Six Flags Over Georgia

Six Flags Over Georgia

Location	Austell, Georgia, United States
Coordinates	33.76787°N 84.55065°W / 33.76787; -84.55065
Owner	Six Flags Over Georgia, Ltd.
Operated by	Six Flags
General Manager	Dale Kaetzel
Opened	June 16, 1967
Operating season	March through October
Area	290 acres (120 ha)
Rides
Total	40+
Roller coasters	11
Water rides	4
Website	www.sixflags.com /overgeorgia

Six Flags Over Georgia is a 290-acre (120 ha) theme park located west of Atlanta, in Austell, Georgia, United States. Opened in 1967, it is the second park in the Six Flags chain, after the original opening in 1961 in Texas.

Six Flags Over Georgia and its two sister parks, Six Flags Over Texas and Six Flags St. Louis, are the only three parks in the Six Flags chain to have been constructed by Angus G. Wynne, and thus they are the only parks to have used the "Six Flags" name since their original grand openings. As with the other Six Flags parks, Six Flags Over Georgia hosts characters from the Warner Bros. animation library, notably the Looney Tunes characters and Justice League from DC Comics.

History

Six Flags Over Georgia entrance

After the success of his original Six Flags park in Arlington, Texas, park founder Angus Wynne began searching for a location for a second park. He settled upon a parcel of land located along the Chattahoochee River just west of the city of Atlanta, and design work started in 1964. When the park opened in 1967, Six Flags became the first 'multi-gate' theme park operator in the United States. Before this time, many parks shared common popular names, like Coney Island or Luna Park, but these parks (save the Luna Parks built and managed by Frederick Ingersoll) shared nothing more than the name. In the case of Six Flags, both parks reported to the same parent company.

Like its sister park in Texas and others, the initial design and theming of Six Flags Over Georgia was inspired by six different flags that have flown over the state (or, perhaps more accurately, the lands that are now part of it) during its history. The six flags in question are those of Spain, France, United Kingdom, the United States of America, the Confederate States of America and the state of Georgia. It can be argued that France's involvement in Georgia's history was very limited, at best; it can be further argued that Georgia was never a sovereign nation, as Texas once was. However, with some poetic license, the intent of the name can be considered valid. Over the years most of the original historical themes have been dropped in favor of cartoon and superhero themes.

Six Flags Over Georgia is not owned by Six Flags Entertainment Corp. In an arrangement similar to that for Six Flags Over Texas, it is owned by a group of approximately 120 limited partners—some the heirs of Angus G. Wynne—and is managed by the corporation. In years past, this has caused significant friction, including legal action. Starting in 1991, the park was managed by Time Warner Entertainment. The partners sued Time Warner in 1997, claiming that they had neglected to invest in the park and overcharged the partners for the improvements it did receive. A Gwinnett County civil court jury agreed and awarded the partners damages in excess of US$600 million. In 1998, Time Warner sold its interests in the Six Flags parks to Premier Parks of Oklahoma City, which later changed its name to Six Flags Theme Parks, Inc.

In late 2010, Six Flags began the process of removing licensed theming from attractions. They terminated several licenses including their license with Thomas the Tank Engine. Thomas Town was renamed and rethemed to Whistlestop Park in time for the 2011 season.

Rides and attractions

The Georgia Cyclone, opened in 1990.

The Georgia Scorcher.

Six Flags Over Georgia, like most amusement parks, prides itself on its roller coaster collection. Goliath and Mind Bender routinely rank among the top steel roller coasters listed by Amusement Today magazine in its Golden Ticket Awards. The collection expanded in 2011 with the addition of Dare Devil Dive, a Euro-Fighter roller coaster from German designer Gerstlauer.

Aside from the roller coasters, Six Flags Over Georgia maintains a large number of other rides and attractions. Two attractions of note are Acrophobia, installed in 2001 as the world's first "floorless" freefall tower ride, and the Riverview Carousel, one of only three remaining five-abreast carousels known to exist and a member of the National Register of Historic Places.

Roller coasters

Ride Name	Year Opened	Removed In	Manufacturer/Ride Type	Current Location	Other Notes
Dahlonega Mine Train	1967		Arrow Dynamics steel "mine train" roller coaster. Update to track by Hopkins rides	Peachtree Square	The original design was a wood supporting structure with steel tubular rails; now, much of the wood is ornamental.
Mini Mine Train	1969	1988	Arrow Dynamics mini mine train kiddie roller coaster		Originally named the Yahoola Hooler.
Great American Scream Machine	1973		John C. Allen designed wooden roller coaster, built by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company.	Cotton States	Opened as the world's tallest and fastest roller coaster at a height of 105 feet (32 m) and speeds of 57 miles per hour (92 km/h).
Mind Bender	1978		Anton Schwarzkopf terrain-following looping steel coaster	Gotham City	The park has claimed that it was the world's first triple-loop coaster. However, the second "loop" is actually an inclined helix and does not turn riders upside-down. In 1997, it was remodeled after The Riddler to fit the new Gotham City theme.
Z-Force	1988	1990	Intamin Space Diver roller coaster		Moved from Six Flags Great America, moved to Six Flags Magic Mountain and renamed Flashback. Was scrapped in 2008.
Georgia Cyclone	1990		Summers and Dinn Corp. wooden roller coaster	British	Design is a mirror image of the Coney Island Cyclone, with some minor differences.
Ninja	1992		Vekoma looping roller coaster	Cotton States	Ride moved from Wildwood, New Jersey's defunct Dinosaur Beach boardwalk. Inherited the Arrow trains from the Great American Scream Machine formerly located at Six Flags Great Adventure.
Viper	1995	2001	Anton Schwarzkopf shuttle loop roller coaster		Moved from Six Flags Great America, moved to Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom, operated as Greezed Lightnin' until the park was closed in 2010.
Batman: The Ride	1997		B&M inverted steel coaster	Gotham City	Is one of several identical rides operated by Six Flags Theme Parks using the same name.
Georgia Scorcher	1999		B&M stand-up roller coaster	Georgia	Last new B&M stand-up built to-date and is one of only two in the Southeast.
Déjà Vu	2001	2007	Vekoma Giant Inverted Boomerang		It was one of only five GIB's in the world. Purchased by Mirabilandia in Brazil in 2009
Superman: Ultimate Flight	2002		B&M flying roller coaster.	Cotton States	It was the Southeast's first flying roller coaster, and the first B&M flying coaster in North America.
Wile E. Coyote Canyon Blaster	2004		Chance-Morgan custom-designed family roller coaster	Bugs Bunny World (Spanish)	Built into the park's iconic Spanish fort.
Goliath	2006		B&M hypercoaster	USA	One of the first hypercoasters in the Southeastern United States.
Dare Devil Dive	2011		Gerstlauer Euro-Fighter	USA	95-foot-tall vertical lift and three inversions.

Current adult rides/attractions

Ride Name	Year Opened	Manufacturer/Ride Type	Current Location	Other Notes
Six Flags Railroad - Marthasville and Rabun Gap	1967	Train ride around the park	Peachtree Square and French	The Engines have been converted to Diesel hydraulic power.
Hanson Cars	1967	Arrow Antique Cars	Cotton States	Moved to current location in 1990; originally located where Georgia Cyclone is in British section.
Sky Bucket	1968		Lickskillet and Peachtree Square
Log Jamboree	1968	Arrow Dynamics Log Flume	Georgia	Originally operated with two separate flumes, current ride is the second flume.
The Riverview Carousel	1972	1908 PTC Carousel	Cotton States	Moved from Riverview Park; listed on National Register of Historic Places
Dodge City Bumper Cars	1973	Soli bumper cars	Cotton States
Thunder River	1982	Intamin Rapids water ride	Lickskillet
Splashwater Falls	1986	Hopkins Shoot-the-Chutes water ride	Lickskillet	Boats glide on a 50 ft (15 m) tall flume and then drop down to a soaking
Acrophobia	2001	Intamin stand-up gyro drop tower	Peachtree Square
Gotham City Crime Wave	2004	Zierer Wave Swinger	Gotham City	Purchased from Thrill Valley Amusement Park in Japan (along with 4 rides that went to Six Flags New Orleans).
Rockin' Tug	2004	Zamperla Rockin' Tug	Cotton States
Up, Up & Away	2004	Zamperla Balloon Race	Cotton States
Skull Island	2005	SCS Interactive Discovery Treehouse/WaterColors with slides from Proslide Technology Inc.	Cotton States	Only open during summer season.
Monster Mansion	2009	water dark ride	French	Ride was originally Tales Of The Okefenokee (1967–1980) and Monster Plantation (1981–2008).
SkyScreamer	2013	Funtime StarFlyer	Lickskillet	Park's tallest ride standing at 242-foot (74 m) tall.

Current kiddie rides/attractions

See also: Whistlestop Park

Ride Name	Year Opened	Manufacturer/Ride Type	Current Location
Tweety's Clubhouse	2001	Zamperla Jumpin’ Star – kiddie drop tower	Bugs Bunny World (Spanish)
Santa Maria		Intamin Flying Dutchman, swing ride	Bugs Bunny World (Spanish)
Swing Seville		Zamperla Swing Ride – kiddie swings	Bugs Bunny World (Spanish)
Fiesta Wheel		Zamperla Mini Ferris Wheel - kiddie ride	Bugs Bunny World (Spanish)
Convoy Grande		kiddie convoy truck ride	Bugs Bunny World (Spanish)
Little Aviator		kiddie biplane ride	Bugs Bunny World (Spanish)
Toro, Toro		spinning kiddie ride	Bugs Bunny World (Spanish)
Bugs Bunny's Playfort		kids play area with Bugs Bunny's Carrot Patch	Bugs Bunny World (Spanish)

Current extra charge attractions

Ride Name	Year Opened	Manufacturer/Ride Type	Current Location
Sky Coaster	1996	Skycoaster	Cotton States
Goldtown Racer	1999	J & J Amusements go-karts	Lickskillet

Timeline

• 1967: June 16 opening day. Rides included: Log Jamboree #1, The Astro Lifts (Von Roll sky way ride), Jean Ribaut's Adventure, Six Flags Railroad, Happy Motoring Freeway, Two Satellite (Trabant) rides (each flanking the entrance to the Krofft Puppet Theatre), Dahlonega Mine Train, the Tales of the Okefenokee, The Flying Jenny (A ride powered by a real mule named "Joe"), and the Hanson cars.
• 1968: Added the Lickskillet area which includes the Spindletop (rotor ride), the Wheel Barrow (Chance Tumbler), several craft shops and a shootout show performed on the street. Sky Buckets added between Confederate and Lickskillet sections making the second sky ride in the park. Casa Loco tilt house is relocated outside the Spanish fort and renamed Casa Magnetica. The Horror Cave (haunted house) debuts inside the fort in the former location of the tilt house. Log Jamboree gets a second flume (with a tunnel over the final plunge). Satellite Ride #1 (Trabant) moved behind #2 to the right side of the Krofft Puppet Theatre. Chevy Show Cinema is built (painted red) on the original site of Satellite #1.
• 1969: Added Sky Hook to USA section relocated from Six Flags over Texas. Added Yahoola Hooler.
• 1970: Chevy Show Cinema is painted blue. Wheel Burrow is removed from the Lickskillet section at the end of the season.
• 1971: The Drunken Barrels ride replaces The Wheel Burrow. The Flying Jenny is renamed Mule-Go-Round and moved in front of The Casa Magnetica.
• 1972: The Riverview Carousel is relocated from Riverview Park in Chicago added to a new area north of the Spanish section commonly referred to as Carousel Hill.
• 1973: Added the Cotton States Exposition area, featuring the Great American Scream Machine. Yahoola Hooler renamed Mini-Mine Train. The Dual Sattellite Rides are removed at the end of the season.
• 1974: Added Phlying Phlurpus to Cotton States Exposition section. Mo-Mo Monster replaces Dual Sattellite Rides. Happy Motoring Freeway removed at the end of the season.
• 1976: Added The Great Gasp Parachute Ride.
• 1977: Added Wheelie (Schwarzkopf Enterprise) to U.S.A. section. Removed Phlying Phlurpus & Sky Hook at the end of the season.
• 1978: Added Mind Bender. Mo-Mo The Monster ride is relocated to the former site of the Sky Hook.
• 1979: Added Highland Swings (Chance Yo-Yo).
• 1980: Added Jolly Roger's Island, a new pirate themed area featuring The Flying Dutchman pirate ship.
• 1981: The Tales of the Okefenokee is remodeled and renamed The Monster Plantation. Jean Ribaut's Adventure riverboat ride is closed. The original cable car ride, The Astro Lifts, that traveled from the Confederate to U.S.A. sections were removed at the end of the season.
• 1982: Added Thunder River, made by Intamin AG (in the area formally occupied by Jean Ribaut's Adventure ride).
• 1983: Added Freefall. Ten stories tall, made by Intamin AG. Relocated Mo-Mo the Monster to Cotton States Exposition Section in the former spot of The Phlying Phlurpus. Pac-Man Playfort added.
• 1984: Added The Great Six Flags Air Racer in the British section. This ride took riders to a height of 100 feet (the tower was 135 ft (41 m) tall). The planes traveled at a mere 35 mph (56 km/h). It was an Intamin Super Racer ride. Halmark's "Shirt Tails" Characters are the Park mascots for the season.
• 1985: Added Looping Starship. The attraction was removed after the end of the season because it was on a ride rotation schedule with other Six Flags parks. Relocated Wheelie to the Lickskillet section on the former spot of the Drunken Barrels. Horror Cave is removed at the end of the season. Loony Toons characters become the park mascots.
• 1986: Added Splashwater Falls, a "shoot-the-chutes"-style water ride.
• 1988: Added Z-Force which is relocated from Six Flags Great America. The Mini-Mine Train is removed at the end of the season.
• 1989: Looping Starship is returned to the park in its original location. This was not the same exact ride but a sister ship. This ride was purchased from a park in Canada. The Dahlonega Mine Train is refurbished by the O.D. Hopkins Corporation.
• 1990: Added Georgia Cyclone. Z-Force 'relocated to Six Flags Magic Mountain. Hanson Cars (made by Arrow Dynamics) relocated to Carousel Hill. Log Flume #1 is removed at the end of the season.
• 1991: Ragin Rivers, a wet-dry waterslide tower, is added in place of Log Jamboree flume #1. Mo-Mo The Monster is removed at the end of the season.
• 1992: Added Ninja, relocated from Conkos Party Pier in New Jersey.
• 1993: Added Axis Arena. Initially home to a Batman-themed stunt show, the arena now hosts concerts and other events.
• 1994: Looney Tunes Land becomes Bugs Bunny World renaming all the rides in the area and removing Road Runner Runaround.
• 1995: Added Viper, the former Tidal Wave from Six Flags Great America. Ultrazone indoor laser tag added to Jolly Rogers Island.
• 1996: Added Feerless Freep's Daredevil Dive (Skycoaster).
• 1997: Added Batman: The Ride. Jolly Roger's Island transforms into Gotham City, including a repaint for Mind Bender in green/black paint scheme to match the Riddler. Highland Swings and Flying Dutchman pirate ship removed.
• 1998: Park entrance remodeled to become The Promenade. Back park entrance closes. Ragin Rivers removed.
• 1999: Added Georgia Scorcher. Goldtown Racers (go-karts) added to former location of the park back entrance.
• 2000: The Great Six Flags Air Racer is removed at the end of the season.
• 2001: Added Acrophobia and Déjà Vu. Removal of Viper. Log Jamboree #2 renamed Deer Park Plunge. Tweety's Clubhouse added to Bugs Bunny World.
• 2002: Added Superman Ultimate Flight.
• 2003: Viper is relocated from storage to Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom and renamed Greezed Lightnin'.
• 2004: A group of five family-style rides is added throughout the park, including the Wile E. Coyote Canyon Blaster roller coaster; Rockin' Tug; Up, Up & Away; The Gotham City Cime Wave & Shake, Rattle and Roll (in the former Chevy Show Cinema building) .
• 2005: Added Skull Island, a water-park play fort. Removal of Great Gasp and Looping Starship.
• 2006: Added Goliath. Deer Park Plunge renamed Log Jamboree. Removal of Free Fall after end of season.
• 2007: Déjà Vu closed after the end of the season.
• 2008: Adds Thomas Town, based on Thomas the Tank Engine. Which was rethemed in 2011 as Whistlestop Park. Before 2012, Whistlestop Train was removed from the park.
• 2009: Renovation of The Monster Plantation into The Monster Mansion, with new characters and storyline.
• 2010: Batman the Ride repainted cobalt blue with dark blue supports. Shake Rattle And Roll removed for installation of Dare Devil Dive. "Fearless Freeps Dare Devil Dive" is renamed the "Sky Coaster" to prevent confusion with the New Dare Devil Dive coaster planned for the following year.
• 2011: Adds Dare Devil Dive Euro-Fighter roller coaster.
• 2012: Wheelie removed at the end of the season.
• 2013: SkyScreamer, a 242-foot-tall swing ride. is currently under construction on the former site of the Wheelie.

Incidents

Main article: Incidents at Six Flags parks

Over the years, a number of incidents have occurred at the park, including some fatalities. Batman The Ride has been the scene of two fatal incidents nearly identical in nature, where individuals were underneath the attraction while it was operational and were struck and killed by the train itself or by the riders' exposed legs.

Portions of Six Flags Over Georgia lie within the flood plain of the Chattahoochee River, which has caused occasional problems whenever the river overflows its banks. Most recently, in September 2009, the park suffered severe flooding, as did much of the surrounding area. The bulk of the flooding occurred during the week, at a point in the season when the park was closed on weekdays. The park managed to clean up the damage and open as normal the following weekend.

See also

• Incidents at Six Flags parks
• Great Gasp
• Roller coasters
• Amusement Parks
• Six Flags Parks

References

• Six Flags - Shows and Events. Retrieved Dec. 24, 2004.
• Theme Park Timelines. Retrieved May 21, 2006.

External links

• Six Flags Over Georgia website
• Six Flags Over Georgia Photos and Information
• Six Flags Over Georgia at the Roller Coaster DataBase