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Park Hoppin In association with Park Hoppin’with Susan Storey M
y favorite horror movie is ‘Poltergeist’ from 1982. I can quote the entire movie, a strange talent for sure. In
2018 when Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights featured a Poltergeist-themed haunted house, I thought I had died and gone to horror heaven. (Hopefully not buried in the Freeling’s backyard, of course). This month, I was really excited to experience the Poltergeist roller coaster at Six Flags Fiesta
Texas in San Antonio. Built in 1999 by Premier Rides, the ‘spaghetti bowl’ has been a park favorite for many years. One of five Premier LIM catapult coasters in the United States, Poltergeist has become a park classic that provides thrills each season. It features an incredible LIM launch and exciting cobra roll, sidewinder and corkscrew elements. In other words, it’s practically perfect. In 2021, the spirit inspired (haunted?) Park President Jeffrey Seibert to
give the beloved ride a spooky facelift. The previous, plain outdoor queue was transformed, and a Victorian-style manor added. Guests now meander through the grounds of the haunted home – around statues, mausoleums, a garage complete with classic car, a hedge maze of sorts, and more – before entering the seemingly abandoned, furnished house itself. Every detail, including an eerie soundtrack and surprise elements throughout, set the stage to prepare everyone for an encounter with the poltergeist himself. He is ready to both welcome and frighten unsuspecting guests. I love how the park describes the house ghost, stating, “P. Vincent
Bartholemay is there to capture your shivering spirit and whisk you away to swirl frantically through the sky together…FOREVER!”. In other words, you won’t ride alone. Those details lead to the ride itself. Complete with an all-new eerie green colour that screams ectoplasm, the Poltergeist hauntingly glows against the night sky.
I had two spooky encounters with Poltergeist. The first was during a tour
of the creepily beautiful new queue followed by a trek of exploration under the green track. They say everything is different at night, but the daytime opportunity to see every tiny detail up close – yes, I touched the fuzzy wallpaper – and to learn the ghostly backstory was like touring a theme park haunted house with the lights on. You take in as much as you can knowing later it will be too dark, and you will be too scared, to notice. Standing under the ride was a dream come true, and luckily Bartholemay
was sleeping late, allowing several of us to stand, sit, and stare at the intricate web of coaster track. Each moment only made me more excited; I was ready to ride! My turn came later, fittingly enough, under the glow of a full moon. It was
like Steven Spielberg himself set the stage for me. Creepy sky, excited energy from the park’s Fright Fest event, and an almost beckoning call from the manor’s exterior’s gargoyle guardians. As soon as I sat in the coaster car, complete with airbrushed art of the
Poltergeist himself, I was ready to go. The incredible launch went from 0 to 60 miles per hour almost instantly, and up and out we went. Coaster aficionados and enthusiasts often argue about which seats provide the best ride experience – front, back, middle, left, right. I am consistent though – the front row is always my favorite. Poltergeist did not disappoint; the green track shone as we flew around, up, and down under the dark sky with the shimmering moon. We returned from the screaming sky flight safely, and I’m fairly sure Bartholemay did not follow me home. Creative storytelling combined with unique rides create long-lasting
memories. Each of us remembers a different detail or is delighted by an element others miss. Poltergeist at Six Flags Fiesta Texas created a new coaster memory for me, forever entwined with a tale I think even Craig T. Nelson would be proud of.
OCTOBER 2022
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