Since the AC/DC at Astroworld begain a whole different discussion about the park itself I thought I'd make this thread since (I looked it up) there doesn't seem to be a thread of this kind. First a little history Astroworld opened in 1968, and was a compliment to the 8th wonder of the world, the dirt heap that once upon a time was the Astrodome (please don't tear it down tho ****ing fix it). In 1976 it was bought by Six Flags and that same year the giant wooden roller coaster known as the Texas Cyclone. It also had other classical rides like the bamboo shoot, the Ultra Twister, Batman Escape, the Sky Screamer/Dungeon Drop, the Serial Thriller (formerly the Excalibur until it went haywire and unfortunately terminated a 51-year old worker), the Viper and plenty of other rides that probably (and unfortunately) got shut down before my time (the 90s-2000s). It also had Water World, and that was fun too. In 2005 it got shut down by the ****wits at Six Flags and now we have no Six Flags, and it will likely be that way for the rest of our lives (hopefully not). I remember having some good times riding the Serpent when I was very young, the Viper when I got somewhat older and XLR8. I'm not really a fan of big roller coasters (especially back then) so I never got a chance to get on the Texas Cyclone (I know), the Twister, the Batman the Serial Thriller, and even the Greezed Lightning which now I could probably handle lol. I did get on the Mayan Mindbender, which took me some courage to do so because it was dark and I had no idea how big it was on the inside, but it wasn't that bad. The bamboo shoot is a classic of course, had some good times riding the old 1920s cars near the Cyclone, and somewhere I have a picture of me with Wacko form the Animaniacs cartoon and Sylvester in the Toontown section. Also anyone know when they changed the rainbow Astroworld logo? That one looked cool. Here's an old old 1977 map, some of you old timers may remember this one 1983 1990 2000 2005 (final)
The memory that stands out in my mind like it just happened yesterday was the day my parents let my older brother and me venture out on our own. I must have been 10-12 years old at the most. There was no line at Excalibur so my brother and I would get off, run out the exit and all the way back around to ride it again and again. Must have gotten on it at LEAST 10 times!!! Great memories. And Thunder River on a hot day was automatic!!!
My last memory of Astroworld is from a field trip I took for Physics class back in 02 or 03, I believe it was called "Science Day". The place was packed with other high schoolers from around the city. I was more concerned with trying to pick up girls than soaking in what would end up being my last time at the park. The assignment for the day was to ride a specific ride at the park and complete a worksheet with some physics related questions on it. My group was assigned the Serial Thriller, so that was definetly the last thing that I rode at the park. One thing that I never rode was the Texas Taz coaster. It was broken and out of service nearly everytime I was there, and the few times that it wasn't, I was just too scared to give it a shot. That thing was STEEP with all kinds of crazy loops and drops. I rode the dungeon drop once, and that was enough for me. Also, never rode the Ultra Twister either. Tons of memories on the Texas Cyclone though. I went on a wikipedia time waister a little while back and looked up all the different coasters from Astroworld. It was pretty cool to see the history of the all coasters and rides from Astorworld, where they were originally built, the different names that they've had, the different places that they been reassembled, and where they are now.
I remember my first time riding a real roller coaster. My brother made me get on the Viper with him when I was about 10 years old and after that I was hooked. I wanted to ride all the rides. Glad my brother forced me on and got over my fear of coasters at a young age. Another memory, whether it be good or bad depends on perspective, my nephew is like 11 years old and is still afraid to ride roller coasters. Well my sister (his mom), cousin and myself force him onto Ultra Twister. We wouldn't let him out of the line, so he was shaking in fear the whole time inline. Once actually on the ride he starts crying once it made its upward ascent and through out the whole ride. He got off crying but with laughter, so it was worth it in the end. He still has a bit of fear of coaster, he is 20 now . One thing I always wondered, how was it working at Astroworld? I wanted to apply to work a summer there but couldn't secure a ride from anybody in my family to take me. I miss Astroworld so much. I was hoping one day to have a memory of making my kid ride Texas Cyclone with me .
I also never road Taz's Texas Tornado. When it first was in operation, it was just too intimidating for me. I want to know how it felt to be on that coaster. In the end the coaster was always closed, basically screwed onto the sign that has a list of closed coasters for the day. I regret not riding it when I had the chance. Who here actually rode it?? I remember seeing on the news, on numerous occasions, it getting stuck halfway through a loop. It eventually got replaced with SWAT and Diablo Falls.
Are we relatives? I was 12 years old and a p***y about roller coasters, and my cousin forced me to ride Ultra Twister, and I was hooked. Scared to death on that upward climb, then loved every second of it and wanted to hop right back in line. Man, that 90's map brings back memories. So depressing that it's gone, but in my era it was a safe fun-land, and not a location to complete drug deals and a gang hangout, so, I'll always see it with rose-colored glasses.
I never ever knew about that because I was like 12 when it got demolished When was that era you speak of?
I have great Astroworld memories as a kiddo ...My grandmother (Nene was incredible) would take me and my friends up there. She would give me rolls of quarters to go play the games...loved the Abominable Snowman. Anyway, we'd all get stamped early afternoon...go home and take a nap, then she'd run us back up there. Older, it was a different trip. On the Texas Cyclone - Never cared for the way it would jerk you around at the top, before the plunge. Still older, my share of concerts there ...I remember starting the Billy Idol/Rebel Yell tour around the 20 -30th row and getting pushed up against the front barrier before too long....somehow we hung in there...hot, as it was.
It was pretty cool to go during Halloween. I've been on the Taz's Texas Tornado a few times. Felt bad because my brother never got to go on it when we went as a family (I went during school a few times). The thing was always broken though.
ULTRA TWISTER and GREEZED LIGHTENING- that is all $50 for a season pass was the greatest babysitter a parent/child could ask for
I was fortunate enough to ride it once and all I can tell you that those that didn't ride missed out on one of the best rides ever at Astroworld. The only ride I enjoyed more was Texas Cyclone.
1. Meeting girls and kissing them in the Astroway going across the park. 2. When WaterWorld first opened...there was an easy sneak-through in the mini-golf course. Two parks, half price! So many memories! Season passes were our summertime babysitters. Aaaahhhhhh...the good ol' days.
Having worked on a lot of their marketing materials for many years, I remember these all too well. cool story bro: I was the person who was asked to re-add some color and modeling to the "simplified" black and white map. Having done a complete map for another six flags park, I really wanted to redo the whole thing more in the vein of the earlier styles but budgets there were gone by those years.
I remember riding Taz's Texas Tornado back to back to back. And then it broke down after the 3rd run through. What a shame they couldn't maintain that ride.
Actual memories at the park? Loved those little loafs of bread. We'd spend all our money except a couple of bucks and then eat a couple of those at the end of the day when we were starving. I got grabbed by an employee on Alpine sleigh ride when I was much younger for spitting on the gnomes in the Alpine Sleigh Ride. they grabbed me on the shoulder while the ride was moving slowly in the dark and threatened to "eject me from the park." While younger, I threw up all over the exit platform on the Cyclone once. Sorry whoever had to deal with that, but we just ate and watched that damned horizon movie and I wasn't feelin' so good. Also, we used to take all our money and get change because they had a problem back then of giving Susan B. Anthony dollars out with their quarters there for a while. One day we found the new Dungeon Drop had no line, and rode it 10 times in a row. Anyone else used to put coins on their knee when you got up top, then watch it "hover" in front of you as you dropped? They didn't like that either.
First job when I was 16. Ended up working there on and off for three years. Sky screamer, cyclone, greased lightning were all awesome rides. If you sat in the back two rows of the cyclone, the cars jumped around on the tracks the whole time. Really a cool place. Halloween was always fun too, the whole park was done up for Fright Fest or whatever they called it. Fireworks shows in the summer too were entertaining, every Friday or Saturday night.
I have some great memories and some bizarre memories. Per the bizarre memories, a friend and I once lied about who we were to sneak on a church trip to go to Astroworld. We were pretending we went to the church and taking the place of two people who couldn't go but were signed up. We made it but we were exposed when we were there. Of course, nothing came of it other than the church group leader shaming us like we were evil. lol On another trip, a "friend" decided it would be funny to blow black pepper in my eyes while we were eating. So, for several hours, I literally could not open my eyes and had water pouring from my eyes. The only thing that helped was riding on the roller coasters as the wind eased the pain and I could open my eyes during the ride. Then, after, it was back to being blind and burning pain. Not fun. But, yea, the good trips definitely outweighed the bizarre ones. All the partiers knew the routine. You would go to the stands where the ski/fireworks show was put on when it wasn't being put on. No security whatsoever to worry about. And, of course, the Astroway was party central. Beyond that, the memories are all about the rides and stuff...like the needle ride and the big theater where they should show those flicks (like riding rollercoasters and helicopter flyovers) where you would lie down and watch the big screen. It was just a great place to go back in the day as a kid growing up. Shame it had to close. Remember those stupid sealed glass vials they used to sell with one cigarette and a match in them? lol
