The Joker (Six Flags Discovery Kingdom) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Joker |
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| Six Flags Discovery Kingdom | |
| Location | Six Flags Discovery Kingdom |
| Park section | DC Universe |
| Coordinates | 38°08′17″N 122°13′58″W / 38.13806°N 122.23278°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Soft opening date | May 25, 2016 |
| Opening date | May 29, 2016 |
| Replaced | Roar |
| General statistics | |
| Manufacturer | Rocky Mountain Construction |
| Designer | Alan Schilke |
| Model | I-Box |
| Track layout | I-Box |
| Lift/launch system | Chain lift hill |
| Height | 100 ft (30 m) |
| Length | 3,200 ft (980 m) |
| Speed | 53 mph (85 km/h) |
| Inversions | 3 |
| Duration | 2:00 |
| Max vertical angle | 78° |
| Trains | 2 trains with 6 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 24 riders per train. |
 Must transfer from wheelchair |
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| The Joker at RCDB | |
The Joker is a thrilling steel roller coaster at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo, California. It opened on May 29, 2016. This ride was built using parts of an older wooden roller coaster called Roar. The new steel track was placed on top of Roar's original wooden supports.
This special mix of steel and wood is called a hybrid roller coaster. It was created by a company named Rocky Mountain Construction. The ride is designed to look like the Joker, a famous villain from DC Comics. The original Roar roller coaster was built by Great Coasters International and first opened in 1999.
History of The Joker Coaster
Roar was a wooden roller coaster at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom. It was built by Great Coasters International. When it opened on May 14, 1999, Roar was the first wooden roller coaster at the park. It was also one of the first big rides added as the park started to include more amusement park attractions. Roar was about 94 feet (29 m) tall. Its first drop was 85 feet (26 m), and it reached speeds of up to 50 mph (80 km/h).
In July 2015, Six Flags announced that Roar at Discovery Kingdom would close on August 16, 2015. A few weeks later, on September 3, 2015, plans were shared to change the ride. It would become a steel-tracked coaster called The Joker for the 2016 season. The company Rocky Mountain Construction did this big change. They used their special I-Box steel track technology on all of the original wooden supports. The roller coaster also got new trains that looked like the Joker character. It would feature three upside-down sections, called inversions. One new move was called a “step-up under-flip inverted roll”.
Six Flags had seen other roller coasters improved by Rocky Mountain Construction. They expected Roar to become even better as The Joker. Discovery Kingdom held a special preview event for The Joker on May 25, 2016. This is called a soft opening. The roller coaster was very popular and officially opened for Memorial Day Weekend on May 29, 2016.
Comparing Roar and The Joker
The table below shows how the original Roar ride compares to the new Joker ride. The first ride, Roar, was built by Great Coasters International. It was about 94 feet (29 m) tall and 3,291 feet (1,003 m) long. The new ride, The Joker, built by Rocky Mountain Construction, is taller and has a steeper drop. This makes it go even faster.
| Fact | Roar | The Joker |
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| Years Running | 1999–2015 | 2016–Present |
| Builder | Great Coasters International | Rocky Mountain Construction |
| Designer | Mike Boodley | Alan Schilke |
| Track Type | Wood | Steel |
| Height | 94.6 ft or 28.8 m | 100 ft or 30 m |
| First Drop | 85 ft or 26 m | Not specified |
| Length | 3,291 ft or 1,003 m | 3,200 ft or 980 m |
| Top Speed | 50 mph or 80 km/h | 53 mph or 85 km/h |
| Inversions (Upside Down) | 0 | 3 |
| Steepest Drop Angle | 45° | 78° |
| Trains | Great Coasters International | Rocky Mountain Construction |
What's the Ride Like?
The Joker's trains are designed to look like the famous character from the Batman comics. Each train has six cars. Each car seats four people, with two people in each of the two rows. This means 24 riders can go on the ride at once.
When the train leaves the station, it goes over several small hills and turns. These are like the starting parts of other roller coasters, such as Twisted Colossus. Then, the train climbs up its first big hill, which is 100 feet (30 m) tall. After that, it drops down a curved hill at a very steep 78-degree angle. This drop is much steeper than the one on the old Roar coaster. The train speeds up to 53 mph (85 km/h). Then it goes into the "step-up under-flip inverted roll," which turns you upside down!
After turning left out of this inversion, the train goes up a hill. It then enters a 180-degree stall, where you feel like you're hanging upside down. There are also some "head chopper" beams that make it feel like you might hit your head (but you won't!). Next, you experience a wave turn and several airtime hills. These hills give you that fun floating feeling. The track then twists sharply through another over-banked turn. You'll also go over two camel back hills. Finally, the train goes through its last inversion, a barrel roll. After one more banked turn and airtime hill, the train slows down and returns to the station.
