Six Flags Over Texas - Then and Now Part 1

A quick look at a few park locations as they looked a long time ago and how they look now.

[@FrancoAir]

I really miss the old Six Flags. Worked there from 1980 to 1991, best time of my life.

[@DustyWingsProductions]

I was also there from 1979, 1980, 1982 and back since 2014

[@gypsyroserockstarbadass1526]

Did you know Robbie Robinson? He worked there , not sure what age.

[@aburns66]

I miss the magical feel of the old Six Flags.

[@frodrickfronkensteen9241]

Seems like a hundred, but we probably went there (maybe) a couple dozen times during our formative years (circa late 70s thru 1980s). Some of my fondest memories from childhood... - Riding the Shockwave... running the entire que... jumping right back on and repeating that process a dozens times before park closing. No lines. - I considered the epicenter of the park to be the Runaway Mine Train. 2019, and some of our light fixtures in our house were chosen to mimic my Mine Train memories. - The Spinaker... not hard for a 10 year old to imagine the extending arm was an AT-AT leg and passenger car a Snow Speeder from Empire Strikes Back. - The glowing necklaces one year. The Spuds McKenzies the next. I had mad skills at the milk jugs. Took home 3 "Spuds" one summer. - Getting warmed up: The Conquistador and the Spanish Quarter. - Decisions: The Chute Out... do we sit, or do we stand. Hell, we'll do both. - Vertigo: The Red Tower. - Where else could a kid obtain his very own bull whip? - The gun fight out front of the court house. - Kissing one of my early girlfriends in The Cave (Kathleen... are you out there?). - The Midway by night. The lights. The sounds. - The smell of fresh asphalt. - Money in a ripper wallet (or in my sock). - Getting lost... and liking it.

[@caoldunton]

Old Six Flags was truly wonderful. May she rest in peace. :(

[@anarizmoore]

I didn't know Six Flags was a girl...you learn something new everyday! ☺️

[@5cajunkidsmom]

The old six flags of the sixties was great !!! It was magical. Revamp the entire park and go back to all the original rides and places of the sixties. Sad to see what’s become of it

[@brandontownsend6955]

Grew up visiting SFoT in the 70's and 80's. Great times. Thanks for posting.

[@DustyWingsProductions]

Brandon Townsend glad you enjoyed it.

[@davidmoorecatdaddy6994]

My all time favorite was the LaSalle ride .

[@DustyWingsProductions]

Mine too. I was part of the last crew in 1982.

[@shannonm75]

I loved the cave ride. I miss it.

[@roywilliams7766]

Only ride with ac and you needed that on a hot day

[@Golf8802]

Speelunker's Cave is coming back in 2022.

[@michaelweeks5761]

Great video but so sad. Six Flags will never be what it used to be. So many memories of what was once truly a "theme" park. Thanks for the video. Great job!

[@DustyWingsProductions]

Thank you for your kind words. I too miss the old park.. but I am embracing the new.

[@augustusbetucius1572]

Many people feel this way. It's a bummer. DWP is embracing the new, but the new has many problems. It would have been nice if the new and old could be allowed to co-exist, as they have done with Six Flags over Georgia.

[@frodrickfronkensteen9241]

New rides, yes. New look, no. People like continuity, familiarity.

[@chasr111]

I was there the first season they opened. Drove a 1952 Mercury from Sherman to Greenville and then to Six Flags. That's when each flag was separated by different themes.

[@victorwadsworth821]

I remember going in the 60's, the gun fights, the crazy gravity house, the log ride, cherry cider.

[@Gunboatjingoist]

Thanks. My time there was the late 60's and 70's. Not the same now.

[@speedskater5613]

Gunboatjingoist me too I was born in 67 so went there for the next 10 years or so. Such good times♥️

[@Savagemister]

1:39 Go Fresh Cafe is now Texas Taco Bar. The best food in the whole park.

[@trash4miku]

Savage Mister I’ve heard is it that good? My booth I work at is across it

[@BigAL68xyz]

I love the street tacos! My kids love the pizza (yuck) so they can get their lunch there and I can get mine just a few steps away at the taco place. Of course sometimes it's not open...:(

[@werksdesign]

Six Flags was soooo much better back THEN. Today, it's just another carnival.

[@ledhed5717]

Shows just how things slide in the corporate world. I lived at Six Flags through the 70's and 80's as a kid. Worked there in 1998. Took my daughter there in the early 2000's several times a year and was sad at how much it had changed.

[@zaneyone1]

I use to go there a lot from 87 to 96. I live in Raleigh NC now and haven’t seen a lot of the new. We went there back in the 60’s too when I was a kid in San Antonio.

[@SuperStars-vm7nk]

2:23 THE SPELUNKER CAVE!! :D

[@dfwjac]

It's just sad how much has gone to crap.

[@gypsyroserockstarbadass1526]

Everything good always goes away

[@vonSoest]

Sad to see the Sox Flags franchise being killed off. And for an old timer it’s super sad to see the last bits of the “theme park” being killed off.

[@DustyWingsProductions]

I agree. Time has changed the park... multiple owners... .multiple ideas.... way different goals for the park. It's not the old park anymore... but it's still fun to attend.

[@frodrickfronkensteen9241]

When the Runaway Mine Train goes... I riot.

[@anarizmoore]

Six Flags in Arlington, Texas needs a MAJOR MAKEOVER!!!

[@augustusbetucius1572]

They appear to be in the process of that now, but they are stripping out more of the last remaining character and magical feel that is left. It will soon be fully antiseptic and without any charm. It will be all super heroes and shopping opportunities.

[@frodrickfronkensteen9241]

@@augustusbetucius1572 This breaks my heart. They should restore it to 1980s livery. New rides, okay. But tearing out what was... heart breaking.

[@DustyWingsProductions]

Not the 1980's. The 80's is when the downfall started. Bally's came in and started ripping out stores and stuff and putting in arcades. It's also when the park learned the phrase: "if cost to much to fix it, remove it" when it comes to themed items or "extras". Like the waterfall/tunnel on Mine Train and other things like that. The 60's and 70's were the best times ever.

[@dizunisix1728]

The problem is the back half of the park is now a flood zone. Anytime theres a ton of rain the whole back of the park floods. Two years ago there was major flood damaged that closed down a ride for good and they had to tear down some buildings due to the flood damage. The back half of the park still yet hasn't recovered from it.

[@anarizmoore]

@@dizunisix1728 that's scary...to know that people all over the country comes to Six Flags; they don't do any annual upkeep. It's the same paint job, same leaks, same loose screws, an I'm sure same C.E.O. and general park management.

[@craft-o-matic2377]

Does anyone remember a place called Podnah's coffee shop that was near Six Flags Over Texas in the 60's and/or 70's? We stayed at a hotel near it and ate breakfast there back in the day when we went to Six flags. I have tried to find images of it here on Google, but no luck. I'm not even sure I am spelling it correctly... Thank you!

[@kittiequinnadventures1797]

I went there alot in the 90s and early 2000s season passes every year.Mom would drop us off stay there all day it was great being a 90s kid.Haven't been since 2006. Looks like it really has rundown since i last been.For how much money they make you would think it would look better.

[@thehamelsduck1600]

Great video! Two Paws up!

[@davidslion3568]

I like the "then" so much better than the "now".

[@manley1979]

Do they still sell "pink thing"'s :D

[@DustyWingsProductions]

Unfortunately those are a thing of the past. 😭

[@51MontyPython]

manley1979 What were those?

[@patrickmcdonald6116]

@@51MontyPython If I remember correctly they were strawberry flavored ice cream confections on a popsicle stick.

[@dizunisix1728]

They do. But not on the stick. You can either get them in dippin Dots form or actual soft serve. I think the Dippin Dots version taste better

[@minarosered6699]

Anyone remember that Mexican restaurant as you first walked into six flags? we were so excited to get to the rides that we didn't want to eat. But at the end of the day we always stopped and the food was so good!

[@DustyWingsProductions]

Mina - When the park first opened, it was an El Chico restaurant. It remained that way for a few years and remained a Mexican eatery even after El Chico pulled out.

[@minarosered6699]

@@DustyWingsProductions oh wow. El Chico's! That makes sense. The food did taste like an El Chico's. Thanks Dusty wings!!

[@pickles9148]

I've never gotten to experience the Old Six Flags but its looked better than today, New Six Flags seems like they don't care for the park and everyone who works there is a grumpy lousy employee.

[@liamhale120]

Hey i was wondering how you got into Casa Magnetica i know its been abandoned for quite some time.

[@DustyWingsProductions]

Working there has it's privileges! :-)

[@liamhale120]

@@DustyWingsProductions what kind of privileges do you get.

[@DustyWingsProductions]

@@liamhale120 well.... lots actually. But in this case, I can go into the park when it's closed and take these pictures. Plus I can go into areas that are nope open to the public.... like Casa Magnetica.

[@liamhale120]

@@DustyWingsProductions what job do you do

[@DustyWingsProductions]

@@liamhale120 Steam locomotive engineer / fireman/ conductor.

[@suzannetm5280]

how did you get into the crooked house? seeing as how it has been closed for a few years now.

[@DustyWingsProductions]

loser lol - Working there has it's privileges.

[@NegligentHero]

I was literally gonna ask the same thing

[@augustusbetucius1572]

Casa Magnetica!

[@johndcornell6341]

Anyone remember the Chevy show??? Wish someone would put that on youtube

[@DustyWingsProductions]

That would be great if that film still existed. My favorite part was the fast driving part where the car in front stops and the camera runs right up to the license plate "MADE IN USA" (or something like that)

[@bigroy38]

The Chevy Show,& the live muppets,”Noise”.

[@MasonThatWeirdGuy]

Casa Magentica is back open!

[@DustyWingsProductions]

Yes! Yes it is!

[@skipbolance]

Was better in the 70’s & 80’s .... changed too much in the 90’s.

[@jessemask2562]

Six Flags has ruined that park

[@cadewest311]

YOOO WHERE IS THAT AT 3:37

[@DustyWingsProductions]

That was Casa Magnetica. As you exit Flume 2 today you can look left over the fence and see it. The entrance was through the arched rocks by Flume cue area.

[@scottlambeth5478]

Flume? Is that what they're calling the Avalanche Bobsled now? If I recall Casa Magnetica was right after the exit of the Bobsled, though it's been over 10 years since i've been to Six Flags so my memory might not be right.

[@ingitvoninglesworth9681]

The Avalanche Bobsled is now called La Vibora. The Flume they are referring to is the Log Ride, or (El Aserradero). The entrance to the Flume and Casa Magnetica and the exit to La Vibora are all next to each other.

[@51MontyPython]

@@ingitvoninglesworth9681 Why did they change the name, you think?

[@ingitvoninglesworth9681]

@@51MontyPython not sure. They seemed to go through a phase where they changed the name of many rides. The Cliffhanger was changed to G-Force, for example. Don't know why they go through all the effort. Marketing, maybe?

[@chriscolumbia9579]

so much better then. What a shame. Six Flags now is trash.

[@DustyWingsProductions]

It is not the park it used to be I will admit that. However, it is not trash.

[@augustusbetucius1572]

@@DustyWingsProductions Wouldn't say it is trash either, but it has lost something. We visited the Six Flags Over Georgia, just outside of Atlanta a few years ago. They have the old and new co-existing. They still have the cable cars that go over the park, bumper cars and buildings that appear to be from the 70's (maybe earlier?) all happily together in the park. Several old roller coasters along with many new, modern coasters, and a Hurricane Harbor in the back of the park. It feels more like a theme park that SFOT, sadly. Being a native and growing up with Six Flags in Arlington, I was disappointed. We could learn something from what they are doing in Georgia. Especially with the changes made in 2019, and more coming in 2020. Soon all of the old SFOT will be gone.

[@mftepera]

Looks boring now. Even the “Six Flags” logo itself is a generic, dumbed down symbol. Sad.

[@margovallen]

1979 on back were the best times @ SFOT. Sickens me how its changed.. and has lost all meaning. Now, its just an average nasty gutter with "thrill" rides to keep the gnat-brain types happy.. while blasting shit-"music".. Been going there since 1963 or 64.

[@DustyWingsProductions]

I've been going since about 66 or 67. It's definitely not the same. But it is what it is.