As rumors suggested, Six Flags Fiesta Texas’ Rattler will be getting quite an upgrade for 2013. Like the Texas Giant that became the New Texas Giant, the park’s terrain wooden roller coaster Rattler will become Iron Rattler thanks to Rocky Mountain Group’s steel Iron Horse track system. The most notable difference in this makeover will be Iron Rattler’s barrel roll meaning that this hybrid steel-wooden coaster will have a loop.
I had seen a lot of potential in Rattler when I rode it last year, but it was so rough that I gave it a 5.0 (Average) out of 10. I’d have to say that this re-invention of the ride has the potential to push it to a 9 or even a 10. Rocky Mountain Construction’s also giving us an exciting looking ride in Outlaw Run at Silver Dollar City. Hopefully, the success of these two coasters next year will spur on more and more of these hybrid coasters. As I loved the New Texas Giant and again I could really see the potential in Rattler. Read my Rattler review.
Here’s a video of Iron Rattler at Six Flags Fiesta Texas:
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August 31, 2012 at 15:22
I hope those aren't the official train designs. it looks like crap.
August 31, 2012 at 15:48
I also didnt like the train design I think they are trying maybe a little too hard to be creative with the trains. Its too much in my opinion.
Aside from that the ride looks fantastic! I hope they have more to add after the quarry wall entrance.
September 4, 2012 at 01:05
If they have that rattle snake sound effect going during that tunnel it'd be really cool. Almost bringing the ride to life in a small way. At the same time, I'm not a big fan of snakes, but I'm probably the biggest fan of tunnels. Tricky…
September 4, 2012 at 12:19
I also dislike the train design, some streamlined trains with a snake skin apperaence and maybe a 'hood orament' of a rattlesnake would be enough.
But other then that the ride looks amazing, and is if I am correct the frst coaster to gain an inversion that didn't start with one, which isn't as notable as bing the first hybrid coaster to have an inversion, but considering that at least two (Son of Beast and Steel Phantom) went from having inverts to not having one, it's a change of pace that I do like. I never got to ride the old Rattler (or go to the state of Texas for the matter), but this, New Texas Giant and the other good rides there make me want to go someday,
August 31, 2012 at 17:12
Believe it or not, I actually predicted this would happen a month ago when they announced Rattler was giving its last ride. Here's where I predicted it: http://themeparkrides.org/rattler-rampage-and-son…
August 31, 2012 at 19:58
You weren't the first. This has been suspected since last year.
September 4, 2012 at 00:58
Good call Dillon!
August 31, 2012 at 20:09
this looks ridiculously fun… I really want Cedar Fair to give the same treatment to mean streak.
August 31, 2012 at 23:37
If this rides as well as it looks, it will get an 11 or 12 out of 10.
September 1, 2012 at 22:09
I have concerns about the OTSR on the trains. Rattler needs to make its riders comfortable; it will be a very restrictive ride with the OTSR. I DO NOT want to hurt on this smoother ride. But, it still may be uncomfortable. I would do away with the upside element in exchange for a simple lap bar.
September 2, 2012 at 08:54
Wait, who said anything about OTSR? Tons of coasters can go upside down with just lap bars these days.
September 3, 2012 at 23:31
When they say upgrade… how much of the old Rattler will remain?
Do they keep most of the supports and just upgrade the track while adding all those extra overbanked turns?
The old Rattler has a helix which doesn't appear to be in the new Rattler.
I was just curious how much of it will be kept and how much of it will be a new ride.
September 4, 2012 at 01:01
I survived that lengthy and painful helix last summer. And you're right, it looks gone. From what I can tell, that's the part that's been removed and re-done completely. The rest of the layout looks the same to me.
September 9, 2012 at 00:26
The Helix on the Rattler was super pointless, it made the ride unique though. I think Rattler had an amazing first drop on the old one, and if they smoothen it out with this and add an inversion, this could be a top ten coaster no doubt. Some thing I will say though is now SFFT does not have a wooden coaster, and every single major coaster has a loop. Poltergueist, Goliath, Superman, Boomerang, and Now Iron Rattler. There are two things to look into now for the park, a real wooden coaster, and another non looping coaster. If you like coasters but don't like going upsidedown, you will half to ride Pandemonium and Road Runner Express over and over again.
November 15, 2012 at 03:47
I seriously hope those trains are not gonna be like that in the real ride because of the barrel roll that does not look very safe or like it's gonna be smooth because woodies that have trains like that tend to be very rough indeed.