Texas Tornado at Six Flags Astroworld
The Texas Tornado at Six Flags Astroworld has been plagued with problems. Is there any hope for this ride, or is it going away for good?
The Texas Tornado at Six Flags Astroworld opened up 5 years ago. Since then it has been plagued with problems and shut-downs. So much so, no one expects the ride to be open when they go. Now Six Flags has even taken the ride off its Web site and brochures. What's going on?
From Anonymous
Posted August 23, 2002 at 6:04 AM
William. Thank you for your input on Six Flaggs. I am beginning to wonder how this chain stays in business. We visited Six Flaggs America last Saturday, Aug 17th 2002. It was over 95 degrees outside and all of the water rides were either closed or testing. We went on the big splash flume first, and then headed for skull island. (thanks to this web site, I now know why the Roaring Rapids are closed and am glad of it) Well. The skull island pirate ride looked old and rickety - but we kind of thought that was for effect. I doubt it. Inside the tunnels, the machinery driving the equipment and turntable mechanisms were leaking oil and fumes that were gaggable. We rounded the bend in our boat - toward the last incline and crashed into the other two boats that were ahead of us. They said that the overload sensor positioned at that point on the ride was tripped off and wouldn't allow boats to proceed - causing all subsequent boats to crash into one another at a complete stop - with the water jetting past. 2 and a half hours and 15 mechanics later, we were evacuated from the ride 'rescued' by park officials and compensated. Compensation??? A ticket to return to the park ... HA!!! AND a fast lane pass for ONE ride. The rest of the park was filthy dirty - and when we approached the water park area, there were 3 men being med-evac'd out of the park by helicopter spinal cord teams because they went over the side of the 'broken'
waterslide that was still in operation. I looked all over the internet for news concerning these accidents last week, but there is nothing but this website. NOTHING? How can this theme park continue operation? ARe the safety fines so low in comparison to park profit?
ON the basic side of things, there was nothing to drink under 3.75 except water for 2.50, and our 7 year olds were not tall enough for most of the other rides. We'll be back to Hershey Park next year. Six Flaggs can keep their 9 tickets.
I bet all kinds of money this happen in Largo, MD. I went last year and this park is very discussing as soon as you enter the gates. The landscaping was all dead and trash every where. The bathrooms I really don't want to discuss but, you can imagine. The shoes were tired and most of the major attractions were closed. Superman was closed due to some accident as well as The Riddler. I agree and wish someone can explain to me as why Six Flags America is still in operation.
From Anonymous
Posted August 23, 2002 at 7:53 PM
and this has to to with Six Flags AstroWorld how?.....
They better open it in 2003. it is supposed to be some type of aniversarry or something....
I will tell you whats going on. Last Year they got new trains for the ride. They cant fiure out out to use the trains or somthing so it will just stay standing but not operating until they can work the trains on the ride.
From Jet Nitro
Posted August 24, 2002 at 7:44 AM
I think its time to call it a day at SFAW....This park has been plagued with problems ever since it opened. In my opinion, they have two options.
A) Completly and totally shut down the park and sell off its assets and turn it back into a hude parking lot
B) Move the park west of town with all the rides,buildings and a bigger footprint(Think Elichs in Denver)where they can grow and build on fertile soil.
Okay, since you brought up Elitch's....
Let me say, as a former Denver resident, that moved *killed* that park. The move resulted in the loss of all the flora and atmosphere that gave "Elitch Gardens" the second half of its name.
And Six Flags hasn't done enough in building new gardens, themed areas or even decent high-capacity thrill rides to make the new park anything other than a dumping ground for bored teens during the summer.
It's not that they couldn't figure out how to use the new trains, it's that they caused an unacceptable amount of headbanging that was even WORSE than the spine crushing old accordion restraints. The park figured it was better just not to run the coaster than to operate something that's going to inflict more pain than pleasure on guests (keep in mind that they DO still run their Vekoma SLC, so Tornado was REALLY bad).
From Anonymous
Posted August 26, 2002 at 6:30 PM
As long as it reopens with lap bars, I'm fine.
From Anonymous
Posted August 27, 2002 at 5:24 AM
i talk to the people at six flags and they said that they would tear it down by the end of the season
From Jet Nitro
Posted September 1, 2002 at 10:10 PM
Well,maybe they can bring the rest of the place down around it as well....The sad this is, it used to be such a great little park and now its gone to pot. We can only hope and pray that when bill gates takes over, he'll give the older parks the attenion they need.
I actually, Six Flags has my full respect for closing down the Texas Tornado ride as it was an unsafe ride in the first place, putting too much stress on the rider with massive shocks of up to 6.5 vertival Gs. (6.5 Gs mean that, if for example your head weights 10 kg normally, it weights 65 kg in that moment, and that's only your head.. now imagine how much 65 kg are.) Different harnesses wouldn't solve the spine crunching problems. So... thanx Six Flags for finally putting this menace to peoples health to rest.
From Jeff Cade
Posted September 12, 2002 at 2:32 PM
Well, I have to say that I have been going to this park since I was a little kid. I used to spend many of summers there with my season pass in hand and saw most of the major rides "grand opening". But I agree with all of you, this park is disgusting to say the least. My wife refuses to go back there because of the trash, graffiti, and the smell of the place. And the most disapointing aspect of all is that they do not see to be taking any measure to clean it up or to even try to make it a more enjoyable experience for your $40+ dollar ticket. Oh, and of the 3 times I have been since Taz, it has NEVER been open.
i love houston, and i love astroworld. but please....preimier parks would never even consider colsing or relocating astrowrold. as lame as it is, has anyone ever been to the park and not had a long wait in line at one of the featured attractions? i think not. astroworld is a money maker. we live in the largest city in the most populous state in the union. astroworld is always packed. why would premier parks even think about changing the matric of a consistant cash cow? i wish that they'd put in some quality rides, most importantly a bomb ass woodie. but why mess with success?!?!? they know that they have us right where they want us. do yourself and go to a real park like king's island. PKI rules!!!!!!
not surprised...six flags is becoming like one of those bloated rock stars that got hooked on drugs (money in this case) and has let it run the show. If they would have not bit off more than they could chew by buying so many parks, then things like this wouldnt happen now would it. They dont care about maintaining a classic ride (the rattler at Fiesta, or the revolution at MM), they dont care about keeping a clean park. What makes us think that they would do anything about this
From Anonymous
Posted October 27, 2002 at 9:18 AM
THE SMELL AT THE LARGO PARK IS TERRIBLE . THAT LOG WATER RIDE (I FORGOT THE NAME)PUTS AN ODOR ON YOU LIKE NO OTHER.LOONEY TUNES LAND NEVER HAS A SHOW FOR THE CHILDREN EITHER AND SOMETIMES THE PEOPLE WORK 2-3 RIDES. REMEMBER WILD WORLD? THAT WAS A CUTE LITTLE PARK AND IF YOU GOT THERE AFTER DINNER HOURS THE PRICE WAS CUT IN HALF
From Anonymous
Posted November 16, 2002 at 10:35 AM
Astoworld is gross! The rides suck perosnally.. Texas Tornado is NEVER open.. And there is trash everywhere, it smells, nohing is open. Isay they move Astroworld to Beaumont, Texas. There is plenty of space and the city is big. Or just move somewhere else in Houston. Astroworld needs held BAD
Um ...
"As of Thursday, November 7th, 2002, the dismantling of Texas Tornado has begun."
Visit: SixFlagsHouston.Com for info and fotos.
Although the ride was painful (to behold and to ride), along with the replacement of the horse collars, I think it should be reassembled in another SF park.
The ride is moving to SF Marine World now. From what I have heard is the tires 0on the new trains tires whould melt in the Texas heat. They will work out the track so it will not have as many g's and the ride will have lapbars and semi shoulder restraints. (Like the Bullet at Flamingoland in England.) For thoes who do not know what thoes are.... imagine SFGAdvs Viper and ITS restrints.
It will be called Zonga. (By the way when I said the tries on the new trains tires you know what I mean, that was a accident because I typed it at diffrent times.)
From Anonymous
Posted April 20, 2003 at 10:45 AM
I think it's sad that everyone hates astroworld so much. it's really not that bad. so its pretty dirty. it has some great rides, such as greezed lightn'n, the viper, ultra twister, & xlr8. also, batman the escape is underrated. if you stand in the front it's an awesome ride. also, eventhough the cyclone isn't the ride it used to be, it's still a fun ride. you should all quit complaining about the overpriced food and drinks because its very easy to just sneak in your own snacks and cokes in a backpack. even though they check your bags, they always overlook the food. and the lines aren't usually that bad if you go on a friday or a holiday like father's day. the only line thats ever too bad is for batman. i agree that if they moved to a country site outside of houston the park would be more enjoyable but i think y'all are being too negative, and you could enjoy the park if you would just let yourselves. also, i totally agree with whoever said astroworld needs a bombass woodie! they should build one on the lawn where they have those crappy christian music concerts.
From Anonymous
Posted April 23, 2003 at 3:04 PM
So for Marine World's Zonga, they did tone down the ride? Thank God! I was wondering at first why they'd take it out of one park just to take it to another park and hurt people badly, too. But with new trains and restraints, hopefully it will be an enjoyable ride.
Thanks for clearing that up.
From Anonymous
Posted June 17, 2003 at 9:15 PM
A simple solution would be just to put a warning on the ride saying it may cause injury or discomfort... i personally dont mind all the spine crunching and head banging... hell isnt that why its called the a tornado? :-P
From Anonymous
Posted August 12, 2003 at 8:53 AM
I agree with most things everyone says, astroworld used to be a great park but now it's an eye sore, i know that taz's texas tornado was a rough ride but SWAT and Diablo Falls are even worse. The park is dirty, the lines move soooooooooo slow because they always run just one train on the rides, the seats on the trains stink, and they won't even put in a great hyper, giga, or even a strata coaster. I've been to cedar point in Sandusky, Ohio and my opinion is that that park is the greatest park in the universe. It's clean, the lines move afficiantly, and they have 16 great coasters including a hyper, giga, and a strata coaster! Why can't Astroworld be the same? Who knows?
From Anonymous
Posted August 12, 2003 at 9:18 AM
Personally, I loved Taz's Texas Tornado. It was a great ride. I don't understand why they say Taz is a rough ride when I've come to find that Serial Thriller throws me around more. As far as I'm concerned, an inverted ride should be smooth, like the Raptor at Cedar Point. Let the wooden rides take care of the jarring around. I don't mind being thrown around on a wooden ride, but during inversions?? i don't think so! Astroworld really needs a couple new ROLLERCOASTERS that are actually something worth discussing. SWAT and Diablo Falls are a terrible let down. I went on them once and i'll never go on them again. Now Millenium Force and Magnum XL 200, I could talk about those two all day. They are AMAZING coasters that always make the top 10 chart. Astroworld doesn't seem to care that we are complaining about the park being dirty. I think that's a huge issue. If I was running the park, I'd be constantly making sure that my employees were cleaning AND running the MAXIMUM number of trains on each ride. I really feel that Astroworld has alot of work to do before it can even compete w/ a park like Cedar Point or any other Six Flags parks. I'm not trying to be rude, I'm just stating the honest truth.
This discussion has been archived, and is not accepting additional responses.
