roller Coasters | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | 2000e fr | Ranking | |||||||||
| Mitch Hawker's Best Roller Coaster Poll: Best Wooden-Tracked Roller Coaster | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
| Ranking | ||||||||||||||||
External links
- The Sights and Sounds of The Comet & Crystal Beach from Steve Cichon's staffannouncer.com
- A Review of The Comet
Footnotes
The Comet is a woodenWooden roller coaster
A wooden roller coaster is most often classified as a roller coaster with laminated steel running rails overlaid upon a wooden track. Occasionally, the structure may be made out of a steel lattice or truss, but the ride remains classified as a wooden roller coaster due to the track design...
roller coaster
Roller coaster
The roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885...
located at The Great Escape & Splashwater Kingdom, Lake George
The Great Escape & Splashwater Kingdom
The Great Escape & Splashwater Kingdom is an amusement and waterpark located in Queensbury, New York. It is advertised as being located in Lake George, New York...
in Queensbury, New York
Queensbury, New York
Queensbury is a town in and the county seat of Warren County, New York, United States. The town is located in the southeastern part of the county. The population was 25,441 at the 2000 census. The town is named in honor of Queen Charlotte, the consort of George III of Great Britain and Ireland. It...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
History
The coaster started its existence at Crystal BeachCrystal Beach, Ontario
Crystal Beach is a community within Fort Erie, Ontario with a population of 3,800. It was named for the "crystal-clear" water conditions present when it was founded on the northeast shore of Lake Erie, across from Buffalo....
(an amusement park near Niagara Falls, Ontario
Niagara Falls, Ontario
Niagara Falls is a Canadian city on the Niagara River in the Golden Horseshoe region of Southern Ontario. The municipality was incorporated on June 12, 1903...
) as a ride known as the Cyclone
Crystal Beach Cyclone
The Crystal Beach Cyclone is one of a 'Terrifying Triplet' of highly extreme and vicious Roller Coasters designed and built by Harry G. Traver in the late 1920s. The Cyclone was located at the Crystal Beach Amusement Park in Ontario, Canada.-History:...
in 1927. The Cyclone was known as a fearsome coaster which often injured its riders. This apparently occurred so often that there was a permanent first aid station at the end of the ride. Its metal support structure was torn down and rebuilt as the Comet in 1947. The ride was saved shortly after the park closed down forever after the 1989 season. Charlie Woods
Charles Wood (businessman)
Charles R. "Charley" Wood was an American businessman.-Biography:Wood was born in Lockport, New York, in 1914.After seeing the amusement park Knott's Berry Farm in southern California he was inspired in 1954 to open his own park in Queensbury, New York, which he named Storytown USA. In order to do...
, the owner of The Great Escape in Queensbury, New York successfully bid for The Comet and it sat in storage for a few years in Fantasy Island
Martin's Fantasy Island
Martin's Fantasy Island is an amusement park located in Grand Island, New York.- History :Fantasy Island opened in 1961 and went bankrupt in 1982. It was acquired out of bankruptcy by Charles Wood, the original owner of Storytown USA. He sold the park to International Broadcasting Corporation in...
before making its way to the park in Queensbury where it began service again in 1993.
Ride experience
Roller coaster enthusiasts recognize it as one of the best wooden roller coasters in North America because of its historical significance, elements of hills and drops, and terrific "air" time giving riders the sensation of floating out of their seats. The coaster operates two trains, one red and one blue, each one capable of carrying twenty four riders in four cars in three rows, two across. Minimum height requirement is 48 inches (1,219.2 mm) to ride.Owing to its location at the back of the park and simple queue maze, wait time for the Comet is usually under twenty minutes; wait time generally only exceeds this if the queue line overflows the maze. If both trains are running on days of low attendance it is possible to move through the queue line in less than five minutes. Park regulars know that heading directly to the back of the park when the main gates open can assure guests of three or four uninterrupted rides before the queue line grows appreciably.
Riders generally describe the Comet as fast and smooth, with little chatter or shaking during the run. This can be attributed to its special design, for although the ride is billed as a wooden roller coaster, it is technically a hybrid coaster: it has a steel framework on which is placed wooden bed, on top of the wooden bed are the steel rails the coaster wheels run on. Turns are tight and only very slightly banked. On-ride-photos are taken by a camera mounted on a dip closest to the control booth.
Theming
While using the historical name of the Comet, little is done to take advantage of the name with theming or decoration. On ride photos can be purchased with flames superimposed over the train to give the artificial appearance of actually riding a comet. Signage in the park directing guests to the Comet are similarly themed, along with the large lighted sign on the coaster structure itself.A sign in the loading area gives most of the history of the Comet, and notes that the sheltered area for the queue line uses much of the original metal latticework from the old Cyclone.
Roller coaster landmark
On September 8, 2009, American Coaster Enthusiasts named the Comet a Roller Coaster Landmark.Awards
| Golden Ticket Awards: Top Wooden Roller Coasters | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | 2000e fr | Ranking | |||||||||
| Mitch Hawker's Best Roller Coaster Poll: Best Wooden-Tracked Roller Coaster | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
| Ranking | ||||||||||||||||
External links
- The Sights and Sounds of The Comet & Crystal Beach from Steve Cichon's staffannouncer.com
- A Review of The Comet
Footnotes
