Viper (Six Flags Great America) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Viper |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
An aerial photo of a train on Viper's lift hill, as seen prior to the addition of Hurricane Harbor.
|
|
| Six Flags Great America | |
| Location | Six Flags Great America |
| Park section | Southwest Territory |
| Coordinates | 42°22′05″N 87°56′14″W / 42.36806°N 87.93722°W |
| Status | Open |
| Opening date | April 29, 1995 |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Wood |
| Manufacturer | Six Flags |
| Designer | Six Flags |
| Track layout | Coney Island Cyclone (mirror image) |
| Lift/launch system | Chain lift hill |
| Height | 100 ft (30 m) |
| Drop | 80 ft (24 m) |
| Length | 3,458 ft (1,054 m) |
| Speed | 50 mph (80 km/h) |
| Inversions | 0 |
| Duration | 1:45 |
| Max vertical angle | 53° |
| Capacity | 1000 riders per hour |
| G-force | 3.6 |
| Height restriction | 48 in (122 cm) |
| Trains | 2 trains with 5 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 3 rows for a total of 30 riders per train. |
 Flash Pass Available |
|
 Must transfer from wheelchair |
|
| Viper at RCDB | |
Viper is an exciting wooden roller coaster at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois. It first opened in 1995. Viper is special because it's a copy, or clone, of the famous Coney Island Cyclone roller coaster. It's also the only roller coaster that Six Flags built themselves! While there are other coasters named Viper, this one is unique because it's the only wooden one. Rygiel Construction helped build this amazing ride.
Contents
About the Viper Roller Coaster
Over the years, the line for Viper has changed a lot. This was to make room for other cool attractions. For example, the giant Raging Bull coaster was built nearby. Also, the entrance to the Hurricane Harbor water park is now right next to it. Many people say that Viper gives a much smoother ride than the original Cyclone.
When Viper first opened, it was part of an area called Hometown Square. But in 1996, a new area called Southwest Territory was created. Viper became a main attraction there, along with Raging Bull.
On May 24, 2013, the park announced something super cool! Viper would run backwards for a short time during that year. This was a first for Viper! Two other coasters, Batman: The Ride and American Eagle, also offered backward rides.
Your Viper Ride Experience
Riders get on Viper from the Southwest Territory area of the park. You'll walk through an outdoor line that goes under parts of the Raging Bull coaster. Then, you'll enter the station and get ready to board!
Getting on the Ride
Viper uses special trains made by PTC. Each train can hold 30 passengers. There are five cars, and each car has three benches. Six riders can sit in each car. These trains are similar to the ones on American Eagle. But for Viper, they are painted green to look like a snake!
The Exciting Layout
Once you leave the station, the train makes a small left turn. Then it goes straight for a bit before another left turn. After that, you'll start climbing the tall, 100-foot-tall (30 m) lift hill.
At the very top, get ready for the first big drop! The track plunges down at a steep 53-degree angle. You can reach speeds between 50 and 55 miles per hour (80 and 88 km/h)! The exact speed can change depending on the weather or how many people are on the ride.
Next, the train goes up into a right-hand turn. This leads to a sharp second drop. Then you'll go over another hill and through a left-hand turn. This second turn has a "double down" part, where you drop twice quickly into the wooden structure. The ride then goes back and forth again. After the final turn, the train hits the brake run, bringing your thrilling ride to an end.
Viper's overall design is a mirror image of the Coney Island Cyclone. However, the path to the lift hill is longer on Viper. Also, the final turn leads straight into the brake run and then the station. The second turn on Viper also goes up gradually before leading into that exciting double-down drop.
