Join as we take a look at our first trip to Six Flags over Texas
Last week we started our mini Texas theme park road trip with the first ever Six Flags theme park, Six Flags Over Texas. This road trip would take us to three parks we had not visited before. Starting at Six Flags over Texas before driving down to San Antonio to visit SeaWorld and Six Flags Fiesta Texas.
Keep an eye out for more on those parks later in the week.
Before we get started with our trip report about Six Flags over Texas how about a little history.
History of Six Flags Over Texas
Located in Arlington just outside of Dallas and Fort Worth, Six Flags Over Texas opened in August 1961 after just one year of construction. The park was named after the the six flags that had governed Texas – Spain, Mexico, France, The Republic of Texas, The United States and the Confederate States of America. The parks creation came from Angus Gilchrist Wynne Jr who had visited Disneyland in California just after the parks opening in 1955 and thought that Texas should have its own entertainment park. Planning for the park began in 1959 with construction beginning the following year.
Originally Wynne wanted to name the park “Texas Under Six Flags” legend says though his wife or his entertainment director Charles Meeker stated that Texas isn’t under anything and the name was changed to what it is today.
Wynne would go on to create two other original Six Flags park in Georgia in 1967 – Six Flags Over Georgia and in 1971 Six Flags Mid-America (now Six Flags St Louis).
On opening day in 1961 guests could visit 6 themed areas based around the flags of Texas as well as a “modern” themed area. The park opened with 46 attractions with an operating season that lasted just 45 days. In that time between opening and closing for the season over 555,000 visitors had entered the park and it was deemed a success.
1960’s
The 1960’s saw the addition of two famous rides that still operate today. El Aserradero the first ever log flume how we know it as today created by Arrow Development in 1963 and the first ever Mine Train Rollercoaster – The Runaway Mine Train in 1966. Both of these epic rides are still operating and still loved today.
Angus G Wynne would sell his stake in Six Flags over Texas in 1969 to Dallas based investor Jack Knoxx.
Six Flags over Texas would go on to add more themed rides and hold world records throughout the end of the 20th century but we will cover that in a full expedition another time. Though Six Flags Over Texas was the first Six Flags park it is not the oldest due to Six Flags acquisition of Riverside Amusement Park in Massachusetts, which later had its name changed to Six Flags New England. This is of course something we will look at in our new expeditions focusing on the Six Flags parks.
One of the records that Six Flags Over Texas does hold though is that it boasts the world first RMC I-Box track hybrid coaster. The New Texas Giant. We covered a little of the opening of Six Flags Over Texas and the history of the New Texas Giant in one of our expeditions you can check out below.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1c2Iy7k8Ws[/embedyt]
Trip Report
Right now on to our first visit to the park. We visited the park on Saturday 23rd the first day of the festive event Holiday in the Park.
Holiday in the Park started back in 1985 at the park and was the first iteration of the Christmas Event. It spread to other Six Flags parks due to its success here. The popular park overlay runs from November 23rd until January 5th 2020. The event sees 100,000’s of lights added to the park, around trees, buildings even the rides.
The giant oil derrick observation tower is adorned by lights that make it look somewhat like a Christmas tree. A hill is covered in snow so guests can sled down as well as festive shows, stalls and food added to the park. Fire pits are also added around the park so guests can purchase smores packs and toast their own marshmallows. 5$ dollars a pop if you did fancy it but the idea did make the park smell great.
Holiday in the Park was not what we were here for….
What we were here for though was the rides. We’re hoping to head back to Six Flags Over Texas this weekend to experience the holiday event in full so it was not the focus of our trip report today. It did look like fun though. The parks hours were 1 pm until 9 pm with the holiday activities beginning after 6. Many guests were still coming in to experience the event when it was getting dark which was around the time we were heading out.
Rides Rides Rides
We got to the park just after park open at 1.15 pm. We managed to grab a season pass to all Six Flags parks which included Gold Membership for free parking for around 90 dollars in a Black Friday sale. Pretty good value for money considering parking was 25$ dollars.
The deal is still going on and the pass is valid for all of 2020. We shall be back.
Signs around the park suggested the park would be open all year round starting in January at weekends.
First up for us was of course…
The New Texas Giant.
Located at the back of the park in the Texas section the ride opened in 2011. The first Rocky Mountain Construction converted hybrid coaster still packs a punch though. The ride didn’t open with the park which seemed to be a theme for the trip. This resulted in around a 30 minute wait to get on.
Two Gerstlauer trains were in operation when the ride did open and we were lucky enough to ride on the back row. Flying round the track at 65 mph and down the 150 ft drop felt incredibly smooth, with my favorite part being the head chopper tunnels near the end of the ride. It really is hard to tell which way you are going to go next in the tunnels.
A brilliant way to start the day and hyped me up even more for the new RMC Iron Gwazi at Busch Gardens Tampa. It will be interesting what 9 years has done to RMC coasters when the ride opens next year.
This was my first ride at a Six Flags park since 2016 and a trip to Six Flags Over Georgia. It was slightly eye opening to see how much more relaxed ride operators were here with efficiency not really their focus but they did seem to be having fun. Having been in a central Florida theme park bubble for the last couple of years it was certainly a change of pace. More on those differences later.
147 ft drop of the New Texas Giant
Next up was Titan
Steel hyper coaster Titan was next located behind The New Texas Giant. The tallest, fastest and longest roller coaster in Texas is surprisingly well hidden at the back of the park located down a separate pathway.
However it was closed, with nobody around to ask if it was opening. We’d head back and try again later. It seemed to be trend that at both Six Flags parks we visited some of the rides wouldn’t open when the park did.
At the entrance to the Titan pathway is the world first Arrow Development Log Flume, El Aserradero. The name translated to English is “The Sawmill”. This Log Flume opened in 1963 and still operates seasonally. The ride closed for the season at the end of Fright Fest. We will of course explore this trend setting flume on an expedition in the future.
From here we ventured to the other side of the park to Gotham City.
First we wanted to check out La Vibora a bobsled ride that was unfortunately closed. We got to check out the latest ride added to the park, the worlds tallest loop coaster instead. El Diablo. The ride is 10 stories high and has riders seating in a face off style. With the ride running forwards and backwards, even suspending riders upside down for a brief period for some pretty weighty hang time.
On the way we were able to catch a glimpse of construction for the new 2020 Aquaman: Power Wave. This one of a kind water coaster will launch riders backwards and forwards up 148 foot towers before a splash down. This will be parks first water coaster and the parks 15th coaster in total. The new ride replaces the old Aquaman Splashdown which originally opened in 1987.
See the video below for whats to come.
New in 2020 – AQUAMAN: Power Wave | Six Flags Over Texas
Gotham City
Our first stop in Gotham City was Mr Freeze: Reverse Blast. The steel, Linear Induction Motor launched (LIM) coaster originally opened in 1998 themed to Batman and Robin film of 1997. The ride opened at Six Flags Over Texas just after the mirror image opened at Six Flags St Louis. The ride would originally be a forward facing launch but ride was converted and re-themed to Reverse Blast in the 2012 season at both parks.
The rides LIM launch boosts riders backwards to 70 mph in 3.8 seconds and through a 150 foot top hat, before an over-banked turn into a 218 ft vertical spike. It is gently pushed all the way to the top of the spike by LIM’s before a free fall back through the circuit forwards before returning to the station.
Intense is a word that is used to describe a lot of roller coasters but here is is certainly fitting. It is intense, fast, head banging and wild.
Mr Freeze: Reverse Blast
You enter through Mr Freeze’s hideout located within an abandoned ice cream factory. With the entire queue hidden inside it’s hard to tell just how long the queue is. The Six Flags app doesn’t show the rides wait time so its a guess each time. Here we waited closer to an hour as only one side and one train was running. The one train also had 4 seats that were out of order which did not help proceedings.
This ride is innovative as it features a sliding track station which means one car can be loaded while the other speeds through the 1 minute 30 second course. It works well when both sides are open and in typical fashion the second side did open immediately after we finished our ride.
The ride is nicely themed throughout the queue line complete with an animatronic Mr Freeze in the station. There was no audio or lighting in the station when we rode and Mr Freeze was moving slightly awkwardly in silence.
The train only features a cozy lap bar and seat belt which leaves you delightfully flung around during the ride. Until 2002 the ride had over the shoulder restraints.
I really enjoyed this ride and was up there in my favorites of the entire trip.
Batman: The Ride
Next on the list was Batman: The Ride. I had ridden one of its clones at Six Flags Over Georgia and it is a pretty good B & M Inverted coaster. It doesn’t quite live up to my favorite which is Nemesis at Alton Towers but it is always worth a ride especially if it has no wait.
Funnily enough I would ride two other almost exact clones at the next parks on my road trip. SeaWorld San Antonio features a slightly shorter but more intense replica called the Great White. Six Flags Fiesta Texas has Goliath which originally run at Thrill Valley in Japan before moving to Six Flags, New Orleans. Katrina caused the closure of that park which led to it being moved to Fiesta Texas.
Batman: The Ride was the start of a very spinney and very dizzy next hour.
Spin Spin Spin
After this was a trip to Harley Quinn – Spinsanity. This Tourbillon installation from ABC rides is a top spin-esque ride that spins on three separate axis. Seeing as Sam had just released his video on the Topspin rides of the UK I felt a certain obligation to ride this. I certainly wish I didn’t.
This ride opened in 2016 and takes riders up to 70 feet. I cannot even recall how many times I spun, flipped and rotated on my run because my eyes were firmly shut. Check out the video below for a stomach churning few moments of the ride. I have to say I knew this ride was not for me but the younger kids next to me seemed to love it.
Unfortunately that is me being spun around on Spinsanity.
After stumbling off Spinsanity it was a short walk over to another mind melting spin ride.
The Joker
The Joker is a S&S free spin roller coaster that opened in 2017. Riders zigzag along the RMC track sitting on the outside while spinning in a somewhat free manner. It’s short ride that is quite rough and intense but is a very unique experience.
It uses magnetic kickers to spin the rider seats based on gravity and weight in the car at the time. The park can adjust the degree of spin if riders were finding it too uncomfortable. Forward flips, backward flips while dropping are all possible on this ride.
After turning my brain to jelly on Spinsanity I think my decision to ride this next was a poor one. This short ride whisked us up 120 feet before we began our spin filled descent. I think I enjoyed it though.
Break downs…
After a much needed sit down to get rid of my sea legs and a Texas Hot Dog, it was time to head off to explore the rest of the park. What proceeded was a series of very unfortunate events in rides breaking down while in the queue.
The wooden coaster Judge Roy Scream, that opened in 1980, broke down just as we were about to climb the steps to the station. To get to the coaster you have to travel through a quite well hidden tunnel that goes underneath the entry road to the parking toll booths. It’s a shame as this wooden coaster did look quite fun.
Justice League: Battle for Metropolis the interactive 4D ride broke down just as we were about to enter the queue line.
Pandemonium the Gerstlauer spinning coaster formerly known as Tony Hawk’s Top Spin had guests leaving the queue as we walked past. It wasn’t a very lucky hour for us.
However the next ride we got on was very much worth it.
Runaway Mine Train
The oldest coaster in the park and the first Mine Train ride as we know it was created by Arrow Development back in 1966. This family friendly ride has three lift hills, an underwater tunnel and even an animatronic scene through a bar.
Before entering the queue is an ACE landmark coaster plaque, dedicated to the historic coaster that will explain it better then I can.
This was a fun ride that felt a little wild like all runaway mine trains should. Families of all ages were on board our train and everyone seemed to enjoy it. For being one of the oldest rides in the park it still is one of the most fun.
It’s one ride that would be deserving of a full expedition in the future in how it shaped the mine train and roller coasters as we know them.
And now back to the other side of the park to try that hyper coaster.
Titan Round 2
As we headed back down the walk way to Titan fingers were crossed it was open. The sun was beginning to set and the temperature was dropping pretty dramatically.
Titan was open. It’s the tallest, longest and fastest coaster in Texas with a drop of 255 ft and reaching speeds of 85 mph. It was the one I was looking forward to most and it was not disappointing.
Opening in 2001 this hyper coaster was the last created by Giavanola, who went bankrupt shortly after the rides opening. Titan is a unique combination of an out and back coaster and a twister roller coaster.
I’m not sure if it was just the cold air hitting me at those heights but it was breath taking. The ride is still pretty smooth, until the 500 degree upwards and downward helices. Some riders have known to grey or black out in these during the summer and I can see why.
It was a worthwhile wait to ride this and i’ll certainly be back again. I can’t decide if this is my favorite hyper coaster but it is certainly close.
Titan we thought was a fitting end to our day, the park seemed busier from late attendees for the Holiday in the Park. Being used to the humidity of Florida I thought I had dressed appropriately but was not quite prepared for the dip in temperature after the sun disappeared.
The Viper
On the way out though, we took a look to see if La Vibora was running and with a bit of luck it was. It did break down as someone dropped their phone into the track while in the station but it was open.
I was very excited for my first Bobsled coaster. The car drifts down half pipes instead of tracks and feels some what wild and free.
The ride opened here in 1987 after first being at Six Flags Magic Mountain. La Vibora uses trains from the now defunct Bobsled coaster Bob Track at Efteling, Netherlands.
After a pretty long queue which was not helped by the mobile phone incident we jumped on with a dad and his young son. The ride was short, wild and a little painful. The car slid down the half pipe at some speed and hit each break run with some force.
Shoulders were banged against the side, heads were whipped but I was laughing. It sure was fun. The restraints didn’t seem to do too much to help keep you in your seat and there was not much for myself to hold on too being sat at the back.
The dad after the ride could not believe how crazy it was and how his young son was tall enough to ride.
Even though it was a little painful it was seriously fun. More wild Bobsled rides please.
Final Thoughts…
This concluded our first trip to Six Flags Over Texas. We headed out just as the Christmas fun was getting started but we will be back. There is a couple more rides I need to go back and do that either had too big of a queue or were broken down. Maybe Flash Pass is the way to go. (Flash pass is the quick queue system used at Six Flags parks that is almost like a virtual queue)
I enjoyed my first visit even if there were a few breakdowns throughout the day. I wish there were some ride wait times available outside the ride or on the app. The app states mobile food ordering is coming soon which is good but no ride wait times?!
Have you been to Six Flags Over Texas? What did you think of the first Six Flags park?
Thanks for following along, we will see you next time for our report on SeaWorld San Antonio.
