Did you know that Dallas boasts a number of top amusement parks? From high-speed roller coasters to innovative water rides, the theme parks in the Dallas area have something for everyone. Check out the following review of two of the best amusement parks in the greater Dallas area.
Six Flags Over Texas
Located about 15 miles west of Dallas in Arlington, Six Flags Over Texas boasts a number of thrilling roller coasters that are not for the faint of heart, including Batman The Ride. Appropriately located in the Gotham City section of the park, Batman The Ride features chairs that swing from an overhead track, giving riders the sensation of flying through the air like Batman. This unique roller coaster begins with a 10-story climb, followed immediately by a 360-degree loop turn. Riders can also expect corkscrew descents and fully inverted rolls on this thrilling ride as they fight crime in Gotham City.
Image by Bryan Kemp | Flickr
Six Flags Over Texas is also home to a larger-than-life “hypercoaster” called The Titan. Reaching a top speed of 85 miles per hour, The Titan begins with an incredible 255-foot drop and then takes riders through a tunnel and a stomach-turning camel hump. Also featuring back-to-back 540-degree spirals, The Titan provides nonstop exhilaration from start to finish.
Also offering family rides and attractions, Six Flags Over Texas features the Conquistador, a full-size recreation of a 16th century Spanish galleon that rocks back and forth until it hangs in the air at 180 degrees. This stomach-turning, yet kid-friendly ride gives riders the sensation of weathering a storm on an old ship, just as explorers did several centuries ago.
Another classic family ride is El Aserradero. This log flume ride takes riders down a peaceful river that suddenly plunges down a waterfall. The log continues to float downriver until it takes a final thrilling nosedive that ends with a giant splash.
Also offering a plethora of rides for younger children, Six Flags Over Texas features the Bugs Bunny Cloud Bouncer. Kids climb into the basket of one of the colorful hot air balloons, which take them for a gentle ride a dozen feet into the clouds. They can even control their personal balloon and make it spin among the clouds by maneuvering the center disk.
The park’s children’s rides also include the Bootin’ Scootin’. A true Texas ride, the Bootin’ Scootin’ takes kids for a bumpy rodeo ride inside a giant cowboy boot. The boot jumps and stomps to the music around a massive cowboy hat in the center. Afterwards, kids can head over to the Marvin Martian Space Rockets, where they can choose from eight custom rocket ships. Riders control their own ship, which moves up and down, front to back, and side to side on a journey to Mars, Marvin’s home planet.
Zero Gravity Thrill Amusement Park
Located in northwest Dallas, Zero Gravity Thrill Amusement Park stands out as one of the world’s most extreme amusement parks. The park’s rides include the Skycoaster, which takes groups of up to three people 110 feet into the air. Strapped in harnesses while lying face down, riders pull their own rip cords when they’re ready to be released and fly through the air at 60 miles per hour.
Zero Gravity’s other attractions include Nothin but Net. On this ride, guests are lifted 16 stories high before being let go with no parachute or bungee cord. They simply fall 130 feet into a safety net below. Nothin but Net uses two stunt-grade safety nets and a patented release system that ensures guests fall safely in a position with a low center of gravity.
Next, guests can head to the Skyscraper, where groups of two are strapped into one end of a 165-foot propeller. Rotating like a windmill, the Skyscraper reaches 60 miles per hour in a matter of seconds. At maximum speed, riders experience a whopping four Gs of force—more than what astronauts feel during a space shuttle takeoff.
Zero Gravity also features a ride called the Texas Blastoff. This giant slingshot launches groups of two 150 feet high, then propels them from zero to 70 miles per hour in just 1.2 seconds. The apparatus then sends riders into a riveting free fall full of flips and twists.
Finally, Zero Gravity offers classic bungee jumping. Jumpers ascend a seven-story Air Boingo tower, a permanent structure built specifically for bungee jumping. The park protects jumpers with super-elastic cords and strong nylon safety straps. On the ground below is a stunt-grade airbag designed to protect professional stuntmen from even greater falls.
The above two amusement parks offer some of the best thrills and rides in the greater Dallas area. Before visiting, be sure to check their respective websites for updates on rides and attractions. Whether you’re looking for lightning-speed roller coasters or gravity-defying drops, you’re sure to find it at these two adventure-filled parks in the Dallas area.
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