New Ride 2004. Confirmed!

[Brandon]

Six Flags Fiesta Texas adds new water park ride for 2004
W. Scott Bailey
Explaining that the popularity of "tubing in Texas" was part of their inspiration, Six Flags Fiesta Texas officials announced Wednesday that the San Antonio theme park will add the Tornado ride to its Armadillo Beach water park for 2004.


The Tornado will drop park guests from 75 feet in the air into a 60-foot-tall, 132-foot-long multi-colored funnel of water. Riders will navigate the 5,000 gallons of rushing water coursing through the funnel on a four-person raft.

The ride has won numerous amusement industry awards for its unique design, including the 2003 Golden Ticket Award for Best Water Park Ride. It was created by ProSlide, a Canadian company.

The new ride will carry 700 passengers per hour at a maximum speed of 35 feet per second. The unique funnel feature will be painted in a bright blue and yellow checkerboard pattern.

Park officials would not divulge the cost of the new attraction. Fiesta Texas spokeswoman Sydne Purvis would only say that the new ride represents a major investment.

Fiesta Texas opens its 2004 season on March 6. The Tornado will open along with the rest of Armadillo Beach in May. Admission to Fiesta Texas will include free admission to Armadillo Beach and the Tornado attraction.

Fiesta Texas officials say season passes are now on sale in time for the holiday season. For more information, call 697-5050 or go online at www.sixflags.com.



© 2003 American City Business Journals Inc.


Opinions? Discuss.

[Brett]

Personally, I think this is a great addition. Although Armadillo Beach will NEVER reach the greatness of Schlitterbahn, they can at least add something that is new to the entire state of Texas. It may not be what a lot of people are hoping for, but hey, it's better than nothing. It's nice to see that they care about their waterpark too!

[James]

better than nothing i suppose. i can just already see the crowds.. :(. Arm beach is so unorganized. the paths are so confusing and adding another ride is only gona make it worse with more people. besides, this is just another one of those "hold off for a coaster rides". new coaster - 06... if even then. :(

[Spurs]

that stinks...but the new ride looks really fun. I will definately try it out next time I go.

[Colin]

Well i knod if disappointed about now getting a coaster, but i have seen this ride on the travel channel and thought it looked great. cant wait to try it out and wait in a long line.

[Xguy]

:angry: I have ridden this ride at Six Flags New England. Truthfully, it stinks! it' soooo slow and you barely go up the sides of the funnel at all. IT IS A BORE. i am so anrgy at six flags! WE NEED A NEW STINKN" COASTER!!!!!!!!!! uugghhh! STUPID TORNADO. 700 passengers an hour. THINK OF THAT WAIT! (shudder)

[boomerang_freak]

at least sfft is geting a new ride most of the park are not going to get anything.

[Brandon]

Actually.. three other Six Flags parks are getting the same ride.. So.. Quite a few parks are actually getting rides.

[Colin]

I will hav to ride this ride before i can say it is good bad, but from lookin at pics it doesnt look too bad

[Brandon]

There are alot of pics here:

Holiday World & Splashin' Safari (http://www.negative-g.com/HolidayWorld/HW2003/Zinga-Opening/Zinga-Opening-1.html)

[The_Ceo]

To bad you can't go as fast, to make you go upside down. Now that would be worth a wait! :) Otherwise, I wouldn't wait a long time for it. Good addition to the waterpark tho.

[Brandon]

35 (feet per second) = 23.8636364 miles per hour, or 24mph.. pretty fast for a slide if you ask me. Don't know if you'd want to go faster to go upside down.

[Brandon]

Added a new Tornado Website (http://www.sfftnet.com/tornado).

Besure to check it out.