originally posted on 10/1/2021
All photos courtesy Six Flags Fiesta Texas. View full-sized image.
Rare is the circumstance that a theme park gives a long-existing attraction a thematic reimagining, particularly a roller coaster. It makes the summer-long project at Six Flags Fiesta Texas all the more impressive.
Following the 4th of July weekend, the San Antonio theme park closed Poltergeist, the 1999 Premier Rides launched coaster, for a two-month trip to the beauty shop — or in this case, a terror treatment.
Ghostly green and a grim gray have replaced the more cheerful teal and yellow. View full-sized image.
“We asked ourselves, how do we take this ride — as we are always looking for additional capacity and rides per guest — and make it new again to increase ridership and demand,” said Park President Jeffrey Siebert. “We looked at making it what we knew it could be — or what it should have been in 1999 — really a visually stunning and story-driven attraction that finally pays off.”
So what’s new? Other than the track layout, pretty much everything. From the entrance on the street, it all looks different. The first portal is now accented with new signage and gargoyles perched atop. Nighttime lighting gives a green glow, particularly to the eyes. Much of the bar rail that separated entrance from exit has been removed opening up the pathway to a more natural experience and plaza. A second portal into the main queue has been created. At the top of the stone arch are inscribed the words “Bartholomey Manor.”
View full-sized image.
Step inside.
If the new storyline comes in three acts, the queue serves as the first. Instead of zigzag rail (which was rarely ever needed), now visitors stroll through a graveyard with devilish figures, a mausoleum and (bonus!) fans to keep guests cool. A garage has been added, and the new owner’s car is parked just jutting out. If the timing is right, expect a startle. The final bit of queuing is a hedge maze — or will be once the red-tip photinia mature. They should grow quickly.
Theming now makes the queue more ornate. View full-sized image.
View full-sized image.
View full-sized image.
Step up the stairs, and longtime fans and locals to the park will notice a huge difference. The mansion’s new owner is clearly more sinister. Two ghostly figures reach from the house, one just above the station and one at the top. Where there was once just an underutilized porch — and guests just turned to the left to enter the station — now it has all been enclosed for an indoor experience. The first thing to give riders chills is (hey!) air-conditioning. Portraits, curtains and sculptures set the stage in a hallway leading into a foyer with a staircase, an evil-looking fireplace and more elegant lighting. Inside the station, more thematic lighting, wallpaper and Victorian décor now serve as a more picturesque setting for the spirited ride. Compared with the open-air station prior to the makeover, not only is the AC appreciated, but the ambience is a major upgrade. As trains pull in, a ghostly visage now graces the front car. Both trains have been completely refurbished with new paint, new padding and new lap bars.
View full-sized image.
View full-sized image.
View full-sized image.
Of course, the final act is the ride itself. Now, as linear synchronous motors take possession of unsuspecting riders, apparitions are seen in the launch tunnel. Once outside, riders notice that the track has been completely repainted a ghostly green. The glossy shine lets returning guests know this is freshly done. While the track layout remains unchanged, it was already fiendish enough in the most delicious ways.
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“The response has been great,” said Siebert. “Not only the initial night, but what is more rewarding is to see the demand has been sustained. It’s nice to see the queue full.”
— Tim Baldwin, ACE News Editor
The ghouls on the station house were created in-house by Fiesta Texas. View full-sized image.
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