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.
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.
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.
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.
Sidewinder – 1961 – Modern Section
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.
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.
Year Installed:
2008
Last Year Operated:
Currently Operating
Section:
Modern USA
Manufacturer:
Gerstlauer
Other Names and Nicknames:
Tony Hawk Big Spin
The Pandemonium opened in 2008 on and around the former site of the Cliffhanger. It was originally named the Tony Hawk Big Spin for the extreme sport athlete, Tony Hawk, and his “big spin” skateboarding maneuver. The name was changed in 2010 to The Pandemonium.
Tony Hawk Big Spin, later renamed the Pandemonium.
The ride consists of eight single car units with four seats each. Each unit is mounted on a round base that allows it to spin around in a 360 degree circle as it travels around the track.
The ride was built by Gerstlauer Amusement Rides of Germany at a cost of $6.5 million dollars.
The ride lift is 53 feet high with a 27-foot initial drop. The units travel around the 1,351 foot long at 31 mph.
The ride is designed for a throughput of 800 riders per hour with a ride run of 1 minutes and 51 seconds.
The Big Spin is similar to other Tony Hawk’s Big Spin rides that opened the season before at Six Flags Fiesta Texas and Six Flags Saint Louis. The ride opened as Mr. Six’s Pandemonium at Six Flags New England in 2005. Another Big Spin opened at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in the 2008 season. The Texas, Fiesta Texas, and St Louis rides are identical, while the Discovery Kingdom ride varies somewhat.
Year Installed:
2015
Last Year Operated:
Currently Operating
Section:
Modern USA
Manufacturer: Other Names and Nicknames:
The Justice League opened for the 2015 season at the site of the 3D Adventure Theater.
Guests ride in small six seat vehicles equipment with lazer guns at each seat. The riders use the guns to shoot at evil targets as they travel through the 20,000 square foot ride. The ride’s scenes include props, movies and other images viewed through 3d glasses. The goal is to save several superheros that have been kidnapped by villains.
The ride has 10 ride units.
Props and animatronic characters were manufactured by Sally Manufacturing.
Year Installed:
1995
Last Year Operated:
2010
Section:
Modern USA
Manufacturer: Other Names and Nicknames:
For 1995, Six Flags once again offered a new virtual reality theater. This theater, unlike the Sensational Sense Machine, did not feature a building which rolled or turned. Instead, for the Right Stuff Theater, the seats themselves pivoted and rotated based on the action on the screen, giving the rider the sense that they were participating in whatever action was depicted on the screen.
The first movie shown in the theater was the “Right Stuff”, for which the theater was originally named. The “Right Stuff” simulated flight in a modern Jet Fighter. It should not be confused with the full length feature film of the same name.
Original Right Stuff Theater.
In 1999, the move was changed to “Escape from Dino Island.” The following are the movies played during the life of the theater:
1995
Right Stuff
1996
Right Stuff
1997
Right Stuff
1998
Right Stuff
1999
Escape From Dino Island 3-D
2000
Escape From Dino Island 3-D
2001
Escape From Dino Island 3-D
2002
Space Shuttle America
2003
Right Stuff
2004
SpongeBob
2005
SpongeBob
2006
SpongeBob
2007
Fly Me to the Moon
2008
Fly Me to the Moon
2009
Fly Me to the Moon
2010
Robots of Mars
In addition, special features were played during Fright Fest and Holiday in the Park.
Escape from Dino Island:
After the Right Stuff ended, the theater was known as the Adventure Theater and the 3D Adventure Theater.
The Mexican Section represents Texas during the years between 1821 and 1836, when it was a part of the Republic of Mexico. The entrance to the Mexican section was marked by the Banderas de Colores, the colorful canopied gardens, which lead to the section from the front gate.
The main attraction in the original Mexican Section was the Fiesta Train.For the small children, there was a goat-cart ride. The Mexican Market provided shopping and an El Chico restaurant provided food.
The Indian Village entrance was behind the Indian Trading Post, which was on the border of the Mexican and Texas sections.
For the second season, (1962), the Sidewinder cat and mouse roller coaster was moved to Mexico and renamed the La Cucaracha.
In 1963, the Goat-cart ride was removed, and more shopping areas were added to the market place.
In 1968, a remodeled Fiesta Train replaced the ride’s original train and animations. The remodeled ride remained until the 1978 season, after which it was removed.
At the end of the 1979 season, the Banderas de Colores (Covered walkway) was removed.
In 1981, the Spanish Conquistador was added in the middle of the Mexican section, blurring the distinction between the Mexican and Spanish sections.
In 1965, the Arena was added to the west of the Railroad tracks. The first show featured circus acts. In 1966, the arena featured a wild-west show. In 1970, the arena was remodeled and featured the Las Voladores Flying Indian Spectacular. The Arena closed in 1974, after the opening of the Music Mill Theater.
For the 1983 season, the Spindletop was moved to the site of the Texas Lift.
In 1990, the Texas Giant wooden roller coaster was added. The Spindletop was removed from the park in 1989, to make way for the photo booth at the exit of the Texas Giant.
