Six Flags Over Texas

The park's main entrance in 2011
Interactive map of Six Flags Over Texas
Location	Arlington,Texas, U.S.
Coordinates	32°45′20.52″N97°4′12.80″W / 32.7557000°N 97.0702222°W /32.7557000; -97.0702222
Status	Operating
Opened	August 5, 1961; 64 years ago (1961-08-05)
Owner	Texas Flags, Ltd.[1] (51%)
Operated by	Six Flags
General manager	Mark Boyer
Slogan	The Thrill Capital of Texas
Operating season	Year-round
Area	212 acres (0.331 sq mi) (0.86 km2)
Attractions
Total	45
Roller coasters	13
Water rides	3
Website	Official website

Six Flags Over Texas is a 212-acre (86 ha)amusement park, inArlington, Texas, east ofFort Worth and west ofDallas. It is the first amusement park in theSix Flags chain, and features themed areas and attractions. The park opened on August 5, 1961, after a year of construction and an initialinvestment ofUS$10 million byreal estate developerAngus G. Wynne Jr.^[2]

The park is managed by theSix Flags Entertainment Corp., which owns a 54% interest of the Texas Limited Partnership that owns the park. Six Flags Over Texas Fund, Ltd., a private-equity and asset-management firm, headed by Dallas businessman Jack Knox, bought the park in 1969. Over the years, the various companies that managed the park exercised options to purchase interest in the fund. Six Flags Entertainment has an option to purchase the remaining 46% in 2028.^[3][4][5] In 1991,Time Warner Entertainment began managing park operations. In 1998, Time Warner sold its interests in the Six Flags parks toPremier Parks, ofOklahoma City, which later changed its name to Six Flags Theme Parks, Inc.

After a visit toDisneyland inAnaheim, California, shortly after its opening, a wealthy real estate developer,Angus G. Wynne Jr., concluded that his home state,Texas, should have a similar park.^[6] Planning for such a place began in 1959, under the leadership of Wynne and the Great Southwest Corporation, along with the backing of variousNew York City investors. Construction of the park began in August 1960.^[7]

The name "Six Flags Over Texas" refers tothe flags of the six nations that have governed Texas:Spain,France,Mexico, theRepublic of Texas, theUnited States of America, and theConfederate States of America.^[8] Wynne originally intended to name the park "Texas Under Six Flags". Various legends have attributed the name change to his wife, Joann; to theDaughters of the Republic of Texas, of which his wife may have been a member; and to his entertainment director, Charles Meeker, who is said to have stated "Texas isn't 'under' anything."^[9] The original park was divided into six themed areas for each of the six entities that had ruled Texas. Other themed areas have since been added.

Six Flags Over Texas opened its gates from July 29 to August 4, 1961, to several local corporations that Wynne had invited as part of a "soft-test opening". The park held its grand-opening ceremonies on Saturday, August 5, 1961. Dignitaries included the mayors of Arlington, Dallas, Fort Worth, Grand Prairie, and Irving.^[9] Park attendance reached 8,374. Admission cost $2.75 (equivalent to $29 in 2024) for adults and $2.25 (equivalent to $24 in 2024) for children; parking cost 50 cents (equivalent to $5 in 2024); hamburgers, 35 cents (equivalent to $4 in 2024); soft drinks, 10 cents (equivalent to $1 in 2024).^[10] On opening day, guests could visit the six original themed sections: Mexico, Spain, France, The Confederacy, Texas, and Modern (representing the United States). According to the 1961 Park Map^[11] there were 46 "major attractions". The park's first season, lasting 45 days and ending on November 25, 1961, was a success, with over 550,000 visitors.

During its first decade, the park added two sections:Boomtown, named after the boomtowns that sprang up quickly during Texas' oil boom era and the "Tower Section", named after theOil Derrick observation tower built in 1969.^[12][13] The park also added two attractions:El Aserradero in 1963 and theRunaway Mine Train roller coaster in 1966. Attendance reached close to 2 million visitors a year by the end of the decade.

In 1974, Six Flags Over Texas announced attendance had reached 2,184,000.^[14]

For the 50th anniversary (2011), Six Flags Over Texas introduced the firstI-Box roller coaster track with a transformation of Texas Giant. The reception from the conversion led the manufacturer to bring the new technology all over the world.^[15]

During this time, Six Flags (the company) began to remove licensed theming from its theme parks, including from attractions that the park had built in previous years. For example, Six Flags Over Texas had to rename Tony Hawk's Big Spin toPandemonium.^[16][17]

In 2020, park management decided to expand from a March-December operating season to year-round operations.^[18] But on March 13, 2020, Six Flags suspended operations on its properties for theCOVID-19 pandemic in Texas.^[19] During the closure, the park donated food and supplies to local charities.^[20] The park reopened to members and season pass holders on June 19 and to the general public on June 22.^[21][22]

The park stopped accepting cash in 2025. To assist with the transition, kiosks were added for attendees to convert cash into prepaid debit cards for park purchases.^[23]

For more than three decades, one of the original themed areas was The Confederacy, which showcased Civil War re-enactments and displayed theConfederate battle flag.

In the 1990s, it was rethemed as "Old South" and all Confederate battle flags were removed. The shift drew little attention as there were no high-profile rides in that area.^[24] However, the Confederate "stars and bars" remained one of the six flags that was flown at the park entrance.^[24]

In August 2017, in response to the controversialUnite the Right rally that was held inCharlottesville, Virginia, the park replaced its six flags (which had included thefirst Confederate flag, aRepublic of Texas flag, a 19th-centurySpanish flag, an 18th-centuryFrench flag, a 19th-centuryUnited States flag, and a 19th-centuryMexican flag) with six American flags. A representative of the park toldKXAS-TV, "We always choose to focus on celebrating the things that unite us versus those that divide us. As such, we have changed the flag displays in our park to feature American flags."^[25][26]

• FirstSix Flags Theme Park. This is the original Six Flags Theme Park, opened on August 5, 1961
• First Pay one Price (POP) admission^[52]
• First theme park to feature Broadway-style shows (1961)^[52]
• FirstIntamin Ride, the Jet Set^[9]
• FirstArrow DevelopmentLog Flume –El Aserradero (Spanish for The Sawmill) (1963)
• FirstArrow Development Mine TrainRoller Coaster – TheRunaway Mine Train (1966)
• First relaunch of the modern-day parachute ride -Texas Chute Out (1976) Removed in 2012.^[53]
• First Freefall Ride - Texas Cliffhanger (later renamed G-Force and then Wildcatter) (1982). Removed in 2007.^[54]
• FirstPremier Rides Roller Coaster - Runaway Mountain (1996)
• FirstRMC I-Box hybrid coaster -New Texas Giant (2011)
• Former Home ofLa Vibora (Spanish for The Viper), the last operatingIntaminSwiss Bob (1986), removed in 2024.^[55]
• First 300ft (91.44 m)Dive Coaster withTormenta Rampaging Run when it opens in 2026

• Tallest Roller Coaster in Texas -Titan (245 ft)
• Fastest Roller Coaster in Texas -Titan (85 mph)
• Largest Land BasedOil Derrick - Oil Derrick (300 ft)
• 2nd Tallest Swing Ride in the World -Texas Skyscreamer (400 ft)

• Texas Giant named World's Best Wooden Roller Coaster in 1998 and 1999 byAmusement Today'sGolden Ticket Awards.
• New Texas Giant named Best New Coaster of 2011 byAmusement Today'sGolden Ticket Awards.

Six Flags Over Texas hosts events for holidays during the operating season that often draw thousands of visitors to the park. Among them are:

• Fright Fest, an annualHalloween festival. Originally only one night in October called "Fright Night", Fright Fest takes place throughout the month of October and features haunted houses, decorated pathways, patrolling ghouls, and spooky music. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the park renamed the event Hallowfest and held no haunted houses or indoor shows.^[56]
• Holiday in the Park – Held annually since 1985 towards the end of November and throughout December, the festival includes festive holiday shows, arts and crafts, and seasonal food. Hundreds of thousands of Christmas lights are strung around the park buildings and rides. A snowy hill is available for visitors tosled down.

• Six Flags Fiesta Texas
• Universal Kids Resort

• Jordan, Scott L.MousePlanet - This Old Park. Retrieved September 21, 2004.
• McCown, Davis.ParkTimes. Retrieved September 21, 2004.
• Rogers, Joel A.CoasterGallery.com. Retrieved September 21, 2004.
• Six Flags - Media Info. Retrieved September 21, 2004.

Wikimedia Commons has media related toSix Flags Over Texas.

• Six Flags Over Texas official website
• Six Flags Over Texas at theRoller Coaster DataBase
• Video featuring archival footage of Six Flags Over Texas
• Collection of films and videos documenting Six Flag Over Texas

• Operating amusement parks
• Six Flags Over Texas
• Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex
• Landmarks in Texas
• Six Flags amusement parks
• Buildings and structures in Tarrant County, Texas
• Amusement parks in Texas
• 1961 establishments in Texas
• Tourist attractions in Tarrant County, Texas
• Amusement parks opened in 1961

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