Great episode, i didnt know about a lot of this. The way they shortened that drop was so much like something you'd do in RCT when your extreme rating was too high
@Joseph Nickell You got that right, but according to them, everything is OUR fault. There are a whole lot of people who are getting beyond fed up with their shit.
I was a member of the American Coaster Enthusiasts and rode the Rattler during its first year. At the bottom of the first drop, I thought, "Whoa .. this is WAY wrong!"
I remember going to Fiesta Texas in the first few weeks after it opened. Astroworld was my home park - and EVERYTHING was amazing if you were a kid who wasn’t big enough to ride the Rattler, but I couldn’t waiting until I was big enough. A few years later, I was finally big enough and YEAH - it was VIOLENT. Even as a super healthy kid and teen, it HURT. I love the Six Flags rides, but being a native Houstonian, I don’t fully trust them… and that old park was just excellent all the way around,
@@ashleymeggan same for me! I had been so excited, but the original Rattler hurt my back and neck so much it scared me away from all roller-coasters for a while.
Fiesta Texas has always been my home park, and I’ve been countless times as a six flags member. Iron rattler has my #1 spot for a coaster for both sentimental and thrill sealing reasons. As someone who grew up with the original Rattler, and didn’t get the RMC version until I was an adult, I can testify that the old track shook you to your core and that the conversion was a warm welcome for park regulars. Iron Rattler always blows me away, and I never have had a bad ride experience regardless of seat choice! Thanks for doing my park and my coaster justice with this awesome look back!
Man, I remember riding the original configuration of Rattler. I used to joke that you’d need chiropractor at the exit. I do miss an element in the original layout, the fly by the station before hitting the brake run.
Hahaha Bowl of Boredom! I’d never heard that term but it’s totally appropriate. And the unnecessarily steep bank through that section? I never quite understood that.
@@neilgabbart3967 I think the steep bankings was to pull your mind away from how boring that part was. A nice dropping helix would have been a lot better I think.
@@neilgabbart3967 man, I remember early early UA-cam days. Some fellas snuck on with a burger and when the trip helix came, they pulled them out and enjoyed lunch on the ride ahaha.
This was a huge hit of personal nostalgia as I used to work at fiesta texas during the 2013 season and in the fall I was assigned to the turkey leg stand at the ride entrance
Never went on the original, but went on the Iron Rattler a couple years back, and the first drop, with only lap bars, is absolutely amazing. Definitely worth checking out and is in my top 20 favorite roller coasters, despite it not breaking any records.
I turned 10 during the first season of Fiesta Texas and my parents took me and my cousins there for my birthday. I remember coming off the Rattler with a sore neck, but it was fun! Continued to visit the park nearly every summer through 2004. Finally returned last March and Iron Rattler is now in my top 5 coasters. Great video!
That video really pulled at the nostalgia heart strings! I was raised in Austin so every summer included a visit to one or more of the theme parks in the state. I first visited Fiesta Texas in Summer of ‘92 but wasn’t tall enough to ride the Rattler until ‘96 or ‘97. I can still smell the musty earth and creosote that perfumed the queue line and main building. I especially loved riding at night- the ecstasy of approaching the top of the lift hill and feeling the cool breeze after baking on the hot quarry floor all day and catching a glimpse of the laser light show being projected on the limestone walls near the waterfalls, juxtaposed with the anxiety increasing by the moment as you anticipate your descent into the darkness after cresting the top. First a little dip, then you’re really on your way. What great memories. I moved away from the state in 2008 so I haven’t been on either the Iron Rattler or New Texas Giant but this video convinced me that visiting my two favorite wooden coasters with their new clothes needs to be made a priority.
Oh how I remember and loved that first drop before any reprofiles. But "bowl of boredom" was something that I don't miss. Seeing the "Rattler Shake" was something to see as the track and structure shimmied, shook and leaned on some hills. I'm not a huge fan of a RMC conversion, but I'm sure this one revived the thrills of the Rattler.
Ah yes, just make the lift hill higher at the last second; that surely won’t cause unforeseen consequences. 5Gs sounds rough, but that left and right whipping sounds even worse. At least the clips of the new Rattler look a lot smoother and the bottom of the first hill more gradual. Thanks for the video!
I grew up south of San Antonio so I got to go the first year it opened and rode the original profile of Rattler. One thing I never understood is the lack of headrests on this thing. Headrests were added later (possibly after the reprofile of the drop). I didn't get hurt but what happened when I rode it, the high g-forces forced my head down and then when I tried to fight it and move my head back, my head snapped back because by that point, we were pulling out of the drop. I assume that is what happened to a log of people complaining about neck injuries. Also, Rattler in it's later years was one of the roughest coasters I've ever ridden, so definitely do not miss it. I do miss the flyby of the station that RMC got rid of, I assume to save on costs?
Exact same thing happened with me, when I rode it the year it opened. I did get injured a bit though, couldn't turn my head for days, and it was painful. Knew a wooden coaster was gonna be a rougher ride, but that drop and turn beat me up.
I had the same problem. My head got forced down the back and whipped side to side. My girlfriend and I both had sore and stiff necks for the rest of the day. Which kind of sucked because the Rattler was the first thing we did that day. Made the rest of the day unenjoyable. Never rode it again even after the reprofile.
THIS. LOL… that first right turn was always more intense than the drop to me - like your brain was leaving your skull! I loved it, but lol.. it was intense. And it aged like MILK.
I never rode The Rattler but I do remember going to Fiesta Texas as a kid back in the 90s before Six Flags owned it and watching other people ride it. It was a neat little park and I got soaked on the river rapids ride. It got chilly enough that evening before the fireworks that a park employee helped my mom wrap plastic shopping bags on my head like a bonnet and around my shoulders like a shawl to help me get warm. 😂
From what I understand, the Rattler was really rough when it was NEW. There's a video of the designer John Pierce standing in front of a camera for an interview on the design, and he said something to the effect of: "I was asked by one of the security at the park, 'Mr. Pierce what was your inspiration for this ride?' I told him that it was a fight I had with my wife. The security guard said, 'Mr. Pierce, that had to have been one hell of a fight.'" The Rattler basically beat you up from day one, regardless of the drop. It was just the cherry on top of the ass whoopin' it supposedly gave you. I rode the Rattler in the final years of operation, and the Helix was mostly how it was during the first year; long and boring. You can read War and Peace during the time it took to go through the helix, and you'd probably be less bored. LOL
Hey, I remember your account! And I agree, for as long as I knew, the Rattler beat you to a pulp, especially in that massive helix that feels like it goes on forever. Do you remember when they had the onride photo?
Great video! My home park is Fiesta Texas, born and raised in Texas. Rode the original Rattler many times. Iron Rattler is absolutely Amazing, and ten times better than the Wooden Rattler.
I had the honor to visit Fiesta 3 weeks after it opened. Rattler was still smooth then. The allure of a "woodie" is the fact that friction rate coefficient between wood (very organic) and expansion rate of flat steel + ride train weight will make 4 a different ride each time. Not to mention rain, and night time rides. Rattler (loosened up) after break in period and tended to run faster. The rock quarry also I'm sure played a part in temperature variances. It truly is a unique & beautiful park! There was lots of Disneyesque love in that part in terms of theming. I dare say that Six Flags didn't ruin it, but closed my beloved AstroWorld. Steel coasters tend to not vary much other than when it rains or weight of the train. There is of coarse "tire material" on hot steel. That's another engineering story. While I enjoyed original version, Iron Rattler knocks it out of the ball park!!!
i lived in San Antonio when they announced they were changing it. Little 11 year old me loved it before and even after it was my favorite thing 🥰 Hope to get back down there next summer so I can ride it again!
I remember riding The Rattler as a kid, and whenever I thought back to it my memory would be of how incredibly aggressive the shaking was. This would have been in the mid to late 90's.
I’m SO HAPPY you did this ride. I’m a local to the park (and worked there for a bit too) and I have so many memories of the ride before and after it became iron rattler. As many locals say, og rattler was a total whiplash and you needed a chiropractor after, you were basically done for the day after that. While the newer one is smoother, I almost.... miss??? The craziness and pain I got from the ride???? I love iron don’t get me wrong but I do miss og, the steeper drop and the inversion right off the bat is so much fun. It’s sad that by the time I stopped working last year the ride wasn’t as functional as it was. It was down A LOT and I would be managing the games and seeing people complain that it was closed for the day. Also, very excited to see your SoB video, I’ve only become an enthusiast in the last two years so learning about all the coasters that have been taken down is enjoyable.
This was my dad's favorite ride on our yearly drives from West Texas to enjoy a modest family vacation in San Antonio. In ~1994/1995, I wanted to join my dad on his favorite coaster, The Rattler (original). I remember at that age feeling like the first drop lasted 30 seconds but then fun after that! Turns out that sitting on the bench-like seat with a single lap bar and seatbelt over both riders, during the first drop my dad looked over and found that I had slid down to the bottom of the car with the seatbelt barely on my forehead. My dad's rattler-fast reflexes allowed him to pull me back up and hold onto me the rest of the ride. I have a fond childhood memory of a shared experience and beginning of my love of coasters with my dad, but that day could have ended in tragedy.
I remember riding the Iron Rattler as my first RMC & being blown away! The first drop is great but it’s the second drop that really makes it! The whole park is a beautiful experience from the location. I’m even more happy to say I have been on it now knowing it’s history ☺️
The new Texas giant Is an amazing ride, having been beaten to death by the original, the fact that not only did they find a way to fix the coaster, they also ended up with a completely mindblowing new hybrid coaster! That being said The iron rattler is better! The only thing that the giant has over the rattler is length. The rattler is shorter and since it packs so much intensity in to the entire track it always leaves me wanting more! I love the RMC hybrids!
Thanks for covering Fiesta Texas! I grew up just down the road from San Antonio so I used to go to this park and SeaWorld a lot as a kid. The park's theming was so cool and I really miss how the park was before it went too heavy on Looney Tunes and superhero theming. I haven't been back since 2010 because when I went the original theming was stripped and replaced with TV screens all over the park that played clips from concerts with pop stars and it just felt so lame and not nearly as immersive as it was back when I was a kid. As for the Rattler, I only ever went on it once before it became the Iron Rattler. It ruined my back for the rest of the day and made riding anything else uncomfortable (even the carousel). I haven't been on the Iron Rattler, but I hope it's better.
I remember riding the old rattler. It was killer and worse than the old texas giant. The new one is worth the trip for sure! Loved this video you always makes topics so interesting
Born and raised in Texas, I remember riding the virginal Rattler. It was a favorite of mine. I remember I rode it a few months before it closed and got bruises from it. I admittedly miss the old design, but I absolutely adore Iron Rattler.
It's weird, I rode the Rattler a lot of times from when I was a kid until it was reborn as the Iron Rattler. I enjoyed it just fine... but I think the RMC was a definite upgrade.
I remember going to Texas to visit family and we went there and I told my uncle I wanted to ride the rattler and he said “are you sure.?” And I said yes then he asked me again three more times and after riding it and realizing he was trying to stop me he smiled and said “bet you wished you heeded my warning don’t ya?”
This was definitely one of the few that truly needed (and thus really benefited) from the "iron horse" treatment, that much is for sure, and when it is up on that top area it's so awesome knowing that and diving back down soon after.
At 9 years old, the old Rattler was my first (and, so far, still one of my only ...) 'big' roller coaster. I've always been scared of roller coasters, and it turns out that this was NOT the right one to go on for me ... it traumatized me (but, in hindsight, it really did have some incredible ejector airtime). I felt like my brain was being centrifuged! I want to try more roll,er coasters now, since I've become so obsessed with the theme park and roller coaster community, and I really want to try riding the Iron Rattler once it's safe to go to parks again. I really hope that it'll help me overcome my fear for good, so I can start earning credits! I hope I won't cry this time :D
I currently work at Fiesta Texas and I work the retail stores in Crackaxle Canyon, so I am often in the Iron Rattler Mercantile where the ride exits. The ride remains to be one of the favorite rides for guests and the line always goes way out of the entrance because of the popularity. I've personally never ridden it, but it remains a staple in the park. I often get guests telling me about how they remember when it was wood. I'm 19, so I was born about 9 years after the park was first opened, but growing up in San Antonio, I grew up visiting Fiesta Texas and SeaWorld SA. The Iron Rattler is iconic for the park and often the first ride everyone runs to when the park opens. This is a very nice video and I really enjoyed it. :)
I rode her twice on the last weekend before they closed for the iron remodel. The second half of the ride, after the big drops was bumpy but it was just the nature of being a wooden coaster. I never rode it when it still had the original steep drop but I remember seeing it and being scared shitless as a child
Rose the Rattler shortly after it opened. That was a great summer. 1992... went to Disneyland, got home went to visit family in TN, drove from TN to Dallas all night flew to San Antonio and meet up with the family to go to Fiesta Texas. Half asleep all day but dang that was fun. Rode one more time in 94. Yes it was rough but oh so much fun.
I love learning about the history of my home theme park. I never got to ride the rattler but glad that they brought back the height of the first drop in Iron rattler.
Wonder Woman and iron rattler are tied with how exited I am, I don’t think I’ll like Wonder Woman the most because it has those seatbelt looking over the shoulder restraints but I’m still really exited for it
@@cookiecrusher2.090 Nope! Though there is a Riddler's Revenge - at Six Flags Magic Mountain - the ride I'm talking about is definitely The Joker's Revenge.
My fav ride of all time. My dad worked on the original construction. Because of this Superman krypton is number 2. Love the video. Entertaining and informative. Great job, and thank you sir.
Omg I have been loving the end-of-episode hypes for the next expedition. Can't wait to hear your take on Son of Beast! As for Rattler, I have no idea how that original first drop was even legal. I surely would have snapped my neck. At least Iron Rattler has a crazy drop that pays homage to the original.
I was fortunate to ride both the Rattler (2008) and Iron Rattler. But the Rattler was terrible. It beat you up horribly. I had no idea it had been converted when I went back in 2016, and I didn't figure out that anything was different until I was on the ride. I was expecting to get beat up again, but I was shocked to find it riding so smooth, and when we went through the inversion, that was obviously not there before. I knew then that it had been changed, and it instantly became my favorite ride ever at the time. I then started researching to find out what had been done, and I became a coaster enthusiast that day. So given that story, you won't be surprised to hear that this was my favorite video that you have put out so far. I've been waiting for this one. Thank you!
Fiesta Texas has been my home park for a long time... I remember being so excited when I finally met the height requirement for the Rattler, and loving it!! Now I realize that that was only because I was small enough to not be absolutely destroyed by it... (My last (and i DO mean last) ride on Judge Roy Scream proved this.) It took a while after Iron Rattler opened for me to finally get the guts to ride it for the first time, but I can certainly say I'm glad I finally did a few years back!! It's truly a masterful homage to what once was, as well as one of the best, most thrilling rides I have been on yet!! Definitely an example of the successful renovation and re-imagination of something that had simply lived far past its expiration date. I remember when I first heard of this ride, being absolutely astounded that something made of wood had an inversion... I honestly thought it impossible until that point!!
I've ridden both iterations of the ride. The original rattler was painful for me and unenjoyable. The iron rattler is leaps and bounds better and smooth.
As frequent Fiesta Texas visitors, my family were able to feel the ride aging as the years went on XD I never rode it, but every year you could feel the load station itself rumble more and more XD Towards the end of the original Rattler's life, my Dad actually ended up injuring his neck further. I did ride the Iron Rattler when it first came out, and it was spectacular. It still wasn't enough to shatter my fear of coasters, but it is a damn good ride.
I remember riding the old coaster in my teens. It was a very rough ride compared to astroworld's coaster, the cyclone. I haven't ridden the revised version.
It's honestly kinda wild to see a park actually successfully de-construct a major section of the ride and it still being still rideable. I feel like 6 Flags is one of the companies to show genuine quality and care when making their rides
I remember going on the original opening day Rattler and it was fast and really really forceful on the body from the G forces. I later went on the "defanged" Rattler years later and it was like being on a whole different coaster that was extremely rough and just not as enjoyable to ride. The new Iron Rattler is a dream to ride on and it's super smooth throughout the entire trip.
Hm, are those original trains the same as the Texas Cyclone ones? Also I feel like RCCA was probably a good indication of why the original was so rough, seeing as they would go on to do Son of a Beast lol
I rode the Rattler it's first year with the large drop. I was very sore afterwards as it slammed you from side to side. It looked great and I imagine the way it is now is better but it was one of the most painful ride experiences of my life.
I would love to see an Expedition RCCA series. Rattler, Son of Beast, Bandit, Coaster Express, Magnus Colossus... It's amazing how they were able to build less than 10 coasters, and have them all suffer from such big problems.
I can't wait for it to be safe to go to fiesta texas again. Though I've only ridden it a few times, the iron rattler has always been one of my favorites.
I rode it before the remodel and didn’t care for it much but now every time I go back to Fiesta Texas it’s the first ride I get on! It’s such a thrilling ride.
I remember when we moved to San Antonio when I was around 5 from Nashville so my dad could work there. Both my dad and stepmom worked there for years and even got married at the park.
It cannot be understated that RMC is the true hero in this story. The record for Tallest Wooden Coaster has only made literal cursed attractions. Rides that become rougher and rougher, lose general public excitement, and are costly to refurbish. The roller coaster can meet one of two fates. Removal or Renovation Texas Giant, Mean Streak, Rattler, and Son of Beast all suffered the curse.
I’m always excited when one of these things is something I’m familiar with. I never did get to ride The Rattler because when we lived near Fiesta Texas I was too small. I did always see it, though, and think it looked really impressive and intimidating up on that quarry wall. I also have a vivid memory of watching it sway against that quarry wall, but that could just be childish imagination. Even though it’d been changed by the time I would’ve been frequenting the park, that ride still had a reputation for being rough years later.
I got to ride the rattler a year before it closed to be rebuilt by rmc, and I have to say, that drop was very underwhelming. Like the lift hill is long and went slow, but then it's like you only drop maybe 100 feet. It rattled the heck out of me, especially on the helix. But riding the iron rattler it was so freaking smooth!! And it was insanely steep! I didn't like how the seats have you leaning forward though. Fiesta Texas is my home park and I will forever love this place!
Family and I are huge theme park fans and remember riding the rattler when I was a lot younger. I don't remember much about it other than ouch, ouch and more ouch. It was fun, but I had a headache for the rest of the day.
I'm just really glad I got to be apart of the original Rattler experience! That height drop and speed reduction really ruined that ride for me. Thanks a lot, Karen's. One of those, "If you can't stand the heat get out the kitchen" moments. You sissies could've just rode the flying chair carousel and left the coaster alone
Rode the Original Rattler so many times a child, there were several changes made to the tracks over the years i distinctively remember the old and new track. Someone had always said a woman came close to dying and or people broke their backs and or hips ect.. because of this ride. It wasn't called "THE RATTLER" for no reason, it literally left your bones rattling out of your own body.
Great video! I rode Rattler back around 2008, and it was really rough. After riding Iron Rattler in 2017, it became my favorite credit. My former co-worker at SeaWorld SA said Six Flags bought Fiesta Texas because the original owners were drowning in lawsuits. I wasn't sure if this was true... until now.
Gotta say I rode it before and after conversion and I truly missed that hell of a helix the original one had. But even with Texas Giant and more than less I firmly believe that you gotta earn that credit on the wooden coaster list!
I rode this during a company day through my best friend’s mom perhaps even before it was officially opened. It was 1992, but it wasn’t blazing hot so it very well may have been in March. We ended up in the first car, and honestly, I was afraid. It was absolutely brutal. But, those were the good ol’ days.
The Iron Rattler is an excellent roller coaster! The first drop, the terrain and the tunnel are all unique to this roller coaster and make it very exciting. I've ridden Steel Vengeance, the New Texas Giant, Twisted Colossus, Wicked Twister and Twisted Cyclone. The Iron Rattler ranks among the best. I enjoyed your video and the history of this roller coaster. Great job!
What is your favorite RMC? Make sure you subscribe to join the Expedition!
twisted collosus!
good choice!
Probably Wicked Cyclone on a good day. I haven't ridden any of the overseas RMCs though.
Surprised nobody has said Steel Vengeance yet
Untamed
Great episode, i didnt know about a lot of this. The way they shortened that drop was so much like something you'd do in RCT when your extreme rating was too high
Gotta get that score down ha!.
Hey my two favorite coaster UA-camrs in the same comment
Wooden coaster 1 looks too intense for me XD
"Had to change the track to reduce the forces"
My RollerCoaster Tycoon gameplay in a nutshell.
me too
Wooden Roller Coaster 1 looks too intense for me.
Wooden Coaster 1 has crashed!
Can't build Wooden Roller Coaster 1 here. Too high for supports!
Oh, for the year 1992, when it was a joke to say "Leave your six-shooter at home" when going to a theme park.
How the times have changed
@@ExpeditionThemePark For the worse...
@Joseph Nickell You got that right, but according to them, everything is OUR fault. There are a whole lot of people who are getting beyond fed up with their shit.
Joseph Nickell ion know how to feel ab this.......... Feels kinda ✨racist✨
Laurie Penner I’m glad I read your comment because I for real thought he said “leave your 6 year old home” lol.
Dude I will literally watch anything Expedition Theme Park makes I don’t care what it’s about he just finds a way to make anything super interesting.
Thank you!
Haha it’s true! But it helps that he’s so thorough!
Nice pic :)
Dude should become a teacher, he can make calculus interesting
"More than 100 rattler injuries in a 3 month span"
Sounds about right
Soooo what are the numbers for Son Of Beast? Sounds like Rattler is the winner
I was a member of the American Coaster Enthusiasts and rode the Rattler during its first year. At the bottom of the first drop, I thought, "Whoa .. this is WAY wrong!"
At least I bet it didn't BREAK halfway through when you rode it!
I remember going to Fiesta Texas in the first few weeks after it opened. Astroworld was my home park - and EVERYTHING was amazing if you were a kid who wasn’t big enough to ride the Rattler, but I couldn’t waiting until I was big enough. A few years later, I was finally big enough and YEAH - it was VIOLENT. Even as a super healthy kid and teen, it HURT.
I love the Six Flags rides, but being a native Houstonian, I don’t fully trust them… and that old park was just excellent all the way around,
@@ashleymeggan same for me! I had been so excited, but the original Rattler hurt my back and neck so much it scared me away from all roller-coasters for a while.
@amberd9984I'm gay big daddy
@@kenlieck7756I'm gay
Fiesta Texas has always been my home park, and I’ve been countless times as a six flags member. Iron rattler has my #1 spot for a coaster for both sentimental and thrill sealing reasons. As someone who grew up with the original Rattler, and didn’t get the RMC version until I was an adult, I can testify that the old track shook you to your core and that the conversion was a warm welcome for park regulars. Iron Rattler always blows me away, and I never have had a bad ride experience regardless of seat choice! Thanks for doing my park and my coaster justice with this awesome look back!
Thank you!
Man, I remember riding the original configuration of Rattler. I used to joke that you’d need chiropractor at the exit. I do miss an element in the original layout, the fly by the station before hitting the brake run.
Keep a doctor close by!
Yes! I kinda hate they took it out in the RMC conversion. But the shortened the Bowl of Boredom, so that's a plus.
Hahaha Bowl of Boredom! I’d never heard that term but it’s totally appropriate. And the unnecessarily steep bank through that section? I never quite understood that.
@@neilgabbart3967 I think the steep bankings was to pull your mind away from how boring that part was. A nice dropping helix would have been a lot better I think.
@@neilgabbart3967 man, I remember early early UA-cam days. Some fellas snuck on with a burger and when the trip helix came, they pulled them out and enjoyed lunch on the ride ahaha.
Whenever you upload is always a good day
Thanks!
Not for me I’ve been constipated for 3 weeks
Agree
@@theunknown0887 😨
@@dopesandwiches9680 it lasted from June 2020-September 2020 and I’m fine nowadays
San Antonio resident born and raised. I remember when it first opened, was huge. My uncle rode it opening weekend and got whiplash from it.
not surprised!
I’ll second that! It was brutal. Yet we rode it time after time…to be young again!
This was a huge hit of personal nostalgia as I used to work at fiesta texas during the 2013 season and in the fall I was assigned to the turkey leg stand at the ride entrance
i love a turkey leg!
I work at Fiesta Texas now, and I work the store where it exits.
Never went on the original, but went on the Iron Rattler a couple years back, and the first drop, with only lap bars, is absolutely amazing. Definitely worth checking out and is in my top 20 favorite roller coasters, despite it not breaking any records.
I was so sad when they changed it to a harness. Riding it with only a lap bar was the best! I still love the ride though
I turned 10 during the first season of Fiesta Texas and my parents took me and my cousins there for my birthday. I remember coming off the Rattler with a sore neck, but it was fun! Continued to visit the park nearly every summer through 2004. Finally returned last March and Iron Rattler is now in my top 5 coasters. Great video!
Thank you!
That video really pulled at the nostalgia heart strings! I was raised in Austin so every summer included a visit to one or more of the theme parks in the state. I first visited Fiesta Texas in Summer of ‘92 but wasn’t tall enough to ride the Rattler until ‘96 or ‘97.
I can still smell the musty earth and creosote that perfumed the queue line and main building. I especially loved riding at night- the ecstasy of approaching the top of the lift hill and feeling the cool breeze after baking on the hot quarry floor all day and catching a glimpse of the laser light show being projected on the limestone walls near the waterfalls, juxtaposed with the anxiety increasing by the moment as you anticipate your descent into the darkness after cresting the top. First a little dip, then you’re really on your way.
What great memories.
I moved away from the state in 2008 so I haven’t been on either the Iron Rattler or New Texas Giant but this video convinced me that visiting my two favorite wooden coasters with their new clothes needs to be made a priority.
Oh how I remember and loved that first drop before any reprofiles. But "bowl of boredom" was something that I don't miss. Seeing the "Rattler Shake" was something to see as the track and structure shimmied, shook and leaned on some hills.
I'm not a huge fan of a RMC conversion, but I'm sure this one revived the thrills of the Rattler.
Ah yes, just make the lift hill higher at the last second; that surely won’t cause unforeseen consequences.
5Gs sounds rough, but that left and right whipping sounds even worse.
At least the clips of the new Rattler look a lot smoother and the bottom of the first hill more gradual.
Thanks for the video!
Thanks for watching
I remember that originally the park wanted a multiple record breaking coaster but also wanted it to be a "family ride". HAHAHAHAHAHA
I grew up south of San Antonio so I got to go the first year it opened and rode the original profile of Rattler. One thing I never understood is the lack of headrests on this thing. Headrests were added later (possibly after the reprofile of the drop).
I didn't get hurt but what happened when I rode it, the high g-forces forced my head down and then when I tried to fight it and move my head back, my head snapped back because by that point, we were pulling out of the drop. I assume that is what happened to a log of people complaining about neck injuries.
Also, Rattler in it's later years was one of the roughest coasters I've ever ridden, so definitely do not miss it. I do miss the flyby of the station that RMC got rid of, I assume to save on costs?
Exact same thing happened with me, when I rode it the year it opened. I did get injured a bit though, couldn't turn my head for days, and it was painful.
Knew a wooden coaster was gonna be a rougher ride, but that drop and turn beat me up.
I had the same problem. My head got forced down the back and whipped side to side. My girlfriend and I both had sore and stiff necks for the rest of the day. Which kind of sucked because the Rattler was the first thing we did that day. Made the rest of the day unenjoyable. Never rode it again even after the reprofile.
THIS. LOL… that first right turn was always more intense than the drop to me - like your brain was leaving your skull! I loved it, but lol.. it was intense. And it aged like MILK.
"the rattler has lost some of its sting".....shoulda said had lost some of its bite..lol
The Rattler was legendary back in the day. However, La Vibora (Six Flags Over Texas) was the scariest ride growing up in Texas imo.
I rode Iron Rattler 6 times in a row when I went. The headache after the 4th ride was absolutely worth it-- it's one hell of a coaster.
worth it for sure!
I love how you got the headache but still gutted out a couple more consecutive rides lol
He must have had a concussion they should have asked him his name after the 4th ride
“ How Tall Can It Be ? "
That Just Shows How Cedar Point Teases An Record Breaking Coaster.
I never rode The Rattler but I do remember going to Fiesta Texas as a kid back in the 90s before Six Flags owned it and watching other people ride it. It was a neat little park and I got soaked on the river rapids ride. It got chilly enough that evening before the fireworks that a park employee helped my mom wrap plastic shopping bags on my head like a bonnet and around my shoulders like a shawl to help me get warm. 😂
Damn, in Iowa we just fill our quarry’s in with water then say you can’t swim.
From what I understand, the Rattler was really rough when it was NEW. There's a video of the designer John Pierce standing in front of a camera for an interview on the design, and he said something to the effect of: "I was asked by one of the security at the park, 'Mr. Pierce what was your inspiration for this ride?' I told him that it was a fight I had with my wife. The security guard said, 'Mr. Pierce, that had to have been one hell of a fight.'" The Rattler basically beat you up from day one, regardless of the drop. It was just the cherry on top of the ass whoopin' it supposedly gave you. I rode the Rattler in the final years of operation, and the Helix was mostly how it was during the first year; long and boring. You can read War and Peace during the time it took to go through the helix, and you'd probably be less bored. LOL
Hey, I remember your account! And I agree, for as long as I knew, the Rattler beat you to a pulp, especially in that massive helix that feels like it goes on forever. Do you remember when they had the onride photo?
It was extremely rough. I lost a filling on that ride.
Yea it was definitely rough
Great video! My home park is Fiesta Texas, born and raised in Texas. Rode the original Rattler many times. Iron Rattler is absolutely Amazing, and ten times better than the Wooden Rattler.
I had the honor to visit Fiesta 3 weeks after it opened. Rattler was still smooth then. The allure of a "woodie" is the fact that friction rate coefficient between wood (very organic) and expansion rate of flat steel + ride train weight will make 4 a different ride each time. Not to mention rain, and night time rides. Rattler (loosened up) after break in period and tended to run faster. The rock quarry also I'm sure played a part in temperature variances. It truly is a unique & beautiful park! There was lots of Disneyesque love in that part in terms of theming. I dare say that Six Flags didn't ruin it, but closed my beloved AstroWorld. Steel coasters tend to not vary much other than when it rains or weight of the train. There is of coarse "tire material" on hot steel. That's another engineering story. While I enjoyed original version, Iron Rattler knocks it out of the ball park!!!
i lived in San Antonio when they announced they were changing it. Little 11 year old me loved it before and even after it was my favorite thing 🥰 Hope to get back down there next summer so I can ride it again!
I remember riding The Rattler as a kid, and whenever I thought back to it my memory would be of how incredibly aggressive the shaking was. This would have been in the mid to late 90's.
Never been to america, but i will never stop watching these videos. One day, one day i swear.
Thank you and I hope you get to ride these all one day!
I’m SO HAPPY you did this ride. I’m a local to the park (and worked there for a bit too) and I have so many memories of the ride before and after it became iron rattler. As many locals say, og rattler was a total whiplash and you needed a chiropractor after, you were basically done for the day after that.
While the newer one is smoother, I almost.... miss??? The craziness and pain I got from the ride???? I love iron don’t get me wrong but I do miss og, the steeper drop and the inversion right off the bat is so much fun.
It’s sad that by the time I stopped working last year the ride wasn’t as functional as it was. It was down A LOT and I would be managing the games and seeing people complain that it was closed for the day.
Also, very excited to see your SoB video, I’ve only become an enthusiast in the last two years so learning about all the coasters that have been taken down is enjoyable.
i love a good rough wooden coaster!
Although I don't like Six Flags as a company, they're history is interesting and exciting. I'm so excited for more expedition Six Flags!
I rode the Rattler in 2012, and really enjoyed it. Shame you didn't mention the sway that the structure did on the hill up to the helix.
That sway was crazy to see. There's some good footage of it out there
This was my dad's favorite ride on our yearly drives from West Texas to enjoy a modest family vacation in San Antonio. In ~1994/1995, I wanted to join my dad on his favorite coaster, The Rattler (original). I remember at that age feeling like the first drop lasted 30 seconds but then fun after that! Turns out that sitting on the bench-like seat with a single lap bar and seatbelt over both riders, during the first drop my dad looked over and found that I had slid down to the bottom of the car with the seatbelt barely on my forehead. My dad's rattler-fast reflexes allowed him to pull me back up and hold onto me the rest of the ride. I have a fond childhood memory of a shared experience and beginning of my love of coasters with my dad, but that day could have ended in tragedy.
I remember riding the Iron Rattler as my first RMC & being blown away! The first drop is great but it’s the second drop that really makes it! The whole park is a beautiful experience from the location. I’m even more happy to say I have been on it now knowing it’s history ☺️
Same here!
Ah, named after what my bones do whenever I ride a wooden coaster
the best part!
The new Texas giant Is an amazing ride, having been beaten to death by the original, the fact that not only did they find a way to fix the coaster, they also ended up with a completely mindblowing new hybrid coaster! That being said The iron rattler is better! The only thing that the giant has over the rattler is length. The rattler is shorter and since it packs so much intensity in to the entire track it always leaves me wanting more! I love the RMC hybrids!
Now you need to do a video about Mean Streak, just as painful as Rattler and now given new life by RMC.
i will
And just as long too, and boring as well. A lot of those massive woodies in the 90's ended up that way.
Mean streak and the rattle: We are th tallest wooden coasters
Son of beast: IMA END THIS MANS CAREER
Fiesta Texas is my home park! It’s not much but the rattler is definitely one of my favorite roller coasters I’ve ever been on!
Between your accent and the intro music makes your videos a must watch destination.
Thanks for covering Fiesta Texas! I grew up just down the road from San Antonio so I used to go to this park and SeaWorld a lot as a kid. The park's theming was so cool and I really miss how the park was before it went too heavy on Looney Tunes and superhero theming. I haven't been back since 2010 because when I went the original theming was stripped and replaced with TV screens all over the park that played clips from concerts with pop stars and it just felt so lame and not nearly as immersive as it was back when I was a kid.
As for the Rattler, I only ever went on it once before it became the Iron Rattler. It ruined my back for the rest of the day and made riding anything else uncomfortable (even the carousel). I haven't been on the Iron Rattler, but I hope it's better.
I remember riding the old rattler. It was killer and worse than the old texas giant. The new one is worth the trip for sure! Loved this video you always makes topics so interesting
Thank you!
Born and raised in Texas, I remember riding the virginal Rattler. It was a favorite of mine. I remember I rode it a few months before it closed and got bruises from it. I admittedly miss the old design, but I absolutely adore Iron Rattler.
It's weird, I rode the Rattler a lot of times from when I was a kid until it was reborn as the Iron Rattler. I enjoyed it just fine... but I think the RMC was a definite upgrade.
I've gotten to ride this ride as the Iron Rattler. Amazing at night
I remember going to Texas to visit family and we went there and I told my uncle I wanted to ride the rattler and he said “are you sure.?” And I said yes then he asked me again three more times and after riding it and realizing he was trying to stop me he smiled and said “bet you wished you heeded my warning don’t ya?”
haha of course
This was definitely one of the few that truly needed (and thus really benefited) from the "iron horse" treatment, that much is for sure, and when it is up on that top area it's so awesome knowing that and diving back down soon after.
yeah for sure!
At 9 years old, the old Rattler was my first (and, so far, still one of my only ...) 'big' roller coaster. I've always been scared of roller coasters, and it turns out that this was NOT the right one to go on for me ... it traumatized me (but, in hindsight, it really did have some incredible ejector airtime). I felt like my brain was being centrifuged! I want to try more roll,er coasters now, since I've become so obsessed with the theme park and roller coaster community, and I really want to try riding the Iron Rattler once it's safe to go to parks again. I really hope that it'll help me overcome my fear for good, so I can start earning credits! I hope I won't cry this time :D
a risky first choice! Hope you get on some smooth ones soon
I currently work at Fiesta Texas and I work the retail stores in Crackaxle Canyon, so I am often in the Iron Rattler Mercantile where the ride exits. The ride remains to be one of the favorite rides for guests and the line always goes way out of the entrance because of the popularity. I've personally never ridden it, but it remains a staple in the park. I often get guests telling me about how they remember when it was wood. I'm 19, so I was born about 9 years after the park was first opened, but growing up in San Antonio, I grew up visiting Fiesta Texas and SeaWorld SA. The Iron Rattler is iconic for the park and often the first ride everyone runs to when the park opens. This is a very nice video and I really enjoyed it. :)
I rode her twice on the last weekend before they closed for the iron remodel. The second half of the ride, after the big drops was bumpy but it was just the nature of being a wooden coaster.
I never rode it when it still had the original steep drop but I remember seeing it and being scared shitless as a child
Rose the Rattler shortly after it opened. That was a great summer. 1992... went to Disneyland, got home went to visit family in TN, drove from TN to Dallas all night flew to San Antonio and meet up with the family to go to Fiesta Texas. Half asleep all day but dang that was fun. Rode one more time in 94. Yes it was rough but oh so much fun.
I love learning about the history of my home theme park. I never got to ride the rattler but glad that they brought back the height of the first drop in Iron rattler.
I’m riding iron rattler on Thursday, Although it’s not my first rmc, I think it will be my greatest
Have the best time!
I've never ridden an rmc being a 14 year old enthusiast in the UK the only places we really go in the USA is Florida at least iron gwazi is coming lol
Oh man, don't skip Wonder Woman; it is an experience.
Josh plays umm so who’s gonna tell him about seaworld’s Liens
Wonder Woman and iron rattler are tied with how exited I am, I don’t think I’ll like Wonder Woman the most because it has those seatbelt looking over the shoulder restraints but I’m still really exited for it
That first drop looked like it would've been amazing though! Let's get gci to something like this 😂😂😂
You should do a video on The Joker's Revenge (I believe that's what it was called) that was also at Fiesta Texas - I still miss that ride!
I think the ride you’re talking about is Ridlers Revenge
@@cookiecrusher2.090 Nope! Though there is a Riddler's Revenge - at Six Flags Magic Mountain - the ride I'm talking about is definitely The Joker's Revenge.
Ok.I misunderstood
You Are Correct.It’s Called Jokers Revenge
My fav ride of all time. My dad worked on the original construction. Because of this Superman krypton is number 2. Love the video. Entertaining and informative. Great job, and thank you sir.
Omg I have been loving the end-of-episode hypes for the next expedition. Can't wait to hear your take on Son of Beast! As for Rattler, I have no idea how that original first drop was even legal. I surely would have snapped my neck. At least Iron Rattler has a crazy drop that pays homage to the original.
I was fortunate to ride both the Rattler (2008) and Iron Rattler. But the Rattler was terrible. It beat you up horribly. I had no idea it had been converted when I went back in 2016, and I didn't figure out that anything was different until I was on the ride. I was expecting to get beat up again, but I was shocked to find it riding so smooth, and when we went through the inversion, that was obviously not there before. I knew then that it had been changed, and it instantly became my favorite ride ever at the time. I then started researching to find out what had been done, and I became a coaster enthusiast that day. So given that story, you won't be surprised to hear that this was my favorite video that you have put out so far. I've been waiting for this one. Thank you!
As a texan i can confirm that there is alot of german towns one of my favorites is Fredricksburg
Fiesta Texas has been my home park for a long time... I remember being so excited when I finally met the height requirement for the Rattler, and loving it!! Now I realize that that was only because I was small enough to not be absolutely destroyed by it... (My last (and i DO mean last) ride on Judge Roy Scream proved this.) It took a while after Iron Rattler opened for me to finally get the guts to ride it for the first time, but I can certainly say I'm glad I finally did a few years back!! It's truly a masterful homage to what once was, as well as one of the best, most thrilling rides I have been on yet!! Definitely an example of the successful renovation and re-imagination of something that had simply lived far past its expiration date. I remember when I first heard of this ride, being absolutely astounded that something made of wood had an inversion... I honestly thought it impossible until that point!!
Just went on the iron rattler and immediately loved it. But then I got a night ride and it is now my undisputed favorite coaster that I've ever ridden
I've ridden both iterations of the ride. The original rattler was painful for me and unenjoyable. The iron rattler is leaps and bounds better and smooth.
As frequent Fiesta Texas visitors, my family were able to feel the ride aging as the years went on XD
I never rode it, but every year you could feel the load station itself rumble more and more XD
Towards the end of the original Rattler's life, my Dad actually ended up injuring his neck further.
I did ride the Iron Rattler when it first came out, and it was spectacular.
It still wasn't enough to shatter my fear of coasters, but it is a damn good ride.
I remember riding the old coaster in my teens. It was a very rough ride compared to astroworld's coaster, the cyclone. I haven't ridden the revised version.
It's honestly kinda wild to see a park actually successfully de-construct a major section of the ride and it still being still rideable. I feel like 6 Flags is one of the companies to show genuine quality and care when making their rides
I remember going on the original opening day Rattler and it was fast and really really forceful on the body from the G forces. I later went on the "defanged" Rattler years later and it was like being on a whole different coaster that was extremely rough and just not as enjoyable to ride. The new Iron Rattler is a dream to ride on and it's super smooth throughout the entire trip.
Hm, are those original trains the same as the Texas Cyclone ones?
Also I feel like RCCA was probably a good indication of why the original was so rough, seeing as they would go on to do Son of a Beast lol
I rode the Rattler it's first year with the large drop. I was very sore afterwards as it slammed you from side to side. It looked great and I imagine the way it is now is better but it was one of the most painful ride experiences of my life.
Yeppp!
I rode the Rattler in 1992. It was one of the most terrifying woodies I had ever ridden.
I would love to see an Expedition RCCA series. Rattler, Son of Beast, Bandit, Coaster Express, Magnus Colossus... It's amazing how they were able to build less than 10 coasters, and have them all suffer from such big problems.
At least some of those ;)
Just rode this for the first time ever today. Absolutely fantastic ride, second favorite RMC only behind Steel Vengeance
OMG what a cliff hanger! So excited for the next episode!!
13:11 That Is One Beautiful Sunset 😍
I can't wait for it to be safe to go to fiesta texas again. Though I've only ridden it a few times, the iron rattler has always been one of my favorites.
One of my favorite coasters! Iron Rattler is amazing and I’m so lucky to live close by it :) Great video!
Thank you!
I rode it before the remodel and didn’t care for it much but now every time I go back to Fiesta Texas it’s the first ride I get on! It’s such a thrilling ride.
I’m only a first year engineering student but even I know you can’t just change the design and not take into account the new applied forces. Wow
Man you gave me chills with that S.O.B. teaser
I remember when we moved to San Antonio when I was around 5 from Nashville so my dad could work there. Both my dad and stepmom worked there for years and even got married at the park.
Sfft is my home park, the rattler was great, the iron rattler it’s even better
yesss
It cannot be understated that RMC is the true hero in this story. The record for Tallest Wooden Coaster has only made literal cursed attractions. Rides that become rougher and rougher, lose general public excitement, and are costly to refurbish. The roller coaster can meet one of two fates. Removal or Renovation
Texas Giant, Mean Streak, Rattler, and Son of Beast all suffered the curse.
You hear the name RCCA and you just think “disaster”
Roller_coasters_n_stuff Yes. Because they built the infamous Defunct wooden roller coaster Son of Beast at Kings Island in Mason, Ohio, USA.
Just looking at the original Rattler's track closely makes you think something about it isn't right. The wood looks uneven.
Damn I love these. Don't stop doing what you do.
Thank you!
Man i remember riding the wooden rattler and it always gave me the worst headache but it was soooo worth it 😄
I’m always excited when one of these things is something I’m familiar with. I never did get to ride The Rattler because when we lived near Fiesta Texas I was too small. I did always see it, though, and think it looked really impressive and intimidating up on that quarry wall. I also have a vivid memory of watching it sway against that quarry wall, but that could just be childish imagination. Even though it’d been changed by the time I would’ve been frequenting the park, that ride still had a reputation for being rough years later.
I got to ride the rattler a year before it closed to be rebuilt by rmc, and I have to say, that drop was very underwhelming. Like the lift hill is long and went slow, but then it's like you only drop maybe 100 feet. It rattled the heck out of me, especially on the helix. But riding the iron rattler it was so freaking smooth!! And it was insanely steep! I didn't like how the seats have you leaning forward though. Fiesta Texas is my home park and I will forever love this place!
Family and I are huge theme park fans and remember riding the rattler when I was a lot younger. I don't remember much about it other than ouch, ouch and more ouch. It was fun, but I had a headache for the rest of the day.
I'm just really glad I got to be apart of the original Rattler experience! That height drop and speed reduction really ruined that ride for me. Thanks a lot, Karen's. One of those, "If you can't stand the heat get out the kitchen" moments. You sissies could've just rode the flying chair carousel and left the coaster alone
Came back from work to this lovely surprise, good end to the day!
have a good night!
Rode the Original Rattler so many times a child, there were several changes made to the tracks over the years i distinctively remember the old and new track. Someone had always said a woman came close to dying and or people broke their backs and or hips ect.. because of this ride. It wasn't called "THE RATTLER" for no reason, it literally left your bones rattling out of your own body.
That intro gets better every day
Great video! I rode Rattler back around 2008, and it was really rough. After riding Iron Rattler in 2017, it became my favorite credit. My former co-worker at SeaWorld SA said Six Flags bought Fiesta Texas because the original owners were drowning in lawsuits. I wasn't sure if this was true... until now.
Gotta say I rode it before and after conversion and I truly missed that hell of a helix the original one had. But even with Texas Giant and more than less I firmly believe that you gotta earn that credit on the wooden coaster list!
This is one of the massive wooden coasters I wish I have gotten to ride, this and along with Son of Beast
Even the video gave me some g forces when I moved my head back and forth! I really want to ride that someday
I rode this during a company day through my best friend’s mom perhaps even before it was officially opened. It was 1992, but it wasn’t blazing hot so it very well may have been in March. We ended up in the first car, and honestly, I was afraid. It was absolutely brutal. But, those were the good ol’ days.
The Iron Rattler is an excellent roller coaster! The first drop, the terrain and the tunnel are all unique to this roller coaster and make it very exciting. I've ridden Steel Vengeance, the New Texas Giant, Twisted Colossus, Wicked Twister and Twisted Cyclone. The Iron Rattler ranks among the best. I enjoyed your video and the history of this roller coaster. Great job!
Couldn't agree more!
I got to ride this ride before rmc, and it was pretty amazing, despite me being terrified by roller coasters. It was pretty rough and shaky though.