Viper (Six Flags Magic Mountain)
Viper is a steel roller coaster located in the Baja Ridge area of Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California. Viper is the last operating roller coaster with seven inversions to be built by American manufacturer Arrow Dynamics. The other two, 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.
| Viper | |
|---|---|
 Viper, from X2's queue. X2's lift hill is in the foreground. | |
| Six Flags Magic Mountain | |
| Location | Six Flags Magic Mountain |
| Park section | Baja Ridge |
| Coordinates | 34°25′15″N 118°35′43″W |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | April 7, 1990 |
| Cost | $8,000,000 USD |
| Replaced | Condor |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Steel |
| Manufacturer | Arrow Dynamics |
| Designer | Ron Toomer[1] |
| 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. |
 Flash Pass available | |
 Single rider line available | |
 Must transfer from wheelchair | |
| Viper at RCDB Pictures of Viper at RCDB | |
History
In November 1989, Six Flags Magic Mountain announced that Viper would be added to the park. The ride opened on April 7, 1990.[2]
A week after opening, Viper was shut down. Inspectors found weak links in the 800-foot (240 m) long chain. Instead of replacing the links, a new chain had to be ordered. A trim brake was also installed after the first loop. The ride would reopen a few days later.[3]
In August 2018, Viper closed for an extended refurbishment.[4] On December 22, 2018, Viper reopened to the public with new modifications.
Ride experience
Upon exiting the station, the train immediately begins climbing the 188-foot (57 m) lift hill.[5] At the top, the train curves into the 171-foot (52 m) drop and enters a 144-foot (44 m) vertical loop.[5]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 Batwing 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 which inverts riders twice. The ride leads into a flat section of track followed by an s-curve drop and rise into the final brake run before turning right into the station.
Records
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 lasted until 2000 with the opening of Superman Krypton Coaster at Six Flags Fiesta Texas.[6]
In media
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.[7] The song "Up, Up, Up" is sung over the experience.
The coaster appears in the video game RollerCoaster Tycoon 2 as part of a recreation of the Six Flags Magic Mountain park.
Viper was also featured in Lucifer season 3, episode 25, when the character Dan rides it after being trapped by one of the suspects in that episode.
References
- "Scarier And Scarier". The Miami Herald. August 14, 1994. Retrieved August 27, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- "SHORT TAKES : Ultimate Scream Machine' Due".
- "State Digest: Roller coaster shut down". The Sacramento Bee. April 17, 1990. Retrieved August 27, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Six Flags Magic Mountain Update – August 15th 2018".
- Marden, Duane. "Viper (Six Flags Magic Mountain)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
- "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). |