I remember taking a high school class trip there. We had to calculate the speeds of some of the rides, how tall the rides were based on the length of their shadows, etc... fun experience!
I remember meeting some hot chick there, I was 17. We rode the Mayan MindBender and fingered her the whole ride. Sucks cause right after she had to leave. I didnt get her number an never saw the w**** again. I went home that night an stroked it till I was numb.
Taz's Texas Tornado is still in use today at the San Marcos National Fair in Mexico. Its been renamed "Tsunami" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsunami_(roller_coaster) Who remembers the Alpine Sleigh ride? Here's some really old footage of the park <iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/t8qPwElYAys?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
If I had billions of dollars, I would blow a lot of it on rebuilding Astroworld brick by brick. It's so sad to think it's gone forever and there will likely never be anything like that to replace it. I don't understand how Over Texas and Fiesta were able to attract a steady amount of people and Astroworld did not. I know Over Texas is independently owned from the Six Flags parent company so it wasn't in danger of being torn down. I hope the problem was Astroworld attendance and not that Six Flags sacrificed it to help the parent company. It's horrible that a single board of people in the 40 year history of the park had the ability to destroy it. Loved going to old Europe, Oriental Village, Coney Island etc. Loved every bit of it. My issue with Fiesta is that it's themed like the rest of San Antonio. And over Texas is near Dallas so **** it.
Its still around somewhere but dismantled It was supposed to be put together at Cliffs Amusement Park back in 2012 but don't think it ever happened: http://www.ultimaterollercoaster.com/forums/roller-coasters-theme-parks/220902 There was some hope of its return at the new Grand Texas but apparently its too pricey http://houston.culturemap.com/news/...ter-all-legendary-roller-coasters-too-pricey/
What a shame. I didn't even know that it was in the plans for the new theme park. As commentors in that article mention, it's hard to really buy the fact that cost is the issue for them not going through with using it. I get the whole "wanting to move on and carve their own niche" thing, but I don't think one small nod to Astroworld would have hurt anything. And it was unique, and a great ride.
If you had given her the shocker, she might have given you her number. 2P1S for life. Coulda renamed the ride the Stinko DeMayan Mind Bender.
The best thing about the Alpine Sleigh ride was that cold blast of air you would get at the very end. In the Houston heat that was awesome. My brother worked there for about five years starting the first year it opened. He worked the black dragon in the beginning, but ended up working all over the park. He would work those double shifts and be out there all day. Hard to believe the only roller coaster they had that first year was the serpent. I believe Dexter Freebish roller ride was built a year or two later. I loved the wacky shack.
It's a damn shame the 4th biggest city in the country doesn't have a major theme park because one man f**ked up.
I did this same thing back in 1975 when I worked there (except I started on Le Taxi). Made $1.80/hour. Once I hit 600 hours working, I was bumped up to $1.95. Once they made me a foreman, I hit $2.10.
good job. Lovely. Astroworld and waterworld were a part of my childhood. Anyone remember going to that room where you lay down at watch movies of being on motorcycles fast cars rollercoasters? It was really cold in there too. For reference it was across from the arcade that had tron video game. I did lsd and the line at batman the escape was as intense as the ride. I didnt have the skills to close a fingering while chatting in line though. I commend your work. good times.
yeah the spherical building. man, astroworld was really effing enormous. crazy to think that it even existed, now that we are this far removed from it. depressing. miss that place. remember the radar gun right near greezed lightning where you had to throw, then come within one mph of your throw to win the prize?
