SFoT TR: 3/10/07: Opening Day

Six Flags over Texas: 3/10/07 : Opening Day

Arrived at the park close to an hour before it opened, and it looked like it would not be a very busy day just as I had anticipated. Once we made it passed all the people asking us to take pictures I went straight for the season pass window located before the turnstiles, and then waited fifteen minutes just to get my discount books. I then headed over to the season pass processing line so my younger brother, my sister, and my best friend could get their season passes. I had renewed mine online and it had been sent to me months ago.

A few changes have been made to the park this year. First off, there are Home Depot information signs all around the park about different things in the park, the Chubbie’s by Flashback and Crazy Legs will soon be a Johnny Rocket’s, the restaurant next to Superman: Tower of Power is now a Coldstone Creamery, the restaurant in the tower section close to the Alamo is now a Panda Express, Splash Water Falls is now Aquaman’s Splashdown, Crazy Legs is being painted orange and white, it looks like the trains on Judge Roy Scream and Flashback have been repainted, and the people taking photos are now using cameras like the photo pass people at Disney use.

After about 30 minutes of waiting for my group to get their season passes, we headed over to Batman: The Ride. It was still just as good as it has always been. Next up was Mr. Freeze. This was my first ride on this ride due to the fact that I could not fit on it last year, but this year was different. I had started a diet about two months ago, and I have lost a large amount of weight. Anyway, I had highly anticipated riding Mr. Freeze, and I was not disappointed. We rode in the middle of the train, and it was a fairly good choice. After the launch, the ride blasted up the top hat inversion, then through the over banked turn, up the spike, and then back through it all. I would have to say that the best part of the ride is the top hat inversion. Anyway, I came off wanting more, but decided to move on.

Next up was Flashback. My friend and I rode in the front seat, and the ride seemed like it was rougher than last year. I got tossed around quit a bit and hit my head pretty hard on the back of the seat when going backwards. Then we headed to the bumper cars, and then the parachute tower, and then Judge Roy Scream. The Judge was looking nice with its newly painted trains, and it was riding just as nice.

We then went to the Runaway Mine Train, and I noticed that at the entrance there was a plaque honoring the ride as an ACE Classic Coaster. Has that always been there? Next up was Superman: Tower of Power, and then we went up the Oil Derrick to get a good view of the park. Shockwave was closed, so we did not even bother going over to that area of the park, but we were told it should open up later this week.

We then rode Yosemite Sam’s Gold River Adventure, and then the Texas Giant. The Texas Giant was still as rough as it has been. Titan was closed due to it getting stuck on its midcourse earlier in the day, and they told us it may open in a few minutes, but it did not open, so we headed back over to Mr. Freeze.

This time only one train was operating, so the line was moving fairly slowly. We waited close to 30 minutes. When we got into the station I noticed that the other train had been taken out of the station, so it was probably being worked on. Mr. Freeze was our last ride.

We then did some shopping, and then left at about 4:15, and I arrived home at around 7:15 after hitting some bad traffic in Arlington.

*** Edited 3/11/2007 5:14:25 PM UTC by Matthew Engel*** *** Edited 3/11/2007 5:14:48 PM UTC by Matthew Engel***

I dunno if it's always had a plaque about ACE coaster classic, but there's always been the plaque about Bill Cobb.

Runaway Mine Train was given a Coaster Landmark Plaque last year during its fortieth anniversary. Ron Toomer was there for the presentation and actually took a ride. I don't think he had been on it in since it opened.

It's not an ACE coaster classic, it's an ACE roller coaster landmark. Just like Magnum is a landmark. To see what requirements an ACE coaster classic has to meet and to see a list of the ACE coaster classics click here.

To awnser your question though, the plaque is fairly new. At the Lone Star Coasterthon on September 9th and 10th, 2006 former Arrow President and chief engineer Ron Toomer was on hand to be the key spoksman at the dedication of the Runaway Mine Train as an ACE Roller Coaster Landmark.

Noted for it's contribution in developing the yubular steel roller coaster, Runaway Mine Train celebrated it's 40th aniversary in the 2006 season. This was the first of many mine trains over the next 2 decades. The last incarnation was Road Runner Express in 1997 at Fiesta Texas.

On this special occasion, Mr. Toomer rode Runaway Mine Train for the first time in almost 40 years.

Something to note is that Runaway Mine Train deputed in 1966 as Six Flags' first attraction to exceed 1 Million Dollars.

A more detailed artice is in the November - December 2006 issue of ACE News.

<EDIT>

You beat me to it Jeff. :) I guess I type to slow.
*** Edited 3/11/2007 5:59:33 PM UTC by Jason Hammond***

Are they giving out free park maps this year, and are park maps for sale in the gift shops?

Yeah they're still giving out free park maps.

Was any extensive retracking done on Giant over the winter? I'm guessing no. Shock Wave closed...major bummer. Not the best way to open for the year.

My guess would be that no retracking was done on Giant, but I'm not exactly sure.

Nice to hear about my home park. I hope Wildcatter reopens. Was it runnung?

Wildcatter was running.

Wildcatter is still there?!?! Awesome! I thought it was sold and removed already.

Last I heard was that it was up for sale, but it obviously has not been sold.