Key Information
The Texas Giant reopened to the public on April 22, 2011, having undergone an extensive, $10 million overhaul during over eighteen months out of action. This included the installation of an all-new steel track, as well as a breathtakingly steep 79-degree drop.
Although Six Flags Over Texas has left much of the Texas Giant's wooden support structure in place, the new steel track places it into the hybrid wood-steel bracket. The Texas Giant's height has been increased by 10 feet to 153 feet, with the coaster hitting a top speed of 65 miles per hour following the first drop. In total, some 4,700 feet of new track were added during the renovation work.
The Texas Giant opened in 1990 and was the tallest and fastest wooden rollercoaster in the world at the time. However, it subsequently suffered from frequent complaints by riders that it offers an violent, painful ride. The latest re-work is the second time the Texas Giant has been renovated, following a previous update ten years earlier. The cost of the renovation is greater than the original $5.5 million construction cost for the coaster, even when adjusted for inflation.