1987 Six Flags Over Texas - Spelunker's Cave & Spindletop

Ride the Spelunker's Cave and Spindletop from 1987 at Six Flags Over Texas. Both rides are now retired rides and are no longer at the park! See it as it WAS...

[@Savagemister]

I liked the Cave ending room when it was like a North Pole scene. It was all white and snowy with a house and in the windows you could see what looked like Mrs. Claus baking cookies with the cave aliens. Also liked the COLD blast of A/C you got in that room. Anyone else remember that?

[@arcadegeek]

absolutely loved that part. Especially when it was 100F outside. I miss the original Cave!

[@ldylkr]

I loved that too.

[@stupendor1]

I remember.

[@ledhed5717]

Yes, I remember it well.

[@gypsyroserockstarbadass1526]

@@arcadegeek me too

[@dsgregg]

It was such a great ride for kids and adults. It was really creative and rich with humor and surprise. I remember the swinging overhead boulder, the horizontal spinning barrel, the artic area. My family went to Six Flags from Illinois every spring along with my cousins in Dallas. I remember when the Big Bend was the flashy new ride. Miss the spindle top too. Glad that at least the run away train is still there.

[@corycardwell]

Warner Brothers killed this ride and the rest of the "Theme" park which was supposed to be based on Texas, not the looney tunes. Very sad! Bring Back the Spelunkers!!!!

[@SueDNim]

Preach it! The original Six Flags Over Texas theme park had a POINT. It wasn't just a weird name. It was a history lesson with rides. It was unique. They should have sold the name along with the assets, because it became meaningless. As a child, I felt betrayed when they first became a franchise with parks in other states. That was OUR history! Let them build their own theme park. ;P I loved the different sections of the park that represented the different countries that once ruled Texas: France, Spain, etc. I remember that I particularly like the Confederacy, though I don't remember why. Maybe they had the best food.

[@johnerwin9024]

@@SueDNim last part U mentioned, remember just had guys in uniforms & a mansion-

[@dallasalice8906]

The Confederacy did have the best food, that one restaurant with the fried chicken! I always wanted to eat there.

[@tiniest.baby.froggy]

They brought them back! We went on the new speelunkers ride today!

[@TheNickel1964]

OMG, I just hopped up and down in my seat as soon as I saw "The Cave"! This is so fabulous I can't express it. I so miss the Speelunkers Cave, and a few of the others like the La Salle's River Adventure, that were themed to represent our state's legacy. It's so commercial now, all about roller-coasters, and not so much about family fun. Or maybe I'm just getting old. lol

[@MrDlt123]

I think you're right on both accounts. It's commercial AND you're getting old (like me).

[@doggo5121]

And get ready to see them again in 2022!

[@melloyello4704]

I grew up in Irving, TX and we were poor, but my birthday present every year from ages 10-13 was a season pass to Six Flags. As long as there were parents willing to drop us off and pick us up, we were THERE! The Cave Ride was popular because parts of it were air conditioned in the hot summer and the Shock Wave was always our first ride because it was right by the entrance. And the Conquistador and Cliffhanger were the best adrenaline rushes ever.

[@jrod776699]

wow!!! i loved this ride in the 70's!!! i remember this music and the sounds!! do you remember the "six flags smell" treated wood and whatever was in the water

[@lancewadethomas8709]

There was something about the green water, the food, and the asphalt all combined that made it the greatest anticipatory sense ever. Every great once in a blue moon I'll encounter a smell like that and immediately I feel like a kid on vacation again!

[@tashalynn29]

@@lancewadethomas8709 omg yes. I remember it

[@pinburrito3481]

That smell of HEAVILY varnished wood and the TX heat off of the tarred pavement at Six Flags is pretty much the smells of my childhood

[@eliasmertens9313]

Spindletop was relocated to Frontier City in Oklahoma City which was owned by Premier Parks/Six Flags at the time. It is called Tumbleweed and still operates today.

[@SueDNim]

I worked at Six Flag one summer. Those were possibly my two favorite rides in the park, mostly because they were a great way to get out of the HEAT for a few minutes. I would ride the Spelunker's Cave over and over just to feel the cool breeze and the mist on my skin. That must have been 40 years ago. Funny how vividly this video brings back the sense memory of being on those rides.

[@mzchristinaz]

I remember there was so much gum on the cave entrance!

[@ghostrecon755]

Yeah remember like at the top? lol.. FORT WORTH in the HOWZE!

[@dankconspiracynut]

Hey, gotta stick to tradition 😎

[@designationzero9979]

It was a welcomed tasty snack as reward for waiting in line in the summer heat. :)

[@soko4710]

ewww

[@soylentteal]

Some of the Cave's music had changed since the last time I rode it. Nothing felt better than that blast of cool air as you came back out.

[@prestopd1]

Excellent video...I graduated in 87...had a season pass to the park....went 2/3 times a week after work.....they changed the end room which had snow scene, before the went sort of international......THEN came the wabbit.....I love Bugs ,but he really KILLED my buzz

[@dlawallace]

I will never forget the smell of that place. I loved it. Great childhood memory!

[@johnerwin9024]

Dank smell inside-

[@firepower7654]

Wow....This just brought back some memories from little me going to Six Flags in the mid 70s. Spelunker's Cave, Run Away Mine Train, Spindle Top, Crazy Legs, the big slide on the tower and the dolphin show...Loved that place. I live about 1500 miles away from the park now, but would love to go back some day.

[@bryanwarfield6873]

If you go, you will likely be disappointed at the result of Time Warner Entertainment's management of the park beginning in 1991. It's, sadly, nothing like it used to be.

[@Talamasca007]

Thank you for posting this... Spelunker's Cave was my favorite ride after the Runaway Mine Train. Sorry to hear that it's retired... it was always so nice and cool inside. =)

[@vio2112]

Talamasca007 The "cave" is technically still there, but now it's a crappy Looney Tunes(note that i do love the looney tunes cartoons) ride called Yosemite Sam's Gold River Adventure with a bunch of run down, broken animatronics. You can still go in there to cool down, but it's just a crappy, uninspired ride now and considering there's seldom ever any sort of line for it, it seems most people don't care for it at all. I know A LOT of people want the Speelunker's back. The parks manager needs to wake up and clear the Looney Tunes junk out of there and bring back the Speelunkers back. Make the ride dark and mysterious again. With todays technology, they could do some amazing things.

[@railroadhutchinson5971]

runaway mine train was awesome too

[@195819581111]

:50 Is a sample of Good King Wenceslas Mannheim Steamroller - Christmas (1984)

[@BigFloridaCountry]

Wow I have had a vague memory of this ride from when I rode it around 1975. I remember laughing and funny little guys. After all these years I get to see them again. I cannot believe I have a memory form so long ago from Texas. Thank you!!!

[@Thiccbutsexyblac]

Yes This is the one I remember with the creepy Texas Chainsaw music playing. I was terrified of those elves and kept my head tucked the whole time.

[@scarymsmary]

So it's not just me!! I remember a scary version of The Cave - maybe after the Speelunkers, but before Yosemite Sam? Wasn't there a giant spider in it somewhere?

[@mom2cats]

I grew up in Oklahoma, so we went to Six Flags every summer. I remember when I was really small the Spelunker's Cave always scared me a little, then as I grew up, I enjoyed the coolness it gave on a hot Texas day. It was always one of my favorite rides. I also enjoyed the Spindletop. (we always just called it "The Barrell") lol I remember waiting for the bottom to drop and how funny it made my stomach feel, then when it came back up and I was always afraid my shoes would get caught in it. lol

[@cosmicgrooves998]

The Cave was so much better then. Good 'ol days.

[@robert37042Tn]

I remember the last part was a snow scene and the revolving tunnel made me dip my hair in the water from the optical illusion. I stood in the little boat and got shot with water guns from people above us. Rode the spindle top 11 times in a row one slow day and good thing their was a trash can near by when I got off. The mini mine train gave me a back ache.

[@richardvallonjr.6716]

I was there in 1967- there was this cool Arabian music and a tiny animatronic bat that flew peacefully alongside your boat and seemed to slowly flap its wings to the music. It was hot outisde- but the inside of the cave as air-conditioned... and truly cold in places...

[@mikekaraoke]

Ahhh the 1980's what a great decade :-)

[@shannonm75]

Farewell, cave. The part of my childhood I remember about this.

[@jscoggins99]

People who live in Dallas, one of the elves is hanging on a Christmas light display in University Park on Southwestern. i was so surprised.

[@adhdellab]

Omg I thought i imagined this. No body else I know remembered this ride. It was my favorite ride as a kid.

[@fetumhook]

This was one of my favorites growing up. Especially on a hot day.

[@ramtha9]

Around 1980, a friend and I was in the Cave, and the Spindletop. Cool memories. Thanks, DdarylDallas for posting; Made me feel like a kid again...

[@lancewadethomas8709]

Awesome video.. brings me back to 1978. I remember the ending scene having snow though...they must have changed it later. Man, this really brought me back. Best ride to get close to a girl and take a break from the heat. Back when the park was a lot more family friendly and the people were just all around better

[@gregorymoore2877]

I remember riding the Spelunker Cave. I remember in one of the rooms they were using the Cantina music from Star Wars. I was disappointed the year we visited Six Flags and found the Spelunkers had been replaced with Loony Toons characters. Bummer.

[@Speelunker-id8ry]

Yes, it is a bummer

[@donniejamesrio7719]

so cool.awesome memories on those rides!!

[@slushiiix4287]

Boy do I got news for everyone who misses this. The golden river ride got hit by the hurricane so they're rebuilding it and they're gonna make it back into speelunkers

[@lanejanlandonmorgan]

Thanks for the great memories! You could go into the Speelunker's cave on a hot summer day and jets of cold air would cool you off. Yea, the Warner Bros. theme destroyed that ride. L A M E!!! And you have footage at the end of the Spindle Top. What a great ride!

[@coolmovieman1]

Wonderful ride loved this ride as a kid Spindletop miss them both. Yosemite Sam Gold River Adventure sucks miss greatness of the cave

[@ChristianHansard]

You sir get all the nostalgia points. I loved the Cave ride. It was so weird and dark, and the best way to get out of the sun on a hot day. As much as I like Looney Tunes, it was never the same once they cleared out the Spelunkers.

[@paulhinson8030]

The Cave was a great way to cool off on hot summer days.

[@blagoyavichrod]

Yeah, I was on it in 1976. I remember the weird, creepy music back then. The newer music sucked balls.

[@Traumtanzer]

Thanks for posting this! It's really a shame that the the Speelunker Cave is gone, it really was unique, and the Looney Toons ride it was replace with is just seems generic. I remember a few years back that there was an old speelunker character sitting in a fenced off area of the picnic grounds and employee entrance, wonder if it's still there..

[@daveevans7151]

Just went yesterday and they still have it! No looney tunes and all Speelunkers again!

[@elevatordailies]

I miss the Cave Ride. Too bad it got replaced with that stupid Looney Tunes ride.

[@swaggerpimp7092]

How is it stupid?it’s still a good ride

[@mitchelljackie4995]

I absolutely loved this ride!

[@MrDlt123]

We would go to SF during the summer when I was a kid and ride this ride over and over. It was a great way to escape from the Texas summer heat. I was saddened to see it changed to include the Loony Toons characters. The awe and mystery surrounding the cave's Spee-lunking days was all gone. I rode the new ride once and never went again. Great vid!

[@TrentonInoue]

My physics homework problem mentioned this ride and I had to check it out.

[@mutatron]

@marcpainter38 Oh yeah man, that was the main reason we went on the Spelunker Cave ride was the air conditioning. It was like "We've done the Riverboat Ride and the Runaway Mine Train, saw the gunfight... what's next?" "Spelunker Cave?" "But that ride's so goofy!" "Yeah, but it's air conditioned." "You make a good case, my friend. Spelunker cave it is!"

[@lisagillum-wells1979]

Thank you for sharing. I was a Sophmore in High school in 1987.

[@feulman65]

Thanks for the upload, both rides were classics, the Spelunkers ride was among my favorites, the Spindeltop ride had one catch, fix your eyes on something and stay there, or you were screwed.

[@BriansHat]

Amazing memories. I used to ride the Cave over and over. I would get out of the boat and get right back in line again. Thanks a million for the upload.

[@paulhinson8030]

The audio was great. Not many older videos have audio.

[@TheTurkaderr]

I rode the Spelunkers cave the last year it was there, but was too scared to ride the spindletop. Now I would love it. I'm so glad the Spelunkers are back, I need to get over to Dallas and see it!! I never liked the Looney Toons ride, it was colorful but annoying and loud and just pretty boring. Six Flags really needs better theming, it was fun when I was a kid but it is so drab now. They need to theme the mine train again like it used to be, it was wild back in the day!! It's my fave ride!

[@ledhed5717]

@ 4:10 even with this old film and 40 years later you still feel like the boat is leaning. I remember thinking as a kid the boat would turn over.

[@NemesisOwl]

I was six in 1987 and I was mildly obsessed with this ride. Thanks for the upload!

[@dennisstellwag3147]

NemesisOwl 2d

[@skipbolance]

That was a fun ride I wish they would re-create it and develop something like it again

[@jacobsteele7352]

Very cool 😎! What great memories!!

[@lisagillum-wells1979]

A dear friend of mine bought the Spelunkers.

[@JellyBeanKruger]

Lisa Gillum-Wells are there pictures?

[@lisagillum-wells1979]

I'll see.

[@EliteWorksATeBay]

Are you sure because it's currently in operation at Six Flags Frontier City in Oklahoma City.

[@maxadventures1]

The cave ride ruled!

[@Speelunker-id8ry]

Yes it did

[@AlbertoHernandez]

Thank u i was born in 1986 so they turned it into a warner brothers thing for my gen and always wanted to see this

[@brendarico715]

I like the big barrel feels like your upsidedown😂

[@RabidHummingbird]

This was horrifying when I was 5 years old. I remember thinking those spelunkers were going to kill me.

[@monicacollier8869]

Thank you so much for posting this! I remember it so well and I do miss the Spindle top. The cave is still there but it is now called Yosemite Sam's Gold River Adventure, But it is not the same. I had a season pass every year from 1980-2000 and I have had a few as an adult (including this year)

[@Setebos]

@MoonstruckRed --- well I'm glad to hear I wasn't the only one spooked out by the ride.

[@analogkid281]

Thank you for sharing these videos with us.

[@MellowTorch]

The ride had been revised over the years and this was the music of the 80's version. The 1960's version of the ride was very different. To hear a crafted re-creation of the 60's audio, Google "music and sounds of the Spee-Lunker cave. You should find this page near the top of search. This is as close to the audio of the 60's cave in existence. Unfortunately, there is no video and few photos of that version.

[@brendarico715]

Great ride on a hot summer day

[@kissmytunatuna9043]

This ride scared the shit out of me

[@mom2cats]

@spacecraft999 I used to beg my parents for one of those huge tissue paper flowers every time we went to Six Flags when I was growing up, I thought they were so cool! They bought me one, one year, but with brothers, it didn't last long. LOL I could never sleep the night before either, we would be sooooo excited.

[@SueDNim]

In my teens, I had a young cousin whose family visited Dallas every summer, and he looked forward to going to Six Flags each year. None of the grownups wanted to be bothered, so I took him every year. I think I looked forward to it more than he did!

[@jenhodges92]

Thanks for posting this and I also watched your other videos, which I loved.I just went with my son and I was reminded of the old cave ride and how much I loved it. I wish they would bring it back. No matter what other rides you would or were afraid to ride on- you would always go on The Cave. I will never forget the smells and the sounds.

[@dlethe]

I remember the original ride ended with a treasure chest. Then when they had the great gas shortage of 1979, they changed the coins and jewels into tiny cans of gasoline. Great memories.

[@jonbeckman9566]

that jogged some memories. Thanks! that's how I remember it. went there all the time as a kid. opening till closing! the ride morphed over years. now it's a sad version. those spelunkers scared me!

[@someguy4253]

I remember going on this with my parents when I was like 2 or 3 (so ‘82 or ‘83). You can’t really make it out in the video but what I remember most was the big spider. Horrified me as a small child. Wish this was still around so I could see it again. Wonder how similar the Pirates of Speelunker cave is?

[@YoDog467]

wow. now that is Yosemite Sam and the Gold Mine Adventure. Its so different too!

[@1Missysunshine]

YESSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!

[@reptilicus975]

ah the make out cave. you could always meet a girl at six flags. :)

[@twosidesandthetruthpodcast]

Made out with a guy from Desoto in 1988 in this cave. Lol

[@ghostrecon755]

Thank you for the post!!

[@mom2cats]

THANKS YOU for posting this, it brings back so many great memories!!!

[@ldylkr]

@mom2cats I always wanted the invisible dog on a leash. Remember those?? lol

[@blagoyavichrod]

I want the Cave BACK!

[@tylerlankford5149]

THANKS man. That brings back some memories!!

[@cofcoasters]

They should bring this back but raise the ride above the ground since Yosemite Sam and the Gold River Adventure is now defunct due to it being damaged beyond repair in floods

[@theworldwidehistoryofhisto2868]

A classic

[@bigdaddy496]

i hate it when cool dark rides like this one and the 20,000 leagues under the sea ride from disney world are retired or torn out.

[@MoonstruckRed]

i was horrified of thus ride. gave me nightmares when I was a kid.

[@TheVickiJo]

Thx for the memories!

[@hajjibarbara2900]

My favorite ride besides Big Bend and Shockwave.

[@gypsyroserockstarbadass1526]

I loved the smell of it 😂

[@specterkev]

was sad when they replaced it with the looney toons ride :/

[@kevinanderson9019]

Thank you for sharing this!!! I was just telling my kids about this ride yesterday and here it is!!! :)

[@ChimichangaCharlie]

Thanks for the video. Cool old school ride!

[@imdbtruth]

Love it! Very retro! Thanks for uploading!

[@junosynth]

Haha that Looney toon ride is trash!! I miss the Cave!!!

[@myrealghostbusters]

wow, 1987. i was 7 years old at the time.

[@stupendor1]

5:15 This is the Spindle Top ride.

[@Wellch]

come on, WBrotthers, you ruined Six Flags with several of the rides been taken away.. Bring it back to the olden days when Six Flags was fun.

[@mom2cats]

Do you remember the big slide that you went down on a burlap bag or something. I don't remember what is was called, but I think they took it out in the late 70's.

[@SueDNim]

Wasn't it called the Super Slide, or something like that?

[@lancewadethomas8709]

Yes,you had to climb the stairs under the giant orange oil derick to get up to it...think it was like on the first crossbeam level maybe IDK

[@mom2cats]

@ldylkr OMG, I had forgot about those. When I was really little I was so scared of those. LOL Probably because I had an older brother who told me if got too close the invisible dog would bite me. LOL

[@Gshepgf]

damn this music SLAPS

[@jasoncopeland1242]

Does Anyone know if this ride is still there going to six Flags over Texas Next week, I haven't been there over 20 years.

[@soylentteal]

Alas, both of them are long gone. The Cave (one of my perennial favorites) was replaced by a "rolling rapids" ride. I wasn't as fond of the Spindletop, which often made me sick.

[@thepoke-catcher5971]

Mortimer Snerd actually it is now a Looney Tunes ride called Yosemite Sam's Gold River Adventure.

[@thedizzer3831]

3:08 you can make out the harp players

[@brendarico715]

Love it

[@tonycupps6982]

Would be really cool if you could see anything

[@johnerwin9024]

too dark really to see mechanical gremlins, at park in '90, ride was gone, musta been there long time👍

[@ldmcneill]

The do still have this ride it is now called the yosemite sam ride!

[@ridgedog2317]

Who's here because of the top 5 creepiest rides video?

[@volkswatson]

OMG. I miss this ride more than any at SF. Can anyone tell me the tune at about 3:50? That sailing tune is my fav of all time, but I can't seem to find it's name (it's not popeye for anyone who thinks it is)

[@Speelunker-id8ry]

Sailor's Hornpipe. But you have to visit Barry Green's website to hear it, or his KZbin video on the soundtrack of the ride