Local officials and businesses worry about the economic impact if Lake George’s theme park becomes a casualty of Six Flags’ mounting troubles
It was the middle of summer, and something weird was happening at Great Escape. There were no 20-minute waits, no wall-to-wall mob of people. Even entering the park, there was no line, said Greg Pittz, a 39-year-old support worker from Bethlehem who had taken a client to the amusement park for a planned trip in early July. “It was pretty dead up there,” he said. “I’ve never seen it like this.”
The lines were short even for a weekday, he said. The longest, at the Raging River, was only two minutes. No ride had more than 10 people—if it wasn’t closed. Flashback (formerly Boomerang), Condor, Greezed Lightnin’ and Blizzard were among them. The Comet — a near-century-old wooden roller coaster that became a staple of the park when it was moved there in 1994—was closed for the entirety of their seven-hour trip. As they were leaving the waterpark, they heard the sound of pneumatic brakes. They ran up to it. It was just running for maintenance.
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“So we got to watch the Comet cars go, but we didn’t get to ride it,” Pittz said.
Photo by Kristi Gustafson Barlette/Times Union
Great Escape’s parent company Six Flags has encountered a number of challenges this summer. On an Aug. 6 earnings call, the company reported a 9% drop in attendance compared to last year’s second quarter, as well as an 8% drop in its “active pass base,” or total season passes and memberships. At least two law firms are investigating whether Six Flags deliberately misled investors as shares took a Steamin’ Demon-like plunge. And as the company reported its third consecutive quarterly loss, it also announced CEO Richard Zimmerman would be stepping down, multiple outlets reported.
Great Escape opened in 1954 as Mother Goose-themed Storytown USA under Charles Wood—referred to by some as the “grandfather of American theme parks,” because he beat Walt Disney to the punch by one year. It was bought by Premier Parks, which would become Six Flags, in 1996, and a decade later opened a resort and New York’s first indoor waterpark nearby. Following a merger with rival amusement park company Cedar Fair a year ago, it’s one of over 40 Six Flags parks in North America, including Darien Lake in Genesee County and Six Flags New England in Massachusetts.
That number may dwindle. In light of its merger, the company is considering selling land and other assets, and announced the closure of Six Flags America in Maryland and possible closure of Great America in California. Six Flags spokeswoman Kristin Fitzgerald said there are no plans to close any other parks at this time. The merger was also followed by the firing of all 27 Six Flags park presidents, multiple outlets reported, including Great Escape head Rebecca Wood.
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While Six Flags acknowledged in its report the merger, along with a myriad of other factors, could impact earnings, Zimmerman blamed “exogenous events such as poor weather and a challenged consumer,” noting ticket sales improved in July as weather “normalized.”
Upstate tourism has taken a hit overall. Amid President Donald Trump’s trade war with Canada, New York saw 500,000 less visitors crossing its northern border in July. In nearby Lake George, business owners this spring said they were seeing a decline in seasonal foreign workers. Fitzgerald said hiring at Great Escape for both domestic and international employees, who make up only a “small supplement to support peak operating periods,” is on par with last year.
Pittz said that when he visited, the park was about 10% less crowded than what he previously remembered. Food stands were closed as well. Their tickets were purchased at a discount online, where he was encouraged to purchase a pass to skip the line to rides. He declined and was glad he did. There was no line to skip.
“Them still trying to charge $70 at the gate with major attractions closed feels slimy,” he said.
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When asked about ticket prices, Fitzgerald advised viewing prices listed online. Standard admission was listed at $39; a GO FAST Pass was $39.99 and a GO FAST Pass Plus was $49.99.
As of Friday afternoon, five rides at Great Escape were reported closed online: Canyon Blaster and Greezed Lightnin’ and children’s rides Hootie’s Treehouse, Rocky’s Ranger Planes and Storytown Train. Fitzgerald said several rides at the park are undergoing significant upgrades.
“While the majority of our rides are open, we may be awaiting a custom part, implementing routine maintenance, or completing a thorough (testing and inspections) process,” she said in an email. “While we aim to complete this work over the winter to minimize the impact to our guests, rides are highly complex machines that require consistent maintenance.”
Fitzgerald said there is currently no news of future Great Escape attractions, but said the park was gearing up for its Oktoberfest celebration, followed by Fright Fest and Boo Fest. She also noted that through Labor Day, Six Flags is offering its lowest price of the year on a membership pass that offers free parking, a “bring-a-friend” ticket and admission to 40-plus parks. At $5.99 a month for a minimum of 12 months, plus a $20 initiation fee, the before-tax total would be $91.88. Prices increase Tuesday.
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Photo at top: Six Flags Great Escape in Queensbury. Photo by Kristi Gustafson Barlette/Times Union
“Upstate tourism has taken a hit overall. Amid President Donald Trump’s trade war with Canada, New York saw 500,000 less visitors crossing its northern border in July.”
Thanks to you, Donald Trump, as well as to our Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, your war with Canada and your war on our health care system in the North Country are making our lives worse.
When we vote in 2026 in the mid-terms, the answer to the question of “are our lives any better off today” will be a resounding No!
Maybe that is your situation and opinion. But until the Democrats change a lot of their positions I will keep voting for the republicans. Not happy with everything they are doing, but I wasn’t happy with anything the Democrats were doing or what they wanted to do if Kamala won. Both parties are terrible
That is your opinion. A lot of people may be doing ok. I haven’t noticed any difference in my daily routine or activities because of things the administration is doing. Maybe if the Democrats would changed their positions they could have won. It is because of those positions I voted republican.
“A lot of people may be doing ok.”
Yes, they are — those who are well-off or wealthy. If the economy was actually doing “ok” for everyone, then fine. But it’s not.
Inflation is increasing. With Trump’s Taxes (tariffs), inflation is projected to increase further. Food prices keep going up. Housing is increasingly more and more expensive and out of reach for many. Job creation is in a tall spin right now. Few vacancies for good paying jobs. And Trump’s war against the Fed will only result in less and less confidence in the economy and more and more economic chaos.
What I fear is we’re headed towards an economy that is stagnating but with increasing inflation. Very hard to get out of. And very painful to live with.
(Really watch out if Trump succeeds in stacking the Fed with his own loyalists — then we’ll never get out of the economic morass of Trump’s own doing.)
The Canadian dollars’ low exchange rate has nothing to do with the presidents trade policy but is the reason Canadians cannot afford to come here post covid. The loonie has been going down the tubes for years.
Name one person that has lost healthcare. If there were it would be smeared all over network TV. However kicking lazy people who can work off free government policies is what we voted for. Keep watching network corporate media and remain an idiot
It amazes me how many ignorant, terminal TDS, , ill informed, PBS brainwashed morons there are in the Adirondacks
tourism is down 30% and parks like Great Escape and other North east attraction would benefit from Tourism from Canada which is in decline.
The season passes for this season Used a Cedar Fair pass setup which required a base local park pass and then a Passport which at the low end cost $120 on top of a $70 pass. Many opted not to get the add on do to price. I got it but havn’t gotten my moneys work out of it. Great Escape is a 3.3 hour drive from my home in NH and I have only made the drive once. While one of my brothers did get the pass and passport my other brother opted out of Six Flags Completely for him and his family of 5. I know many that got a home park pas and opted out of the expensive passport. Which means Other New England park fans skipped Great Escape this year saw ell as parks like Great adventure. they went to Great Escape or Darien Lake not both. This is why you’re seeing a 180 with a all parks pass.
Ride Closures are an issue and affect desire to return multiple times a season. it’s especially impactful for a medium sized park like Great Escape with a lower ride count. loosing a half dozen rides when you only offer 24 adult family rides does not make for a good visiting experience.
On my visit the train, Canyon blaster, Zoom Jets, Bucket brigade, Carousel, Raging River and half the water park were closed.
People got greedy for years. More specifically, there has to be more and more profit- year in, year out. That’s not sustainable. All the while we have propagandists, now PR firms, now publisists which paint the pig until nobody knows it from a cow. We are living the consequences of decades worth of putting “who you know” above “what you know”. We must now face the music.