Viper (Six Flags Magic Mountain)
| Viper | |
|---|---|
 Viper, from X's queue. X2's lift hill is in the foreground. | |
| Six Flags Magic Mountain | |
| Park section | Baja Ridge |
| Coordinates | 34°25′15″N 118°35′43″W / 34.42083°N 118.59528°WCoordinates: 34°25′15″N 118°35′43″W / 34.42083°N 118.59528°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | April 7, 1990 |
| Cost | $8,000,000 USD |
| Replaced | Condor |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Steel |
| Manufacturer | Arrow Dynamics |
| Designer | Arrow Dynamics |
| Model | Custom Looping Coaster |
| Lift/launch system | Chain lift hill |
| Height | 188 ft (57 m) |
| Drop | 171 ft (52 m) |
| Length | 3,830 ft (1,170 m) |
| Speed | 70 mph (110 km/h) |
| Inversions | 7 |
| Duration | 2:30 |
| Max vertical angle | 55° |
| Capacity | 1700 riders per hour |
| G-force | 4.1 |
| Height restriction | 54 in (137 cm) |
| Trains | 3 trains with 7 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 28 riders per train. |
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Viper at RCDB Pictures of Viper at RCDB | |
Viper is a steel roller coaster manufactured by Arrow Dynamics of the United States. The roller coaster is located in the Baja Ridge area of Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California. Viper is the last of the 7-looper roller coasters built by Arrow Dynamics to remain operating. The other two were, Shockwave at Six Flags Great America and the Great American Scream Machine at Six Flags Great Adventure, were demolished in 2002 and 2010, respectively. The roller coaster replaced a HUSS ride type named Condor. in 2018, the coaster closed because Six Flags was getting a new operating system on the attraction.
Record holding
When Viper opened in 1990, it was the tallest and fastest looping coaster in the world. Its speed record was eclipsed the following year by Steel Phantom at Kennywood, which opened in 1991 with a top speed of 80 miles per hour (130 km/h), but it regained the speed record in 2000 when Steel Phantom closed. The height record for the tallest vertical loop was until 2000 with the opening of Superman Krypton Coaster at Six Flags Fiesta Texas. Steel Vengeance at Cedar Point became the new record holder with a lift height of 205 feet (62 m).[1]
Ride experience
Upon exiting the station, the train immediately begins climbing the 188-foot (57 m) lift hill. At the top, the train curves into the 171-foot (52 m) drop and enters a 140-foot (43 m) tall vertical loop. The train then makes a sharp left, entering two vertical loops and climbing into the mid-course brake run, followed by a zig-zag into a Boomerang element, where it goes through a half-corkscrew followed by a half loop. Next, the train goes up into another half loop and half corkscrew so that it returns in the opposite direction. Riders are photographed by an on-ride camera in the middle of this element. Riders then make a right turn and immediately enter a double-corkscrew, followed by a flat track with two turns before hitting a final brake run and turning into the station.
Cinema
Viper was featured in the 1992 film Encino Man, in which it was referred to as "Vaper". Viper also made appearances in the 1993 film True Romance and the 2000 film Space Cowboys, as well as in commercials for Toyota and Cheetos.
Viper was featured in a 1993 episode of Beverly Hills, 90210, "She Came in Through the Bathroom Window", in which the cast goes to Magic Mountain on Senior Skip Day and Andrea conquers her fear of roller coasters. In 2012, it appeared in Glee's Big Brother episode when the cast rides it during their visit to the park on senior ditch day.[2] The song "Up, Up, Up" is sung over the experience.
References
- ↑ "China's Lewa Adventure Prepares Record-Breaking Mack Coaster For Opening". American Coaster Enthusiasts. Retrieved June 24, 2016.
- ↑ Six Flags Magic Mountain (April 10, 2012). "Six Flags Magic Mountain has a cameo appearance ..." Facebook. Retrieved April 10, 2012.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Viper (Six Flags Magic Mountain). |
| Preceded by unknown |
World's tallest roller coaster inversion April 1990–August 1998 |
Succeeded by Volcano, The Blast Coaster |