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| Manufacturer | Arrow Dynamics | ||||||||||||||
| Product | Custom Looping Coaster | ||||||||||||||
| Designer / calculations | Ron Toomer | ||||||||||||||
| Type | Steel | ||||||||||||||
| Riders per train | 28 | ||||||||||||||
| Hourly capacity | 1700 | ||||||||||||||
| Propulsion | Chain lift hill | ||||||||||||||
| Height | 188 feet | ||||||||||||||
| Drop | 171 feet | ||||||||||||||
| Top speed | 70 mph | ||||||||||||||
| Length | 3830 feet | ||||||||||||||
| Inversions | 7 | ||||||||||||||
| Duration | 2:30 | ||||||||||||||
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Viper is a steel roller coaster located at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California, USA. The ride is the only remaining roller coaster built by Arrow Dynamics with seven inversions. It opened on April 7, 1990 as the tallest and fastest looping roller coaster in the world.
History
In November 1989, Six Flags Magic Mountain announced that Viper would be added to the park.[1] Construction of the ride began that year and was completed in early 1990. Viper opened to the public on April 7, 1990.[2] When it opened, it was the world's fastest looping roller coaster, at 70 mph. It lost this record when Steel Phantom at Kennywood opened in 1991 with a speed of 80 mph, but Viper reclaimed the record when Steel Phantom closed in 2000. It was the last of the three seven-inversion roller coasters from Arrow Dynamics to open, following Great American Scream Machine (opened 1989, closed 2010) at Six Flags Great Adventure and ShockWave (opened 1988, closed 2002) at Six Flags Great America, and is the only one still operating.
In August 2018, Viper closed for an extended refurbishment.[3] On December 22, 2018, Viper reopened with new modifications. These modifications included improved trackwork and softer over-the-shoulder harnesses as opposed to the hard and rubber ones.[4]
Design
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Ride experience
Shortly after rolling out of the station, the train ascends a 188 foot tall chain lift hill. At the top, riders drop 171 feet to the left, reaching a max speed of 70 mph. Next, the train flips into a 144 foot tall vertical loop, followed by some trim brakes. Riders make a left turn and head into two more vertical loops, one being 90 feet and the other being 62 feet. These vertical loops are followed by the block brake. The train dives slowly into a few turns and approaches a batwing. After this, riders hit a 40 foot tall double corkscrew. The train moves through a straight section of track before making a right turn. This is followed by the final brake run, leading to a right turn back to the station.
Color scheme
Viper has red track and white supports.
Trains
3 trains with 7 cars per train. In each car, riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows, for a total of 28 riders per train.
Appearances
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. 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 Six Flags Magic Mountain.
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.
Images
Entrance to Viper
The batwing element in 2007
The batwing element
The train about to drop
Viper's layout
The old restraints on Viper
The first loop
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_batwing.jpg)
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_layout.jpg)
_2009_01.jpg)
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References
- ↑ "SHORT TAKES : Ultimate Scream Machine' Due". https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-11-07-ca-1220-story.html.
- ↑ "The coaster builders are on a roll". The San Bernardino County Sun. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57256314/viper-six-flags-magic-mountain/.
- ↑ "Six Flags Magic Mountain Update – August 15th 2018". Coaster Kings. https://www.thecoasterkings.com/six-flags-magic-mountain-update-august-15th-2018/.
- ↑ "Viper is Now Open! | Six Flags Magic Mountain". Theme Park Obsession. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUOWB2ZcfBg.
External links
- Viper on the Roller Coaster DataBase.
| Most inversions on a roller coaster (7) tied with Goudurix Great American Scream Machine Kumba ShockWave April 1990 - May 1995 | ||
| Preceded by Vortex |
Most inversions on a roller coaster (7) tied with Goudurix Great American Scream Machine Kumba ShockWave April 1990 - May 1995 |
Succeeded by Dragon Khan |
