Photo TR - La Ronde and The Great Escape

I was long overdue for visiting friends and family in Montreal and finally headed over this past weekend. I made it a whirlwind trip around Lake Ontario, which I hope to do again to check out more of the Adirondacks and Finger Lakes. The ride took me from Toronto to Montreal and south through the Adirondacks and back to Toronto through Buffalo. Knowing that there were theme parks in the area is like catnip to coaster fans so I found a way to squeeze in a few hours at both La Ronde and Great Escape.

 

Both parks were great to visit and are still two of the most interesting and nicer parks in the chain, next to Six Flags Over Georgia. They definitely have a very historic feel to them that is well preserved and maintained. La Ronde still has this very cool Expo '67 vibe about it. Great Escape still feels like a family-run park with great attractions in a beautiful location. Definitely some of the nicest views from a coaster or ferris wheel that you'll find anywhere. Since the Comet was the same coaster my family rode back in the 60s and 70s at Crystal Beach, riding it was definitely a lot of fun with some nostalgia attached. The Comet is a great classic without a doubt.

 

Up first is La Ronde. Enjoy the pics!

La Ronde is located in Jean-Drapeau Park on Sainte-Hélène Island, just over the Jacques Cartier Bridge from Montreal

The Biosphere is an environmental museum in Jean-Drapeau Park and the symbol of Expo '67. It will be closed this fall for six months for a renovation/ updating of its exhibits.

Montreal from La Ronde's entrance

Jacques Cartier Bridge

New for 2014 at La Ronde is Démon

Processing a season pass was simply lining up, scanning your finger and getting a card. Very quick and easy.

This should come in handy for a Goliath or two...or three or four...or more....

This ride is still one of the best B&M hypers out there, 'mini' or not. I'm a huge fan of the more hills/ no helix layout.

Very creative naming for everyone's favourite coaster.

Démon isa menacing looking flat ride that doesn't do a whole lot.

I think Six Flags brought in a clairvoyant to take the Demon out of Demon before the ride opened.

Maybe the program will become more intense as they get to know the ride better.

It does look great.

If you love hang time, this is your ride. It's a great alternative to Looping Starships.

A few shots from the space spiral.

Le Monstre was closed that day.

Some more Expo '67 history

Check out the kid on the bridge over the next few shots. He totally chickens out.

Le Monstre

This was the first time I saw one of these travelling Vekoma corkscrews outside of Scandi.

When you're a French Boomerang...

You best be called "Le". It makes things much more pleasant to the ear.

These are always a crowd pleaser.

Such a great ride and...

....such a sweet relief from Ednor on the other side of the park

Yes, you have to be a true Intamin fan to ride a 1988 model a few times and love it.

This ride came from Skara Sommerland, a favourite park from the 2009 Scandi trip.

Like the Togos, it's the perfect length for a stand up.

Not to be outdone by Wonder Mountain's Guardian, La Ronde proudly offers 7-D!

Ran into Ken from last June's Japan trip and we headed for a Reuben...from Reuban's.

Om nom nom. Beer and Montreal Smoked Meat, piled high. Just one more half to go, Ken.

Log Cabin Dunkin' made the unpleasantness of the border crossing disappear. The nicest people ever work here. Up next - The Great Escape.

Edited May 29, 2014 by rollin_n_coastin

Great pictures! Thanks for sharing.

When you're a French Boomerang...

You best be called "Le". It makes things much more pleasant to the ear.

So true!

Cool shots!

Wow those are some great photos!

Great report Jason! Looking forward to your Great Escape pictures as well!

Loved looking through all of these shots Jason, looking for those

"remnants of EXPO" heh heh. That swirly-topped building in one of your

shots was the Aquarium at the fair! Is it still such a thing?

Thanks for the posts, all.

 

Up now is Six Flags Great Escape. The beautiful family park that other parks built. Truly, each attraction here has its own interesting history and story about what parks that they originally came from. I think all the rides here have found the perfect home--everything works really well together. The water park is also an interesting mix of new and old and looks to be very popular.

 

I didn't comment on the food at La Ronde as it was typical theme park food, with the exception of Le Poutine. At the Great Escape, the food was above average. Great skillets and above all, the dessert to tame all desserts--the Almond Cheesecake Cone, which is a crusty almond-honey coated cone stuffed with creamy cheesecake. I'm not sure if it'll be at other Six Flags parks but it's definitely worth a try if you see it around since it is pretty unique.

 

Enjoy the pics.

The Great Escape is located in Queensbury, NY, just south of very touristy Lake George.

A few shots of Lake George before heading to the park.

Yelp helped me find a great coffee at Cafe Vero, right on Canada St.

Here, you can have a Great Escape day.

I hope everyone loves clowns.

The history bridge looks fantastic. A lot of great highlights since 1954.

A bit of The Comet beyond the trees.

This coaster was a lot longer than I thought it would be, in a great way.

An instant classic.

New for 2014 is Extreme Super Nova, which had one of coolest Media Events ever last Thursday.

Alpine Bobsled was closed for the day.

Having a chance to ride this is a good excuse to go for another visit.

Who doesn't love indoor flat rides?

A look around the park.

A lot of the installations are of definite quality and have been at the park since the beginning.

A little Canyon Blaster action

A bit of "Steamin' Demon" to end things off with

Thanks for a Great Escape Day!

On the way back was a quick stopover at the "non Disney" Saratoga Springs.

A great spot downtown, Druthers, for all of your cool micro brew and....

...skillets the size of your head mac and cheese.

Some great wheels, too, if you've been a fan of the classic "Tiffany". Thanks for checking out the pics!

It still has skyrides....

 

That swirly-topped building in one of your shots was the Aquarium at the fair! Is it still such a thing?

 

That is a great question and cool to know. I'm honestly not sure since I didn't explore that building too closely.

Always nice to see another TR from Great Escape. It was probably my favourite park of the 2011 Northeast Trip. I love the place and Comet is all sorts of awesome.

I just found a better view of it, circa 2004.

 

Still looks intriguing to me, after all these years.

Almost looks like a flat Dole Whip, doesn't it?

^^Thanks, glad you liked Great Escape as well. I completely agree that Comet is tons of awesome. The wait was a bit with one train but it was well worth it.

 

^The rides look "fresher" in that pic haha

Dude, this was such an awesome TR to read! You totally just made my night.

 

I'm a Saratoga Springs native and your downtown pictures really made me homesick. My friends and I also spent tons of time up in Lake George and you went at exactly the right time, as it's a total ghost town until a week or two before Memorial Day.

 

One spot where I'll absolutely give credit where credit is due is to Six Flags for retaining the charm yet pushing Great Escape from being a small hometown park to the cusp of being a world-class theme park. While many will bash Six Flags for making it "corporate" and removing a few old classics like the old Tornado in Ghost Town or the circus show where Wiggles World (or whatever it's called now) is, just twenty years ago when I made my first visit as a kid, the walk to the Comet was just a hike through the woods for lack of Splashwater Kingdom and you parked on a huge sand pit across the street, dodging traffic on Route 9 to get over.

 

The Comet is a classic and, having worked in loss prevention for two seasons at the park, I know that Six Flags maintains a very healthy budget for that coaster to run so strong and smoothly. They re-track sections that get rough nearly every year and they really keep it running in tip-top shape. In my opinion, and I swear not for the fact that it's my home park classic woodie, I prefer The Comet to Phoenix at Knoebel's, and the two ride very similarly.

 

Other staples of the park, including Alpine Bobsled, the Ghost Town cave, Condor, and countless other classic rides and attractions really make Great Escape one of the most unique parks out there.

 

Thank you so much for such a well-documented report, keep them coming!

^Thanks for the really nice comments. Glad you enjoyed it. It was a blast trying out the new camera with a two parks in the mix.

 

These places are so powerful since they've been with a lot of people for many a generation and are able to strike that right balance between new and old. That can't be easy.

Edited May 31, 2014 by rollin_n_coastin

Great report Jason! It was great catching up with you and having that smoked meat!

 

 

We went right through that town after The Great Escape if I only knew I could find this there!

^Thanks Ken. Reuben's was great As for Druthers, I think I still have some of that Mac and Cheese in my fridge lol

 

How did you like La Ronde?

^Thanks Ken. Reuben's was great As for Druthers, I think I still have some of that Mac and Cheese in my fridge lol

 

How did you like La Ronde?

 

It was a lot better than I was expecting. Not the greatest operations but far from the worst. I found the staff to be friendly as well.