Astroworld was opened on June 1st, 1968. On it’s first weekend it welcomed 50,000 guests. Until October 30th, 2005 many Texans spent their summers there. Here’s what we miss the most about it.
1. Walking Over 610 To The Entrance
After remember what parking lot marker you parked by, putting up the solar reflectors on your dashboard, and cracking a few windows, it was time to make the trek across the freeway from the Astrodome Parking Lot on foot or on one of the train-trams. Crossing over 610 and watching the traffic pass only added to the excitement of spending all day in Astroworld.
2. Taking a Photo In Front of The Entrance Each Summer
Via Dwight Fake
At the beginning of every season me and my family would take a group photo in front of the Globe (until they removed it) and then the front entrance. It was a MUST do EVERY season.
3. Getting Your Season Pass At The Beginning of Summer
Getting your very own Astroworld Season pass card was a rite of passage for many Houstonians. Taking the perfect photo for it was almost as important as taking the perfect photo for your Driver’s License or Passport. It was a big deal especially if you went all the time during summer break.
4. Getting Your Map and Planning Out Your Day
The maps changed a bit over the years as they added and got rid of particular rides.
But regardless of how much it changed, it played the integral role of helping newcomers and regulars alike figure out how to spend their day.
Now, without the park, they live is reminders of our childhood and the rides that helped make our childhoods so awesome in Houston.
5. Losing All Of Your Pocket Change On The Looping Starship
Via Joyrides
One of the first rides everyone HAD to do was the Looping Starship. It wasn’t the craziest ride in the world, but as kids older people liked to scare us in to thinking it would get stuck permanently upside down all the time, or that story about the “kid who fell out once”.
Of course, the only real hazard of riding this ride was losing hats, change, and sunglasses to the protective cage that was above our heads.