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Changes made by Six Flags Over Texas PR to update park facts and current ride/entertainment data.
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| operator = [[Six Flags]]
| operator = [[Six Flags]]
| general_manager =
| general_manager =
| opening_date = August 1, 1961
| opening_date = August 5, 1961
| closing_date =
| closing_date =
| previous_names =
| previous_names =
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| water_rides = 5
| water_rides = 5
}}
}}
'''Six Flags Over Texas''' is a major [[amusement park]] located in [[Arlington, Texas|Arlington]], [[Texas]] ([[United States|USA]]), east of [[Fort Worth, Texas|Fort Worth]] and about {{convert|15|mi|km|0}} west of [[Dallas, Texas|Dallas]]. It is the oldest park of the [[Six Flags]] chain. The park opened on August 1, 1961 following just a year of construction and an initial [[investment]] of [[United States dollar|US$]]10 million by [[real estate]] developer [[Angus G. Wynne|Angus G. Wynne, Jr]].
'''Six Flags Over Texas''' is a major [[amusement park]] located in [[Arlington, Texas|Arlington]], [[Texas]] ([[United States|USA]]), east of [[Fort Worth, Texas|Fort Worth]] and about {{convert|15|mi|km|0}} west of [[Dallas, Texas|Dallas]]. It is the oldest park of the [[Six Flags]] chain. The park opened on August 5, 1961 following just a year of construction and an initial [[investment]] of [[United States dollar|US$]]10 million by [[real estate]] developer [[Angus G. Wynne|Angus G. Wynne, Jr]].


Since its opening, Six Flags Over Texas has consistently performed well in terms of attendance and revenue, despite its history of ever-changing owners and expansions. The park currently has several [[amusement ride]]s and attractions, bringing in thousands of visitors daily.
Since its opening, Six Flags Over Texas has consistently performed well in terms of attendance and revenue, despite its history of ever-changing owners and expansions. The park currently has several [[amusement ride]]s and attractions, bringing in thousands of visitors daily.
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===Grand opening===
===Grand opening===
Six Flags Over Texas opened its gates to the public on Tuesday, August 1, 1961 as part of a "soft-test opening". The park held its grand opening ceremonies on Saturday, August 5, 1961. Park attendance reached 8,374. Admission was $2.75 (${{Formatprice|{{Inflation|US|2.75|1961}}}} today) ($59.39 as of 2011) for adults and $2.25 (${{Inflation|US|2.25|1961}} today) ($37.79 as of 2011) for children; parking was 50 cents (${{Formatprice|{{Inflation|US|0.50|1961}}}} today) ($15.00 as of 2010); hamburgers were 35 cents (${{Formatprice|{{Inflation|US|0.35|1961}}}} today), and soft drinks were 10 cents (${{Formatprice|{{Inflation|US|0.10|1961}}}} today).{{Inflation-fn|US}} On opening day, guests could visit the six original themed sections: [[Mexico]], [[Spain]], [[France]], The [[Confederate States of America|Confederacy]], [[Texas]], and Modern. They could also enjoy over 20{{Citation needed|date=February 2007}} attractions including classic rides, shows, and exhibits. The park's first season was a success with over 500,000 visitors which ended on November 25, 1961.
Six Flags Over Texas opened its gates to the public on Tuesday, August 1, 1961 as part of a "soft-test opening". The park held its grand opening ceremonies on Saturday, August 5, 1961. Park attendance reached 8,374. Admission was $2.75 ($59.99 as of 2011) for adults and $2.25 ($36.99 as of 2011) for children; parking was 50 cents (${{Formatprice| ($15.00 as of 201); hamburgers were 35 cents , and soft drinks were 10 cents. On opening day, guests could visit the six original themed sections: [[Mexico]], [[Spain]], [[France]], The [[Confederate States of America|Confederacy]], [[Texas]], and Modern. They could also enjoy over 20{{Citation needed|date=February 2007}} attractions including classic rides, shows, and exhibits. The park's first season was a success with over 500,000 visitors which ended on November 25, 1961.


===The 1960s===
===The 1960s===
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===The 2000s===
===The 2000s===
During the first decade of the 21st Century Looney Tunes USA was restructured. In 2001, the park introduced its tallest, fastest, longest roller coaster, Titan. Built by Giovanola of Switzerland, it reached a staggering {{convert|245|ft|m}} and had a top speed of {{convert|85|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}}. It not only was the tallest, fastest, longest roller coaster in the park, but also held all three records for the state of Texas. In 2002, the park kicked off the Best of Texas Festival which brought Texas history back to the park. The park has also made steps toward bringing back the past when they reopened Casa Magnetica. In 2006, the park celebrated its 45th Anniversary by adding ten new attractions geared toward families. Since then, Six Flags Over Texas has placed more emphasis on families by offering a daily parade and more characters (including [[Scooby-Doo]] and the Justice League.) Six Flags Over Texas also introduced Festival Latino. For 2007 and 2008, Six Flags over Texas was home to "Cirque Dreams Coobrila", a high energy cirque acrobatic type show housed in the Music Mill outdoor amphitheater. On May 17, 2008, Six Flags over Texas introduced its first roller coaster in seven years called Tony Hawk's Big Spin.<ref>[http://www.sixflags.com/overTexas/rides/TonyHawksBigSpin.aspx Sixflags.com]</ref> In 2009, debuted the "Glow in the Park Parade", a nighttime parade filled with thousands of lights.
During the first decade of the 21st century Looney Tunes USA was restructured. In 2001, the park introduced its tallest, fastest, longest roller coaster, Titan. Built by Giovanola of Switzerland, it reached a staggering {{convert|245|ft|m}} and had a top speed of {{convert|85|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}}. It not only was the tallest, fastest, longest roller coaster in the park, but also held all three records for the state of Texas. In 2002, the park kicked off the Best of Texas Festival which brought Texas history back to the park. The park has also made steps toward bringing back the past when they reopened Casa Magnetica. In 2006, the park celebrated its 45th Anniversary by adding ten new attractions geared toward families. Since then, Six Flags Over Texas had placed more emphasis on families by offering a daily parade and more characters (including [[Scooby-Doo]] and the Justice League.) Six Flags Over Texas also introduced Festival Latino. For 2007 and 2008, Six Flags Over Texas was home to "Cirque Dreams Coobrila", a high energy cirque acrobatic type show housed in the Music Mill Amphitheater. On May 17, 2008, Six Flags over Texas introduced its first roller coaster in seven years called Tony Hawk's Big Spin.<ref>[http://www.sixflags.com/overTexas/rides/TonyHawksBigSpin.aspx Sixflags.com]</ref> In 2009, debuted the "Glow in the Park Parade", a nighttime parade filled with thousands of lights.


===The 2010s===
===The 2010s===
In early 2010, the Texas Giant roller coaster was closed to be renovated into a steel roller coaster on wooden supports, and was reopened on April 22, 2011 for the park's 50th anniversary.<ref>http://www.sixflags.com/overTexas/rides/TexasGiant.aspx Texas Giant Opening April 22</ref> In late 2010, Six Flags began the process of removing licensed theming from attractions. They terminated several licenses including their license with [[Nickelodeon (TV channel)|Nickelodeon]]. The SpongeBob SquarePants 3D movie, which featured moving seats, bubbles, and water squirts at various points in the movie was closed.<ref>{{cite news|last=MacDonald|first=Brady|title=Six Flags amusement parks prepare for thematic makeovers|url=http://www.latimes.com/travel/deals/themeparks/la-trb-six-flags-retheme-20101122,0,3267615.story|accessdate=27 November 2010|newspaper=LA Times|date=25 November 2010}}</ref>
In early 2010, the Texas Giant roller coaster was closed to be renovated into a super-hydbrid coaster and was reopened on April 22, 2011 as the NEW Texas Giant for the park's 50th anniversary.<ref>http://www.sixflags.com/overTexas/rides/TexasGiant.aspx Texas Giant Opening April 22</ref> In late 2010, Six Flags began the process of removing licensed theming from attractions. They terminated several licenses including their license with [[Nickelodeon (TV channel)|Nickelodeon]]. The SpongeBob SquarePants 3D movie, which featured moving seats, bubbles, and water squirts at various points in the movie was closed.<ref>{{cite news|last=MacDonald|first=Brady|title=Six Flags amusement parks prepare for thematic makeovers|url=http://www.latimes.com/travel/deals/themeparks/la-trb-six-flags-retheme-20101122,0,3267615.story|accessdate=27 November 2010|newspaper=LA Times|date=25 November 2010}}</ref>


== Firsts, bests, and other records ==
== Firsts, bests, and other records ==
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*'''Festival Latino''' - In April, Hispanic and Latino [[Cultural heritage|heritage]] is celebrated throughout the park. The park alive with arts, crafts, performances by bands and dancers, as well as authentic [[cuisine]] including [[fajitas]], [[sweet corn]], [[churros]], and [[tacos]]. The annual event started in 2006.
*'''Festival Latino''' - In April, Hispanic and Latino [[Cultural heritage|heritage]] is celebrated throughout the park. The park alive with arts, crafts, performances by bands and dancers, as well as authentic [[cuisine]] including [[fajitas]], [[sweet corn]], [[churros]], and [[tacos]]. The annual event started in 2006.

*'''Best of Texas Festival''' – Texas [[Cultural heritage|heritage]] is celebrated during this event in September. The park is decorated with [[pumpkin]]s, [[hay]] bales, and [[scarecrow]]s and filled with skilled [[artisan]]s and Texas [[souvenir]]s such as woodcarvings, homemade [[soap]]s, and hand-crafted [[leather]] [[boot]]s. Several authentic Texas foods are also popular at the event, including homemade [[bread]]s, [[kettle]] [[maize|corn]], skillet [[potato]]es, and fried green [[tomato]]es. Originally called the Texas Heritage Festival, it was renamed the 'Best of Texas' festival for the 2006 season and the parks 45th anniversary.


*'''Fright Fest''' – Originally only one night in October called 'Fright Night', Fright Fest is the annual [[Halloween]] festival at Six Flags Over Texas, Fright Fest, takes place throughout the month of October and features several specialized additions to the park. [[Haunted house]]s, decorated pathways, patrolling [[ghoul]]s, and spooky music all contribute to the park’s transformation into a giant 'scream' park.
*'''Fright Fest''' – Originally only one night in October called 'Fright Night', Fright Fest is the annual [[Halloween]] festival at Six Flags Over Texas, Fright Fest, takes place throughout the month of October and features several specialized additions to the park. [[Haunted house]]s, decorated pathways, patrolling [[ghoul]]s, and spooky music all contribute to the park’s transformation into a giant 'scream' park.


*'''Holiday in the Park''' – A tradition started in 1985, Holiday in the Park is now one of the park’s most popular seasonal events as the park’s season winds down towards the end of November and throughout December. Hundreds of thousands of [[Christmas lights (holiday decoration)|Christmas lights]] are strung around the park buildings and rides, and an authentic snow hill is available for visitors to [[Toboggan|sled]] down (made possible in the usually mild Texas winter by a specialized [[refrigeration]] [[machine]] under the attraction). Festive holiday shows, arts & crafts, and delicious seasonal food also bring the holidays to Six Flags Over Texas
*'''Holiday in the Park''' – A tradition started in 1985, Holiday in the Park is now one of the park’s most popular seasonal events as the park’s season winds down towards the end of November and throughout December. Hundreds of thousands of [[Christmas lights (holiday decoration)|Christmas lights]] are strung around the park buildings and rides. An authentic snow hill is available for visitors to [[Toboggan|sled]] down. Festive holiday shows, arts & crafts, and delicious seasonal food also bring the holidays to Six Flags Over Texas


==Sections==
==Sections==
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|
|
|-
|-
|[[Texas Giant]]
|[[NEW Texas Giant]]
|align=center|1990
|align=center|1990
|
|
|Dinn corporation built, Curtis D. Summers designed wooden roller coaster
|Dinn corporation built, Curtis D. Summers designed wooden roller coaster
|''Texas''
|''Texas''
|Was closed for the 2010 season for renovation. Reopened on April 22, 2011 as the world's first Super Hybrid Coaster.
|As part of the park's upcoming 50th anniversary season in 2011, Texas Giant was closed for the 2010 season for renovation.
|-
|-
|[[Runaway Mountain]]
|[[Runaway Mountain]]
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|Gerstlauer Spinning Coaster
|Gerstlauer Spinning Coaster
|''Boomtown''
|''Boomtown''
|Originally named "Tony Hawk's Big Spin"
|Does endless 360s.
|}
|}


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==Shopping and dining==
==Shopping and dining==
===Shopping===
===Shopping===
*Pedro's Painted Shirts
*Caricatures
*Caricatures
*Casa De Six Flags
*Casa De Six Flags
*El Mercado De La Plaza
*El Mercado De La Plaza
*Ashley's Antique Photorium
*Antique Photo Emporium
*Miss Abagail's Emporium
*Les De Caricatures
*Les De Caricatures
*Airbrush Artistry
*Airbrush Artistry
*The Ole' Woodcutter Shop
*The Ole' Woodcutter Shop
*Texas Glass Blower
*Longhorn 3D Crystal
*Big Tex's Tattoo Parlor
*Indian Village Trading Post
*Indian Village Trading Post
*Texas Gifts
*Texas Gift Shop
*Studio: 6f
*Attitudes AND Attitudes 2
*Cartoon Candy Kitchen
*Cartoon Candy Kitchen
*Looney Tunes Mall
*Looney Tunes Mall
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*Old Fashioned Ice Cream Bars
*Old Fashioned Ice Cream Bars
*Smoothies Sensacion Tropical
*Smoothies Sensacion Tropical
*JB's Smokehouse
*Gator McGee's Mountain Grill
*[[Ben & Jerry's]]
*[[Ben & Jerry's]]
*Annabelle's Southern Treats
*Annabelle's Southern Treats
*Aunt Addie's Shaved Ice
*Aunt Addie's Shaved Ice
*[[Papa John's Pizza]]
*Uncle Bub's Smokehouse
*Uncle Bub's Smokehouse
*Bubba's Texas Sized Hot Dogs
*Bubba's Texas Sized Hot Dogs
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Past park president Steve Calloway repeatedly expressed his desire at various events to implement past favorites of the park to bring back some nostalgia. His goal was partially completed with the reopening of the long-defunct ''Casa Magnetica''<ref>[http://www.parktimes.com/sections/spain/casa.htm Parktimes.com]</ref> [[funhouse]] in 2004, but later closing in 2007. With the renewed company-wide focus on families, Six Flags over Texas has also seen a rise in family entertainment and attractions such as new parades, shows, and concerts.
Past park president Steve Calloway repeatedly expressed his desire at various events to implement past favorites of the park to bring back some nostalgia. His goal was partially completed with the reopening of the long-defunct ''Casa Magnetica''<ref>[http://www.parktimes.com/sections/spain/casa.htm Parktimes.com]</ref> [[funhouse]] in 2004, but later closing in 2007. With the renewed company-wide focus on families, Six Flags over Texas has also seen a rise in family entertainment and attractions such as new parades, shows, and concerts.


Looking ahead toward 2010, Six Flags over Texas has already announced that it will be closing the [[Texas Giant]] roller coaster for the 2010 season in order to restore and upgrade it for the park's 2011 50th anniversary.


{{SFOT Coasters}}
{{SFOT Coasters}}

Revision as of 15:16, 19 August 2011

Six Flags Over Texas
LocationArlington, Texas, USA
Coordinates32°45′18″N 97°04′13″W / 32.75510484804°N 97.07017421°W / 32.75510484804; -97.07017421
OpenedAugust 5, 1961
OwnerTexas Flags, Ltd.[1]
Operated bySix Flags
Operating seasonMarch through January
Area212 acres (0.331 sq mi) (0.86 km²)
Attractions
Total50
Roller coasters13
Water rides5
WebsiteSix Flags Over Texas

Six Flags Over Texas is a major amusement park located in Arlington, Texas (USA), east of Fort Worth and about 15 miles (24 km) west of Dallas. It is the oldest park of the Six Flags chain. The park opened on August 5, 1961 following just a year of construction and an initial investment of US$10 million by real estate developer Angus G. Wynne, Jr.

Since its opening, Six Flags Over Texas has consistently performed well in terms of attendance and revenue, despite its history of ever-changing owners and expansions. The park currently has several amusement rides and attractions, bringing in thousands of visitors daily.

The park is not owned by the Six Flags Theme Parks corporation. In an arrangement similar to that for Six Flags Over Georgia, it is owned by a group of approximately 120 limited partners—some the heirs of Angus G. Wynne—and is managed by the corporation. Starting in 1991, the park was managed by Time Warner Entertainment. In 1998, Time Warner sold its interests in the Six Flags parks to Premier Parks of Oklahoma City, which later changed its name to Six Flags Theme Parks, Inc.

History

Initial planning and construction

Following a visit to the then just recently opened Disneyland in Anaheim, California, wealthy real estate developer Angus G. Wynne, Jr. decided that his home state of Texas should have a local park for entertainment. Planning for such a place began in 1959, under the leadership of Wynne and the Great Southwest Corporation, along with the backing of various New York investors. Construction on the park began in August, 1960.

The original logo for Six Flags over Texas.
The entrance of Six Flags over Texas welcomes visitors while the Oil Derrick observation tower looms in the background.

Origin of the name

The park's name "Six Flags Over Texas" refers to the flags of the six different nations that have governed Texas: Spain, France, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, the United States of America, and the Confederate States of America. The story goes that Wynne originally intended to name the park "Texas under Six Flags", until his wife objected stating that "Texas isn’t under anything." The original park was (and still is) split into separate regions, such as the Spain and Mexico section which featured Spanish-themed rides, attractions and buildings.

Grand opening

Six Flags Over Texas opened its gates to the public on Tuesday, August 1, 1961 as part of a "soft-test opening". The park held its grand opening ceremonies on Saturday, August 5, 1961. Park attendance reached 8,374. Admission was $2.75 ($59.99 as of 2011) for adults and $2.25 ($36.99 as of 2011) for children; parking was 50 cents (${{Formatprice| ($15.00 as of 201); hamburgers were 35 cents , and soft drinks were 10 cents. On opening day, guests could visit the six original themed sections: Mexico, Spain, France, The Confederacy, Texas, and Modern. They could also enjoy over 20[citation needed] attractions including classic rides, shows, and exhibits. The park's first season was a success with over 500,000 visitors which ended on November 25, 1961.

The 1960s

The 1960s were a growing decade for Six Flags Over Texas. The park added numerous attractions including two new sections: Boomtown, named after the boomtowns that sprang up rather quickly during Texas' oil boom era, and the "Tower Section", named after the Oil Derrick observation tower built in 1969. The park also witnessed the birth of two classic theme park attractions: the log flume in 1963 and the Runaway Mine Train roller coaster in 1966. Attendance reached close to 2 million visitors a year by the end of the decade. In 1969, Six Flags Over Texas was sold by Angus G. Wynne to a new limited partnership managed by generally well-respected Dallas investor Jack Knox.

The 1970s

The park saw continuing growth and expansion through the 1970s. It was the setting for the opening filmed sequence in the 1971 Sid and Marty Krofft television show Lidsville, in which lead character Mark (Butch Patrick) sees a magician perform in one of the theaters, then sneaks backstage after the magic show, causes the hat to enlarge, then falls through it and lands in Lidsville, "the land of living hats." The park underwent new management in 1971 with the Penn Central Railroad. The park added two new roller coasters, more rides, and a new section called "Goodtimes Square". The park also removed many of its less popular aging attractions in this decade as well. In 1975, a new mascot, Cyrus Cosmo - the inventor - was created and led many ad campaigns. By 1978, Six Flags Over Texas had had over 30 million visitors.

The 1980s

The 1980s were another period of change for Six Flags Over Texas. The park added three roller coasters as well as a children's section themed after Pac-Man in 1983 and later changed to Looney Tunes in 1985. Six Flags Over Texas also introduced three popular festivals in this decade. Spring Breakout, introduced in 1984, brought live bands and excitement to the park for students on Spring Break. Six Flags also introduced Fright Fest and Holiday in the Park to increase attendance and extend the season.

The 1990s

File:MarvinTheMartian-3882.jpg
Marvin the Martian Looney Tunes character (2007)

The 1990s was a rather rough decade in comparison from decades past. The decade started off with a bang when Six Flags Over Texas introduced the Texas Giant roller coaster. After a record year, Six Flags Over Texas went into a lull with management changes and name changes as the Looney Tunes characters began to take over starting in 1991. The Spee-lunker's Cave, a flume-based darkride often said to have inspired Disney to create It's A Small World, was restructured to feature Looney Tunes characters in place of the Spee's who had inhabited the ride since the early days of the park—the park was managed by Time Warner Entertainment. In 1998, Six Flags Over Texas started it off with its addition of Mr. Freeze. Time Warner sold its interests in the Six Flags parks to Premier Parks of Oklahoma City, which later changed its name to Six Flags Theme Parks, Inc. In the late 90s, the park experienced a period of growth by adding new coasters and rides. Six Flags Over Texas also introduced FastLane, later FlashPass, which was similar to FastPass at Disney theme parks. Many of these new additions (including the new Gotham City section) were far from the original Six Flags Over Texas theme. By the end of the decade, Six Flags Over Texas had added ten roller coasters to its list of attractions.

The 2000s

During the first decade of the 21st century Looney Tunes USA was restructured. In 2001, the park introduced its tallest, fastest, longest roller coaster, Titan. Built by Giovanola of Switzerland, it reached a staggering 245 feet (75 m) and had a top speed of 85 mph (137 km/h). It not only was the tallest, fastest, longest roller coaster in the park, but also held all three records for the state of Texas. In 2002, the park kicked off the Best of Texas Festival which brought Texas history back to the park. The park has also made steps toward bringing back the past when they reopened Casa Magnetica. In 2006, the park celebrated its 45th Anniversary by adding ten new attractions geared toward families. Since then, Six Flags Over Texas had placed more emphasis on families by offering a daily parade and more characters (including Scooby-Doo and the Justice League.) Six Flags Over Texas also introduced Festival Latino. For 2007 and 2008, Six Flags Over Texas was home to "Cirque Dreams Coobrila", a high energy cirque acrobatic type show housed in the Music Mill Amphitheater. On May 17, 2008, Six Flags over Texas introduced its first roller coaster in seven years called Tony Hawk's Big Spin.[2] In 2009, debuted the "Glow in the Park Parade", a nighttime parade filled with thousands of lights.

The 2010s

In early 2010, the Texas Giant roller coaster was closed to be renovated into a super-hydbrid coaster and was reopened on April 22, 2011 as the NEW Texas Giant for the park's 50th anniversary.[3] In late 2010, Six Flags began the process of removing licensed theming from attractions. They terminated several licenses including their license with Nickelodeon. The SpongeBob SquarePants 3D movie, which featured moving seats, bubbles, and water squirts at various points in the movie was closed.[4]

Firsts, bests, and other records

Firsts and ones of a kind*

  • First Six Flags Theme Park. This is the original Six Flags Theme Park opened in the year(1961)
  • First Log Flume – El Aserradero (1963)
  • First Mine Train Roller Coaster – The Runaway Mine Train (1966)
  • First Freefall Ride - Texas Cliffhanger (later renamed Wildcatter) (1982)[5] Removed in 2007.[6]

*It is often disputed whether Shockwave is the world's first vertical consecutive double loop roller coaster. According to David Hahner, the historian for the American Coaster Enthusiasts (which is the ultimate authority on roller coasters) Geauga Lake’s Double Loop[7] roller coaster was first, despite Six Flags claiming it publicly on their website Sixflags.com. According to David Hahner, "Geauga Lake’s Double Loop, designed by Ron Toomer and built by Arrow Dynamics, opened in 1977. It was the first coaster to feature back-to-back vertical loops."

Cliffhanger is not recognized anywhere else as the first of its kind. Six Flags Great America opened the prototype of this ride named "The Edge" and ironically it found its final home at Geauga Lake along with the disputed Double Loop coaster mentioned above.

Records

Six Flags oil derrick

Awards

  • World's Best Wooden Roller Coaster of 1999 - Texas Giant

Accidents

  • A 28-year-old Arkansas woman drowned on the Roaring Rapids water ride.
  • In March 2006, Texas Tornado (currently Gunslinger) malfunctioned and its operator brought it to an emergency stop, causing several swing chairs to collide at speeds approximating 15 mph (24 km/h). Several riders suffered minor injuries.

Events

Six Flags Over Texas hosts several seasonal events throughout the year including:

The 'Best Time of the Year' is one of the many holiday traditions that make up the park's annual Holiday in the Park celebration.
  • Spring Break Out – Taking place in the month of March, the Spring Break Out event welcomes the warm Texas weather with plenty of outdoor attractions, events, games, and concert performances. The event usually takes place over a couple of weeks, allowing various local schools’ differing spring break holidays to coincide with one of the event's weeks. It has been a park tradition since 1984.
  • Festival Latino - In April, Hispanic and Latino heritage is celebrated throughout the park. The park alive with arts, crafts, performances by bands and dancers, as well as authentic cuisine including fajitas, sweet corn, churros, and tacos. The annual event started in 2006.
  • Fright Fest – Originally only one night in October called 'Fright Night', Fright Fest is the annual Halloween festival at Six Flags Over Texas, Fright Fest, takes place throughout the month of October and features several specialized additions to the park. Haunted houses, decorated pathways, patrolling ghouls, and spooky music all contribute to the park’s transformation into a giant 'scream' park.
  • Holiday in the Park – A tradition started in 1985, Holiday in the Park is now one of the park’s most popular seasonal events as the park’s season winds down towards the end of November and throughout December. Hundreds of thousands of Christmas lights are strung around the park buildings and rides. An authentic snow hill is available for visitors to sled down. Festive holiday shows, arts & crafts, and delicious seasonal food also bring the holidays to Six Flags Over Texas

Sections

Aerial view of "Gotham City"-themed section of the park. SH 360 and I-30 intersect in the immediate background which show the proximity of the park to local roadways.
  • Texas (1961)
  • Spain (1961)
  • Mexico (1961)
  • France (1961)
  • USA (1961 - originally known as the Modern section)
  • Old South (1961 - originally known as the Confederacy)
  • Star Mall (1961 - often not referred to as a section of the park but rather the Front Gate or part of the USA section)
  • Boomtown (1963)
  • Tower (1969 - named after the Oil Derrick observation tower)
  • Goodtimes Square (1973)
  • Looney Tunes USA (1983 - originally known as Pac-Man Land & Looney Tunes Land)
  • Gotham City (1999)

Rides and attractions

Roller coasters

Batman: The Ride at Six Flags Over Texas
The Texas Giant
Ride Name Year Opened Removed In Manufacturer/Ride Type Current Location Other Notes
La Cucaracha 1961 1964 Allan Herschell Company Mad Mouse (Wild Mouse) Originally named Sidewinder and was located in the USA section in 1961. Name changed and moved to Mexico section in 1962.
Runaway Mine Train 1966 Arrow Mine Train Boomtown 1st Arrow Dynamics mine train roller coaster built.
Mini Mine Train 1969 Arrow Mini Mine Train Boomtown Located next to the bigger Mine Train. Track modified slightly in 1997 when Mr. Freeze was built next to/over parts of the track.
Big Bend 1971 1979 Schwarzkopf Speed Racer/Jumbo Jet Ride was moved to Six Flags St. Louis, but was never re-assembled and was later scrapped.
Shock Wave 1978 Schwarzkopf looping roller coaster Tower 1st roller coaster with back-to-back vertical loops.
Judge Roy Scream 1980 Don Rosser & Bill Cobb wooden roller coaster Goodtimes Square Built outside main park area, along the park's entrance lake.
La Vibora 1986 Intamin Swiss Bob (bobsled) roller coaster Mexico Ride was moved from Six Flags Magic Mountain. Originally named The Avalanche Bobsled.
Flashback! 1989 Vekoma Boomerang roller coaster Goodtimes Square
NEW Texas Giant 1990 Dinn corporation built, Curtis D. Summers designed wooden roller coaster Texas Was closed for the 2010 season for renovation. Reopened on April 22, 2011 as the world's first Super Hybrid Coaster.
Runaway Mountain 1996 Premier Rides indoor roller coaster Old South Is an indoor coaster that has the ride almost completely in the dark.
Mr. Freeze 1998 Premier Rides LIM launched roller coaster Gotham City Originally intended to open for the 1997 season, but problems with the LIM Launch system forced a delayed opening.
Batman: The Ride 1999 Bollinger & Mabillard Inverted roller coaster Gotham City Is the only inverted roller coaster in the park.
Titan 2001 Giovanola Mega Coaster (hypercoaster) Texas Is the tallest, fastest, and longest roller coaster in Texas.
Wile E. Coyote's Grand Canyon Blaster 2001 Chance-Morgan Big Dipper (junior roller coaster) Looney Tunes USA
Pandemonium [8] 2008 Gerstlauer Spinning Coaster Boomtown Originally named "Tony Hawk's Big Spin"

Current adult/family rides

Six Flags Railroad (2007)
The Gunslinger swing ride (2007)
The Oil Derrick observation tower
Roaring Rapids river ride (2007)
Superman Tower Of Power (2010)
Ride Name Year Opened Manufacturer/Ride Type Current Location Other Notes
Six Flags Railroad 1961 Train ride around the park Texas and Boomtown Stations are the Texas Depot and Boomtown Depot
Chaparral Antique Cars 1962 Arrow antique cars Texas
El Asseradero 1963 and 1968 Arrow Log Flume Spain 2 separate Log Flume rides. 1st Log Flume ride built (1963), second flume added in 1968.
Silver Star Carousel 1963 Dentzel carousel Star Mall Last carousel built by William Dentzel. Originally located in Boomtown section, ride was removed for restoration in 1985 and reopened at current location in 1988.
El Sombrero 1965 Chance Rides trabant Mexico Moved to new location in 2006.
Oil Derrick 1969 Intamin observation tower Tower
Texas Chute Out 1976 Intamin parachute tower Goodtimes Square Also see Great Gasp
Conquistador 1981 Intamin Bounty - swinging ship Spain
Roaring Rapids 1983 Intamin Rapids water ride Tower Replaced Skull Island and LaSalle's Riverboat Adventure.
The Gunslinger 1983 Chance Rides Yo-Yo - swings ride Boomtown Ride was named Texas Tornado until 2007.
Aquaman Splashdown 1987 Intamin Shoot-the-Chutes water ride USA Ride was named Splash Water Falls until 2007.
Yosemite Sam and The Gold River Adventure 1992 Arrow Water dark ride Texas Originally opened in 1964 as Spee-Lunker's Cave Ride, name/theme changed in 1992. Also see River Caves.
Adventure Theatre - Kids Coasters 1995 motion simulator theater USA Ride opened in 1995 showing The Right Stuff film, films have changed several times since then, Robots of Mars opened for the 2010 season. Robots of Mars was replaced by Elvira, Mistress of the Dar for Halloween, and during Holiday in the Park, it was changed to Kids Coasters.
Superman Tower Of Power 2003 3 S & S Power Combo Towers Tower
La Fiesta de Las Tazas 2006 Zamperla teacups Mexico Built where El Sombrero was located until 2006.
Rodeo 2006 Huss Rodeo/Breakdance Texas Ride moved from Six Flags Great Adventure.
Sidewinder 2006 Eli Bridge Scrambler Texas Ride moved from Six Flags Astroworld.
Boot Scootin' 2006 Zamperla boot themed Turtle Parade Texas
Caddo Lake Barge 2006 Zamperla Rockin’ Tug Tower
ACME Rock-N-Rocket 2006 Intamin Looping Starship USA
Cloud Bouncer 2006 Zamperla Samba balloon tower Goodtimes Square
Batwing 2006 Zamperla Telecombat Gotham City
Crazy Legs 2006 Huss Troika Goodtimes Square Said to be a "Frankenstein" creation of 3 different Troikas from various parks, possibly including the defunct Six Flags Astroworld in Houston TX

Current kiddie rides

All rides located in Looney Tunes USA

Ride Name Year Opened Manufacturer/Ride Type
Elmer Fudd's 'America the Beautiful' Railway Zamperla Rio Grande/kiddie train ride
Bugs Bunny's Spirit of St. Louie 1976 Zamperla mini airplane ride
Michigan J. Frog's Tinsel Town Revue 1985 Zamperla mini swinger ride
Speedy Gonzales' Truckin' Across America 1992 Zamperla kiddie convoy/truck ride
Sylvester & Tweety's State Fair-is Wheel 2001 Zamperla mini ferris wheel
Route 66 Bumper Cars 2001 SBF/VISA group mini bumper cars
Daffy Duck's Capitol Tours 2001 SBF/VISA group kiddie crazy bus ride
Taz's New York Adventure 2001 SBF/VISA group kiddie drop ride
Yosemite Sam's Texas Tea Cups 2001 SBF/VISA group mini teacups

Current extra charge attractions

Attraction Name Year Opened Manufacturer/Ride Type Current Location
Dive Bomber Alley 1996 Skycoaster Tower
Six Flags Speedway Go Karts 1999 J & J Amusements go karts Tower

Theaters & stages

  • David Blackburn Southern Palace Theater - The largest indoor theater at Six Flags Over Texas. This venue houses all types of musical and dance shows.
  • Majestic Theater - Originally the Krofft Puppet Circus & Goodtimes Theater, this venue houses all types of musical, dance, and specialty shows.
  • Lone Star Theater- This venue usually house specialty shows.
  • Crazy Horse Saloon -The Crazy Horse Saloon has provided live entertainment for over 40 years, featuring cowboys and saloon girls. This is the oldest theater in the park.
  • AT&T Music Mill Amphitheater - The park's large outdoor amphitheater. This venue houses concerts and other live entertainment.
  • Back Porch Stage - This venue houses live bands during certain times of the year.
  • Texas Arena - This is the park's stunt show theater. In 2008, the Thursday Night Starburst Concert Series will perform here.

Shopping and dining

Shopping

  • Caricatures
  • Casa De Six Flags
  • El Mercado De La Plaza
  • Antique Photo Emporium
  • Les De Caricatures
  • Airbrush Artistry
  • The Ole' Woodcutter Shop
  • Indian Village Trading Post
  • Texas Gift Shop
  • Studio: 6f
  • Cartoon Candy Kitchen
  • Looney Tunes Mall
  • The Flash Pass Ride Reservation Center

Dining

Johnny Rockets (2007)
  • Dry Hole Charlie's
  • Dusty Dan's Waterin' Hole
  • Specialty Hot Dawgs
  • Goodtimes Refreshments
  • Johnny Rockets Shakes & Fries (formerly Cactus Cantina in 2008)
  • Flags Funnel Cakes
  • Old Fashioned Ice Cream Bars
  • Smoothies Sensacion Tropical
  • JB's Smokehouse
  • Ben & Jerry's
  • Annabelle's Southern Treats
  • Aunt Addie's Shaved Ice
  • Uncle Bub's Smokehouse
  • Bubba's Texas Sized Hot Dogs
  • Newman's Corn Dog Cafe
  • E.G. Sugarwater's Old Time Parlour
  • Lone Star Twisters
  • Rose's Cantina
  • Salt Water Taffy
  • Red River Dogs & Fries
  • Newman's Cafe
  • Six Flags All American Cafe (formerly USA Food Court in 2007)
  • Granny's Funnel Cakes
  • Pink Things
  • Panda Express (formerly East Texas BBQ in 2006)
  • Cold Stone Creamery (formerly Chuckwagon Grill in 2006) (formerly American Freezes in 2007)
  • Johnny Rockets (formerly Chubbie's in 2006)

Past attractions

Future outlook

Six Flags Over Texas continues to add new attractions and additions on a competitive basis, in order to increase guest attendance and remain profitable. Some speculation has led to the belief that the park will have increasing difficulty with future projects due to the park's location where it is "boxed-in" by local roads and businesses surrounding the park, and lack of free land. Park management continues to deny this, claiming that space is available not only within the park (by removal of older rides or in various other free areas) but also in other locations, such as the park's large parking lot (which was expanded into to build the roller coaster Titan). Some also believe the park will see an increase in attendance with the construction of the new Cowboys stadium located a few blocks away.

Past park president Steve Calloway repeatedly expressed his desire at various events to implement past favorites of the park to bring back some nostalgia. His goal was partially completed with the reopening of the long-defunct Casa Magnetica[10] funhouse in 2004, but later closing in 2007. With the renewed company-wide focus on families, Six Flags over Texas has also seen a rise in family entertainment and attractions such as new parades, shows, and concerts.


See also

References

External links

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