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Coordinates: 33°46′04″N 84°33′02″W / 33.76787°N 84.55065°W / 33.76787; -84.55065
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Six Flags Over Georgia
Six Flags over Georgia entrance
LocationAustell, Georgia, U.S.
Coordinates33°46′04″N 84°33′02″W / 33.76787°N 84.55065°W / 33.76787; -84.55065
OpenedJune 16, 1967
OwnerSix Flags Over Georgia, Ltd.[1]
Operated bySix Flags
Operating seasonMarch through October
Area283 acres (1.15 km2)
Attractions
Total40+
Roller coasters11
Water rides4
Websitewww.sixflags.com
/overgeorgia

Six Flags Over Georgia is a 230-acre (0.93 km2) theme park located west of Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., in unincorporated Cobb County. 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 Theme Parks chain to have been founded 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 parks, Six Flags Over Georgia hosts characters from the Warner Bros. animation library, notably the Looney Tunes characters and Justice League from DC Comics and now "the face of Six Flags", Mr. Six.

History

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Development

[edit]
The Georgia Cyclone, opened in 1990.

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, looking mainly in the Southeastern United States, with initial design work on the park starting in 1964. In August 1965, the Wall Street Journal reported that Wynne's development company, Great Southwest Corporation, had purchased 3,000 acres (1,200 ha) of land along the Chattahoochee River outside of Atlanta for a planned $400 million industrial park with an adjacent $7 million amusement park.[2]

Wynne hired former Hollywood art directors Randall Duell and Hans Peters to develop the park, then named "Georgia Flags".[3] Like its sister park in Texas, the 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 two states shared the connections to Spain, France, Confederate States of America, and the U.S.; for Georgia, Great Britain would replace Mexico, and the flag of the state of Georgia would replace that of Texas, even though Georgia was never a sovereign nation, as Texas once was.[4] When the park opened in 1967, Six Flags became the first 'multi-gate'[clarification needed] theme park operator in the United States.[5]

The 1960s

[edit]

Six Flags Over Georgia opened to the public on June 16, 1967. Attractions first available included the Log Jamboree log flume ride, Jean Ribaut's Adventure (a boat tour similar to Disney's Jungle Cruise attractions),[6] the Six Flags Railroad, two driving attractions (the Happy Motoring Freeway and the Hanson Cars), two Satellite flat rides, the "Tales of the Okefenokee" dark ride, the Casa Loco tilt house, the Sky Lift/Astro Lift cable car and the park's first roller coaster, the Dahlonega Mine Train. The park's live entertainment offerings included a dolphin show, the Krofft Puppet Theater and the Athenaeum, later renamed the Crystal Pistol.[7]

After a successful first season, plans were set in motion to expand the park, and adjustments were made to existing attractions based on visitor feedback. A second Log Jamboree flume was added, a new show debuted in the Krofft Puppet Theater and the effects inside the Tales of the Okefenokee were upgraded with the help of Krofft Studios.[8] The park relocated Casa Loco out of its Spanish fort to make way for the Horror Cave haunted house attraction; a new adjacent building was built for Casa Loco's effects, which would become Casa Magnetica.[9] However, the largest improvement was the addition of the park's first new section, Lickskillet. Located outside the park's railroad tracks and named after a Georgia mining town in the late 19th century, Lickskillet added three new rides — the Spindle Top (a Rotor flat ride, the Wheel Burrow (a Chance Tumbler) and the Sky Buckets, the park's second cable car ride — along with several craft shops and a shootout show performed on the street. In 1969, Six Flags added still more attractions, the Sky Hook observation tower, which was relocated from Six Flags Over Texas, the Mini Mine Train, the park's second roller coaster[10] and the Chevy Show domed theater building.[citation needed]

The 1970s

[edit]

In the early 1970s, Six Flags began augmenting its supply of costumed characters with creations from various Sid & Marty Krofft television series. Characters from H. R. Pufnstuf began appearing in the park in 1970, with characters from Lidsville added in 1972.[11] The 1970 production in the Krofft Puppet Theater was based on H. R. Pufnstuf, as well. These characters left the park after the 1974 season as Krofft decided to open its own amusement park, The World of Sid and Marty Krofft, in downtown Atlanta.[12] In Lickskillet, the Drunken Barrels flat ride had replaced the Wheel Burrow, and in 1972 Six Flags debuted the fully-restored Riverview Carousel on a hilltop adjacent to the section. This carousel, purchased from the defunct Riverview Park in Chicago, was built into a pavilion modeled after its original home.[13]

For the 1973 season, Six Flags added its second park expansion, the Cotton States Exposition, a development four years in the making.[14] In 1969, general manager Earl McKoy first proposed that the park install a wooden roller coaster, an idea to which Angus Wynne wasn't very receptive.[15] By 1971, however, the concept was approved, and designer John C. Allen and the Philadelphia Toboggan Company were contracted to design the ride, which opened in 1973 as The Great American Scream Machine. The Scream Machine, the largest roller coaster in the world at the time, was the anchor attraction for the Cotton States area, which was inspired by the 1895 Cotton States and International Exposition. In 1974, Six Flags added two new rides, the Mo-Mo the Monster Octopus ride in the USA section and the Phlying Phlurpus spinning ride in Cotton States; Mo-Mo would later move to Cotton States, as well.[16] The Spanish section received a number of children's rides for the 1975 season.[17] After the end of that season, the Happy Motoring Freeway was removed to make way for the Great Gasp parachute drop, which would be the park's new attraction for 1976.[18]

  • 1977: Added Wheelie (Schwarzkopf Enterprise)
  • 1978: Added Mind Bender.
  • 1979: Added Highland Swings (Chance Yo-Yo)

In late 2010, Six Flags began the process of removing licensed themeing from attractions. They terminated several licenses including their license with Thomas the Tank Engine. Thomas Town will be renamed and rethemed to Whistlestop Park in time for the 2011 season.[19][20] 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.

Rides and attractions

[edit]
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 expands in 2011 with the announcement of Dare Devil Dive, a Euro-Fighter roller coaster from German designer Gerstlauer.[21]

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

[edit]
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 O.D. Hopkins 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[22] 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.
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

[edit]
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.
Sky Buckets 1967 Von Roll sky way ride Lickskillet and Peachtree Square
Hanson Cars 1967 Arrow Antique Cars Cotton States Moved to current location in 1990; originally located where Georgia Cyclone is in British section.
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 [disambiguation needed] bumper cars Cotton States
Wheelie 1977 Schwarzkopf Enterprise Lickskillet Riders spin around in gondolas at high speeds the slowly rotate to an 89 degree angle then go back down.
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).

Current kiddie rides/attractions

[edit]
See also: Whistlestop Park
Ride Name Year Opened Manufacturer/Ride Type Current Location
Whistlestop Bus Company 2011 Kiddie Bus Ride Whistlestop Park[23]
Whistlestop Wagon Wheel 2011 Kiddie Ferris Wheel Whistlestop Park[24]
Whistlestop Train 2008 kiddie Train ride Whistlestop Park[25]
Tweety's Clubhouse 2001 Zamperla Jumpin’ Star – kiddie drop tower Bugs Bunny World (Spanish)
Santa Maria Intamin AG 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

[edit]
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

[edit]
  • 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.
  • 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. Taken out in 2007.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 1986: Added Splashwater Falls, a "shoot-the-chutes"-style water ride.
  • 1988: Added Z-Force which is relocated from Six Flags Great America.
  • 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.
  • 1990: Added Georgia Cyclone. Z-Force 'relocated to Six Flags Magic Mountain. Hanson Cars (made by Arrow Dynamics) relocated to Carousel Hill.
  • 1991: Ragin Rivers, a wet-dry waterslide tower, is added in place of one of the two Log Jamboree flumes.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.[26]
  • 2009: Renovation of The Monster Plantation into The Monster Mansion, with new characters and storyline.[27]
  • 2010: Batman the Ride repainted cobalt blue with dark blue supports.
  • 2011: Adds Dare Devil Dive Euro-Fighter roller coaster.

Incidents

[edit]
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.[28]

See also

[edit]

References

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  1. ^ http://investors.sixflags.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=61629&p=irol-sec
  2. ^ Hollis, Tim (2006). Images of America: Six Flags Over Georgia. Charleston, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7385-4358-1.
  3. ^ Hollis 2006: 10-11
  4. ^ Hollis 2006: 8
  5. ^ O'Brien, Tim (1996). The Essential Guide to Six Flags Theme Parks. Birmingham, Alabama: Oxmoor House, Inc. ISBN 0-8487-1247-1.
  6. ^ {{#Hollis|Hollis 2006]]: 75
  7. ^ Hollis 2006
  8. ^ Hollis 2006
  9. ^ Hollis 2006
  10. ^ Hollis 2006
  11. ^ Hollis 2006
  12. ^ Hollis 2006
  13. ^ Hollis 2006
  14. ^ Hollis 2006
  15. ^ Hollis 2006: 104
  16. ^ Hollis 2006: 108
  17. ^ Hollis 2006: 67
  18. ^ Hollis 2006: 91
  19. ^ MacDonald, Brady (25 November 2010). "Six Flags amusement parks prepare for thematic makeovers". LA Times. Retrieved 27 November 2010.
  20. ^ http://www.sixflags.com/overGeorgia/rides/KidsRides.aspx
  21. ^ "Dare Devil Dive". Six Flags. Retrieved 2010-09-01.
  22. ^ Hollis 2006
  23. ^ http://www.sixflags.com/overGeorgia/rides/KidsRides.aspx
  24. ^ http://www.sixflags.com/overGeorgia/rides/KidsRides.aspx
  25. ^ http://www.sixflags.com/overGeorgia/rides/KidsRides.aspx
  26. ^ Thomas Town: Six Flags Over Georgia
  27. ^ "Monster Mansion". www.sixflags.com. Retrieved 2008-09-15.
  28. ^ Kristi E. Swartz (2009-09-23). "Six Flags still hopes to open this weekend, will make decision before Saturday". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved 2009-12-09.
[edit]

Template:Six Flags Template:Six Flags Over Georgia rides Template:Atlanta landmarks Template:Amusement park accidents

Category:Amusement parks in Georgia (U.S. state) Category:Cobb County, Georgia Category:Landmarks in Georgia (U.S. state) Over Georgia Category:1967 establishments Category:Tourist attractions in Atlanta

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