Season 2 kicks off the weekend after New Years when I flew into San Antonio, Texas to visit SeaWorld San Antonio and Six Flags Fiesta Texas. It was a perfect off-season long weekend trip filled with outstanding roller coasters and thrill rides. Join me for my in-depth reactions to my first rides on Texas Stingray, Tidal Surge, Iron Rattler, Wonder Woman Golden Lasso Coaster, and the new for 2022 Dr. Diabolical's Cliffhanger.
If you enjoyed this episode, please help me out by rating, sharing, and subscribing. You can also follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @coasterredux.
Season 2 kicks off the weekend after New Years when I flew into San Antonio, Texas to visit SeaWorld San Antonio and Six Flags Fiesta Texas. It was a perfect off-season long weekend trip filled with outstanding roller coasters and thrill rides. Join me for my in-depth reactions to my first rides on Texas Stingray, Tidal Surge, Iron Rattler, Wonder Woman Golden Lasso Coaster, and the new for 2022 Dr. Diabolical's Cliffhanger.
If you enjoyed this episode, please help me out by rating, sharing, and subscribing. You can also follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @coasterredux.
Welcome to Season 2 of Coaster Redux. My name is Erik and I am a life-long roller coaster enthusiast, but up until lately, I’ve been kind of a lazy one. I was a full-on coaster nerd in high school and college, then life got in the way and theme parks took a backseat to other interests. During the pandemic, I was inspired to rekindle my coaster obsession through podcasts and social media. Last year, in 2022, I embarked on a week-long road trip to visit four bucket list parks and ride some of the most elite attractions in America today. I want 2023 to be even better, so I’m planning another road trip this coming summer, and several other weekend romps throughout the year.
This is the story of my revived roller coaster fandom, and I’m now on a mission to ride as many new coasters as I can. I wanted to get an early start, and after a tumultuous end of the year professionally, I needed to get out of town and take some time to relax. I took advantage of low airfares and inexpensive hotels the weekend after New Years, and booked a trip to a city with two year round parks I hadn’t visited, San Antonio, Texas.
I know as a roller coaster fan that one of my favorite parts of the hobby is getting the reaction of somebody coming off of a ride they’ve never ridden before. That’s what I want to share with you.
And with that, join me as I fly into my first new parks of the year, SeaWorld San Antonio and Six Flags Fiesta Texas. Episode 8 of Coaster Redux starts right now.
In my profession in the marine industry, it’s a rarity to be able to take a Saturday through Monday off. Yet as I looked at the operations calendar, there it was. The weekend after New Years was free and open, so I jumped on it. I was torn between San Antonio and Los Angeles as destinations. I really wanted to go to Six Flags Magic Mountain, and return to Knott’s Berry Farm which I had quickly visited during my roller coaster hiatus. I was reading horror stories from enthusiasts online about ride closures at Magic Mountain, and if I was going to make that cross country jaunt, I wanted to be able to ride everything the park has to offer.
San Antonio had been on my radar screen for a long time as well. It’s home to two parks each featuring roller coasters that caught my attention, so I swiped my card and made it official. I flew into Austin because the timing for my flights worked much better for me, and it was hundreds of dollars less than flying directly to San Antonio. The drive from the airport to my hotel was only an hour. Well worth it.
I left work Friday afternoon and headed to the airport just ahead of traffic. This would be my first time flying Spirit Airlines, the low cost carrier that charges extra for everything. The price was right though, and my flight time was only three hours. I checked my bag because it was cheaper than carrying on. Go figure. I also paid a few extra dollars to select my seat, which was well worth it on this flight because it was packed! Everything was on time, and I settled into my window seat in the front of the bright yellow Airbus A321 and prepared for take-off. The flight was pleasant enough, though as I disembarked, my tailbone lamented the lack of padding on Spirit’s seats. I would never fly with them on a longer haul.
After a lengthy wait for my checked bag, and an even longer one at the rental car desk, I slipped into my Kia K5, and navigated to my hotel. I stayed at the Marriott Courtyard at the RIM, a shopping and entertainment district right across the street from Fiesta Texas. It was about 8pm by the time I got to the hotel, and I was starving. I ordered an outstanding steak dinner for take-out from the 54th Street Drafthouse next to the hotel, and retired for the evening.
The next morning brough grey skies and chilly temperatures, and I made my way along the interstate to Sea World San Antonio.. My hype level was mediocre at best. Six Flags Fiesta Texas was my real reason for coming here, but when you’ve got another park right next door, why not check it out? SeaWorld is home to Steel Eel, a Morgan not-quite-hyper coaster, Wave Breaker, an Intamin straddle coaster, and the new for 2020 GCI Texas Stringray, my most anticipated roller coaster at this park. San Antonio also holds the distinction of being the only city in the world with two B&M Batman: The Ride clones, yet ironically neither one is named Batman: The Ride. SeaWorld’s example is Great White, and it was the first thrill coaster built at this park.
I left the highway and climbed a winding road upward into the parking lot. It was pretty empty, so I parked my rental and walked towards the gate. SeaWorld shares its front entrance with the Aquatica waterpark. I passed through security and proceeded to the right. Aquatica’s gate is to the left, and of course it is closed this time of year. Upon entering, I noticed that the park really doesn’t have much of a vibe to it. The pathways paved with terrazzo, similar to SeaWorld Orlando, and Busch Gardens Tampa. There isn’t a lot of shade. I imagine this park would be very hot in the summer months. It feels big and open, and a sort of mash-up of recent corporate improvements, with other sections feeling naked and unrefined.
The park’s pathways surround a large lake with a small island at its center. A stadium sits off to the right and there are jumps that look like they were used for a water ski show a long time ago. This brought back memories of a childhood visit to SeaWorld Ohio which had a similar water ski show. Wave Breaker’s track now obstructs the left side of the lagoon, making that kind of show impossible today.
Upon entering, I headed left. I passed between the restaurants in the entry area, and with the lake to the right, I approached my first ride of the day. Steel Eel opened in 1999 as the park’s second major roller coaster after Great White. It’s a Morgan mega coaster with a 150 foot first drop followed by airtime hills and helixes. I put my belongings in a locker, and proceeded into the queue.
Steel Eel had no line and two trains were operating. It’s yellow track and purple supports seem to glow against the cloudy backdrop, and it’s got a stunning presence in the park. The queue is minimalistic at best. There are some small trees shading the entry, but the station area isn’t even covered. Operations were among the slowest I’ve ever seen. I had an old boss who wisely said that slow days could kill the reputation of a business. Employees let their guard down and aren’t as hyped up to take care of guests as they are when it’s busy. This was certainly the case on this day. The second train was on the holding brake and it would still be 5 or so minutes before the train in the station was dispatched, even though it was less than a quarter full. Maybe there’s a minimum number of riders needed for the coaster to complete the course?
Anyway, I’m in the back car middle row, and I’m heading up the lift looking forward to my first Morgan roller coaster. I’ve heard this ride has airtime that is almost too much. The profiling of the hills is said to jostle riders between getting airtime and then being slammed down into the fiberglass seats. Guess I’m about to find out.
Steel Eel slowly crests the lift, then drops down and yeah, the profiling is weird. The first drop starts off gradually, then gets steeper, before a pretty aggressive pull out. Then it’s upward again into two tall hills with a shallow valley in between, followed by a longer drop before a rise back up into the midcourse. The train then twists through a helix followed by a series of short bunny hills before entering the brakes.
So I got no airtime at all on this ride. I can see how those transitions between the peaks and valleys on the hills would slam riders up and down. I’m guessing the ride just wasn’t running fast enough for that to be an issue. Temps were in the low 70’s that morning. Maybe it’ll run faster later.
I emerged back onto the midway and continued around the park to the left. The next coaster would be Wave Breaker: The Rescue Coaster. This is an Intamin launched straddle coaster on which riders are rescue trainees heading out to a sea turtle refuge on jet skis. You board in the training center, and with no line, I hopped into the front row. The train leaves the station, then turns around and enters a building. We’re briefed on the sea turtle rescue mission, and are then propelled out over the lagoon with a tire launch. Our jet skis twist and turn low over the water. There’s a second launch that sends us up a taller twisted hill, before a few more turns, and we return to the station. It’s a good family coaster with nice visuals of the rest of the park, and the theme fits well with the SeaWorld brand.
I continued my way around the park and approached Great White. This would be my second Batman clone following the one at Six Flags Great Adventure. Its deep blue track with purple supports are placed right against the midway for some great visuals, and the B&M roar fills the air as the train runs its course.
The queue and station are both pretty bare bones. There’s a cutout of a shark above the ride’s logo sign, and the fences are made of pilings with ropes wound around them for a nautical look. One train is running and I only waited a cycle or two before boarding the back row. Great White runs smoothly with no rattle. I thoroughly enjoy this layout. It’s flush with strong positive G’s and solid whip. The low-to-the-ground second half is fun as the ride snaps through its final two corkscrews.
I continued around the park’s circuit, and approached Texas Stingray. The GCI twister is absolutely gorgeous with its wood track twisting above steel supports. Unfortunately, it’s down right now, so I continued around towards the front of the park. I passed the new for 2022 Tidal Surge, a massive S&S Screamin’ Swing with its pendulum rising beyond 90 degrees over the lake. To the left is Journey to Atlantis, a Super Splash water coaster from Mach Rides that was closed for annual maintenance. Even if it was open, I would have been hard pressed to get on a water ride with these cool temps and overcast skies.
I stopped at the Harbor Market, one of the main cafeterias, and grabbed a chicken sandwich that was mediocre at best. I then headed back to Steel Eel for a second lap. They had taken the second train off the track, and yet there was still zero hustle from the ride crews on this. I sat towards the front this time. This is a fun coaster with commanding views of the park, but there is still no airtime.
I walked back onto the midway and checked the app to find that Texas Stingray was back open, so I hightailed it across the park ready for some GCI twistiness.
Texas Stingray opened in February of 2020, only a few weeks before the world was shuttered by pandemic lockdowns. It was the only new-for-2020 roller coaster in the Seas chain to open that year, with the likes of Iron Gwazi, Ice Breaker, Pantheon, and Emperor all having to wait until 2022.
The area around Texas Stingray is beautifully updated, and is definitely the prettiest section of the park. It’s got a beach cottage motif, with light colored wood buildings. The swooping turns of the roller coaster create an excellent first impression. Only one train was running, and I waited in my longest line of the day, about 15 minutes.
I love GCI’s trains, and the front car of this one has a stingray shape emblazoned with a Texas flag. I settled into the back row for my first ride, and was off climbing the lift hill. Texas Stingray has a straight first drop which is unusual for GCI. The stats on this coaster are very similar to Thunderhead at Dollywood and Mystic Timbers at Kings Island, a 100 foot first drop and 3,379 feet of track.
Country music is piped through the speakers on the lift, and before long, the train reaches the top, turns 90 degrees to the right, and drops. It’s a steep punchy first drop that I much prefer to the turning drops on most GCI’s. Fear not though, Texas Stingray still has plenty of twists coming up. You pitch straight upward again and begin to descend the second hill, then bank hard right and drop back to the ground through a great head chopper. You rise up again into a seriously high banked turn, and the rest of the ride is GCI’s masterful mix of changes in direction accompanied by simultaneous airtime and laterals. It’s a sublime wooden roller coaster. Texas Stingray hits that sweet spot where it’s thrilling enough for enthusiasts, but not too intense for the general public. It’s smooth as can be, and I was happy to re-ride in different rows throughout the day.
I found that Mystic Timbers and Thunderhead were far superior in the front of the train, yet after riding Texas Stingray in the front, back, and middle, I found that there was no weak seat on this coaster. Some elements were better in the front, and some in the back, but the end result was always a smile. Every park should have a wood coaster like this. It’s an absolute joy, and I couldn’t get enough.
I made another loop around the park taking pictures and video, then found myself at the Orca Stadium and walked in to catch the second half of the park’s signature show. I had mixed feelings about it. Having worked on whale watch boats in Boston, I had the privilege of viewing humpback, finback, and minke whales in the wild. I’ve seen their natural behaviors, and on some very special occasions, those wild marine mammals put on a show that SeaWorld could only dream of. Humpbacks are roughly twice the size of orcas, and I’ve seen them breach, slap the water with their tails or fins, and dive down bringing their flukes straight up. If you’ve never done one, I cannot possibly recommend a whale watch cruise enough. It’s a truly life-changing experience.
That being said, my heart broke for these majestic creatures living in captivity, and performing stunts for the crowds each day. Capturing whales is no longer legal in the United States, and SeaWorld has stopped breeding orcas in their parks, so this show will be phased out in the coming years.
Then on the other hand, the training and choreography is magnificent. The bond between the whales and their trainers is palpable, and they put on an incredible show together. These whales could not survive in the wild. Almost all of them at this point were born in captivity, and this is all they know. The message of the show emphasizes ocean conservation and stewardship, and if these orcas can be ambassadors for the seas, I guess that’s probably the best way for SeaWorld to move forward.
So, I exited the Orca Stadium, and walked back onto the midway. It was time to try out the new Tidal Surge, the world’s largest S&S Sceamin’ Swing. The ride’s structure is 105 feet tall, but because the arms swing past 90 degrees, they reach a height of 135 feet and travel at 68 mph. S&S Sansei Technologies is best known for their drop rides that use compressed air to launch riders straight up, then push them downward faster than gravity. Tidal Surge does the same, employing compressed air not only to propel the swing skyward, but also to unnaturally divert it back downward.
The tower was only running one side when I visited, and after only a few minutes in line, the gates opened and we made a mad dash to choose our seats. They’re not the most comfortable. You’re seated in a fiberglass bucket with no padding, with your backside sunk low and your thighs raised up at an awkward angle. Only a lap bar holds you in place, and once the all clear is given, the compressed air goes to work.
The pendulum slowly starts to swing, going higher with each undulation. Each time the swing reverses direction, it sounds like a whale exhaling through its blowhole. We pick up more speed with each swing. After a few times, we’re at 90 degrees, yet this thing keeps going higher and faster. The airtime gets stronger with each swing still. I tried to keep my body limp to just free float with the ride, and it felt unnerving. The speed was picking up. We reached that maximum angle, and try as I might, I couldn’t keep my heels from lightly digging into the base of the seat to steady myself. It was a nervous reaction I haven’t had on a thrill ride in ages. The airtime was that intense. I think you get three swings at full speed before the ride starts to slow, and smoothly bring you back to the ground.
Tidal Surge was an unexpected pleasure. It’s super intense, and the views from the top are amazing. I rode it looking both directions, and I definitely preferred boarding facing the midway so you look straight down over the lagoon at max swing. This is without a doubt my favorite flat ride of all time, and I’m psyched that Busch Gardens Tampa is opening an identical ride, Serengeti Flyer, for this season.
I wrapped up my day at SeaWorld with a final ride on Texas Stingray, and made my way to the park exit as a closing announcement played over the sound system at 6:00 pm. I didn’t expect to spend a full 8 hours at this park, but I took it at a slow pace and had a very enjoyable day. It’s far from the prettiest park I’ve been to, but it’s got a solid collection of thrill rides mixed in with different animal exhibits that were fun to walk through. The sun never came out that day, and the temperatures were in the low 70’s. It was perfect weather for this largely unshaded park, but I suspect my airtime-free rides on Steel Eel were due to the cool weather. I’d love to experience that ride running at full speed.
The rest of the coasters were great, and lines were pretty non-existent all day. Texas Stingray is the star of the show with its turning layout, strong laterals, and airtime. I also just can’t praise Tidal Surge enough. It took me by surprise, and I hope to see these spring up at more parks in the coming years.
I left SeaWorld with a total 12 roller coaster rides, and four new credits. I rode Texas Stingray and Steel Eel four times each, took three spins on Great White, and rode Wave Breaker once. 2023 was off to a good start for this lazy coaster enthusiast, and I still had all day tomorrow at Six Flags Fiesta Texas.
As I drove back to my hotel, I started thinking about what was to come in the morning. My hype level for Fiesta Texas was pretty darn high. It’s supposed to be the best themed park in the Six Flags chain with an unusual setting in an old quarry with many rides interacting with the vertical rock walls. It’s also known to be their prototype park where the company tries out new ride types before building them at other parks. Interestingly, six of their 11 operating roller coasters have clones at other parks, yet despite that I would still say that they have a very intriguing and unique collection.
The ride that first put this park on my radar was Superman: Krypton Coaster, a B&M floorless built in 2000 that climbs up the quarry wall twice. It’s got a killer looking layout. Then there’s Iron Rattler, RMC’s second wood coaster conversion, and the first one to feature an inversion. It uses Gerstlauer trains as RMC had not yet developed its own trains for their IBOX coasters when it was built. This ride also incorporates the quarry wall through its course. Six Flags Fiesta Texas also is the only park in the world with two coasters built by Rocky Mountain Construction, the second being Wonder Woman Golden Lasso Coaster. It was their first raptor track single rail to open, and videos of this compact ride with three inversions look impossibly fast. This was my most anticipated ride of the trip. Finally, there’s the new for 2022 Dr. Diabolical’s Cliffhanger. It’s the first dive coaster at a Six Flags park, and the first time they’ve worked with B&M in ten years. It’s got a 95 degree first drop making it the steepest of the type, and it’s got a highly themed queue complete with show scenes. Suffice it to say, I had a lot to look forward to.
I returned to my hotel, got a phenomenal Texas Barbeque sampler platter delivered via Uber, and went to bed anticipating a full day at Fiesta Texas in the morning.
The sun shone through the crack between the curtains in my hotel room as I awoke. The clouds of yesterday had dissipated, and there was nothing but azure blue over the quarry rim. While the skies were clear, the temperature was in the low 60’s. It was going to warm up to the 70’s by mid day, but my northern blood has been thinned from years of endless summer in South Florida, and it was a chilly start to the day.
I drove across the street to Six Flags Fiesta Texas. I bought a Diamond pass before this trip, and eased through the parking gate with my upgrade to preferred parking. The quarry wall wraps around the park like a horseshoe. Goliath, the park’s Batman: The Ride clone is to the left, and the lift hill for Dr. Diabolical’s Cliffhanger dominates the view to the right. I could hear the maniacal Doctor commanding riders to scream from the parking lot.
The entrance plaza and main street have a wonderful southwestern flair. I chose not to study the map before coming here to let my first visit be as raw as possible. I walked into the park and headed right, passed the Boomerang, and entered the Crackaxle Canyon Screampunk District. This area is a mix between western and steampunk theming, and it’s among the best themed areas outside a Disney or Universal park I’ve been to. It’s an interesting combination, but it works from both an aesthetic and chronological standpoint. The colors are mostly reds, blacks, and golds with everything tied together by the new Dr. D’s dive coaster. It’s also home to Iron Rattler and the Road Runner Express mine train.
I really wanted to ride Wonder Woman first, so I continued around the back to the park and entered DC Universe. The anchor attraction here is Superman: Krypton Coaster, but I walked past that and found Wonder Woman in the back left corner of the park. I approached the queue and some kids told me that it wasn’t open yet. Unfortunately, this would turn out to be the theme of the day.
I reversed course and headed for Superman as my first ride of the day. Built in the same year as Superman: Ride of Steel at Six Flags New England, the queue and station building definitely brought back memories of that ride. Nobody was in line, and I slipped into the back row left. I was one of a handful of people on the train and had the back row to myself. We were dispatched, turned left, and started ascending the quarry wall.
At the top, the train banks right and turns 270 degrees and drops straight into a vertical loop with the Man of Steel himself standing at the top. Because it was cold, and I was on one of the first trains of the day, I got some uncharacteristic hangtime on this element. You then climb back up the cliff face, and bank around a tight helix before dropping back down and into the zero-G roll. This inversion was great as always, and the ride then heads straight into a cobra roll. The coaster is smooth enough, but there’s definitely a bit of shake to it as would be expected of an older B&M that runs year round.
After the cobra roll, you head upwards again into the midcourse and the brakes don’t even kiss the train. I’ve never had that happen on roller coaster before. Next is a pair of interlocking corkscrews before entering the brakes.
Superman: Krypton Coaster is the best floorless I’ve ridden. The layout is unique, and the quarry interaction was a huge bonus on this coaster. The elements are whippy, and the setting makes the ride.
With Wonder Woman still closed, I headed back to Crackaxle Canyon to find that Iron Rattler had a 30 minute wait. I walked up the entrance pathway which has a wonderful old western barn look. A small group of lockers were located just past the entrance sign, so I emptied my pockets and continued into the queue. While the line was not long, it moved slowly because the coaster was only running one train. I understand this is common during the off season when the second train is taken offline for maintenance. Fortunately, the park is adding a third train to the ride this year, so this won’t be a problem for much longer.
A grouper was assigning rows, and I politely requested the back. She happily obliged, and I had just one more complete cycle to wait. Iron Rattler would be my fifth RMC hybrid coaster, and my first with the original Gerstlauer trains. The rattlesnake head on the lead car, and tail on the back car are gorgeously done, and I found the seats to be more comfortable than RMC’s own trains. You sit a little higher and they feel more open.
Out of the station, you turn around to the left, and start up the 179 foot lift hill. This ride has a stunning presence over the park as its orange track climbs the quarry wall. Absent is the obnoxiously loud lift hill that has become a trademark of RMC. This one is almost silent, go figure. The train slows at the top like Iron Gwazi, and then plummets down to ground level at 81 degrees. The first drop has a kinky twist to the left that isn’t apparent from the top and it gave a great lateral pop that took me by surprise. There’s a great head chopper at the bottom of the drop as you dive through the ride’s structure.
Iron Rattler then shoots back up the quarry wall and levels out for a great airtime moment before entering its first wave turn right on the edge of the cliff face. It’s an enjoyable moment, but this element has nothing on the wave turns on Iron Gwazi or Lightning Rod. The train then barrels down the rock wall in a sharp twisting drop to the left, and heads upward again in its only inversion, RMC’s first-ever zero-G roll.
The pace slows a bit as the train navigates some twisted bunny hops and a mini wave turn on the quarry wall. There’s still plenty of airtime here, then Iron Rattler enters its spectacular finale. You drop hard off the wall and get ejected in the back row, then bank hard left and twist into a tunnel that is pitch black, and really tight. I never put my hands down because of head choppers, but I did on this one. The tunnel is actually blasted through the rock wall, and it’s an unbelievable visual. The train emerges back into daylight, and enters the brake run.
Iron Rattler is an outstanding roller coaster that combines use of terrain and elevation changes with a great mix of elements. It’s got excellent airtime, and the visuals really make this ride for me. It isn’t as intense as Steel Vengeance or Iron Gwazi, but it’s a roller coaster I could easily re-ride and enjoy all day. It’s a credit to Rocky Mountain Construction that this early creation is just so darn good, and they’ve continued to evolve and improve their rides to create even better experiences.
I emerged back into Crackaxle Canyon to find that Dr. D had yet to open for the day, though they were cycling test trains. I decided to walk next door to ride Road Runner Express, the park’s Arrow Mine Train. This was the first roller coaster designed by Alan Shilke, and it also interacts with the quarry wall. It’s got some pretty good western theming elements, and as far as mine trains go, this is a good one.
Cliffhanger was still closed, so I headed back towards Wonder Woman to see if it was at least testing. As I approached, one of those single row trains was yanked down the vertical drop and proceeded to rocket through the course at a cartoonish pace. Every video I had watched of this ride looked sped up, yet they were accurate. I expected that there would be lockers nearby so I could empty the burgeoning pockets of my track pants, but I couldn’t find any, and I wasn’t about to walk all the way back to Iron Rattler.
The sign for Wonder Woman Golden Lasso Coaster is placed above Roman columns. The story goes that Wonder Woman, or Diana Prince, is a descendent of the Roman god Zeus, hence the theme. The queue path descends deeper into the quarry passing a grassy lawn with birch trees obstructing the view of the ride’s dive loop. At the bottom of this path, there’s a Roman pavilion with more details on Wonder Woman’s story. The landscape and theming for this roller coaster is solid, and way beyond most other Six Flags parks. I was only in the queue for about five minutes before the ride host sent a group of us up into the station.
A train rolled from the brake run into the station as I walked below. It looked like a string of bumper cars clumsily wobbling their way along the uneven lone rail. I hadn’t heard anything about these rides being rough, but there was a substantial amount of play between the track and wheels as the train slowly returned to the station.
At the top of the stairs, I almost jumped as a train marauded out of the dive loop right against the station. This coaster is loud, and the train passes in a split second. There are dots with the numbers 1 through 8 painted on the floor of the station building. Each of Wonder Woman’s three trains seat eight riders, with each person flying solo in their own car. There is no grouper at this point in the queue, so it’s a disorganized free for all as people try to figure out what to do. There are three sets of these dots on the floor before a switchback that leads to the ride’s rolling load platform. Guests are supposed to stand on a dot corresponding to their selected car, then as each train is loaded, the next group steps forward. I was fortunate to be the last in line for my grouping, so I took my place on circle number one, meaning my first ride on Wonder Woman would be in the front row.
Three more trains were loaded and dispatched, and I led my group onto the platform. The ride ops have to manually release the restraints allowing the previous riders to disembark. Then the new riders climb aboard. Many walk across the train to drop loose articles in bins on the opposite side of the platform and then return to the train. This is an awkward process because the spines of these trains are raised high, so you straddle a big hump in the center of each car.
I had zipper pockets and just kept my belongings with me as the operators lowered the lapbars and accompanying vest restraint. As the train crept forward through the station, I could feel every track joint and imperfection.
We paused for a second before engaging the lift. A ride op pushed my lap bar down another click. Then the train headed upward. I hastily tried to rearrange my wallet, phone, and keys so they wouldn’t dig into me or get crushed between my legs and the restraint. The jankiness continued all the way up the lift hill. This is a prototype roller coaster after all.
At the top, we were almost level with the quarry wall, and we made a quick dipping turnaround before the first drop. The vest restraints make it uncomfortable to go hands up, but I’m not one to hang on, so I put my arms straight out to the side.
Wonder Woman rises up out of that turn and you’re then whipped straight down 100 feet before twisting upward into a dive loop. Next is a turning airtime hill with absurd ejector leading into a rise back up under the lift into a flat S-bend. She then plummets down again launching you out of your seat, reverses course in an overbank cutback, screams through a corkscrew, and twists around into the brakes. The ride is over in seconds. It’s got a primal violence about it, and that’s actually a compliment. This thing is raw, unrefined, and relentless.
Wonder Woman’s Golden Lasso is a weapon that exacts the truth from people, so here’s my truth: It’s the most intense roller coaster I’ve ever ridden. This thing tries to kill you, and I absolutely love it! The train jostled over every pothole on its way back to the station, and the ride crew released my restraint. I did my best not to bumble off the train and it wasn’t easy. I made my way back onto the midway, checked the app, and saw that Dr. D was operational, so I walked back to Crackaxle Canyon once again.
Dr. Diabolical’s Cliffhanger is a beautiful addition to Six Flags Fiesta Texas. The supports are a golden yellow with some rust coloration painted onto them. The track is a flat black with bright red rails.
The whole area around the roller coaster looks fresh and clean. The queue was completely empty, and I walked straight into the show building. Dr. Diabolical has advertisements throughout Crackaxle Canyon promoting her miracle elixir to lure unsuspecting patrons into her lair. In the first show room, she welcomes her patients to her compound while animatronic robots warn us to be wary. A secret door opens, and we walk though book shelf into the second room, and we’re trapped. Dr. D has no miracle elixir. It’s a trick to get us into her fear extractor machine. You see, Dr. Diabolical harvests human fear to power her army of creatures.
Interestingly enough, she isn’t the only Dr. D operating thrill ride with the exact same purpose. Dr. Doom’s Fear Fall at Islands of Adventure has a similar storyline, but who cares? It’s fun, and it works. Anyway, the steampunk robot seems to overload the fear extractor, and we’re sent outside to sample Dr. Diabolical’s newer and larger machine, the roller coaster. The whole thing is very well done. There are animatronics, screens, sound effects, and hey, we’re at a Six Flags park. Kudos to Fiesta Texas for their investment in this extra storytelling element. It very much improves the overall experience.
Upon leaving the show building, there’s a free double sided locker similar to the one on Velocicoaster. The park requires that all loose items be placed in those lockers before boarding the ride. I’d already purchased my daily locker rental and emptied my pockets into the Iron Rattler lockers before boarding, so I was good to go.
The station is open and airy, and you get to choose your row before boarding. The ride had just opened for the day and there were only a handful of us waiting. Of course, I chose the back row and sat all the way on the left side of the train. Interestingly, Cliffhanger’s floorless trains actually have floors, you just have to step up into the seats. There’s no retracting floor on this coaster like similar B&M rides. The other interesting note about these trains is that they have seven-across cars. The track is the same gauge as B&M’s standard floorless rides, unlike Shiekra, Griffon, and Valravn which have extra large track and even wider 8 or 10-across trains.
I stepped into my wing seat and lowered the vest restraint. Everybody was crowded onto the left side of the train as we dispatched, and we headed up the 150 foot lift hill. At the top, we turn around and Dr. D reminds us why we’re here. <sounds>
In typical dive machine fashion, you hang over the precipice before taking that initial plunge. This one is different because it’s 5 degrees beyond vertical, and it’s very noticeable. Riding in the back row, you feel the train diving beneath itself as you’re flung downward.
The train pulls out of the descent and into the traditional Immelman, and it’s just as much fun as every other dive coaster out there. Next is where things get different. Dr. D rises up into a zero-G roll. This should be a great moment, but on the exit, there’s a nasty shuffle that was completely unexpected on a brand new B&M. The train jolts hard frontward and back, then twists up into the midcourse.
Apparently Dr. D needs more fear <sound> We drop vertically again and enter the ride’s second half. It’s a series of twisting turns with what the park called an “extreme airtime hill” before a final turn into the brakes.
So, I really liked Cliffhanger. It’s a very pretty roller coaster that is unique in this region. The theming is very well done, and it’s a great anchor attraction in Crackaxle Canyon. The beyond vertical drop is excellent, but what in blazes was up with that rough spot? It was so uncharacteristic for B&M, especially on a brand new ride. Did I exaggerate it? Was it because everybody was on the same side of the train? I hadn’t heard anybody else talk about it. I’ll have to ride again to find out, but I decided to move on to experience more of the park.
As I alluded to earlier, operations seemed to be challenged on the day I visited. By this point in the day, Poltergeist, the Premier LIM launched spaghetti bowl had yet to open, nor had Batman: The Ride, the S&S 4-D Free Spin.
I left Crackaxle Canyon on my way to the front of the park. I hopped on Boomerang: Coast to Coaster, yet another Vekoma Boomerang clone. I rode in the back. It was fine. Boomerang credit, check.
Next was Goliath, my second B&M Batman invert clone of the weekend. This is a pretty ride placed right at the entrance, and it’s just as good as the others. Check.
I continued around to the left from the entrance. I hopped onto Scream, the S&S combo drop tower. I love the compressed air launch up then the gradual ascent to the top, followed by a faster than gravity drop. The view was spectacular, and the ride was a blast with zero wait.
I grabbed lunch at Pete’s Eats in the Rockville section. It’s a 50’s themed diner, and my chicken bacon ranch sandwich was pretty alright.
I returned to Superman for a second ride and found a set of lockers located within its queue, so I emptied my pockets, and grabbed another lap on the floorless. I actually liked it better when it was running slow. That uncharacteristic hangtime was gone, and the ride was rougher with more speed. I still maintain that it’s the best floorless I’ve ridden.
I left my belongings in the locker, and returned to Wonder Woman for a second ride. I really wanted to experience this coaster without all that stuff in my pockets. I walked into the station this time, and the scene was more chaotic as GP tried to decode the Twister-style dots on the floor. The boarding group at the front of the stairs was mostly full, but for some reason nobody was standing over dot number 8. Yoink! I excused myself as I slipped past the other guests, and took my position ready for a back row ride.
The front row was intense, but the back is on a completely different level. It’s like Wonder Woman lassos your body and flings you through each element. The first drop is meteoric, and the whip and ejector airtime through the rest of the course is like nothing I’ve experienced. It felt like a car crash in the best possible way, and it was over before I could process it. I’ve never ridden a roller coaster like this. It stands a measly 110 feet tall, and only has 1800 feet of track, but it’s an adrenaline rush like no other. RMC outdid themselves with this ride, and I can’t wait to see what they do with future models.
I then saw that Poltergeist was finally operational, so I headed just down the path for a ride on the Premier launched coaster. The ride features recently painted green track, and this tangled mess of a layout is an impressive sight. It’s a clone of the Flight of Fear twins at Kings Island and Kings Dominion, but it’s not enclosed. It also has another sister at Six Flags America in Joker’s Jinx.
While this is another cloned coaster, the queue and station are very well themed. The entrance pathway passes between iron fences. There are ghoulish statues and gravestones as you approach Bartholomey Manor. You enter what looks like a traditional haunted mansion and it looks the part. There are dim classic style lights, and old timey furniture. This is far superior to most Six Flags queues.
The ride ops were having fun with the guests once they loaded the trains. The launch occurs in the station the second the ride op presses the dispatch button. They did things like giving a countdown from 5 and launching the train on 3. I always appreciate when the staff interact with the guests like this. It makes for an extra memorable experience.
Premier built many of this style ride in the late 1990’s, and they were universally loathed due to headbanging from the shoulder harnesses. In the early 2000’s, they replaced the restraints with lap bars, dramatically improving the ride experience. Poltergeist is a thoroughly enjoyable coaster with great visuals through its compact layout. I can imagine how uncomfortable this would have been to ride before the lap bars were added. As it stands, it’s a good coaster with a delightfully convoluted layout enhanced by strong theming.
By this point, it was mid afternoon. I had ridden almost everything I wanted to at least once, so it was time to think about what I wanted to ride again, and what credits were still on the table. Batman had still yet to open for the day, so I counted that one out. I decided to hop on Pandemonium, the Gerstlauer family spinning coaster while I was in the area. It was an easy credit with no line. From there, the mission would be to finish out the day with as many rides as possible on Wonder Woman, Iron Rarttler, and Cliffhanger.
The boardwalk section of the park is another beautifully themed area. The pathways are actually made of wood, and attractions like the ferris wheel, and Larson Loop could easily be found on a seaside boardwalk.
I only waited a minute or two before boarding Pandemonium. Each car operates individually on this roller coaster and is capable of seating four riders. Apparently there weren’t any groups of one, two, or three waiting along with me, so I was placed in my own car. The lack of balance led to a whirlwind ride experience as I spun uncontrollably through the entire circuit. Even as my car sat on the brakes waiting to re-enter the station, I was spinning at full speed for a minute or two. It just didn’t slow down! Sorry Time Traveler and Ride to Happiness, this was a truly extreme spinning coaster. I stumbled off Pandemonium like I’d just played the dizzy bat game and returned to the midway.
I wanted to get another ride on Cliffhanger to see if that rough spot was still there. Back in Crackaxle Canyon, it was open, so I experienced the show scenes again, and emerged into the station to find that it had just gone down. I wasn;t about to wait around, so I hopped on Iron Rattler for another ride, and then gave Daredevil Dive Flying Machines a try. It’s a Zamperla Air Race flat ride with a stunning presentation. The color scheme matches Dr. D, but the experience is improved by a queue filled with steampunk gadgets, flame effects surrounding the ride, and an epic soundtrack. This is what sets Fiesta Texas apart from every other Six Flags park I’ve been to. They could have plopped this ride down on a concrete pad and put up a few superhero cutouts and called it a day. This park doesn’t do things that way, and this flat ride looks like a showpiece within its land.
The ride itself was fun enough. There are six airplanes seating four riders that rotate around the ride’s center while simultaneously performing barrel rolls. The soundtrack and scenery make Dare Devil Dive a real treat.
I then returned to Wonder Woman and got another ride in the front. Of course it was phenomenal, but I really wanted me another back seat ride. Unfortunately, the Golden Lasso went down yet again as I disembarked.
So what next? I’ve got an hour left before park close. I’ve ridden Iron Rattler twice, so maybe I just marathon that for the rest of the night? I guess I’ll go back to Crackaxle Canyon to ride the RMC, and see if Dr. D reopens.
As I walked back through Rockville, I looked up and saw trains cycling on Batman. Hmmm, I figured there was no way this S&S Free Spin would open today. This was the first time I had seen any movement on it all day.
The sun was starting to enter the golden hour, and I found that Cliffhanger was back open. I walked through the pre-show for a third time, and did get a second ride on this coaster. Dr. D may be the only roller coaster other than single rails with an odd number of seats in each row. Its seven-across trains have a middle seat placed on centerpoint above the track. I rode in the back row center on this ride to see how that might be different from my earlier wing seat ride.
It was definitely smooth. Of course there’s no whip, but as the train navigated the zero-G roll, I could still feel some of that frontwards and back buffeting. I enjoyed Dr. D for her beyond vertical drop, great theming, placement in the park, and overall look. It’s a very pretty ride that ties the Crackaxle Canyon Screampunk district together, but it’s got that flaw that’s got me wondering what went wrong? How does this brand new B&M have such an uncharacteristic rough spot. I’m sure we’ll hear more as time goes on.
45 minutes left. Let me just see if Wonder Woman is back open. She was not, but Batman: The Ride was! I never thought a park would bother to open a ride that had been down all day this close to park close, yet here we are!
Batman’s entrance is in the Rockville 50’s section of the park, and it’s themed to a movie theater on the outside. Apparently, that’s a clever facade for the Bat Cave, because there’s a ton of Batman theming just inside the door. You then walk outside, passing a full sized Batmobile, and wait in an open air queue. It’s starting to get dark. I waited about 30 minutes. I still had my sunglasses with me, and as I boarded the train, I put them on even though it was very much twilight. Better that than leaving them in my pocket.
We left the station and climbed the vertical lift before starting the relentless somersaulting motion through the layout. I should have left my glasses in the locker, but I kinda forgot about them. The spinning force was so strong that they started to come off my face. I spent the rest of the ride holding my sunglasses on, and because of that, I didn’t get to fully enjoy the experience. Guess that’s what happens when you rush things.
I got off my first 4-D Free Spin ride enjoying it, and wishing I could have spun more freely without worrying about my glasses. Still, this was a really intense attraction that I really enjoyed. I want to call it unique, but these rides have been cloned across the country. I guess I’ll just say it was fun and different, so that’s a plus!
I left Batman and looked at my phone. 5 minutes to park close. Maybe I can make it over to Iron Rattler for one more ride? I went for it. I entered the queue just as Bugs Bunny said, “That’s all folks” over the PA. I was on the last train out for the day and rode close to the front. This is a back row ride for sure, but riding Iron Rattler as the sun set over the quarry was a quintessential conclusion to the weekend.
Despite dodging maintenance issues all day, I left Fiesta Texas a massive fan of the park. They have a strong roller coaster line-up supported by theming and attention to detail that you won’t often find at a regional amusement park. The location in the quarry is so unique, and adds to the overall appeal. I also got all the credits in the park and plenty of re-rides on my favorites. I rode ten new roller coasters that day, and got a total of 16 rides. Three each on Iron Rattler and Wonder Woman, 2 each on Superman and Dr. Diabolical, and one each of the other coasters. Wonder Woman was my favorite coaster in the park followed closely by Iron Rattler. Those two RMC prototype roller coasters are worth the visit to Fiesta Texas alone.
Six Flags Fiesta Texas and SeaWorld San Antonio make for a perfect weekend getaway for coaster enthusiasts, especially during the off season. With the Seas parks recent penchant for building new attractions every year, I can’t wait to see if they answer Fiesta Texas and build something to upstage Cliffhanger. They certainly have the room to expand.
My flight out wasn’t until Monday late afternoon, so I took the opportunity to visit the Riverwalk in Downtown San Antonio the next morning. It’s a picturesque man made waterway sunken a few flights of stairs below street level with shops and restaurants flanking both sides of the canal. It’s a major dining and entertainment district in the city and it’s also only steps from the Alamo. I had visited some years ago with extended family following my cousin’s wedding, and it was a great way to conclude the weekend.
I drove back to Austin, returned my rental car, and boarded a mostly empty Spirit flight back home. This trip was just what I needed to recharge after a chaotic Holiday season, and wet my whistle for the new year of coaster riding. Join me for the next episode when I travel north to Atlanta. I’ll start with my first visit to Six Flags Over Georgia, then drive south to Fun Spot to check out the brand new ArieForce One just one week after opening. That’s next time on Coaster Redux.