View source for The Comet (Six Flags Great Escape)

{{Short description|Roller coaster}}
{{Infobox roller coaster
| name = The Comet
| image =Comet hill and station.jpg
| caption = Station and lift hill of The Comet.
| location = Six Flags Great Escape and Hurricane Harbor
| locationarticle = Six Flags Great Escape and Hurricane Harbor
| section= Fest Area
| type = Wood
| manufacturer = Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters
| designer = [[Herbert Paul Schmeck]]
| model =Wooden track coaster
| track = Double [[Out and Back roller coaster|Out and Back]]
| lift = Chain [[lift hill]]
| status = Operating
| opened = 1948 (Crystal Beach), June 25, 1994 (relocation to Great Escape)
| height_ft = 95
| drop_ft = 87
| length_ft = 4197
| speed_mph = 55
| duration= 2:00
| capacity = 720
| restriction_in = 48
| trains=2
| carspertrain=4
| rowspercar=3
| ridersperrow=2
| rcdb_number = 262
| coordinates = {{coord|43|21|4.91|N|73|41|6.23|W|display=title,inline|region:US-NY_type:landmark}}
}}
'''The Comet''' is a [[Wooden roller coaster|wooden]] [[roller coaster]] located at  [[Six Flags Great Escape and Hurricane Harbor]] in [[Queensbury, New York]], in the [[United States]].
Built from parts of the [[Crystal Beach Cyclone]] in 1948 at [[Crystal Beach Park|Crystal Beach]], The Comet was resurrected and reopened by the Great Escape in 1994. Often rated one of the top roller coasters in the world in the 1990s, The Comet features a 2-minute ride over several hills. The first and largest hill contains a drop of {{convert|87|ft|m}} and brings riders to a maximum speed of {{convert|55|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}}. For the 2017 season, The Comet celebrated its 70th anniversary.
==History==
The coaster started its existence at [[Crystal Beach Park]] (an amusement park in [[Fort Erie, Ontario]]) as a ride known as [[Crystal Beach Cyclone|Cyclone]] in 1927. Cyclone was known as a fearsome coaster. 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. [[Charles Wood (businessman)|Charlie Wood]], 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 (US amusement park)|Fantasy Island]] before making its way to the park in Queensbury where it began service again. The ride was constructed by [[Martin & Vleminckx]] at Great Escape.<ref>{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Comet|location=Crystal Beach|rcdb_number=261|accessdate=September 9, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Comet|location=Great Escape|rcdb_number=262|accessdate=September 9, 2013}}</ref>
==Ride experience==
[[Image:Comet w blue train.JPG|thumb|left|Blue train descending first hill.]]
The roller 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 {{convert|48|in|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 ten 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. Often early in the day and late at night park guests can reride without having to move from their seat. {{Citation needed|date=July 2017}}
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.
==ACE Coaster Landmark==
[[Image:Comet ACE Plaque.JPG|thumb|right|Plaque presented by American Coaster Enthusiasts.]]
On September 8, 2009, [[American Coaster Enthusiasts]] named The Comet a [[Coaster Landmark]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://albany.bizjournals.com/albany/stories/2009/09/07/daily5.html?surround=etf&ana=e_article |title=The Comet named a Roller Coaster Landmark |work=The Business Review |date=September 8, 2009 |accessdate=September 9, 2009}}</ref>
==Awards==
{{GTA table
| type       = wood
| accessdate = September 12, 2017
| 1998       = 4
| 1999       = 5
| 2000       = 10
| 2001       = 9
| 2002       = 12
| 2003       = 14
| 2004       = 12
| 2005       = 20
| 2006       = 22
| 2007       = 19
| 2008       = 29
| 2009       = 29
| 2010       = 17
| 2011       = 19
| 2012       = 20
| 2013       = 16
| 2014       = 18
| 2015       = 24
| 2016       = 25 (tie)
| 2017       = 32
| 2018       = 32
| 2019       = 19
| 2021       = 20
| 2022       = 23
| 2023       = 25
|2024=27}}
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
{{commons category|Comet (Great Escape)}}
*{{RCDB|262}}
* [http://www.staffannouncer.com/crystalbeach.html The Sights and Sounds of The Comet & Crystal Beach from Steve Cichon's staffannouncer.com]
* [http://themeparks.about.com/od/coasterridereviews/fr/CometTGE.htm A Review of The Comet]
{{The Great Escape and Hurricane Harbor}}
{{ACE Coaster Landmarks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Comet, The}}
[[Category:Roller coasters manufactured by Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters]]
[[Category:Queensbury, New York]]
[[Category:Roller coasters introduced in 1994]]
[[Category:Roller coasters operated by Six Flags]]
[[Category:The Great Escape and Hurricane Harbor]]
[[Category:Wooden roller coasters]]
[[Category:Roller coasters in New York (state)]]