LOL. I was just asking my mother about that last weekend. "What was that huge laptop thing you got for me in 1990 that my friends and I used to meet chicks?" It was the Yak! Thank you!
I once saw it do three loops. I don't know if that was as rare as it seemed to me at the time, but that last loop took forever to complete the apex.
Yeah, that's one thing they didn't touch on. The concerts. I think I saw my first concert (without my parents) there. Night Ranger, I believe. From what I understand, you can still rock in America.
For me it was John Cougar, still not Mellencamp, in 82. Saw so many great shows there w. Depeche Mode in 88 & New Order in 89/90 as the stand outs.
I went to Astroworld the day before it closed. Got stuck at the top of the Dungeon Drop for 45 minutes. The most atomic wedgie you can imagine. They gave us a pass to get to the front of the line of any ride after that. On second thought, trusting my life to a piece of machinery that was being decommissioned 6 hours later was probably not the best idea. Good times.
I worked at Astroworld for 2 years in high school... mostly on Excalibur and the Joust-a-bout. (aka the Runaway Rickshaw) I also did tours on the train that went around the park during the Christmas season. I definitely have a lot of fun memories of that place, kind of a shame the way it all got shut down. I wasn't living in Texas for the last few years of it's existence, though. I never saw or rode the Texas Twister (which looks like it was awesome) or the Serial Thriller. My favorite moments were the night before opening day, the second year I worked there, we had to go get everything set up and working to get ready for the new season, and we pretty much got to ride the rides as much as we wanted to with no lines. I think I rode Viper 17 times in a row just 'cause.
Holy crap! I thought we were the only people that had Yak! I remember when they went out of business they sent somebody to come to the house and pick up the machine.
Not when there are Rumours in the air. Luckily I've learned that when Sister Christian closes her big brown eyes, she still dreams about me. Can't believe I missed this thread. I saw this video about Marvel McFey and felt like sharing it. I don't think it has been posted, but regardless of your feelings about Astroworld, this song resonates for us from the 70's. And, FWIW, I worked at Astroworld in 1988. Had to work in the Enchanted Condom, which, at 17, is not where you want to work there. And I would mess with little kids the entire time. (ie. leaving the kiddy planes in the "up" position while I went to go have a cigarette.) I finally got fired for insubordination and "poor job performance", which my friends found hilarious at the time because he had to write-up all of the things I did wrong at the job to justify the termination, all of which had to mention a Bugs Bunny Character. ie. Leaning at the Bugs Bunny Carrots, Sitting at the Tweety Ferris Wheel, Leaving children constantly. (I was trying to hook up with a clown. She was pretty hot.) Fun fact: I was able to go behind the scenes and see all of the old tracks from the Alpine Sleigh ride.
Here’s another one. It covers the same old stuff. Same old footage. But the music in the background is pretty good.
I had my closest near death experience @ WW the 1st summer it opened; I was in the big wave pool and got in the deep end and got tired. I had to try about 4 times to climb up the ladder to get out, the other 3 times I'd almost get to the top and BOOM a big wave would knock me off! I kept looking around for a life guard but no one was around.
Well, that's damn depressing. I used to go every year on June 27. **** this guy https://www.premierparks.com/management-team/
I have plenty of great memories from Astroworld. My favorites involve my Grandmother. When I was a wee lad, she would take me and my friends up there early, and we would ride all the rides..play the games..She always had a roll of quarters ready....Then around 1, we would get stamped, go home take a nap...head back over, and do it all again... into the evening. What a great childhood, and the best Grandmother.
