The Joker (S&S Worldwide) facts for kids

The Joker
The Joker at Six Flags Over Texas
Six Flags Great Adventure
Park section	Lakefront
Status	Operating
Opening date	May 28, 2016
Six Flags Great America
Park section	Yankee Harbor
Status	Operating
Opening date	May 27, 2017
Six Flags Over Texas
Park section	Gotham City
Status	Operating
Opening date	May 20, 2017
Six Flags New England
Park section	Gotham City
Status	Operating
Opening date	May 27, 2017
General statistics
Type	Steel – 4th Dimension – Wing Coaster
Manufacturer	S&S – Sansei Technologies
Designer	Alan Schilke
Model	4D Free Spin
Lift/launch system	Chain lift hill
Height	120 ft (37 m)
Drop	54 ft (16 m)
Length	1,019 ft (311 m)
Speed	38 mph (61 km/h)
Inversions	6 (2 track inversions)
Capacity	720 riders per hour
Height restriction	48 in (122 cm)
Trains	5 trains with a single car. Riders are arranged 4 across in 2 rows for a total of 8 riders per train.
Flash Pass available
Single rider line available

The Joker is the name of four exciting spinning roller coasters. You can find them at four different Six Flags amusement parks across the United States. These parks are Six Flags Great Adventure, Six Flags Great America, Six Flags Over Texas, and Six Flags New England.

These awesome steel rides were built by S&S – Sansei Technologies. This is an American company that makes rides. Each "The Joker" coaster is a special type called a "Free Spin" model. Six Flags started adding these rides to their parks in 2016.

On these coasters, riders go back and forth in a zig-zag pattern. They also flip head over heels up to six times! The ride feels a bit wild and uncontrolled. Six Flags decided to build more of these rides after their first one, Batman: The Ride, was a big hit in 2015. That ride is at Six Flags Fiesta Texas.

History of The Joker Coasters

The Joker at Six Flags New England

The first "The Joker" coaster was planned for Six Flags Great Adventure. When it was first announced in September 2015, it was going to be called Total Mayhem.

But on January 27, 2016, Six Flags Great Adventure changed the name. They decided to name the coaster after the famous DC Comics villain, Joker. This new name meant the park had seven coasters based on DC Comics characters. That's more than any other Six Flags park!

Later, on September 1, 2016, Six Flags made another announcement. They said that three more parks would get "The Joker" roller coaster. These parks were Six Flags Great America, Six Flags New England, and Six Flags Over Texas. All three opened for the 2017 season.

A Stormy Opening at Six Flags Over Texas

The night before "The Joker" opened at Six Flags Over Texas, there was a special event. Only people invited to the event could ride the coaster. On May 20, 2017, a storm with strong winds hit the area.

Because of the wind, the ride stopped while eight people were on it. The storm got worse, so the park called for help. Emergency services came to rescue the riders. The rescue took over three hours. Each person had to be brought down individually from the 120-foot-tall ride in the storm.

Luckily, no one was hurt during the rescue. The park closed the coaster the next day to check everything for safety. "The Joker" reopened safely on May 21, just one day later.

Experience The Joker Ride

Joker at Six Flags Great Adventure under construction

Riding "The Joker" is an exciting adventure! It starts with a climb up a 120-foot tall vertical hill. Then, you zoom over hills, flipping forward many times. Next, you drop down a steep "raven drop."

After that, the ride changes direction, and you flip backward! You spin into another raven drop, going backward again. The ride ends with a final forward flip.

The coaster uses special magnets to make the cars spin freely. How much they spin can change based on things like gravity and how much the riders weigh. The park can even adjust how much the cars spin. This helps them make sure the ride is fun for everyone.

All four "The Joker" coasters were designed by S&S. The actual track parts were made by a company called Rocky Mountain Construction.

The Joker's Theme and Look

As you might guess from the name, "The Joker" roller coasters are all about the DC Comics supervillain, Joker.

Each park's "The Joker" ride has a slightly different look:

• At Six Flags Great Adventure, the ride's supports (the big poles holding it up) are all black.
• At Six Flags Great America, Six Flags New England, and Six Flags Over Texas, the supports are purple and green. They stand side-by-side.
• The coasters at Six Flags Great America and Six Flags Over Texas have two "Joker" signs. These signs face away from each other.
• The rides at Six Flags Great Adventure and Six Flags New England have only one "Joker" sign.

Where to Find The Joker Coasters

Here's a quick look at where each "The Joker" coaster is located and when it opened: