Year Installed:
1961
Last Year Operated:
1986
Section:
Modern USA
Manufacturer:
Arrow Development
Other Names and Nicknames:
The Humble Happy Motoring Freeway (known as the “Modern Cars”) opened with the Park in 1961. The track ran along the South edge of the Modern Section from near the Zoo to the area that would become Boomtown.
The ride consisted of small go-cart sized vehicles with sport car bodies. Each of the twenty-two cars were powered with a 7½ horsepower rear gas engine. The gas pedal on the driver’s side actually moved the car forward, while the steering wheel controlled the direction of the cars travel.
The cars traveled around the track at six miles per hour, passing billboards and waiving by-passers. Just to make sure that there was no rush hour grid lock, the roadway contained a metal guide-strip directly in the middle. The guide-strip prevented the cars from leaving the track while still allowing the driver to steer the cars on the track.
The ride was favored by the younger crowd, because it allowed them to actually “drive” the car, controlling both the speed, and within limits, the direction of the car.
Eventually the body style of the cars changed in order to keep the appearance of the cars up to date with actual car styles and designs.
Due to the popularity of the ride, in 1962 a second Happy Motoring Freeway was added next to the first track. The queue house used by the Sidewinder Rollercoaster was converted into the queue house for the second happy ride.This increased the number of cares on the two tracks to 38. In order to make room for this second track, the Sidewinder roller coaster in turn was moved to the Mexican section.
Six Flags would operate with two Happy Motoring tracks until the end of the 1980 season. At that time, the original track was removed. The track added in 1962 continued to operate as the lone track until 1986, when it also was removed.
Year Installed:
1961
Last Year Operated:
1983
Section:
Modern USA
Manufacturer: Other Names and Nicknames:
The Petting Zoo was located in the Modern Section in what is now Looney Tunes Land. It was an original attraction when the Park opened in 1961,
The zoo, initially, sponsored by Southwestern Life Insurance was a place guests could visit and pet friendly farm animals, such as cows and goats, as well as birds, and a giant tortoise.
There was also a small seal pool. For a nominal fee, guests could purchase dead fish to feed the seals.
The highlight of attraction of the Zoo was “Sis” Flagg, the Baby Asian Elephant. Although a baby elephant, Baby elephants grow so fast that Sis had to be replaced nearly every season with a younger elephant. The original “Sis” was purchased from Thailand for $2,000.
By 1968, the season of the last “Sis”, eight elephant will have lived in the park under the same name. Representing the other political party was Sis’s companion, Tulip, the white burro. The Zoo was a significant attraction in the park until the early 70s. It dwindled down over the years until only the Seal Pond remained in the mid 70s. Over a period of a few years, it was gradually downsized until nothing remains of it today. Looney Tunes Land now occupies the space which held the Zoo.
Year Installed:
1967
Last Year Operated:
1970
Section:
Modern USA
Manufacturer:
Intamin
Other Names and Nicknames:
Introduced for 1967 was the “Jet-Set” ride. The ride was located at the current site of the train facade in Loony Tunes Land. It consisted of individual ride units designed to look like Jet Airplanes. The units each sat two people side by side in a single front seat. Each “Jet” was mounted on a pole behind the driver’s seat. The mounting allowed the Jet to move up and down along the length of the pole, as well as to rotate, so that the nose of the plane could be pointed in any direction in a 360 degree circle.
The ride was controlled by the riders, who could lift, drop, and rotate the plane as they desired in order to pretend that they were in command of an actual jet plane.
The ride was in the south end of the USA Section. Like the Spindletop, it was also located outside of the railroad tracks along the new path between the Front gate and Boomtown. The ride lasted only four seasons. It was removed after the 1970 season to make room for the Big Bend Roller Coaster.
The ride was the first one built by Intamin for Six Flags Over Texas. It is possibly the first Intamin ride installed at any location. It is also possible that it was the only version of this ride every installed anywhere.
Year Installed:
1961
Last Year Operated:
1980
Section:
Texas
Manufacturer:
Von Roll
Other Names and Nicknames:
The Astrolift was one of the original rides at the park’s opening in 1961. The ride was a suspended cable car ride similar to rides at the Texas State fair, the San Antonio Zoo, and other amusement parks. The 25 cars provided guests a panoramic view of the park as they traveled up to 55 feet high.
Astrolift ride over Confederate section, looking east towards the Modern section. Southern Palace is large white building in Middle. Sky Hook is in left upper corner.
The 2,100 feet ride traveled across the park from the Modern section to the Texas section. The Modern station sat near where the ‘Escape From Dino Island’ theater is now. The Texas Station was located near what is now the picture center for the Texas Giant. At various times the ride was two-way, allowing guests to return to their starting terminal, and one-way, requiring they exit and the opposite terminal.
While the ride originally traveled across the park, by the time it was removed, expansion placed the Modern station more towards the middle of the park.
Built by the Von Roll Co. of Berne, Switzerland, the ride cost $300,000.
Year Installed:
1982
Last Year Operated:
2007
Section:
Modern USA
Manufacturer:
Intamin
Other Names and Nicknames:
G Force
The Cliffhanger was a 128 foot tall “L” shaped tower built by Intamin.
Side view of Texas Cliffhanger.
Riders sat in small gondolas which were lifted by an elevator mechanism 128 feet to the top of the tower’s structure. There they moved forward, outside of the lift mechanism, onto an outside track. Once properly positioned, the units were released for a free fall ten floors straight down the tower. Near the bottom, the track gradually curved, changing directions 90 degrees, so that it was parallel to the ground. The car then ran down the parallel track with the riders on their backs until it stopped.
The first of its kind ride cost the park 2.1 million dollars. A Six Flags press release for the ride notes that when riding the Cliffhanger, “the sensation is the same you would feel if you stepped off the roof of a ten story building.” As with the Flume and the mine train, the Cliffhanger was immediately copied.
Front view of Cliffhanger after being renamed.
Later, the Modern section was rethemed as an “Air Force Base and Astronaut training center” as part of the addition of the “Right Stuff Theater”. At that time the Cliffhanger was renamed as the “G-Force”, and themed as an astronaut training mechanism. Even later the ride was renamed as the Wildcatter and themed with the Boomtown section. Despite the fact that the ride became part of the Boomtown section, it was not physically moved. Its location was always on the border between the Boomtown and Modern Sections. Instead of moving the ride, the Boomtown section was simply expanded into the area around the Cliffhanger. The size of the Modern USA section was reduced accordingly.
