Viper (Six Flags Great Adventure)

Coordinates: 40°08′20″N 74°26′06″W / 40.139°N 74.435°W / 40.139; -74.435
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Viper
Coordinates
40°08′20″N 74°26′06″W / 40.139°N 74.435°W / 40.139; -74.435
StatusRemoved
Opening dateJune 2, 1995 (1995-06-02)
Closing dateSeptember 6, 2004 (2004-09-06)
Cost$4 million
ReplacedUltra Twister
Replaced byEl Toro
General statistics
TypeSteel
ManufacturerTOGO
ModelMega Coaster
Track layoutTwister
Lift/launch systemChain lift hill
Height88.6 ft (27.0 m)
Length1,670 ft (510 m)
Speed48 mph (77 km/h)
Inversions2
Duration2:24
Height restriction54 in (137 cm)
Trains3 trains with 4 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 16 riders per train.
Viper at RCDB

Viper was a

heartline roll and a unique dive loop element developed specifically for this ride. Following years of maintenance issues, extensive downtime, and low ridership due to roughness, Viper was permanently closed after the 2004 season and demolished the following year. A record-breaking wooden coaster called El Toro
opened in its place in 2006.

History

Following

inline twist maneuver at the top of a vertical loop.[1] Six Flags Great Adventure bought into the concept and hired TOGO to build one in the former location of Ultra Twister.[1]

Time Warner originally wanted the new ride to be based on the 1992 Clint Eastwood film Unforgiven, but the theme didn't perform well during market research.[1] Six Flags ultimately chose the name Viper to pair its snake-like branding with the western-themed Frontiers Adventures.[1] During construction, which began near the end of the 1994 season, officials asked TOGO to install additional steel rings on the lift hill and first drop to enhance its snake-like appearance.[1] Throughout the queue, aged western props and other western-themed elements were added to give it a ghost town appearance.[1][3] A steel structure left behind from the removal of Ultra Twister was covered with a rustic wood frame and placed near Viper's entrance.[1]

Viper opened to the public on June 2, 1995,[3] and cost an estimated $4 million to construct.[4] Despite a warm reception, it was plagued with maintenance issues and extensive downtime over the years.[5] Coupled with ride quality issues and gaining a reputation for being extremely rough, guest satisfaction quickly declined.[5][6] The hourly capacity of the ride also suffered from its confusing boarding and unloading procedure, where guests entered and exited on the same side inside the station.[1] In addition, the combination over-the-shoulder and lap restraint system also proved to be cumbersome, resulting in slow loading times.[1]

In 1998, Viper was closed for most of the season, as Six Flags was having difficulty procuring replacement parts needed for maintenance.[5] Behind the scenes, TOGO was struggling financially from the fallout of the company's highly-unsuccessful Windjammer Surf Racers, which opened at Knott's Berry Farm in 1997.[5][7] The overall track design was also a factor in many of the ride's issues, with joints along the track unable to properly handle the stress from the trains.[1] Sections of track were rewelded often and sometimes replaced altogether.[1]

Following sporadic operation over several years,

Chapter 7 bankruptcy that same year and shuttered their American offices.[9] Six Flags considered removing Viper altogether and replacing it with an attraction from another park, but they were unsuccessful finding one that would properly fit its footprint.[5] They pushed forward with modifications to the trains and track,[5] and the coaster reopened to the public on March 29, 2002.[8] The modifications failed to resolve ongoing issues, however, and Viper was down to one operating train by 2004.[5] That season would prove to be its last, and the roller coaster was demolished in June 2005.[1][5] They kept the station intact and repurposed it for El Toro, a record-breaking and well-received wooden coaster that opened in 2006.[10]

Ride experience

Queue

Guests passed underneath the entrance sign and entered a western-themed desert. This area featured many props, such as a well, cacti, wagons and more. Along the way, guests walked past a village with shade.[1] Between 1997 and 1998, the site was home to a comedy show called The Legend of Venom Gulch, which would entertain guests while waiting in line. This show utilized the set pieces of the ghost town as backdrop and props for the show with a set of steps from the second floor, where actors could enter and exit the stage area.[11] Guests then approached the station, which resembled an abandoned Spanish church complete with buttressed walls, arched windows and a bell tower. It featured state-of-the-art technology with a special elevator adjacent to the entrance stairs, making the ride handicapped accessible. The placement of the elevator meant guests with disabilities could then wait on the regular queue line. The train shed featured the exact same exterior as the station. Once guests climbed a set of stairs, they entered the station and boarded the ride.[1]

In 1999, a portion of the original queue line was taken over by Rodeo Stampede, a Breakdance ride by German manufacturer HUSS. The area was no longer needed as the popularity of Viper had significantly plunged.[1]

Layout

As the train departed the station, it made a left turn and headed up the 88.6-foot (27.0 m) lift hill. At the top, the train made a left turn, followed by the first drop. After dropping, the train reached a maximum speed of 48 mph (77 km/h) and entered a 65-foot (20 m) dive loop.[12] This is followed by a left turn and a heartline roll inversion. The train then made a left turn into the final brake run before returning to the station.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r "Viper At Six Flags Great Adventure". greatadventurehistory.com. Archived from the original on June 10, 2021. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
  2. ^ Martin, Mike (February 14, 2017). "A-Z Coaster of the Week: Ultra Twister". Coaster101. Archived from the original on June 9, 2021. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
  3. ^ a b Kraft, Randy (June 4, 1995). "Viper Roller Coaster Uncoils at Six Flags". The Morning Call. Archived from the original on March 21, 2020. Retrieved June 10, 2021.
  4. ^ "Six Flags parks". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. October 31, 1997. Retrieved January 7, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i "A Blast From The Past – Viper At Six Flags Great Adventure". NewsPlusNotes. September 22, 2011. Archived from the original on June 5, 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2021.
  6. ^ a b "Ride Review: Viper (Six Flags Great Adventure)". The DoD3. December 18, 2013. Archived from the original on June 10, 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2021.
  7. ^ "This Ride Got Jammed". The Coaster Kings. July 4, 2013. Archived from the original on June 9, 2020. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
  8. ^ a b Marden, Duane. "Viper  (Six Flags Great Adventure)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
  9. ^ "Business notebook: Bankruptcies". The Cincinnati Enquirer. March 11, 2001. Retrieved November 17, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "El Toro at Six Flags Great Adventure". greatadventurehistory.com. Archived from the original on June 5, 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2021.
  11. ^ "Legend of Venom Gulch At Six Flags Great Adventure". greatadventurehistory.com. Archived from the original on June 10, 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2021.
  12. ^ "Feel brave enough to ride this coaster?". Daily Record. June 23, 1995. Retrieved June 10, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
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