Amusement parks, Texas became a theme park paradise and eventually monopoly by Six Flags. Dallas and Fort Worth had the original Six Flags park, Six Flags over Texas. Houston has Six Flags Astroworld. And lastly, San Antonio had a marine wildlife park, Sea World San Antonio. Looking for a definite thrill park, Gaylord Entertainment decided to build a theme park in a rock quarry, previously owned by USAA, and call it Fiesta Texas. Gaylord Entertainment also owned the late Opryland park in Nashville, Tennessee.
In the late 1980’s and early 1990, construction of the park rose as many structures and rides were built to form what would become one of Texas‘ major theme parks. 1992 came and on March 14th, the park opens to the public, but the grand opening didn’t occur until the weekend of May 22nd, 1992. Opening with sections such as Crackaxle Canyon, Los Festivales, Ol’ Waterin’ Hole, Rockville, and Spassburg, the park was filled with some of the biggest thrills around. As a matter of fact, the park had one huge record breaking coaster.
The opening year of the park brought many intense rides and the star attraction being the record breaking wooden coaster, Rattler . Designed by John Pierce, Rattler had a fair share of modifications and was considered to be one of the most intense coasters in the world. At opening, the ride boasts heights of over 179 feet, an originally 166 foot long drop that had the record title of the biggest drop on a wooden roller coaster, and speeds over sixty five miles per hour. Twisting through the canyon through nearly one mile of track, Rattler pulled in the thrill seekers to the park.
Fiesta Texas didn’t forget about kids, families, or those that aren’t brave enough to conquer Rattler. The park built Der Rollschuhcoaster, a Vekoma Junior coaster, also known as a Roller Skater. A mass of track with numerous twists and turns thrilled the younger and gentle thrill seekers. Many other flat and gentle rides opened with the park. The park also didn’t forget about wild and wet attractions, Ol’ Waterin’ Hole provided the park with many wet and intense slides and soaked family fun as well.
In 1993, the park didn’t expand with more rides to add to its state-of-the-art thrill lineup. But with numerous improvements that year, 1994 brought a new themed section to the park. The new section, Fiesta Bay Boardwalk, provided the park more attractions with numerous flats and upcharge attractions. The star attraction for this expansion would be the Crow’s Nest Ferris Wheel from Chance Rides, other rides include S.S. Overboard, Wave Runner, and Wipeout (SBNO). More park improvements came in 1995, but the next year would bring the park its biggest change.
In 1996, Six Flags came into the scene and decides to manage the park, though the park is still owned by USSA. With the new management, Fiesta Texas changed its name to Six Flags Fiesta Texas. The park became the eighth Six Flags park added on to a growing list of Six Flags properties. To prove Six Flags had entered the scene, the park added a new roller coaster, and in true Six Flags style, themed after DC Comics. Located in Fiesta Bay Boardwalk came the infamous Joker, back for his revenge. Joker’s Revenge was built, coming from Vekoma as one of their Hurricane coaster models. The ride contains three inversions and seemed dull by today’s looping coaster standards. But, Six Flags made the trains on Joker’s Revenge take the course, backwards. Alongside Joker’s Revenge came a relocated Enterprise ride from Six Flags over Texas called Wagon Wheel added to the Crackaxle Canyon area. Even more additions came in the transformation into Six Flags as four new attractions were added to the Ol’ Waterin’ Hole water park. Four new activity areas were added, including the family pool Ol’ Swimmin’ Hole and the “adult” activity pool Crackaxle Springs.
In 1997, Six Flags contacted Arrow Dynamics for a new Mine Train coaster for Fiesta Texas. The result would be the last Arrow Mine Train ever built called Road Runner Express. A lengthy, family friendly ride, Road Runner Express has two lift hills and goes through nearly a half mile of track. Two attractions left the park in 1997, Rennsporplatz and Bayside Paddle Boats were removed. In 1998, Six Flags buys out Fiesta Texas and USSA drops out of the amusement business. Three more attractions were added to Six Flags Fiesta Texas, the first being Bugs’ White Water Rapids river rapids ride, Der Twister, a Huss Top Spin, and Frisbee, also from Huss, opened. Four attractions were removed at the end of the 1998 season, including two water park attractions, Cap’n Willie’s Shrimpboat, and Seaside Golf.
1999 Ended up becoming Six Flags Fiesta Texas’ biggest year. Three major new attractions were added, Boomerang, a Vekoma Boomerang clone being the first. 
The second being Poltergeist, a Premier Launched coaster using the standard spaghetti bowl layout seen in Joker’s Jinx at Six Flags America and Paramount’s Flight of Fear. Scream! A triple shot S&S combo tower that towers over 200 feet in the park’s skyline.
Also in 1999, various new Looney Toons themed rides were added and a new flat ride, Chaos, a Chance Chaos were added too. Ol’ Waterin’ Hole water park changes its name to Armadillo Beach and introduced a new and unique Texas-shaped wave pool called Lone Star Lagoon and Texas Treehouse family area. Two waterslides were removed from Armadillo Beach, Pipeline and The Gusher, during the off season.
The new millennium brings in the Man of Steel himself in one of the most intense and picturesque coasters in the planet. Superman: Krypton Coaster
was added in 2000 coming from B&M as one of their popular Floorless coasters. Another coaster was to be added in 2000 as well, but didn’t show up, Boardwalk Canyon Blaster was announced, but was instead built at Warner Bros. Movie World Madrid in 2002. In 2000, Daffy’s Duckaneer was removed from the park.
The next year, 2001, brought no major additions except for a name change to the Blow Out water slide, which changed into Ozarka Splash and a new upcharge attraction was added, Turbo Bungy. Screamin’ Skycoaster was removed from the park that year as well.
2002 brought a mysterious and haunted attraction to the park as a new interactive, family dark ride called Scooby Doo’s Ghostblasters- The Mystery of the Haunted Mansion, was added. More upcharge attractions were added to the park, as Tempest, a skyscraper ride, was added. 2002 also brought new restraints to Poltergeist, as the rides old shoulder restraints were replaced with lap bars. But that’s not the only bit of coaster news from the park, for the entire season, Joker’s Revenge was standing but not operating and was removed from the park at the end of the season. Joker’s Revenge found a new home though, it was moved to Six Flags New Orleans as The Jester. Joker’s Revenge was not the only ride to be removed from the park, The Triple Dipper water slide was removed from the park as well.
The year after, 2003, brought no major additions but the 
park’s Wipeout ride remains standing but not operating. The year after brought a new water slide to Armadillo Beach, Tornado, a Proslide Tornado ride, was added. The slide is known for its distinct giant funnel riders go through on cloverleaf tubes. 2005 brings many touch ups to the park and the water park’s Crackaxle Springs activity area closes down.
A true party in Texas is brewing at Six Flags Fiesta Texas. Housing great theming and unique thrills such as Superman: Krypton Coaster. Six Flags Fiesta Texas remains to be a gem in the Six Flags chain, including some of the best entertainment at parks, winning the Golden Ticket awards for Best Theme Park shows since 1999.
If you are a true party animal, Six Flags Fiesta Texas is the destination for you.
Written by Homer
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