MD80 CREW HAD HYD FAILURE IN I90 CLASS E AIRSPACE.

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HAD PREPARED CABIN FOR LNDG IN HOU. THEN HAD TO CIRCLE DUE TO TSTMS IN AREA. FLT ATTENDANT #2 CAME FORWARD; SAID SHE'D HEARD A LOUD NOISE IN REAR OF ACFT. HAD NOTIFIED CAPT. CAPT CALLED BACK AND SAID WE'D LOST HYDS ON R SIDE. SAID HE WOULD CALL BACK WITH MORE INFO. LATER CALLED AND TOLD US THAT WE WOULD BE DROPPING THE GEAR MANUALLY AND WOULD BE ABLE TO LAND ALTHOUGH THE GEAR DOORS WOULD BE DOWN. HIS CONCERN WOULD BE IF WE DIDN'T GET A 'GREEN LIGHT' ON THE GEAR. (THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO PULL UP THE FLOORING AND ALSO PREPARE FOR AN EMER LNDG.) LUCKILY; GEAR WAS DOWN AND WE HAD A GREEN LIGHT. THE CAPT MADE AN EXCELLENT PA. I THEN REITERATED WHAT HE SAID; STRESSING THERE MAY BE NOISE AND THAT IT WAS EXPECTED. WE (FLT ATTENDANTS #1; #2 AND #4) WENT THROUGH THE CABIN TO REASSURE PAX. FLT ATTENDANT #4 REBRIEFED EXIT ROW PAX. LANDED AT IAH (LONGER RWY). THEY PINNED THE GEAR. WE WERE TOWED TO GATE. GOOD COM BTWN THE CAPT AND THE CABIN CREW. PA'S WERE MADE TO KEEP PAX INFORMED. OBVIOUSLY WORKED WELL TO ALLAY PAX'S FEARS SINCE THEIR QUESTIONS DEALT WITH HOW THEY WERE GOING TO GET THEIR LUGGAGE; WOULD THEY STILL GO ON TO AUSTIN; HOW MUCH TIME WAS THIS GOING TO TAKE BECAUSE THEY HAD DINNER RESERVATIONS. DID NOT HAVE TO RUN EMER CHKLIST; DID RESEAT SOME PAX WHO WERE NOT NEAR THEIR CHILDREN. (THEY WERE IN FIRST CLASS AND THE KIDS WERE IN COACH.)