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Six Flags Timeline

Sun, 08/15/2010 - 18:27 — dgmccown

Six Flags over Texas Timeline

 

  Six Flags over Texas Timeline  
Date Event Location
1897
The Red Train, known as the Maribeau B. Lamar, and later as the Charles Patton, is manufactured by Porter Locomotives.
 
1901
The Green Train, known as the Sam Houston, and later as the Larry Cochran, is manufactured by Dickson  Locomotives.
 
1925/6 The Carrousel Ride is produced by the Dentzel Carousel Company of Philadelphia.  
1955 Disneyland Opens  
1959 Preliminary Planning for Six Flags Begins, by the Great Southwest Corp., real estate developer Angus Wynne of Dallas and New York Investors, owners  
August 1960 Construction for Six Flags Begins  
1961 Park Opening  
August 1, 1961 to August 5, 1961
  • "Soft test opening" of Six Flags
  
August 5, 1961
  • Grand Opening
  • Attendance: 8,374
  
1961 Season
  • Ticket Price: $2.75 adult; $2.25 child;
  •  Parking: 50c
  • Hamburger: 35c; Soft Drink: 10c
  • Minimum Employee age: 21
  
 
Dancing Waters
Star Mall
Marching Band
Front Gate
 
Southwest Life Petting Zoo
Missile Chaser
Happy Motoring Freeway
(One Track)
Astro-Lift
Sidewinder - Wild Mouse Roller Coaster
Modern
 
La Salle's Riverboat Adventure
France
 
Amphitheater (now the site of Southern Palace)
Butterfield Stage Coach (que house besides Nalar's Chicken Plantation.)
Little Dixie Carousal (later known as the "Flying Jenny") in front of Southern Palace.
Confederate recruiting station and re-enactment performers
Dixieland Band
Confederacy
 
Skull Island
"Skull Rock" skull slide
Raft Ride to Skull Island
Tree Slide
Confederacy
Skull Island
 
Six Flags Railroad
Astrolift Terminal
Gunfighter Performances
Texas
 
Los Conquistadors Coronado Burro Ride
Spain
 
Las Cocheses Cabras Goat Cart Ride
Indian Village, Indian Dancers
Original  Ferrocarril Fiesta Train
Mexican Band
Banderas de Colores (Covered walkway)
Mexico
 
  • Helicopter Rides
 Outside the park
End 1961
  • 1st Season: 45 days
  • 1st Season Attendance: @550,000
  • Last day: November 25, 1961
  
     
1962 Season
  • Tickets: Adults $2.75,
  • under 12 $2.25
  • Minimum Employee Age: 18
  • Open: April 20, 1962
  • 1000 employees
  
 
Sidewinder roller coaster moved to Mexico renamed "La Cucaracha"
Mexico
 
Red Train Finished and on-line July 5, 1962
Chaparral Cars Added
Texas
 
Canoes added. (the path to Canoes Q-house next to Amphitheater)
 
 
Skull Island Expanded:
Tree House Slide Added
Barrel Slide Added
Pirate Ship & Cave play area
Skull Island
 
Second Happy Motoring Freeway added at site the Sidewinder
Modern
 
Casa Magnetica added
Spain
End of 1962
Burro Ride Removed
Spain
  Attendance: @1.2 million  
     
1963 Season Adults: $3.50, Under 12 $2.50  
 
BoomTown added
Antique Carousel Added
Sky-Hook Added
Boomtown Station RR Depot
Small Puppet Show Wagon
Boomtown
 
Happy Motoring Freeway First track shortened to make way for boomtown.
 
 
El Aserradero Flume I, Log Ride Added at site of Burro Ride
Spain
End of 1963 Season
  • Park Helicopter Rides Ended
  
 
Goat Cart Ride Removed
Mexico
     
1964 Season
Spee-Lunker's Cave Ride Added
Stagecoach run shortened and Q-house moved from next to Chicken Plantation to across from Cave.
Confederacy
 
Long Suspension Bridge Added
Swamp Tree Slides (3) added 
Skull Island
 
Caddo War Canoes Moved to Boomtown
Boomtown
End 1964
Indian Village Removed
"La Cucaracha", Wild Mouse Rollercoaster Removed
Mexico
 
Pirate Boat Removed
Skull Island
     
1965 Season
Arena added
Circus Show in Arena
Texas
 
El Sombrero Hat Ride added at site of "La Cucaracha" rollercoaster
Mexico
end 1965
Circus Show ends at New Arena
 
  "Star" removed from Front-Gate and Replaced with five large circular planters. Front Gate
     
1966 Season
Wild West Show in Arena
Texas
 
Runaway Mine Train added
Boomtown
  Courthouse Clock-Tower (Ice House) added at Front Gate Front Gate
     
1967 Season  
 
Jet Set added
Modern
End 1967 Season
Butterfield Stagecoach removed
Confederacy
 
Original Fiesta Train (The Mexican Hat Train) removed.
 
  Attendance: @ 2 million  
     
1968 Season
Fiesta Train II
(replaced original Fiesta Train)
Mexico
  Spindletop moved to between Southern Palace and Skull island  
 
Amphitheater converted to 950 seat Southern Palace theater
Confederacy
 
Flume II added
Spain
 
Sid and Marty Kroft Puppet Theater added
Outside Modern
End 1968 Season
Sky-Hook removed
Boom-town
 
Long Suspension Bridge removed
Swamp Tree Slides (3) removed 
Skull Island
     
  Attendance: 1.7 Million;
First Attendance Decline		  
     
1969 Angus Wynne sells Six Flags (205 acres) to Limited Partnership headed by Jack Knox.  
1969 Season
Tower added
Tower Slide added
Dolphin show added
Tower
 
Mini Mine Train added at the site of the SkyHook
Boomtown
 
Chevy show added at the Site of the Stagecoach ride.
Confederacy
End of 1969
Wild West Show ended
Arena
     
1970's
1970
Arena remodeled
Las Voladores Flying Indian Spectacular in Arena
Arena
End 1970 Season
Jet Set removed
Modern
     
1971 Six Flags Over Mid-America (St Louis) Opens  
1971 Season Penn Central Railroad begins management of Six Flags Over Texas  
1971
Big Bend Rollercoaster Added
Modern
     
1972
Rugged Buggy Added in Petting Zoo
Modern
 
@Texas Travel Exhibit with Scale Model of Six Flags Park opens.
Boomtown
End 1972
Boomtown RR Depot Removed
 
     
1973 Season
Good Time Square added
Doc Snooker's Infernal Electric Bumping Machines (Bumper Cars) added
Crazy Legs added
Miniature Circus Exhibit added
GTS RR Depot Added
Small Theater added next to Puppet show (Will Rogers Show)
Good Times Square
May 19, 1973 Attendance Record: 40,742  
     
1974 Season Music Mill added (4,500 seats) Music Mill
End of 1974 season
Arena closed
Flying Indian Spectacular closed
Texas
 
Flying Jenny removed
Confederacy
     
1975 Six Flags, Inc., buys Astroworld  
1975 Season Open: March 15, 1975
Closed: November 30, 1975
Tickets: $7; Under 12 $6; under 3 free		  
  Cyrus Comos, the inventor, introduced as new mascot, his Incredible Electric Light Brigade Parade Featured.  
 
Red Baron added (replaced the Flying Jenny); (Cyrus Comos Invention)
Confederacy
 
Rotoriculous (later Roto Disco) added; (Cyrus Comos Invention)
Small Theater show changed from Will Rogers to The Fun Guns of Dry Gulch
Good Times Square
End 1975
Small Theater removed - (The Fun Guns of Dry Gulch)
Sid & Marty Kraft show removed from Puppet show.
 
 
  • 27 million guests to date
  • Average Daily Attendance: 15,000
  
     
1976 Season
  • Open: March 13, 1976
  • Close: Nov. 28, 1976
  • Tickets: $7.50; Under 3 free; Season Pass $25.00
  
 
Texas Chute Out added
Good Times Square
End 1976 season
Skull Island Rafts removed
 
 
Slide removed
 
     
1977 Six Flags Inc., buys Great Adventure and Wild Safari Animal Park, Jackson, N.J.  
1977 Season
Spinnaker added
Tower Area
 
Stand up Baskets added to Chute Out
Good Times Square
 
Pirate Puppet Show added
Skull Island
July 3, 1977 Record Breaking Crowd - 45,496
K.C. and the Sunshine Band Concert		  
End 1977 season
Missile Chaser removed
Modern
     
1978 Season Tickets: $8.50; Under 3 free
32 Million Guests to date		  
 
ShockWave added
North of Park
End 1978 Season
Skull removed from Skull Island
Skull Island Confederacy
 
Fiesta Train II removed
Mexico
  Record Attendance: 2.78 Million  
  Average Yearly Attendance: 2.5 million  
     
1979 Season
Sensational Sense Machine added at site of Missile Chaser
Modern
 
People Mover Machine Added
 
  Six Flags Inc., buys Magic Mountain  
End 1979
Big Bend removed
Modern, Texas
 
Banderas de Colores (Covered walkway) Removed
 
  Angus Wynne passed away at the age of 65.  
     
1980s
1980 Season
Judge Roy Scream added
South of Park
August 5, 1980 Twentieth Anniversary
2.7 Million Annual visitors (est.)		  
 
Happy Motoring I Removed
(Happy II becomes Happy)
Modern
End 1980 Season
@Crazy Legs removed
Miniature Circus Exhibit removed
Good Time Square
 
Astro-Lift removed
 
     
1981 Season
Conquistador added
Mexico
 
Kiddie Ferris Wheel added by Tower
Tower
     
1982 Penn Central Sells Six Flags Corp., which manages the park to Bally Manufacturing Corporation.  
1982 Season
Texas Cliffhanger added
Modern
August 15, 1982
La Salle River Adventure Removed
Last ride August 15, 1982
France
End of 1982
Petting Zoo removed
Modern
 
Spindetop Moved to Texas, site of Texas Lift
 
 
Last of Skull Island Removed
Pirate Puppet Show removed
Skull Island
     
1983 Season
Roaring Rapids added
Tower
 
Pac-man Land Opened (site of Zoo)
"Soft-play" playground added
Red Baron moved to Pac-man land
Ferris Wheel moved to Pac-man land
(Rugged Buggy from Zoo becomes part of Pac-man land.)
Modern
 
Texas Tornado added at site of Crazy Legs
Good Times Square
 
People Mover Machine changed to Pac Man Show
 
End 1983 Season
Canoes removed
BoomTown
 
Dolphins removed
Tower
     
1984 Six Flags Inc, buys Great America in Chicago  
1984 Season
Great Air Racer added
US High Diving Show added (at Dolphin pool)
Tower
 
Spindletop Moved to Texas
Texas
  First "Spring Break Out"  
end 1984 Season
Pac-Man Land removed
Modern
  Attendance: @2.35 million  
     
1985 Season
  • Tickets: $14.95, under 42": $7.95
  
 
Looney Tunes Land added
Daffy Duck Boats added
Red Baron renamed to Tazmanian Devil Flying Ace
Rugged Buggy renamed to Road Runner Runaround
Modern
Christmas 1985 "Holiday in the Park" Introduced; 100,000 Guests  
End 1985
Merry Go Round removed for rebuilding
Boomtown
 
US High Diving Show ends
 
  Attendance: Over 2.5 million  
     
1986 Season Tickets: $14.95, under 42": $7.95  
 
Avalanche BobSled Ride Added
Mexico
 
Dolphins Back in Dolphin Pool
 
  Music Mill expanded to 10,000 seats  
August 5, 1986 25th Anniversary -
52 Million Guest to date (est.)		  
End 1986 Season
Happy Motoring Freeway removed
Modern
     
1987 Wesray Capital Corp. buys Six Flags Corp., the parks management co. for $617 million.  
1987 Season
Splashwater Falls added at site of Happy Motoring
Modern
  Incredible Acrobats of China perform during the summer.  
End 1987    
     
1988 Season
Merry Go Round reopened at the Front Gate as the Silver Star Carousel.
Front Gate
 
Gun Fighter Stunt Show added at site of Dolphin show
Tower
Oct. 22, 1988 Third Largest Crowd - Fright Night - 45,000  
End 1988 Season
Rotoriculous Removed
Good Times Square
 
Stunt Show Closed
Tower
     
1989 Season Open: March 4th, 1990
Close: December 31st, 1990
Tickets: $20.50; Children/Seniors $14 (after tax)		  
 
Flashback Roller Coaster Added
Good Times Square
 
Texas Tornado Swing Ride moved to old site of Merry Go Ride
Boomtown
 
Dolphin Show Starts Second Run
Tower
End 1989
Spindletop Removed
 
     
1990s
1990 Season Open: March 17, 1990
Close: December 31st, 1990		  
 
Texas Giant Roller Coaster Added
Texas
  Over 3 Million Visitors, record season  
     
1991 Time Warner Corp. buys one-half of the Six Flags Corp., which manages the park for the ownership that owns it. The Blackstone Group and Wertheim Schroder  buy the second one-half.  
End 1991 Season Spee-lunkers evicted from Cave Confederacy
     
1992 season Yosemite Sam and Gold River added (rethemed cave ride) Confederacy
  Batman Stunt Show added at site of old Stunt Show (site of older Dolphin Show) Tower
     
1993 Tickets: $25.95; $19.95 kids/seniors  
1993 Timer Warner Buys the second one-half of the Six Flags Corp., which manages the park.  
     
1994 Tickets: $26.95; $20.95 kids
2,500 Seasonal Employees
225 Full time workers		  
     
1995 season Right Stuff simulator added  
  Cliffhanger Name Changed to G-Force  
  Splash Down Falls Name Changed Modern
  Chameleon Virtual Reality added. Good Times Square
  Music Mill size doubled to over 10,000 seats.  
End 1995 season Spinnaker Removed  
1996 Season Runaway Mountain Opens Confederacy
  Runaway Mine Train named changed to Mine Train Boomtown
  Dive Bomber Alley opens Tower
End 1996 season Good Times Square Train station removed Good Times Square
     
1997 Season New Boomtown RR Station opens Boomtown
End 1997 Elmer Fudd Little Ferris Wheel Removed  
     
1998 Premier Parks buys both the Six Flags Corporation which manages the park and the park itself.  
1998 Season Mr. Freeze Roller-coaster Opens Good Times Square
  Rebuilt Mini-mine train opens  
End 1998 Right Stuff Movie and theming removed.  
     
1999 Season Gotham City Section Opens  
  BatMan the Ride Opens Good Time Square
  Right Stuff Theater rethemed to Dinosaur exhibit Modern
  Pay as you go Go-Carts added by Shockwave Tower
End 1999 Air Racer Removed Tower
2000s
2000 Season Missile-Chaser Returns to Tower Area Tower
2001 Season

The Titan Roller Coaster Added

 
  Wyle E. Coyote's Grand Canyon Blaster Modern - Looney Tunes Land

2002

Space Shuttle America in 3d Theater

Modern Section
End of 2002 New Missilechaser removed at end of season Tower Section

2003

Superman Tower of Power added at sight of Missilechaser and Great Air Racer

 Tower Section
  Right Stuff Returns to 3d Theather Modern

2004

Sponge Bob Added to 3d Theater

Modern
  Casa Magnetica Returns Spain

2005

New shows: - Chinese Acrobats, Spirit of Dance and Kathy Burk's World of Puppets

45th Season
     
2006 1)   Acme Rock-n-Rocket built in Modern section Modern
Ten new rides added parkwide for 45th Anniversary 2)   Cloud Bouncer added in Good  Times Square
3)   Crazy Legs added in Good Times Square (Different ride from previous ride with the same name.)		 Good Times Square
  4)  Bat Wings added in Gotham City
5)  Gotham City Sprayground addin in Gotham City		 Gotham City
  6) Caddo lake Barge added to Tower Section Tower Section
  7)  Rodeo Ride added next to Texas Section by the Cave
8)  Sidewinder scramble style ride added next to the titan (Different ride from previous ride with the same name.)
9)   Boot Scottin'		 Texas Section
  10)  La Fiesta De Las Tazas tea cup style ride added at location of El Sombero. El Somberro  (Hat Ride) moved close to front gate. Mexico and Spain

2007

Cirque Dreams Coobrila added at Music Mill Theater

Tower Section Music Mill Theater

2008

Tony Hawk's Big Spin Planned

 

2009

 

 

2010

 

 

50th Season

 

2011

 

Fifty Anniversary
 
Note of Appreciation:

      With special thanks to Scott Jordan for proof reading and historical information. Additional corrections by Tracy Henton and Sara Luckow.

     This Timeline attempts to list many of the notable events in the History of Six Flags Over Texas.

If you have any additions or corrections, please e-mail me using our contact form.

Davis McCown
Ride Operations, 1974-1977