The Comet (Great Escape)
Roller coaster at Great Escape in New York
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Comet is a hybrid wooden roller coaster located at Great Escape in Queensbury, New York, United States.
| The Comet | |
|---|---|
Station and lift hill of The Comet | |
| Great Escape | |
| Location | Great Escape |
| Park section | Fest Area |
| Coordinates | 43°21′4.91″N 73°41′6.23″W |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | 1948 (Crystal Beach Park); June 25, 1994 (relocation to Six Flags Great Escape and Hurricane Harbor) |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Wood |
| Manufacturer | Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters |
| Designer | Herbert Paul Schmeck |
| Model | Wooden coaster |
| Track layout | Double out and back |
Lift/launch system | Chain lift hill |
| Height | 95 ft (29 m) |
| Drop | 87 ft (27 m) |
| Length | 4,197 ft (1,279 m) |
| Speed | 55 mph (89 km/h) |
| Duration | 2:00 |
Height restriction | 48 in (122 cm) |
| Trains | 2 trains with 4 cars; riders arranged 2 across in 3 rows for a total of 24 riders per train |
 Fast Lane available | |
| The Comet at RCDB | |
The roller coaster originally operated at Crystal Beach Park, where it was built from parts of the Crystal Beach Cyclone. It opened in 1948, and operated there until 1989. The coaster was relocated and reopened at Six Flags Great Escape in 1994.
History
The coaster began its existence at Crystal Beach Park in Fort Erie, Ontario as a ride known as Cyclone, which opened in 1927. It closed in 1946, and its metal support structure was reused in the creation of a new coaster, which would come to be known as The Comet when it opened in 1948. When the park closed in 1989, Charles Wood, owner of The Great Escape Fun Park and Fantasy Island, successfully bid for the ride. It sat in storage for a few years at Fantasy Island before making its way to The Great Escape Fun Park, where it reopened in 1994. The ride was reconstructed by Martin & Vleminckx.[1][2]
On September 8, 2009, American Coaster Enthusiasts named The Comet a Coaster Landmark.[3]
Ride experience
The ride is 95 feet (29 m) tall and has a first drop of 87 feet (27 m). It is 4,197 feet (1,279 m) long and reaches a top speed of 55 mph (89 km/h).
The coaster operates two trains, one red and one blue, each capable of carrying 24 riders in four cars of three rows seating two across. There is a minimum height requirement of 48 inches (1.2 m) to ride.
Awards
| Year | 1998 | 1999 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ranking | 4[4] | 5[5] | ||||||||
| Year | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
| Ranking | 10[6] | 9[7] | 12[8] | 14[9] | 12[10] | 20[11] | 22[12] | 19[13] | 29[14] | 29[15] |
| Year | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
| Ranking | 17[16] | 19[17] | 20[18] | 16[19] | 18[20] | 24[21] | 25 (tie)[22] | 32[23] | 32[24] | 19[25] |
| Year | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | ||||
| Ranking | N/A | 20[26] | 23[27] | 25[28] | 27[29] | 28[30] |
