The Odd History of Six Flags’ First Dark Ride: Speelunker’s Cave

A New Attraction, New Characters

Randall Duell was, in large part, responsible for the convincing and well-received atmosphere found around Six Flags Over Texas. His next challenge was to bring to life not only a new attraction, but also an entirely new species.

Introducing: The Speelunkers.

These strange yet cute alien creatures, as the story goes, crash-landed their spaceship on Earth. After failing to repair their only way home, the Speelunkers started a society along the banks of an underground, cavernous river. The Speelunkers, with their pointed ears and oversized eyes, were a tiny, busy bunch, occupying the underground caves with all their activities and work.

Their name, Speelunkers, was a play on the word for the act of exploring caves: “spelunking.”

The story of the Speelunkers was an out-of-this-world concept that made its way into Six Flags’ upcoming addition. The creative project was headed by Duell along with a team of 60 artists, carpenters, electricians, engineers, and special effects technicians.

The attraction, officially named The Cave, would use a slow-paced boat ride system produced by Arrow Development, traversing 600 feet of track through various show scenes featuring 28 animated Speelunker characters.

After a brisk eight-month development period and a $300,000 budget, The Cave opened on June 1, just in time for the summer of 1964.

Upon seeing a relatively nondescript sign simply reading “The Cave,” the ride’s first guests may not have known exactly what they were getting into. But, they would quickly learn what a special, lovable, and memorable ride experience this was—soon to be an integral part of the Six Flags Over Texas lineup.

Riders of the original 1964 version would start by boarding outdoors into round fiberglass bullboats, accommodating up to six people seated on a circular bench in the center. The boats would spin at the mercy of the flowing water. After passing scenic shrubbery outside the cave, the boats would disappear into the dark 3,000-square-foot show building filled with extraterrestrial surprises at every turn.

The Cave was truly a ride for the senses. Once inside, riders were overwhelmed with vibrant fluorescent colors, mystifying lighting effects, and dramatic echoing sounds. Impressive for its time, The Cave had at least 20 audio channels playing on a continuous loop that created an enchanting environment. Drips, howling wind, and much more resonated through the cave thanks to the detailed sound design of Jean Patrick.

WATCH MORE

JOIN TODAY

Inside The Cave

The Cave didn’t have a continuous storyline, but its strange assortment of show scenes was a snapshot of the curious everyday lives of the Speelunkers. Here are many of the highlights.

Riders were first met by a tinkering Speelunker who’s seen chiseling away on a stone tablet. Further down the cave, an organist contributed to the uncanny soundtrack as a small Speelunker helped by pumping the pipe organ.

The boat continued to spiral down the river while Speelunkers were riding on the backs of turtles circling in and out of underground tunnels. The boat, now in the recesses of the cave, passed under two smaller Spees throwing a boulder back and forth to each other over the heads of riders.

From this point, the boat approached a talented band of Spees playing pop music. The river came to an opening in the cave, though it was still shrouded with darkness. As the beat of the band faded away, the roar of a waterfall drowned out all the other noise. The boat ascended a small lift and fell with the turbulence of the overpowering waterfall. In the midst of the intensity, a Speelunker dressed as Benjamin Franklin stood along the banks flying a kite.

The powerful noises calmed as a group of Speelunker harpists up ahead swooned riders with hypnotizing classical music that reverberated throughout. Around the bend, a few dancing Spees livened the mood with their upbeat music before the crash of lightning brought upon some of the more memorable moments of the ride.

Riders then found themselves in the midst of a nighttime storm. The creaking of a sinking wooden ship could be heard as the boat wandered through a sea vessel where some Speelunkers were held as prisoners, and others played cards.

The adventure was nearing an end, but not before a few unforgettable scenes and effects. Nearing the finale, riders drifted through a straightaway tunnel that rotated around the waterway, making the mesmerizing journey, so far, even more disorienting.

Before riders returned to the Texas summer heat, they were blasted with stark yet welcoming crisp wintry air as Spees all around made the most of the surrounding blizzard.

The boat, at last, exited the show building, and riders would then get back to dry land and enjoy the rest of Six Flags Over Texas.

Reception and Updates

The Cave was an instant classic—so much so that guests lovingly or mistakenly gave the ride its unofficial name, Speelunker’s Cave, which would later be the ride’s semi-official name as included on park maps and other promotional materials.

After its first season, The Cave received its first major update: The sign was upgraded with nice thematic rockwork lettering.

Two years after Speelunker’s Cave opened, Six Flags Over Texas decided to upgrade the boats to increase capacity so more guests could enjoy the increasingly popular attraction. The new oval-shaped boats were designed for riders to straddle a bench down the center, which better allowed guests to face forward and look around at all the scenes. The elongated boats would not spin in the current, facing riders forward to see all the scenes and minimizing the chance of nausea caused by the former rotating motion.

Over time, the ride received many other updates—most notably, around 1980, Speelunker’s Cave underwent a major refurbishment that included an entirely new finale. The icy cold blizzard was completely changed and replaced with a new scene with Spees—from the six real-life settlements represented in the park’s six themed lands—all gathered in harmony.

Other updates included new pop songs for a few scenes and general makeovers for many of the Speelunkers.

Aside from a few changes, The Cave would continue as a staple at Six Flags Over Texas. Fans and locals grew a deep connection to the ride, making it a part of what made Six Flags Over Texas so special for years to come.

Generations of kids, families, and friends could call Speelunker’s Cave their own. For some, it’s where they had their first kiss. For others, it’s where they sparked inspiration and adoration for the cuddly Spees. Whatever the reason, millions of theme park guests connected to this dark, musty, and mystical attraction.

No other theme park in the world had Speelunker’s Cave. It was undoubtedly a defining attraction at Six Flags Over Texas.