Posted on 09/13/2005 4:52:01 PM PDT by Michael Goldsberry
It's just a bit larger than one corner.
;)
I don't think you have the concept of the size of city blocks and corners in Texas.
For about three or four years, I got a Season Pass every year. My best friend (who also had a Season Pass) and I would beg our parents to take us down there every day during our summer vacation, and we could usually get either his folks or mine to drop us off there for the day.
We didn't have much money, and didn't really need money -- the rides were all free, and we could usually sweet talk our way to a few free snacks here and there from the park employees, who got to know us pretty well. If I recall correctly, there was also a little bakery near the entrance that sold mini-loaves of bread for 25 cents.
I remember the Texas Cyclone -- we were counting how many times we rode it at one point, but I eventually lost count somewhere in the 700's I think. We would get there early on a summer weekday, and there were no people waiting in line, so they'd let us ride it over and over again without getting off. When people did get in line, we'd get off, run down the ramp, and get right back in line again for the next one.
I remember watching them build Greezed Lightnin', and when it finally opened, how much fun it was to go from 0 to 60 in under four seconds for the first time, and the second time... and the 200th time.
I remember the River of No Return, the Alpine Sleigh Ride (which was so refreshing on those long, hot summer days), the Wacky Shack, the Barrel of Fun, the Black Dragon, the Bamboo Shoot, the Dexter Frebish Electric Roller Ride...
Wow, 'scuse me while I wax nostalgic.
I have no idea what you are talking about.
Why in the world would I bad mouth you?
Did they carry their $800 Louis Vuitton handbag they bought with their "debit cards" too?!
"It's time to close Astroworld. I understand there's lots of crime taking place there"
The last time I was there in the mid 80's, there was a fight and shooting at closing time. It was blamed on the concert. Trouble was though, the fight was among blacks, the concert was heavy metal. go figure
LOL!
I never did that.
umm...
Fifth Amendment!
"I didn't notice any gangsta activity..."
Thats because you were there in 1970.
RIP Astroworld. Went there about 30 years ago as a young kid. Had a great time. Just don't touch Six Flags Magic Mountain or Cedar Point and I'll be ok.
It's funny I was just looking at pics of Astroworld on the web and there were a few pics of kids holding basketballs.
Who brings a basketball to an amusement park? Is it a Houston thing or something?
Thank you for the memories.
Anyway, if you work 3 weeks, you get 8 free passes for friends and I just happened to have a bunch of friends coming into town the last day. At least it was fun riding everything after you stopped working.
I'll be your friend. :)
No, it is an "upbringing" thing.
Bangers raising bangers.
Check out Motown.
...the Black Dragon, the Bamboo Shoot, the Dexter Frebish Electric Roller Ride...
---
Those names bring back memories, especially the Alpine Sleigh Ride! Sorry to hear it's closing. I remember it back in the 1970's when it was fun and safe. Saw the Monkees with the opening act of Weird Al there in the 1980's, which I remember like yesterday. Last time I was there was in 1992 when I first met Weird Al Yankovic and his band.
The Alpine Sleigh Ride was my favorite. To be able to spend a few precious seconds inside those ice cold tunnels on a 95-degree day was worth the wait.
My memories were mostly of the 60s and 70s when I and the park were both much younger and more capable of entertaining each other. It is sad to hear it is getting torn down but I can understand it given some of the neighborhood issues and the fact that it wasn't being kept up.
When I heard the news today, I thought how much it would break Roy Hofheinz' heart if he were still alive. His Astrodome - the crown jewel of his life's work - nothing more than a homeless shelter while the amusement park he debuted with such hubris that he actaully tried to air condition the outdoors is ready to close for the last time.
I remember when the Astrodome and AstroWorld were perhaps the state's top tourist attraction. You never think you're going to outlive such things.
I loved going to Astroworld when I was growing up. It was one of the first places I wanted to take my children when we moved back to this area. My youngest was two. A woman tried to pull her off the kiddy car ride because her 7 year old daughter wanted my baby's seat. My husband intervened to come in between the woman and my screaming, terrified two year old. She then tracked down a police officer and tried to have him arrested for assault. Fortunately there were plenty of witnesses to confirm our side of the story. When she realized that the cop was not going to arrest him, she threatened me with bodily harm. We did not enjoy the rest of our day there too much. The only time I will go there now is on the homeschool day.
I won a contest around 1978 or so, first prize was a trip to Astro World, they flew the family there from CA. I vividly remember stepping off the plane into humidity I'd never experienced before or since. My kids were so puzzled as to why the windows in the hotel looked like it was raining outside when it wasn't. Don't remember much about the amusement park except that the food wasn't great. Visited the space center, Galveston, etc., overall a fun trip. But Disneyland and Knott's are hard acts to follow when one is from Southern CA.
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