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Six Flags Over Texas

{{About|the theme park|the slogan|Six flags over Texas|the theme park franchise as a whole|Six Flags}}

{{short description|Amusement park in Texas}}

{{Infobox amusement park

| name = Six Flags Over Texas

| logo = Six Flags Over Texas (logo), circa 2019.png

| image = File:SFOT Main Park Entrance.JPG

| caption = The park's main entrance in 2011

| location = Arlington

| location2 = Texas

| location3 = U.S.

| coordinates = {{Coord|32|45|20.52|N|97|4|12.80|W|format=dms|display=inline,title|region:US-TX_type:landmark}}

| homepage = {{Official website|https://www.sixflags.com/overtexas}}

| owner = Texas Flags, Ltd.{{Cite web |url=http://investors.sixflags.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=61629&p=irol-sec |title=Sixflags.com |access-date=2009-08-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071029131623/http://investors.sixflags.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=61629&p=irol-sec |archive-date=2007-10-29 |url-status=live }} (51%)

| operator = Six Flags

| general_manager =

| status = Operating

| opening_date = {{Start date and age|1961|8|5|df=no}}

| closing_date =

| previous_names =

| season = Year-round

| area = {{convert|212|acre|mi2}} (0.86 km2)

| rides = 45

| coasters = 13

| water_rides = 3

| slogan = The Thrill Capital of Texas

}}

Six Flags Over Texas is a 212-acre (86 ha) amusement park, in Arlington, Texas, east of Fort Worth and west of Dallas. It is the first amusement park in the Six Flags chain, and features themed areas and attractions. The park opened on August 5, 1961, after a year of construction and an initial investment of US$10 million by real estate developer Angus G. Wynne Jr.{{cite web |title=The first Six Flags opens in Texas |url=https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/texans-head-for-the-thrills-at-six-flags |website=history.com |date=24 November 2009 |access-date=May 2, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191230085534/http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/texans-head-for-the-thrills-at-six-flags |archive-date=December 30, 2019 |url-status=live }}

The park is managed by the Six Flags Entertainment Corp., which owns a 54% interest of the Texas Limited Partnership that owns the park. Six Flags Over Texas Fund, Ltd., a private-equity and asset-management firm, headed by Dallas businessman Jack Knox, bought the park in 1969. Over the years, the various companies that managed the park exercised options to purchase interest in the fund. Six Flags Entertainment has an option to purchase the remaining 46% in 2028.{{cite web|url=https://investors.sixflags.com/~/media/Files/S/Sixflags-IR-V2/documents/annual-reports/six-flags-entertainment-corporation-10k-2022-v4-pwo-400-2-pwo-1845.pdf|title=2021 Six Flags Entertainment Corporation Annual Report|work=SixFlags.com|access-date=April 1, 2022}}{{cite web|url=http://arlingtontodayonline.com/success-accidentally|title=Success, Accidentally|publisher=Arlington Today|date=July 30, 2016|access-date=February 8, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170212090842/http://arlingtontodayonline.com/success-accidentally|archive-date=February 12, 2017|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/profiles/companies/0249485D:US-six-flags-over-texas-fund-ltd|title=Six Flags Over Texas Fund Ltd.|publisher=Bloomberg L.P.|access-date=February 8, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170211152913/https://www.bloomberg.com/profiles/companies/0249485D:US-six-flags-over-texas-fund-ltd|archive-date=February 11, 2017|url-status=live}} In 1991, Time Warner Entertainment began managing park operations. In 1998, Time Warner sold its interests in the Six Flags parks to Premier Parks, of Oklahoma City, which later changed its name to Six Flags Theme Parks, Inc.

History

File:Six Flags over Texas Original Logo.jpg for Six Flags Over Texas]]

After a visit to Disneyland in Anaheim, California, shortly after its opening, a wealthy real estate developer, Angus G. Wynne Jr., concluded that his home state, Texas, should have a similar park.{{cite web |title=Wayback Wednesday: Six Flags over Texas opens its gates |url=https://oklahoman.com/article/5511632/wayback-wednesday-six-flags-over-texas-opens-its-gates |website=oklahoman.com |access-date=May 2, 2020}} Planning for such a place began in 1959, under the leadership of Wynne and the Great Southwest Corporation, along with the backing of various New York City investors. Construction of the park began in August 1960.{{cite news |title=Flags Fly For New Six Flags Book |url=https://patch.com/texas/cedar-park/flags-fly-new-six-flags-book |access-date=May 2, 2020 |work=patch.com |date=November 10, 2016}}

The name "Six Flags Over Texas" refers to the flags of the six nations that have governed Texas: Spain, France, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, the United States of America, and the Confederate States of America.{{cite book|author=Victoria W. Wolcott|title=Race, Riots, and Roller Coasters: The Struggle Over Segregated Recreation in America|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AJbiA_sBjzYC&pg=PA158|date=16 August 2012|publisher=University of Pennsylvania Press|isbn=978-0-8122-0759-0|page=158|access-date=16 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160623202755/https://books.google.com/books?id=AJbiA_sBjzYC&pg=PA158|archive-date=23 June 2016|url-status=live}} Wynne originally intended to name the park "Texas Under Six Flags". Various legends have attributed the name change to his wife, Joann; to the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, of which his wife may have been a member; and to his entertainment director, Charles Meeker, who is said to have stated "Texas isn't 'under' anything."{{cite journal | last1 = Seifert | first1 = Jeffrey | year = 2011 | title = Six Flags Over Five Decades | journal = RollerCoaster! Magazine | volume = 32 | issue = 3 | pages = 4–23 | issn = 0896-7261}} The original park was divided into six themed areas for each of the six entities that had ruled Texas. Other themed areas have since been added.

Six Flags Over Texas opened its gates from July 29 to August 4, 1961, to several local corporations that Wynne had invited as part of a "soft-test opening". The park held its grand-opening ceremonies on Saturday, August 5, 1961. Dignitaries included the mayors of Arlington, Dallas, Fort Worth, Grand Prairie, and Irving. Park attendance reached 8,374. Admission cost $2.75 ({{Inflation|US|2.75|1961|fmt=eq}}) for adults and $2.25 ({{Inflation|US|2.25|1961|fmt=eq}}) for children; parking cost 50 cents ({{Inflation|US|0.50|1961|fmt=eq}}); hamburgers, 35 cents ({{Inflation|US|0.35|1961|fmt=eq}}); soft drinks, 10 cents ({{Inflation|US|0.10|1961|fmt=eq}}).{{Inflation-fn|US}} On opening day, guests could visit the six original themed sections: Mexico, Spain, France, The Confederacy, Texas, and Modern (representing the United States). According to the 1961 Park Map[http://www.rcreride.com/html/sfot_Map.html "1961 Park Map"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120301183019/http://www.rcreride.com/html/sfot_Map.html |date=2012-03-01 }}, rcreride.com. there were 46 "major attractions". The park's first season, lasting 45 days and ending on November 25, 1961, was a success, with over 550,000 visitors.

During its first decade, the park added two sections: Boomtown, named after the boomtowns that sprang up quickly during Texas' oil boom era and the "Tower Section", named after the Oil Derrick observation tower built in 1969.{{cite book |last1=Baker |first1=Evelyn |title=Historic Tales of Arlington, Texas |date=2018 |publisher=The History Press |page=75 |isbn=9781625858955 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yA5bDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA75 |access-date=May 17, 2020}}{{cite web |last1=Larry |first1=Luck |title=THE SIX FLAGS OIL DERRICK CELEBRATES ITS 50TH BIRTHDAY |url=https://mix931fm.com/the-six-flags-oil-derrick-celebrates-its-50th-birthday/ |website=mix931fm.com |date=17 May 2019 |access-date=May 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191001035841/https://mix931fm.com/the-six-flags-oil-derrick-celebrates-its-50th-birthday/ |archive-date=October 1, 2019 |url-status=live }} The park also added two attractions: El Aserradero in 1963 and the Runaway Mine Train roller coaster in 1966. Attendance reached close to 2 million visitors a year by the end of the decade.

In 1974, Six Flags Over Texas announced attendance had reached 2,184,000.{{Cite news |date=January 28, 1975 |title=Park Attendance |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-atlanta-constitution-park-attendance/157758236/ |access-date=2024-10-24 |work=Atlanta Constitution |page=5 |via=Newspapers.com |agency=United Press International}}

For the 50th anniversary (2011), Six Flags Over Texas introduced the first I-Box roller coaster track with a transformation of Texas Giant. The reception from the conversion led the manufacturer to bring the new technology all over the world.{{Cite web |url=http://www.sixflags.com/overTexas/rides/TexasGiant.aspx |title=Texas Giant Opening April 22 |access-date=2011-03-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110313172950/http://www.sixflags.com/overtexas/rides/TexasGiant.aspx |archive-date=2011-03-13 |url-status=live }}

During this time, Six Flags (the company) began to remove licensed theming from its theme parks, including from attractions that the park had built in previous years. For example, Six Flags Over Texas had to rename Tony Hawk's Big Spin to Pandemonium.{{cite news|last=MacDonald|first=Brady|title=Six Flags amusement parks prepare for thematic makeovers|url=http://www.latimes.com/travel/deals/themeparks/la-trb-six-flags-retheme-20101122,0,3267615.story|access-date=November 27, 2010|newspaper=LA Times|date=November 25, 2010}}{{cite web|url=http://www.sixflags.com/fiestaTexas/food/ThemedAreasFoodFun.aspx |title=Themed Areas: Six Flags Fiesta Texas |publisher=Sixflags.com |access-date=March 17, 2013}}

In 2020, park management decided to expand from a March-December operating season to year-round operations.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/dfw/news/six-flags-over-texas-open-year-round-weekend-holidays/|title=Six Flags Over Texas Changing To Year-Round Weekend & Holiday Operation|website=CBS News |date=August 29, 2019|access-date=July 27, 2020}} But on March 13, 2020, Six Flags suspended operations on its properties for the COVID-19 pandemic in Texas.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbs19.tv/article/news/local/six-flags-over-texas-six-flags-fiesta-texas-suspend-operations-through-end-of-march/501-ced6cfb1-ac59-48c9-9ebd-4960b1149dd7|title=Six Flags Over Texas, Six Flags Fiesta Texas suspend operations through the end of March|date=March 13, 2020|access-date=May 6, 2020}} During the closure, the park donated food and supplies to local charities.{{Cite web|url=https://www.arlingtontx.com/blog/six-flags-over-texas-donates-food-to-arlington-charity/|title=Six Flags Over Texas Donates Food To Arlington Charity|date=April 20, 2020|access-date=July 27, 2020}} The park reopened to members and season pass holders on June 19 and to the general public on June 22.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/opening-dates-for-six-flags-over-texas-hurricane-harbor/287-6fc6fc78-d8bc-4e5a-a284-9e7e65500c93|title=Opening dates announced for Six Flags over Texas, Hurricane Harbor, Hawaiian Falls|date=June 4, 2020|access-date=July 27, 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/arlington/article243267886.html|title=Six Flags Over Texas, Hurricane Harbor to reopen June 22 with new safety protocols|date=June 4, 2020|access-date=July 27, 2020}}

The park stopped accepting cash in 2020.

= Confederate themes =

For more than three decades, one of the original themed areas was The Confederacy, which showcased Civil War re-enactments and displayed the Confederate battle flag.

In the 1990s, it was rethemed as "Old South" and all Confederate battle flags were removed. The shift drew little attention as there were no high-profile rides in that area.{{Cite web |last=Mosier |first=Jeff |date=August 18, 2015 |title=Six Flags Over Texas started distancing from the Confederate battle flag decades ago |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/2015/08/18/six-flags-over-texas-started-distancing-from-the-confederate-battle-flag-decades-ago/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThe%20name%20of%20that%20section,Confederate%20Battle%20Flags%20were%20removed.%E2%80%9D&text=He%20said%20the%20park's%201996,it%20the%20%E2%80%9COld%20South.%E2%80%9D |access-date=July 27, 2020 |website=Dallas Morning News}} However, the Confederate "stars and bars" remained one of the six flags that was flown at the park entrance.

In August 2017, in response to the controversial Unite the Right rally that was held in Charlottesville, Virginia, the park replaced its six flags (which had included the first Confederate flag, a Republic of Texas flag, a 19th-century Spanish flag, an 18th-century French flag, a 19th-century United States flag, and a 19th-century Mexican flag) with six American flags. A representative of the park told KXAS-TV, "We always choose to focus on celebrating the things that unite us versus those that divide us. As such, we have changed the flag displays in our park to feature American flags."{{cite news |last1=Morris |first1=David Z. |date=August 18, 2017 |title=Six Flags Pulls Down Confederate Flags |url=http://fortune.com/2017/08/18/six-flags-confederate-flags/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170818222155/http://fortune.com/2017/08/18/six-flags-confederate-flags/ |archive-date=August 18, 2017 |access-date=August 19, 2017 |work=Fortune}}{{Cite web |date=August 18, 2017 |title=Six Flags Over Texas removes Confederate flag, reversing earlier decision | Fox News |url=https://www.foxnews.com/travel/six-flags-over-texas-removes-confederate-flag-reversing-earlier-decision |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170826033314/http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2017/08/18/six-flags-over-texas-removes-confederate-flag-reversing-earlier-decision.html |archive-date=August 26, 2017 |access-date=August 26, 2017 |website=FoxNews.com}}

{{-}}

Attractions

{{See also|List of Six Flags Over Texas attractions}}

File:Six Flags over Texas (Entrance).JPG looms in the background.]]

=First-of-their-kind and/or world's only features or attractions=

  • First Six Flags Theme Park. This is the original Six Flags Theme Park, opened on August 5, 1961
  • First Pay one Price (POP) admission{{cite journal | last1 = Seifert | first1 = Jeffrey | last2 = Slade | first2 = Gary | year = 2011 | title = Six Flags Over Texas Celebrates 50th Anniversary | journal = Amusement Today | volume = 15 | issue = 5 | pages = 1B–23B}}
  • First theme park to feature Broadway-style shows (1961)
  • First Intamin Ride, the Jet Set
  • First Arrow Development Log Flume – El Aserradero (Spanish for The Sawmill) (1963)
  • First Arrow Development Mine Train Roller Coaster – The Runaway Mine Train (1966)
  • First relaunch of the modern-day parachute ride - Texas Chute Out (1976) Removed in 2012.{{Cite web |url=http://www.guidetosfot.com/attractions/rides/texaschuteout/ |title=Guide to Six Flags Over Texas |access-date=2014-06-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131222141419/http://guidetosfot.com/attractions/rides/texaschuteout/ |archive-date=2013-12-22 |url-status=live }}
  • First Freefall Ride - Texas Cliffhanger (later renamed G-Force and then Wildcatter) (1982). Removed in 2007.{{cite news |last1=Ahles |first1=Andrea |title=Six Flags to add Tony Hawk rollercoaster |url=http://www.star-telegram.com/news/story/245840.html |access-date=February 21, 2019 |work=Star-Telegram.com |date=September 24, 2007 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20071011153813/http://www.star-telegram.com/news/story/245840.html |archive-date=October 11, 2007 |url-status=live }}
  • First Premier Rides Roller Coaster - Runaway Mountain (1996)
  • First RMC I-Box hybrid coaster - New Texas Giant (2011)
  • Former Home of La Vibora (Spanish for The Viper), the last operating Intamin Swiss Bob (1986), removed in 2024.{{cite web |last1=Osborne|first1=Ryan|title=Six Flags Over Texas closes 2 roller coasters to make way for 'record-breaking' new ride|url=https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/six-flags-over-texas-arlington-roller-coasters-closed-la-vibora-el-diablo-new-ride/287-6acf5266-0f54-4dec-a059-3dc1075acb40|website=WFAA|access-date=14 November 2024|language=en |date=14 November 2024}}

=Records=

  • Tallest Roller Coaster in Texas - Titan (245 ft)
  • Fastest Roller Coaster in Texas - Titan (85 mph)
  • Largest Land Based Oil Derrick - Oil Derrick (300 ft)
  • 2nd Tallest Swing Ride in the World - Texas Skyscreamer (400 ft)

=Awards=

Events

Six Flags Over Texas hosts events for holidays during the operating season that often draw thousands of visitors to the park. Among them are:

  • Fright Fest, an annual Halloween festival. Originally only one night in October called "Fright Night", Fright Fest takes place throughout the month of October and features haunted houses, decorated pathways, patrolling ghouls, and spooky music. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the park renamed the event Hallowfest and held no haunted houses or indoor shows.{{Cite web|url=https://attractionsmagazine.com/six-flags-announces-reimagined-haunt-season-hallowfest/|title=Six Flags announces a reimagined haunt season with Hallowfest|date=August 18, 2020|access-date=October 28, 2020}}
  • Holiday in the Park – Held annually since 1985 towards the end of November and throughout December, the festival includes festive holiday shows, arts and crafts, and seasonal food. Hundreds of thousands of Christmas lights are strung around the park buildings and rides. A snowy hill is available for visitors to sled down.

References

{{Reflist|2}}

  • Jordan, Scott L. [https://archive.today/20130103214903/http://www.mouseplanet.com/scott/072400.htm MousePlanet - This Old Park]. Retrieved September 21, 2004.
  • McCown, Davis. [http://parktimes.com ParkTimes]. Retrieved September 21, 2004.
  • Rogers, Joel A. [http://www.coastergallery.com/2001T/SFOT.html CoasterGallery.com]. Retrieved September 21, 2004.
  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20040922014822/http://www.sixflags.com/media_info.asp Six Flags - Media Info]. Retrieved September 21, 2004.

External links

{{commons category}}

  • [https://www.sixflags.com/overtexas Six Flags Over Texas official website]
  • {{RCDB|4531}}
  • [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdl02H3IWIs&t Video featuring archival footage of Six Flags Over Texas]
  • [https://texasarchive.org/taxonomy/term/115903 Collection of films and videos documenting Six Flag Over Texas]

{{Six Flags}}

{{Six Flags Over Texas}}

{{Arlington, Texas}}

Category:Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex

Category:Landmarks in Texas

Over Texas

Category:Buildings and structures in Tarrant County, Texas

Category:Amusement parks in Texas

Category:1961 establishments in Texas

Category:Tourist attractions in Tarrant County, Texas

Category:Amusement parks opened in 1961