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Six Flags AstroWorld

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Six Flags AstroWorld
LocationHouston, Texas
StatusDefunct
OpenedJune 1, 1968
ClosedOctober 30, 2005
OwnerSix Flags
File:Astroworld ozsplash.jpg
Ozarka Splash with Mayan Mindbender in background

Six Flags AstroWorld was a theme park that was part of the Six Flags chain. It was located adjacent to and outside of 610 Loop in Houston, Texas, south of the Reliant Park complex. It was the fourth park to be included in the Six Flags family of amusement parks. It was also the first park to be purchased by Six Flags instead of being built. The park was closed on October 30, 2005 and demolished in early 2006.

AstroWorld was originally a part of the "AstroDomain", the brainchild of local philanthropist and former Houston mayor Judge Roy Hofheinz, who intended it to complement the Astrodome. [1] The bridge crossing Loop 610 which connected AstroWorld to its parking lot was the only publicly-accessible, privately-owned bridge to cross an interstate highway in Harris County, Texas. As of 2007, the bridge continues to stand and is the last remaining structure from AstroWorld.

Notable attractions

Six Flags AstroWorld's major claims to fame were the Texas Cyclone, which, when built, was one of the largest wooden roller coasters in the United States; the Ultra Twister, which was widely regarded as one of the most unique rides in the United States. The park was also famous for Greezed Lightnin, a shuttle roller coaster that accelerated from 0 - 60 mph in roughly 4 seconds. Also unique is that the ride is a shuttle loop type coaster, meaning riders traveled both forwards and backwards during the course of the ride. Greezed Lightnin's 1 millionth ride occurred on October 15, 2005.

The Alpine Sleigh Ride was a popular attraction during the park's early years. Riders passed through a mountain and an avalanche of artificial snow, and finally into the 10 degree Fahrenheit room. The ride also included an appearance by the "Abominable Snowman," a glacier and a waterfall. [2]

History

Park opening and early years

Greezed Lightnin

The theme park opened on June 1,1968. It was designed by Randall Duell, [3] who also designed Six Flags Over Texas. The original eight themed areas and some of the attractions consisted of:

  • Alpine Valley: Alpine Carousel, Alpine Sleigh Ride, AstroWay (Von Roll aerial tramway)
  • Americana Square: Entry plaza
  • Children's World: Barnyard Petting Zoo, Maypole (tea cups), Rub-a-Dub (nursery rhyme themed boat ride)
  • European Village: Le Taxi (taxi car ride)
  • Modville: AstroWheel (double ferris wheel), Orbiter (scrambler), Spinout (sports car ride)
  • Plaza de Fiesta: Lost World Adventure (jungle boat ride through Rio Misterio),
  • Oriental Corner: 610 Limited Train (station), Black Dragon (spider/monster ride)
  • Western Junction: Crystal Palace Theater, Mill Pond (bumper boats), Shooting Gallery, AstroNeedle (double-decker Intamin Gyro Tower), Wagon Wheel (Chance trabant).

70's - 80's

AstroWorld was sold to the Six Flags family of theme parks in 1975. It was marketed as "AstroWorld: A Member of the Six Flags Family" so as to not confuse patrons with the Arlington-based original park Six Flags Over Texas. Similarly, Six Flags Fiesta Texas in San Antonio, Texas is marketed as "Fiesta Texas: A Six Flags Theme Park".

The Texas Cyclone

Texas Cyclone at 4:30 p.m. on October 30, 2005, Astroworld's last day of operation

During construction of the Texas Cyclone, a tropical storm destroyed the entire north end turnaround section (as seen in the film Brewster McCloud) causing it to have to be rebuilt and the opening pushed back to June 12, 1976. [4] The Texas Cyclone is a mirror image of the original Coney Island Cyclone in New York. [5] More than 25,000 gallons of paint were used on the Texas Cyclone. The coaster was constructed of Douglas Fir lumber. It had over a dozen drops and was one of the few full sized roller coasters in the world to operate without a mid-course brake run. In 2001 it was determined that modifications made to the ride deemed the head-rests unnecessary and they were removed enabling riders a greater view during the course of the ride.

Six Flags WaterWorld was built adjacent to AstroWorld and opened in 1983. Admission to the water park was separate for almost 20 years, when in 2002 it was decided to allow admission to both parks with one paid ticket.

90's - 2000's

AstroWorld was home to what once was the only pipe-line barrel roll roller coaster in North America, (Ultra Twister), planned and designed with Intamin AG, the world's first river rapids ride (Thunder River), and the world's first successful suspended coaster (XLR-8). It was also home to Batman The Escape, once was the only stand-up roller coaster in the state of Texas. AstroWorld was also the park to debut "SWAT", the prototype S&S Power 'Sky Swatter' ride. Diablo Falls was the world's tallest spinning water ride.


Closure and demolition

Alpine Valley themed area

On September 12, 2005, Six Flags announced that it would close AstroWorld at the end of the 2005 season and would sell the 109 acre park site. Six Flags cited reasons for closure as being the park's overall performance, site constraints and parking rights to Reliant Park, the Houston Texans football team, and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. [6]

Angel/McIver Interests, a Conroe, Texas based land development firm, purchased the cleared tract of land. Six Flags reported the selling price of $77 million (and a demolition cost of $20 million) in a corporate earnings report. [7] Plans for the former site have not been determined. Local developers feel that the size and location along the 610 Loop near the Reliant Park complex and proximity to METRORail make it ideal for a dense urban type of development.

Some of the park's rides and attractions were relocated to other parks while many were scrapped or were too badly damaged during demolition to be reassembled elsewhere. Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington, Texas received the Scrambler from AstroWorld. The Big Kahuna and Batman the Escape were moved to Six Flags Darien Lake (now the Darien Lake Theme Park Resort) in Buffalo, Serial Thriller and Tital Wave were moved to The Great Escape and Splashwater Kingdom, SWAT and Diablo Falls were moved to Six Flags New England, Dungeon Drop to Six Flags St. Louis, and Greezed Lightnin' to Joyland Amusement Park in Lubbock, Texas [8]. The Dentzel carousel was purchased by Brass Ring Entertainment and is being refurbished and prepared for an as-yet undisclosed museum location.

References

  1. ^ http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/HH/fho87.html
  2. ^ http://www.corp.carrier.com/vgn-ext-templating/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=42c80d9653b08010VgnVCM100000cb890b80RCRD&cpsextcurrchannel=1
  3. ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0240237/bio
  4. ^ http://www.rcdb.com/id54.htm
  5. ^ http://history.amusement-parks.com/cyclonepage.htm
  6. ^ http://houston.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2005/09/12/daily10.html
  7. ^ http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2006/05/08/daily27.html?from_rss=1
  8. ^ http://www.joylandpark.com/coaster.html

See also

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