Medusa (Six Flags Great Adventure)

Roller coaster in the United States
Watch the on-ride POV
Medusa
Medusa in 2008
Six Flags Great Adventure
Location Jackson, New Jersey, USA
Status Operating since April 2, 1999
Cost $15,000,000 USD
Statistics
Manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard
Product Floorless Coaster (Medusa)
Type Steel - Floorless
Riders per train 32
Hourly capacity 1,350
Propulsion Chain lift hill
Height 142 feet
Drop 132 feet
Top speed 61 mph
Length 3985 feet
Inversions 7
Duration 2:20
HELP

Medusa, formerly known as Bizarro, is a Bolliger & Mabillard steel roller coaster located at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey, USA. It is a prototype Floorless Coaster by Bolliger & Mabillard. The ride debuted in 1999 as the world's first floorless roller coaster. In 2009, an on-board soundtrack with movie quotes and special effects were added and the coaster was renamed Bizarro. Then in 2013, the on-board soundtrack was removed and replaced with two extra seats in the back row, thus restoring the capacity to 32.

Scream! at Six Flags Magic Mountain is a clone of this ride, with a mirror image layout.

History

Construction of Medusa began towards the end of the 1998 summer season with land clearing taking place.[1]

Medusa was part of a $42 million expansion at Six Flags Great Adventure and was one of three roller coasters introduced in the expansion.[2] The ride officially opened on April 2, 1999 as the first floorless roller coaster in the world.

On October 23, 2008, Six Flags announced that Medusa would be re-designed for the 2009 operating season with a new name, Bizarro.[3] On April 1, 2009, Six Flags officially announced the details of Bizarro. Although no changes were made to the layout, a new theme highlighting the Bizarro World counterpart of Superman, Bizarro, was added. The track was repainted blue with dark purple supports and multiple special effects were added such as rings in the shape of Bizarro's backwards S shield that the train passes through, and flame effects. The three trains also received on-board audio, composed of a montage of movie quotes (including those not from DC.) Six Flags introduced an "alternate reality game" to market the re-themed ride, depicting Jimmy Olsen's reports on the Daily Planet's blog about Bizarro attacking. Bizarro opened on May 23, 2009, at the start of Memorial Day weekend.[1]

The ride's original name was restored for the 2022 season. This refurbishment also included a repaint. A single rider line was added that same year.[4]

Design

Elements

Trains

3 trains with 8 cars per train. In each car, riders are arranged 4 across in a single row, for a total of 32 riders per train.

Images

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Medusa". GreatAdventureHistory.
  2. "Six Flags Officials Unveil $42 Million 1999 Expansion Plan For Great Adventure". Ultimate Rollercoaster.
  3. "Six Flags Great Adventure To Enhance World's First Floorless Looping Coaster". Ultimate Rollercoaster.
  4. "Six Flags Great Adventure brings back Medusa and other changes for 2022".

External links

  • Medusa on the Roller Coaster DataBase.


Articles on Six Flags Great Adventure