Roaring Rapids

Year Installed: 1983
Last Year Operated: Currently Operating
Section: Tower
Manufacturer: Intamin A.G
Other Names and Nicknames: Raft Ride

When it opened in 1983 the Roaring Rapids raft ride was the largest, most expensive ride ever constructed at the park. The raft ride, designed to simulate the experience of white water rafting on a raging river, is located just south of the Tower and physically takes up more space than any other ride in the park.

The ride replaced both Skull Island and LaSalle’s Riverboat Adventure, which were removed after the 1983 season to accommodate the new ride. Construction actually began August 16th, 1982, the day after the Riverboat made it last trip.

Originally, the entrance to the ride was on the north side of the ride, directly across from the exit area for the Tower. Later, the ride was renamed as LaSalle’s Rapid ride and the entrance was moved to the south side of the ride, in the same location as the former entrance to the LaSalle’s Riverboat ride.

The ride was designed by Six Flags and built by Intamin A.G. at an estimated cost of $4.2 million dollars. (Intamin A.G. also built the Shockwave, Tower, and Spinnaker.)

The concept for the ride was inspired by the man-made river used for the kayak races in the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich. The first ride of this design was built by Six Flags for the Six Flags Astroworld park and opened in 1980.

The ride constitutes of three lakes and four stretches of rapids. It is 80 feet across at its widest point and 16 feet wide at its narrowest. The “river” is filed with 1.5 million gallons of water and is powered by two 400 horsepower pumps which pump 150,000 gallons of water per minute. These are supplemented by five water jets.

The ride’s reservoir is capable of holding 2 million gallons.

With an average water speed of 16.6 feet per second, the river grade drops 14 feet from start to finish. The 1/4 mile ride takes about 2 minutes to complete.

The ride is equipped with 20 twelve passenger boats and can carry approximately 1,200 riders per hour.

As of 1983, all six of the theme parks then owned by Six Flags operated a ride of this nature. Today, virtually ever major amusement park has a similar ride.

The Sky Hook

Year Installed: 1963
Last Year Operated: 1968
Section: Boomtown USA
Manufacturer:
Other Names and Nicknames: Crane Ride

The main attraction of the original Boomtown was the 190 foot tall Sky Crane Ride. This unique ride was actually adapted from a cargo crane. The ride units consisted of two metal teardrop shaped baskets, each of which could hold 14 guests. Each was attached to a cable at the end of one of the structure’s “Y” shaped girder arms.

After loading, the basket was lifted up into the air. Midway up the height of the structure, the basket stopped and the entire structure rotated 180 degrees. While in that position, the basket rose again, to a total of 155 feet in the air. As the basket rose into the air, the basket on the other arm descended to be unloaded. While the other basket was unloaded and reloaded, guests in the first basket enjoyed a panoramic view of the park below them.

Once the other basket was loaded, it ascended halfway up as the first basket descended. At the half way point, the baskets again rotated, so that the original basket could descend to the dock and be unloaded while the guests in the second basket could enjoy the view.

Strictly speaking, the ride was not “themed” to anything in particular in the boomtown section. It was, however, a unique experience and provided a view of the park unmatched by any ride to that date. It also provided a visual identity for the park from the freeway and surrounding area until 1968 when it was removed and replaced by the Oil Derrick as the park’s high ride.

The ride itself had quite a history, having first thrilled attendees at the Brussels’ world’s fair of 1958. From there it came to Texas. After being removed from Six Flags Over Texas in 1968, the ride was dismantled and moved to Six Flags Over Georgia, where it stood as that park’s major focal point until it was sold to Magic Springs amusement park in Arkansas, where it operated for several years. It was later converted to a bungee jump platform.

During a major remodeling of the Arkansas park it was dismantled and sold for scrap metal.

January 1, 2020 by Davis_McCown (Edit)

Shockwave

Year Installed: 1978
Last Year Operated: Currently Operating
Section: Tower
Manufacturer: Schwarzkopf
Other Names and Nicknames:

The Shockwave features an initial 116 foot lift, followed by a 36 degree drop into the two seventy foot loops. The one minute, fifty-eight second ride travels through 3,500 feet of track. The trains travel at up to 60 mph, with banks up to sixty degrees while the riders pull up to 5.9 g’s. Three trains of seven cars each can hold up to 28 riders. The ride capacity is 1,800 an hour.

Tower Slide

Year Installed: 1969
Last Year Operated: 1975
Section: Tower
Manufacturer:
Other Names and Nicknames:

Tower Slide, starting at 50 foot lever of Six Flags Tower.

Dolphin Show

The Six Flags Dolphin Show.

La Fiesta De Las Tazas

The Teacups (The Teacup Party)

Year Installed: 2006
Last Year Operated: Currently Operating
Section: Mexico
Manufacturer: Zamperla
Other Names and Nicknames:

Added with the ten new rides for 2006 was the La Fiesta De Las Tazas, which roughly translates to the “Party of the Cups”. This teacup ride was added in the Mexican section. The ride is manufactured by Zamperla and is located near the La Vibora Bobsled, the queue house used for the ride was previously used by the Fiesta Train and then by the Sombrero.

The teacups are mounted on in groups of three on small circular areas. The circles rotate as a larger platform rotates. In addition, the riders can turn a wheel inside the cups, so they rotate as wheel. Each teacup can hold up to five riders. Hourly capacity for the ride is 1,200 guests, with a ride length of one minute and thirty seconds.

JANUARY 1, 2020 by DAVIS_MCCOWN (Edit)

Goat Carts

Year Installed: 1961
Last Year Operated: 1963
Section: Mexico
Manufacturer:
Other Names and Nicknames:

The Goat Carts were authentic goat carts, small wooden carts in which two or three small children sat in the cart as it is pulled around a dirt path by a goat. The path was boarded by a small wooden fence to keep the goats from wondering off. An attendant walked along with the cart and keeps the goat moving. The Goat Carts were short lived and were removed from the park at the end of the 1963 season, after three years in the park.

El Sombrero – The Hat Ride

Year Installed: 1965
Last Year Operated:
Section: Mexico
Manufacturer: Chance Rides
Other Names and Nicknames:

The El Sombrero, or the “Hat Ride” as it is known, was first opened in the park in 1965. This makes it the seventh oldest operating ride in the park. Most likely manufactured by Chance Rides, the Hat is a generic carnival ride, often know as the Wagon Wheel, the Tabrant, or the Chaos. The ride is designed to look like a giant Mexican Sombrero. The riders sit is a circle of two adult seats which constitute the rim of the hat.

The ride begins by spinning around on an off-center axis. As the ride picks up speed, an arm raises the ride in to the air at approximately a 45 degree angle. These leave the riders spinning in all directions, around the circle of the hat, up and down at the angle of the arm, and around the platform.

The ride was originally installed at the site of the short lived La Cucaracha Roller Coaste r, in an area next to the current location of the Silver Star Carousel. It was later moved to its near the The La Vibora (Avalanche Bobslide) Ride, at the current site of the Tea Cups. It’s currently location is at the Border of the Mexico section, near the front gate plaza.

The ride is currently painted with a yellow base. Earlier, the ride was painted blue.

(c) Davis McCown, 1998, JANUARY 1, 2020 by DAVIS_MCCOWN (Edit)

Sidewinder Rollercoaster

Submitted on Sun, 08/15/2010 – 10:55

Year Installed: 1961
Last Year Operated: 1964
Section: Mexico
Manufacturer: Herschell Company
Other Names and Nicknames: La Cucaracha

One Rollercoaster – Two Names

The Sidewinder has the distinction of being the first roller coaster at Six Flags. It was also the only roller coaster in the park for the first four years of operations.

The ride, a “Cat and Mouse”, style metal roller coaster consisted of individual units, each of which could hold one or two riders. As with most coasters, the cars were pulled up a lift hill. Instead of traveling down a straight fast and steep drop, however, they descended down a winding track with sharp turns. The wheels were set back to the rear of the unit, so that as the car approaches a curve, the front end sticks out over the edge of the track before the car started turning. This design creates the illusion that the cars are constantly about to run off of the track.

The ride only operated as the “Sidewinder” for first season. For the 1962 season, it became the first ride in the park to be moved to a second location as it was relocated to the Mexican Section a and renamed the “La Cucaracha”.

The “Sidewinder” in the Modern Section – 1961
Future Site of Happy Motoring Track II

The ride was manufactured by Herschell Company under the name of the Mad Mouse.

La Cucaracha in the Mexican Section

The Indian Village

Year Installed: 1961
Last Year Operated: 1967
Section: Mexico
Manufacturer: None
Other Names and Nicknames:

The Indian Village

Although the Native Americans did not have a flag to be recognized in the park’s theme, they did play an important role in the development of Texas. As such, an area representing their contribution was appropriate.

The Indian Trading Post and Village is not contained within a single section, but rather sets on the border between the Mexican and Texas sections. The front of the Indian village is the trading post. The Trading Post is a large souvenir shop selling Western and Indian related items.

Behind the trading post was the Indian village. A set of four tee-pees sat in the corners of a small square blacktop performance area. Here Native Americas performed authentic hoop dances during the day. Typically, two Native American’s perform the Hoop dance with wooden hoops, not unlike a hula hoop. A third slowly marks time on an Indian tom-tom.

The Indian trading post still sits at is original location. The Indian village, however, has been removed.