Six Flags Over
Texas, located in
Arlington, Texas, was the first Six Flags park. It was named such in tribute to the six flags which have flown over Texas throughout its history, those being the
French,
Spanish,
Mexican,
American,
Confederate South, and
Texas flags. The park originally was divided into themed sections, each section relating to one of the respective flags.
Today, these sections still remain, although they are less distinct than they were (or so I'm told, as I wasn't alive at the park's inception). Some of the shops and theaters relate to the area they are in, as do the rides' names. Although there are some nice shops, and there are often some pretty good shows, the biggest draw (for me at least) is the rides.
Here, in no particular order, are most of the rides you can find at Six Flags Over Texas. I have left out a few of the more mundane rides, many of which are either for the little ones or are simply a way to relax after the more intense rides:
The Titan:
SFOT's newest, and biggest, rollercoaster, this blue-and-orange monstrocity towers 255 feet above the ground, and reaches a speed of 85 mph along the way down. However, getting to ride this ride is kind of a crapshoot. It seems to be closed at least part of the day every day, and often has people stuck at the top who then have to walk down the stairs from the 255 ft. peak. Still, when it works, it's a great ride.
The Texas Giant:
14 stories high, reaches speeds of 62 mph, and is built entirely of wood. This ride really is fun, but riding this can often leave you feeling beat up. You see, one of the side effects of being all-wood is that the ride shakes quite a bit, and you wind up getting thrown between the side of the train and the person sitting next to you.
La Vibora:
To me, this will always be the Bobsled, because that was its name when I first started going there. They changed the name to fit with the Spanish theme a little better, and painted it to look like a snake. It's a nice ride, and the lines usually aren't too long.
Shockwave:
This was the world's first roller coaster with back to back vertical loops. Of course, now, it's seen as kind of a tame ride, but it's still worth riding.
Oil Derrick:
Ok, so this isn't really a ride, exactly, but it's more of a landmark. The tall, big, red oil derrick is part of Arlington's skyline, and one of the first things people think of when they think of the park. You can ride an elevator to the top of this tower, and get a good view of the park and the surrounding area. If you happen to have some change, you can also use some of those pay telescopes to look at interesting things from up there.
Runaway Mountain:
Here's a question: after we've built the Giant, how can we build a new rollercoaster that isn't nearly as thrilling, and still get people to ride it? Simple! Build it inside a pitch black "mountain", so that no one really gets a look at the 'coaster, and it's fun because you don't know what's gonna happen next.
Splash Water Falls:
Ok, this ride is neither thrilling nor innovative, but people still ride it all the time. Why? Because Texas is hot, and this ride gets you soaked. Not only do you go through the ride, but you can also stand on a bridge directly in front of the "splash point" and get even more soaked than you were before!
Wildcatter:
This ride will always be known to me by its original name, the Cliffhanger. While I understand the reason for the La Vibora name change, this one perplexes me, because the change doesn't help it fit in any better. Anyway, this ride is great. It lifts you 10 stories straight in the air (inside a little elevator), and then pushes you down, and you go into a gentle slope to slow down.
Flashback:
If you're going simply for most times upside down in a single ride, you can't beat this. This will have you upside down 6 separate times, 3 going forward, and 3 going backwards. It's a fun ride, and going backwards is really pretty cool.
Judge Roy Scream:
This used to be considered a really great ride, but it's now kind of dwarfed by its bigger brothers the Titan and the Giant. It's nice as a cool down ride, or as a warmup to taking on some of the bigger rides.
Mr. Freeze:
It's very fast, and pretty tall, too. A really great ride; and one of the best things about it is that most of the line is inside (and kept pretty cold, to keep w/ the theme), so you're not likely to be weak from dehydration by the time you're through.
Batman the Ride:
I've never actually ridden this ride, but it's touted as "The most innovative and classic coaster design of the 20th century-featuring riders suspended from track". I do know it looks pretty cool, and I intend to try it out soon.