To view a comprehensive history photo update from The Great Escape dating back to the 1980's, click here.

The Great Escape & Splashwater Kingdom is an amusement park and water park located in Queensbury, New York. It is near Lake George, New York.

The Great Escape was opened in 1954 as StoryTown USA, a Mother Goose themed amusement park. In 1957 realizing that the park was geared only towards small children, the park opened its Ghost Town area, the first of many themed areas opened in the parks history.

In 1983 the park officially changed its name from StoryTown USA to The Great Escape. The next year the Great Escape opens its first of its eventual seven roller coasters, The Steamin' Demon.

Perhaps the most unique attraction at The Great Escape is The Comet. Re-opened at The Great Escape in 1994, this roller coaster already had a 41-year history as The Comet at Crystal Beach (an amusement park near St. Catherine's, Ontario). Roller coaster enthusiasts recognize it as one of the best wooden roller coasters in North America.

Milestones include:

 

1954 Storytown USA opens as a 5-acre Mother Goose themed amusement park

1957 Ghost Town is added to the park, in an effort to attract the male audience.

1960 Jungle Land walk-through is added to the park

1964 Freedomland closes; Charley Wood aqquires "Mule-powered merry-go-round, Danny the Dragon, a mirror maze walk-through and an antique carousel".

1965 Alice in Wonderland walk-through is added to the park

1967 Tornado is brought in from Kennywood, which originally operated in Freedomland.

1971 Storytown introduces it's first roller coaster, The Italian Roller Coaster. (This operated until 1988)

1977 International Village is opened, featuring 15 shops resembling a small European village.

1979 Storytown USA's first water ride Desperado Plunge is added to the park. It also becomes the bearer of the parks logo

1981 "Small World" buildings from The Land of Make Believe are added between Ghost Town and Storytown.

1983 Old West miniature buildings are added to the "Small World" section, also brought in from The Land of Make-Believe

1983 The name Storytown USA is changed to The Great Escape, but included in the parks logo and promotion. "Storytown is The Great Escape fun park"

1984 Steamin' Demon rollercoaster is added to the park, front and center, taking the spotlight off of the Desperado Plunge

1986 The Raging River opens as the parks second water ride

1995 Splashwater Kindom is added, once again altering the parks name. "Great Escape & Splashwater Kingdom" dropping Storytown altogether

1996 Acquisition by Premier Parks, which later bought and changed its name to Six Flags

2004 Storytown USA's 50th Anniversary