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°W / 34.42083; -118.59528Coordinates: 34°25′15″N 118°35′43″W / 34.42083°N 118.59528°W / 34.42083; -118.59528
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.
Flash Pass available
Single rider line available
Must transfer from wheelchair
Viper at RCDB Pictures of Viper at RCDB

Viper is a steel roller coaster made 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 three 7-looper roller coasters built by Arrow Dynamics to remain operating. 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.

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). The height record for the vertical loop was surpassed as well several times over the years, and in 2015, Flash at Lewa Adventure became the new record holder with a height exceeding 165 feet (50 m).^[1] In overall height, Viper remained the tallest looping coaster in the world until the opening of Alpengeist in 1997.

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 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, 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

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Viper (Six Flags Magic Mountain).

• Viper POV on YouTube