Exploring the Three Oldest Operating Attractions at Six Flags Over Texas

[@carlstenger5893]

Thanks so much for the video. It's heartbreaking to see how management has abused and neglected the park. I began visiting the park in 1964 and worked in the park during the 1977 and 1978 seasons. I was a captain on La Salle's Riverboat; but I worked a lot of extra shifts on a number of rides in the park (including Casa Magnetica and the RailRoad). It was disappointing to note that they no longer have conductors spieling on the train. The park is barely a shadow of its former self. Employees (who used to be referred to as Hosts and Hostesses) no longer wear unique costumes. The landscaping (if you can call it that) is horrible. We all used to take real pride in the park. Clearly, corporate and/or management no longer gives a damn.

[@AmusementSource]

While Six Flags will never be what it was, I can say that they’ve done a fairly deep clean of upper management at the park. Their new president is very involved and working on finer details. I encourage you to check out our other most recent videos as they’ve rejuvenated a lot of landscaping around the park, fixed fountains and water features and more.

[@FlyGuy2000]

My guess is that they realized that they could never compete with a Disney-like themed experience, and instead focused on roller coasters and thrill rides which in the modern era are the main draws to the park.

[@CraftescapeTX]

@carlstenger5893 If you heard other captains ever mention a little girl dive to the floor when y'all said "Hit the deck!" on La Salle's Riverboat from the early 1970s. that was me. I'm the girl that hit the deck. 🙂 I was probably 4 or 5 at the time, but I understood the assignment! 😊

[@carlstenger5893]

@@CraftescapeTX If I ever heard that story, I'd long ago forgotten it. It was reactions like yours, though, that made the job that much better. Thanks for sharing the memory. Being a "RiverRat" was probably the best job I ever had.

[@kroakie4]

I’ve always loved the antique cars. Every time my family would go when I was a kid, I just had to go drive one. I was so little my dad would have to push the gas pedal. Sweet memories.

[@Setebos]

Six Flags Over Texas died for me when it removed Skull Island and the La Salle River Adventure.

[@Setebos]

@Cloud Puzzles I remember getting practically a week's worth of exercise climbing and re-climbing the stairs to repeatedly ride the tower slide.

[@JP-mu3xl]

Me to when "the cave" went away, that was so scary to a 5,6 and 7 yr old, yep, I frequently visited back in the 60's

[@jondstewart]

@@JP-mu3xlI was about to say that myself! The ole spelunkers cave was a delight in a nicely air conditioned building that gets you out of the 100 degree heat a little while.

[@TexansForChrist]

Then there's the oldscoolers like me who started going the opening year. Distinct memories include the smell of manure, creek water and creosote. Some might know what I mean. Nothing like riding the Flying Jenny and experiencing "live" donkey manure. Still many great memories. My kids have now "outgrown" season passes...until they maybe have kids of their own. These videos are so so much appreciated. Perhaps add an appeal for any old film (hopefully converted to electronic) folks have to be shared here. There are tons of those around and sharing them would be so great.

[@highjinx6519]

I’m 40 and I’ll Never outgrow season passes lol.

[@warrenwatkins9650]

That creosote smell was Jenite, a product used to seal and resurface the asphalt in the park.

[@jessemask2562]

The family that owned the trains that are used for the Six Flags Railroad actually still owns the trains and lease them to Six Flags.

[@mayganphynix8267]

amazing!!

[@deangoings]

I live in arlington. yea they shut down way too many rides. sucks

[@LPOband]

Looks like they dump all the old soda in the old flume. If only, I’m sure it’d smell a bit better. I just recently re-remembered Casa Magnetica. I saw that it was maybe opening again and it looks like they’re doing some reconstruction to it. Flashbacks came to me from when I went as a kid, must’ve been around 2004 Bc I’m 23 now and it definitely couldn’t have been before then. I’m glad it’s potentially coming back and I’m glad I’m going down this nostalgic rabbit hole of sfot yt.

[@mayganphynix8267]

apparently it opened!! I am SO happy! I grew up in Dallas and had season passes as a kid. I have so many memories at six flags. must have been there around 30 times. going through CDM again would be so amazing. ❤ I'm sad about the Yosemite Sam ride though. ☹

[@michaeltaylor1603]

Great video! I miss that sweet commanding whistle of the locomotive and lovely grand circle tour of such a wonderful park!

[@Faerie7Shaman]

I also remember Runaway Mine Train when it was relatively new when the track passed through a waterfall and theSpindletop and the oil derrick slide at 50feet high and 12 lanes.

[@warrenwatkins9650]

We used to paint those antique cars in the paint shop from 81' to 94' and I believe the straps were already gone then. The train used to run in the opposite direction from today. Someone ran the train around and forgot to throw the switch back and ran it into the back of the train parked on the storage track. They brought in a crane to turn the locomotives around after that.

[@ronnicarter882]

Thanks for the video. Also, thank you for showing the picture of the Good Time's Square entrance walking under the bridge. I remember walking under it as a kid with my family.

[@lukeseabolt405]

You gotta love the Six Flags and Texas Railroad

[@bmartin2112]

I remember when I was a kid and The Sombrero was in it's original spot it would open early so we would always try to get a couple of rides in before the rest of the park opened.

[@flyguy75140]

I have looked for the Chevy Show film with the camera on the Corvette driving the winding road but can't find it. It was totally emersive for the day.

[@kellywolverton3916]

Good video, when I was younger there was a covered walk way with vines. People would go there to rest and to get out of the sun. If I remember right it was a long. Where was that and why did they take it down. Rides to research bumper car, roto disco, and the Mexican train ride. One of the family rides everyone could ride like the river boat ride. I wish they would bring back some family rides. Thanks again for all your hard work. Hope to see you at the park.

[@AmusementSource]

The foliage tunnel was roughly along the pathway near where Justice League is today. It used to reside next to the old AstroLift station in USA. I can't tell you why it was taken out, though. Probably due to expansion and new attractions.

[@kellywolverton3916]

@@AmusementSource Thanks for letting me know

[@jerrybandy3827]

One ride that often gets overlooked or forgotten is the Missile Chaser. Not sure if it still has the same name but it was moved from the Good Times Square area to close to the entrance to the Titan. I remember riding it in the 60s or 70s.

[@AmusementSource]

There were multiple installations of the ride. Version one was located in USA from 1961 to 1977. Version two was located in Tower from 2000 to 2002. Current version was installed in 2006 and is from AstroWorld.

[@JL-lg8tk]

We always went through Casa Magnetica when we went to Six Flags a couple of times each summer from the mid through the late 70's. I don't recognize that park today after seeing the vids of these later years. It's no longer a theme park. No longer enchanting. Six Flags was actually what Six Flags was historically about.... the six flags that flew over Texas but P.C. demanded one flag be taken down so all other flags were too except the American flag. The rides I like were the log flumes, sky hook, missile chaser, el sombrero, la salle river boat, the cave and going down the tree slide on skull island. I don't know if it still happens but used to be each year Six Flags Texas reopened its park after normal operating hours from around 9:00 or 10:00 p.m. until about 7:00 or 8:00 a.m. the next morning for the graduating classes of area high schools. The schools in the DFW metroplex had their designated nights for graduating seniors. My senior night was for the class of '71.

[@palmgroveco.712]

Casa Magnetica opened back last Saturday!! :)

[@mayganphynix8267]

OMG IS IT STILL OPEN PLEASE SAY YES. 😲 ahhhh

[@palmgroveco.712]

@@mayganphynix8267 No idea but I’m probably going soon so I will tell you then!! I really hope it is, it’s very nice!! I do believe it is temporary however.

[@jerrybandy3827]

I loved that as a kid.

[@newclothes8165]

The Crooked house. WOW. Growing up going to Opryland in Nashville we had the same ride but it was called the Angle Inn, run by Professor Jingle Jangle Angle(Yes that spill is stuck in my head). I thought it was the only one around because I never seen anything like it at other parks.

[@AmusementSource]

Silver Dollar City in Branson still has an active one as well!

[@chadb.9560]

Loved the video! There’s a lot of history to this park and your videos are always well done and factual. Keep up the good work

[@Pyroccd]

Enjoyed this history video. Thank you

[@georgeleone1668]

Nice job putting this together,very well done .

[@mayganphynix8267]

what is the roller coaster at 20:41 ?? it looks on the smallish side and something I may be willing to ride!

[@AmusementSource]

We were on the train at that point in the video.

[@mayganphynix8267]

@@AmusementSource I was wanting to know the name of it...

[@AmusementSource]

Six Flags Railroad as specified in the video.

[@mayganphynix8267]

@@AmusementSource "what is the roller coaster at 20:41 ?" what is the name of the roller coaster? not the railroad......

[@mayganphynix8267]

@@AmusementSource I hope that makes sense now. lmao.

[@Joypyf]

I wish there was a dedicated SFGAm fan who could do this kind of walk thru like this at Great America! Awesome job! 👏🏼

[@Faerie7Shaman]

You asked for comments regarding the Chaparral Cars ride having tops/covers. I remember them having tops in 1967 and 1973 or so. Parktimes.com has pictures. thanks for the memories Bryant!

[@dfwswitchman3158]

A little extra is that the locomotives were the only part of the trains that operated on the sugar cane plantation. All of the coaches are converted Denver and Rio Grande narrow gauge cattle cars.

[@michaelhampton1724]

I remember casa magnetica! They had a chair that they would ask a volunteer from the group to sit in and tell you, with out using ur hands or moving ur feet to try and get out of the chair and because of how the house was tilted it was impossible.

[@AmusementSource]

Casa Magnetica has actually reopened full-time under the new park president. That happened after we shot this video.

[@sandyhogan4710]

Have you did anything on Big Bend when it was around

[@warrenwatkins9650]

I remember when the Shock Wave was new, the lines were very short because people were afraid of it (about 5 minutes). The Big Bend had lines over an hour long to ride.

[@jedryan4516]

What about the Mini Mine Train that opened in 1966 and the Runaway Mine Train that opened a few years later?

[@WHR17]

I was foreman of El Hat and Casa Magnetica during the 93 season and the entrance to casa was next to the flume.

[@mayganphynix8267]

I miss Casa Magnetica. ☹ I loved it. they seem to bring it back every few years, so I hope I can do it again at some point. it would be amazing!!

[@kevincozby]

Nice job with this video!

[@Reelunique]

I think the most disappointing thing about this park is that they let the country theming go to the way side. Other than the sign and a few flat rides you don’t really see any kind of diversity in architecture and culture in each country section anymore. You can tell it once was there but it’s kind of a confusing layout now.

[@maximplicity]

When the train used to do the Smoke Out in the tunnel that was a highlight..not sure if they still do it

[@jasonm07]

Nice video!

[@jamesoniris2647]

My father is a big trains guy. Heck, our backyard has a model train set in a small shed. One of my dads friend is actually the guy who fuels and maintains the General Sam Houston. I met him once. I don’t think he liked me.

[@sparkycalico1698]

The park still makes memories and men out of young boys that go to work there. It also gives Texas youth the opportunity to meet youth from all over the world and form life long friendships. Covid sequestration hit the park hard, and it hasnt fully recovered.

[@jamesoniris2647]

I hope they open up Casa for the 60th.

[@mayganphynix8267]

I know this was 7 months ago. did they? if the 60th happened?

[@trash4miku]

@@mayganphynix8267 they did and it’s still operating for the year as far as I know

[@JP-mu3xl]

Don't recall the yr the roof's were removed, but I remember the straps on the front moving around, due to motor vibration, they were louder back in the 60's...lol

[@sfotnews8633]

Can you make a video on what theming is left?

[@sfotnews8633]

Also nice video

[@robertchapman2149]

I read that the Runaway Mine Train originally had a different layout after the 2nd lift hill. Do you have any info or pictures of this?

[@deemitchell4603]

I haven't been the Six Flags in quite a few years, so the absence of the Mary Go Round in the 3 oldest still in operation must mean it isn't there anymore. It was either there when the park 1st opened or within the 1st few years. I believe it was made in 1912 and Six Flags bought it b from a park on the east coast, New Jersey, I *think*. At some point in the late 70's , 80's or 90's they did a full restoration on it and after which it had an estimated value of $5 million dollars. If it isn't there anymore, does anyone know what happened to it?

[@lisagillum-wells1979]

My grandpa made the guns for the River ride.

[@maximplicity]

OMG I am 41 and will always get on the Chapperel cars

[@maximplicity]

El Sombrero is always a must for me idk why...in high school it was near the best food

[@countryboy5510]

sad whats gone slide of tower and spinnaker my fav

[@TXMASSACRE]

We went about a year ago and the had Casa Magnetico open. We went on it but had to get off as it was kinda disorienting.

[@brandontownsend6955]

Is this really in February? I spent many a summer from '73-'88 at SFoT. But is was only later in the 80's that it would open with limited rides during Xmas.

[@ChristianHansard]

I think the tops must have come off in the mid to late 90s or 2000s because I remember them being on in the 80s and early 90s

[@crystalking784]

Wait so is Six Flags is finally open?

[@anthonycullever7578]

Isn't the Runaway Mine Train as old as the park itself from the opening day?

[@AmusementSource]

Runaway Mine Train debuted during the park’s 1966 season.

[@jerrybandy3827]

I remember riding the train and they were telling us (they used to talk to the passengers during the train ride) about the new ride (Runaway Mine Train) that was coming.

[@laonamanning8293]

I enjoyed that. I've gone since it opened every year until 1998.

[@lorec6493]

I was surprised that Judge Roy Scream was not on this list. Is it still operational?

[@AmusementSource]

Judge Roy Scream was actually built in 1980. It isn’t even as old as Shock Wave, which was built in 1978.

[@scottedwards2618]

Can anyone tell me about the stories of haunting at the park?? I once heard there was a little girl spirit around the dentist window.

[@warrenwatkins9650]

There's supposed to be a ghost at the Southern Plantation building upstairs. I worked there from 81' to 94' in maintenance as a painter. My co-workers said a light in the upstairs dressing room would come on by itself sometimes. There was a little girl that died on the stagecoach ride years ago, then it was removed. When I worked there they started Christmas in the Park. They had a coach ride through the park and we painted the white stripes for the coach to follow. The horses got spooked by some guests and took off running. The owner tried to stop them and was crushed against a wall. There are more stories but it's hard to remember. I've got friends I worked with that might remember them.

[@AntonioRamirez-gw9xn]

What are the best rides with usually the shortest line at SFOT?

[@jamesoniris2647]

Shockwave. If you go to Shockwave and can’t just go back in an empty seat. It’s not a good day.

[@highjinx6519]

Mr. Freeze wasn’t bad last time I went and The Riddler line goes a Lot faster than it looks. The Joker sucks so leave that one to distract all the suckers in that long ass line. 😆

[@kakumee]

If I remember right the cars had a Texaco theam. We called them the Texaco cars.

[@carlschindewolf5322]

I know why the happy motoring was removed and not the chapparal. It only seated 2 and chapparal seated

[@carlschindewolf5322]

4 makes for a quicker line.

[@gregorymoore2877]

@@carlschindewolf5322 Four seater cars do make for a potentially quicker line, but they don't guarantee it. I've seen many cars occupied by 1 to 3 people. I'm pretty sure the Happy Motoring Freeway was removed to make room for Splashwater Falls. Short sections of the track were visible for many years passing under the Texas Cliffhanger. The Happy Motoring was a great way to get a closer look at Big Bend.

[@JBThrills]

I honestly think casa magnética will come back this year for the 60th anniversary

[@coasterboy]

I agree

[@TravizFlow]

Can confirm that I saw workers working in there

[@davidcarper5411]

La Cucaracha was at forest park prior to sfot

[@raylaguna2601]

Mexican music. 10:24.

[@bjdlh01]

Back in the day, the conductor would end his spiel by saying "Get Off" with an accent when it was time to get off the train. People laughed. My dad roared.

[@countryboy5510]

75 had roofs

[@krispbiscuit]

I'm pretty sure I remember the tops on the car in 2000.

[@bjdlh01]

Thanks for the video, but Six Flags looks sad.

[@jeasejones3125]

I have that post card

[@dianawolf894]

Keep the Spees

[@chungiemusic]

Your Spanish pronunciation is crazy.