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| Six Flags Fiesta Texas | |
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| Location | San Antonio, Texas |
| Website | Six Flags Fiesta Texas |
| Owner | Six Flags |
| Opened | 1992 |
| Previous names | Fiesta Texas |
| Operating season | February to January |
| Area | 200 acres (0.81 km2) |
| Rides | 42 total
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Six Flags Fiesta Texas is a seasonally operated theme park located on approximately 200 acres (0.81 km2) of land near the northwest intersection of Loop 1604 and Interstate 10 in San Antonio, Texas. Six Flags Fiesta Texas is the major entertainment component of USAA's La Cantera, a 1,600-acre (6.5 km²) master-planned development in northwest San Antonio. Six Flags Fiesta Texas is located in a former rock quarry in the development; "La Cantera" means "rock quarry" in Spanish.[1]
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Contents
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History
Development and construction
The original development team consisted of property owner USAA Real Estate Company, a subsidiary of the USAA insurance company, and Gaylord Entertainment Company, which owned the now-closed Opryland USA theme park in Nashville, Tennessee. The original concept for Fiesta Texas was defined as "a destination market, musical show park" similar to that of Opryland USA. The primary focus on southwestern music and culture rather than rides would be the unique element that would set the park apart from its competition.[2]
When the initial ownership group began investigating a possible major theme park development in San Antonio, Texas, they faced significant competition in the Texas market. There were similar established Six Flags parks in Arlington and Houston as well as the nearby SeaWorld of Texas, which opened in 1988. Based on the competition, the development team believed the opportunity in San Antonio (an established regional leisure destination) was there and that the stable, slow growth direction of the theme park industry in the U.S. was in their favor.
Actual construction of the theme park took approximately 23 months, running from early 1990 to the park's opening in March 1992.[3] Construction of the theme park was overseen by a joint venture of two general contractors, Lyda Inc. of San Antonio and Manhattan Construction Company of Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Gaylord Entertainment managed and was a minority owner of the Fiesta Texas theme park, with USAA Real Estate Company as the majority owner. Although attendance at the park met initial projections, Fiesta Texas was a money loser. After losing $16 million on the theme park in 1995, Gaylord sold its 14-percent stake back to USAA.
Change in ownership
In 1996, Time Warner took over management and operations of Fiesta Texas and added the Six Flags name to the park, while USAA remained as the sole owner. Premier Parks, which acquired the Six Flags theme park chain from Time Warner, purchased Fiesta Texas from USAA in 1998.[4] Since then, Fiesta Texas has expanded its waterpark and added a new boardwalk area.
Rides and attractions
The six themed areas of the park are Los Festivales, Crackaxle Canyon, Spassburg, Rockville, Fiesta Bay Boardwalk, and Wiggles World.
Current Roller Coasters
| Name | Opened | Status | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Rattler | 1992 | Operating | John Pierce and RCCA Wooden Coaster | Crackaxle Canyon |
| Romp Bomp A Stomp | 1992 | Operating | Vekoma Junior Coaster | Wiggles World |
| Road Runner Express | 1997 | Operating | Arrow Dynamics Mine Train Coaster | Crackaxle Canyon |
| Boomerang: Coast to Coaster | 1999 | Operating | Vekoma Boomerang Coaster | Los Festivales |
| Poltergeist | 1999 | Operating | Premier Rides LIM Catapult Coaster | Rockville |
| Superman: Krypton Coaster | 2000 | Operating | B&M Floorless Coaster | Spassburg |
| Tony Hawk's Big Spin | 2007 | Operating | Gerstlauer Spinning Coaster | Fiesta Bay Boardwalk |
| Goliath | 2008 | Operating | B&M Inverted Coaster | Los Festivales |
Current Rides and Attractions
| Name | Opened | Type | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whistle Stop | 1992 | Train (2 Stations) | Crackaxle Canyon | |
| The Gully Washer | 1992 | Intamin Rapids Water Ride | Crackaxle Canyon | |
| Der Pilger Bahnhof | 1992 | Train stations | Spassburg | |
| Whirligig | 1992 | Zierer Wave Swinger | Spassburg | Named Die Fledermaus from 1992 to 2008. |
| Fender Benders | 1992 | Morgan Bumper Cars | Spassburg | Named Steingasse from 1992 to 2008. |
| Amerigoround | 1992 | Morgan Carousel | Rockville | Located in Spassburg as Dornroschen from 1992 to 2008; moved to former Chaos location in 2009. |
| Motorama | 1992 | Morgan Sports Car Ride | Rockville | Named Motorama Turnpike from 1992 to 2004. |
| The Hustler | 1992 | Morgan Spinning Ride | Rockville | |
| Power Surge | 1992 | Intamin Shoot-the-Chute Water Ride | Rockville | |
| Big Red Cars | 1992 | Zamperla Convoy Ride | Wiggles World | Named Kinderbahn from 1992 to 2008; original "truck-style" cars re-themed for Wiggles World in 2009. |
| Crow's Nest Ferris Wheel | 1994 | Chance Ferris Wheel | Fiesta Bay Boardwalk | |
| S.S. Overboard | 1994 | Zamperla Galleon | Fiesta Bay Boardwalk | |
| Waverunner | 1994 | Eli Bridge Scrambler | Fiesta Bay Boardwalk | |
| Little Castaways | 1994 | Ride Works Tea Cups | Fiesta Bay Boardwalk | |
| Wagon Wheel | 1996 | Schwarzkopf Enterprise | Crackaxle Canyon | Relocated from Six Flags Over Texas. |
| Bugs' White Water Rapids | 1998 | Hopkins Super Flume Water Ride | Spassburg | |
| The Twister | 1998 | Huss Top Spin | Spassburg | Named Der Twister from 1998 to 2008. |
| Frisbee | 1998 | Huss Frisbee | Fiesta Bay Boardwalk | Originally located on current Boomerang site in Los Festivales; relocated to former paddleboat lake. |
| Yosemite Sam's Wacky Wagons | 1999 | Zamperla Mini Kiddie Ferris Wheel | Crackaxle Canyon | |
| Foghorn Leghorn's Barnyard Railway | 1999 | Zamperla Rio Grande Kiddie Train Ride | Crackaxle Canyon | |
| Kinderstein | 1999 | Zamperla Mini Tea Cups Kiddie Ride | Spassburg | Named Mini Tea Cups from 1999 to 2002. |
| Scream! | 1999 | S&S 3-tower Combo Complex | Rockville | |
| Daffy's School Bus Express | 1999 | Zamperla Crazy Bus | Rockville | |
| Taz's Tornado | 1999 | Zamperla Lolly Swing | Rockville | |
| Go-Karts | 1999 | (Extra Charge) | Fiesta Bay Boardwalk | Located where The Joker's Revenge and the park's former "kiddie beach" used to sit. |
| Wiggly Trail Ride | 1999 | Kiddie Drop Ride | Wiggles World | Located in Crackaxle Canyon from 1999 to 2008 as Rodeo Rider (1999 to 2001) and Lil' Bronco Buster (2002 to 2008); moved to Wiggles World for 2009. |
| Scooby-Doo! Ghostblasters: The Mystery of the Haunted Mansion | 2002 | Sally Corp. Interactive Family Dark Ride | Fiesta Bay Boardwalk | |
| Big Red Planes | 2009 | Zamperla Aero Top Jet | Wiggles World | |
| Yummy Yummy Fruit Salad | 2009 | Zamperla Samba Tower | Wiggles World | |
| S.S. Feathersword's Playship | 2009 | Interactive Kiddie Playship | Wiggles World | |
| 3-Point Challenge | 2009 | Half Court | Spassburg | Extra-charge attraction. |
White Water Bay
Fiesta Texas includes a separate water park adjacent to the main park. There is no additional charge to visit White Water Bay. The waterpark was originally named Ol' Waterin' Hole from 1992 to 1998 and Armadillo Beach from 1999 to 2005.
| Name | Opened | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas Tumble | 1992 | family raft ride | |
| White Water Canyon | 1992 | lazy river | |
| The Six Chuter | 1992 | open tube slide | |
| The Mine Shaft | 1992 | enclosed tube slide | |
| Blow Out | 1992 | body speed slide | |
| Twister | 1992 | enclosed body slide | |
| Texas Treehouse | 1999 | family activity area | |
| Lone Star Lagoon | 1999 | Texas shaped wave pool | |
| Tornado | 2004 | Proslide Technology Inc. Tornado "60" | |
| Whirlpool | 2006 | Proslide Technology Inc. “Cannonbowl” | |
| Big Bender | 2006 | Proslide Technology Inc. “Pipeline” | |
| Hill Country Racer | 2006 | Proslide Technology Inc. 6 lane “ProRacer” | Relocated from Six Flags Astroworld. |
| Splash Water Springs | 2006 | new different kids area |
Former Roller Coasters
| Name | Opened | Removed In | Type | Former Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Joker's Revenge | 1996 | 2002 | Vekoma Hurricane Coaster, with backward-facing trains | Fiesta Bay Boardwalk | Relocated to Six Flags New Orleans in 2002 and opened as The Jester in 2003. Used To be where Tony Hawks Big Spin is now. |
| Boardwalk Canyon Blaster | 2000 | 2001 | Zierer, Tivoli - Large coaster. | Fiesta Bay Boardwalk | The roller coaster was on the 2000 park map, but never built. It was sitting in behind Poltergeist for the 2000 season and never setup. The roller coaster was suppose to be built behind Frisbee. Then in 2001 the ride got relocated to Parque Warner Madrid as Tom y Jerry, that has been operating since March 6th, 2002. |
Former Rides and Attractions
| Name | Opened | Removed In | Type | Former Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rennsporplatz | 1992 | 1997 | Mason Corporation kiddie roller racers/scooters | Spassburg | |
| Cap’n Willie’s Shrimpboat | 1994 | 1998 | kiddie soft play ship | Fiesta Bay Boardwalk | |
| Bayside Paddle Boats | 1994 | 1998 | Paddle Boat Ride | Fiesta Bay Boardwalk | (extra charge) Used to be were Frisbee is now. |
| Seaside Golf | 1994 | 1998 | Mini Golf | Rockville | Used to be were Poltergeist is now. |
| Daffy’s Duckaneer | 1999 | 2000 | Sartori kiddie swinging ship | Crackaxle Canyon | Moved to Six Flags St. Louis in 2006. |
| Screamin’ Skycoaster | 1995 | 2001 | Skycoaster | Fiesta Bay Boardwalk | Extra charge; Move to the Texas State Fair; Used to be were Tempest used to be. |
| Chaos | 1999 | 2005 | Chance Chaos | Rockville | Relocated to Kemah Boardwalk; Used To be where Amerigoround is now. |
| Turbo Bungy | 2001 | 2005 | Eurobungy bungee/trampoline | Crackaxle Canyon | (Extra charge) Used to be where Whirlpool and Big Bender is now. |
| The Wipeout | 1994 | 2006 | Chance Wipeout | Fiesta Bay Boardwalk | The ride was closed in 2003, and finally removed in 2006. Used to be in the area in front of Johnny Rockets. |
| Tempest | 2002 | 2006 | Gravity Works Skyscraper | Fiesta Bay Boardwalk | (extra charge) Used to be behind Frisbee and Go Karts. Removed to make room for Tony Hawks Big Spin. |
| Der Fliegenzirkus | 1992 | 2008 | kiddie bi-plane ride | Spassburg | Removed for Wiggles World; Used to be where The Wiggles Show Stage is now. |
| Kinderwagen | 1992 | 2008 | kiddie bumper cars | Spassburg | Removed for Wiggles World; Used to be where the Wiggly Trail Ride is now. |
Former waterpark attractions
| Name | Open | Removed In | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tadpole Pond | 1996 | 1998 | kiddie pool |
| Sandy Bottoms | 1996 | 1998 | beach volleyball area |
| The Gusher | 1992 | 1999 | two open raft slides – wet/dry slides |
| Pipeline | 1992 | 1999 | two enclosed raft slides – wet/dry slides |
| The Triple Dipper | 1992 | 2002 | two body slides with three humps |
| Splash Water Springs | 1992 | 2005 | kiddie play area |
| Ol’ Swimmin’ Hole | 1996 | 2005 | family activity area |
| Crackaxle Springs | 1996 | 2005 | “adult” activity area |
Award-winning shows
In addition to Fiesta Texas’ roller coasters and water park, several shows are presented throughout the day. Six Flags Fiesta Texas' show bill has been awarded Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Award for “best theme park shows in the country” for the tenth consecutive year (2007). In 2005, Xcelleration, a show featuring professionals from the sports of BMX Biking, skateboarding, bungee artists and acrobatics was opened at the Zaragoza Theater. Xcelleration was also awarded an industry accolade, the Big “E” for “Best Sports Show of 2005.”[5] Fiesta Texas' Fright Fest show "Mayor Slayer's Monster Mash Bash" was awarded best show with a production value of $25,000–$50,000 at the IAAPA Big "E" Awards.
Annual events
During peak periods, the "Lone Star Spectacular" fireworks and laser show takes place on the quarry walls. During May - Septhember on selected days the park host Starburst Concert Series, that is held in the Lone Star Lil's Amphitheatre. In October, the park hosts "Fright Fest" for Halloween. In December, "Holiday in the Park" celebrates Christmas; it is actually the third Christmas event in the park's history, after the "Lone Star Christmas" events that ran from 1994 to 1997. On New Year's Eve the park host "10 Seconds To Midnight" poping four different fireworks displays in the park, before 10 Seconds To Midnight.
References
- ^ Theme park development case study
- ^ Nashville City Paper article
- ^ Thomas Enterprises
- ^ Fiesta Texas history
- ^ Amusement Today's 2005 Golden Ticket awards (PDF) and Golden Ticket award
- ^ Six Flags Fiesta Texas unofficial website
- ^ Six Flags 2004 Annual Report (PDF) does not include revised stats since Hurricane Katrina closed Six Flags New Orleans; or the closing of Six Flags Astroworld in 2005.
External links
Coordinates: 29°35′58″N 98°36′34″W / 29.5995°N 98.6094°W
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