The Old Dark Ride That Made Six Flags Over Georgia Special: Tales of the Okefenokee

Six Flags Gets Its First Dark Ride

The founder of Six Flags, Angus G. Wynne, was inspired to build a theme park of his own after a visit to the recently opened Disneyland. Shortly after in 1961, Wynne debuted his brand-new park, Six Flags Over Texas, impressing local guests with nice theming and a family-friendly atmosphere.

The flagship Six Flags park took a magical turn in 1964 with the addition of its latest attraction, Speelunker’s Cave. Guests immediately fell in love with the cute yet creepy boat ride that ventured through the underground caves of a big-eyed alien society.

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Six Flags Goes East

Six Flags Over Texas, though still a young theme park, had been successful enough that Wynne settled on building a second Six Flags park—this time, on the East Coast. In 1965, Wynne purchased 3,000 acres of land on the outskirts of Atlanta for $5 million, dedicating nearly a tenth of the property for his next attraction. In a few years, the site in Austell, Georgia, would be the location of the Southeast’s newest theme park.

Wynne had many plans for what would become Six Flags Over Georgia. The park’s identity would be very similar to that of Six Flags Over Texas, featuring comparable attractions such as a mine train coaster, a riverboat ride, a train ride, a log flume, and many other classic offerings.

A Creative Ride to Keep the New Park Afloat

Following the positive reception of Speelunker’s Cave at Six Flags Over Texas, Wynne wanted to bring a similar kid-friendly boat ride to his upcoming theme park, Six Flags Over Georgia.

The beloved Speelunker’s Cave set the framework for what was to come at the Georgia-based theme park. Speelunker’s Cave had a relatively local theme—considering that caves were being discovered around Texas at the time. The imminent boat ride at Six Flags Over Georgia too would have a somewhat locally inspired story to fit within the concept of Six Flags.

Just like the initial Texas park, Six Flags Over Georgia had six themed lands based on the six different flags that at some point in history have had control within the state. One of the themed lands, disappointingly set to the Confederate States of America, was the future site of Six Flags’ next legendary indoor boat ride, with a price tag of $360,000.

The concept of the upcoming ride was centered around the Br’er Rabbit stories as published by Georgia-based author Joel Chandler Harris. Those connections plus its ties to Georgia’s Okefenokee Swamp gave the ride its local-leaning focus that fit within the concept of Six Flags.

Six Flags once again partnered with the established Arrow Development to manufacture an indoor boat ride system. The creatives at Six Flags worked on the ride’s story and various scenes that brought the folklore to life.

Within two short years, Six Flags Over Georgia was developed, constructed, and ready for the public by the summer of 1967. Waiting in the middle of the hilly and tree-covered destination was the park’s only dark ride, and certainly its most distinctive: Tales of the Okefenokee.