New Texas Giant
The New Texas Giant is the result of a year-long overhaul of the original Texas Giant wooden coaster, keeping most of the existing supports while introducing all-new track.
Utilizing a new steel track system from Rocky Mountain Construction, the New Texas Giant broke expectations of what types of elements and maneuvers were possible on a wood-structured ride. The New Texas Giant offers extreme airtime and whippy laterals through its numerous steep drops and overbanked turns.
While the New Texas Giant still provides high-speed thrills like the original Texas Giant, the new attraction is silky smooth unlike the rough ride of its predecessor—one of the several reasons it closed.
The changes between the original and New Texas Giant’s first drop are drastic when seen side-by-side
Changes from the Original Texas Giant
As construction progressed, it became obvious they weren’t simply replacing the old track with new. The lift hill was raised 10 feet to a new height of 153 feet. Overbanked turns of up to 115° replaced the old swooping turns. Perhaps most noticeably different was the first drop, re-profiled to have a 79°, near-vertical slope.
Three new tunnels with LED lighting effects and mist gave the finale a new spin and an oil derrick (that occasionally shoots fire) was placed on the interior of the ride. Trains created by coaster manufacturer Gerstlauer were themed to look like classic Cadillacs with longhorns on the “hood,” completing the Texas theme of the ride.
Steel, Wood, or Hybrid?
The distinction of what kind of roller coaster the New Texas Giant actually is has always been a point of contention. Historically coasters have always been classified by their track. Wooden coasters have flat steel rails screwed to layers of wood and steel-wheeled trains that make for a clunky, loud ride with an out-of-control feeling. Steel coasters have steel track (usually tubular) with polymer-coated wheels that allow a smoother, quieter ride.
The key point is that the support material is irrelevant. Gemini, a tubular steel coaster at Cedar Point with wooden supports and a tubular steel track has always been considered a steel coaster. Likewise, numerous wooden coasters have steel support structures but they’re still classified as wood due to their track.
So when the park began marketing the New Texas Giant as having the steepest drop on a wooden roller coaster, several eyebrows raised in the coaster community. In terms of ride experience, the new Giant is certainly closer to a steel coaster than a wooden coaster as well. The “hybrid” description currently used for the Giant seems to have caught on with a number of other coasters given the Rocky Mountain Construction treatment using the same terminology. Regardless of its classification, one thing’s indisputable: the New Texas Giant packs a punch.
First Drop
The red train speed’s down the New Texas Giant’s first drop
First Drop
The front of the train provides great views of the first drop while the back gives a nice pop of airtime
First Drop Comparison
The changes between the original and New Texas Giant’s first drop are drastic when seen side-by-side
First Drop
Not only did the park raise the lift hill by 10 feet for its renovation, it made the first drop considerably steeper
First Drop Closeup
A train rockets down the near-vertical, 79-degree first drop
Overbank #1
The first of three overbanked turns on the New Texas Giant
Overbank #2
The second overbanked turn with the ‘Angus Oil’ derrick in the foreground
Overbanked Turn #2
The New Texas Giant’s second overbanked turn
Lateral G’s
Riders get a good dose of lateral G’s on the second overbanked turn
Station
The New Texas Giant’s station is themed to look like a Texas garage
Ride Layout
Despite maintaining the same basic layout, the New Texas Giant gives a much different experience from its predecessor
Texas Giant Oil Derrick
A large oil derrick named after the park’s founder, Angus G. Wynne, can be found in the middle of the ride occasionally shooting fire from its top
Lift Hill
Riders have little time to prepare as the train quickly rises up the lift hill
Lift Hill Signage
In keeping a classic element from the original ride, the new Giant also features a humorous sign at the lift hill’s crest
Diving Drop
The diving drop after the midcourse brake
Finale
After the third tunnel, a quick on-ride photo is taken before the ride smoothly slows in the magnetic brake run
Finale Airtime
Airtime can be found throughout the ride, even during the finale
Diving Drop
Instead of the double helix around the lift hill, the New Texas Giant propels riders over a banked airtime hill and under the lift
Tunnel #1
The first of three mist-filled tunnels. The first two tunnels also feature LED lighting effects
Train Leaving the Station
Trains themed as 1960s Cadillacs provide an incredibly smooth ride, especially when compared to the prior Texas Giant
Structure
The park retained much of the ride’s wooden structure while incorporating a new steel track system
Texas Giant Stat Comparison
| Ride Type: | Wooden coaster, Steel/Wood hybrid coaster |
| Height: | 143 ft, 153 ft |
| Top Speed: | 62 mph, 65 mph |
| Length: | 4920 feet, unknown |
| Year Introduced: | 1990, 2011 |
| Manufacturer: | Dinn Corporation, RMC |
| Duration: | 2 min |
| Height Requirement: | 48 in. |
| Park Section: | Texas |
| Status: | Operating |
| Flash Pass Enabled: | Yes |
Live Wait Time
New Texas Giant is currently closed.
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Where to Sit?
The back if you want the most intense front drop experience. The front if you want incredibly powerful airtime on some of the other hills (especially the double-up).
New Texas Giant Videos
Watch a introduction for the New Texas Giant below, or watch one of the original commercials that aired on local television around its debut.
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