Viper (Six Flags Magic Mountain) facts for kids
Viper is an exciting steel roller coaster located at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California. This thrilling ride is famous for its seven inversions, which means it turns you upside down seven times! Viper was built by a company called Arrow Dynamics. It's special because it's the last roller coaster with seven inversions made by this American company that is still running today. Two other similar coasters, Shockwave and Great American Scream Machine, were taken down in 2002 and 2010. Before Viper, a different ride called Condor was in its spot.
Quick facts for kids Viper |
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Viper, from X2's queue. X2's lift hill is in the foreground.
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| Six Flags Magic Mountain | |
| Location | Six Flags Magic Mountain |
| Park section | Baja Ridge |
| Coordinates | 34°25′15″N 118°35′43″W / 34.42083°N 118.59528°W |
| Status | Open |
| Opening date | April 7, 1990 |
| Cost | $8,000,000 USD |
| Replaced | Condor |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Steel |
| Manufacturer | Arrow Dynamics |
| Designer | Ron Toomer |
| 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 |
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 Single rider line available |
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 Must transfer from wheelchair |
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| Viper at RCDB | |
History of Viper
In November 1989, Six Flags Magic Mountain announced that a new roller coaster named Viper would be built. The ride officially opened to the public on April 7, 1990.
Just one week after opening, Viper had to close down. Inspectors found that the long chain used to pull the cars up the hill had some weak spots. A brand new chain had to be ordered and installed. Also, a special brake was added after the first loop to control the speed. The ride was able to reopen just a few days later.
In August 2018, Viper closed again for a longer time. It was getting some important updates and repairs. On December 22, 2018, Viper reopened with these new improvements.
What It's Like to Ride Viper
When your train leaves the station, it immediately starts climbing the tall 188-foot (57 m) lift hill. From the very top, the train curves into a 171-foot (52 m) drop. Then, you plunge into a huge 144-foot (44 m) vertical loop, turning completely upside down.
After that, the train makes a sharp left turn. It goes through two more vertical loops, one right after the other! Next, it climbs up to a section where the brakes slow you down a bit. This is called the mid-course brake run.
The ride then zig-zags into a cool part called a Batwing element. Here, you go through a half-corkscrew, which is like a twist, followed by a half-loop. Then, you go up into another half-loop and another half-corkscrew. This brings you back in the opposite direction. A camera takes your picture in the middle of this part!
Finally, riders make a right turn and immediately enter a double corkscrew. This twists you upside down two more times. The ride then goes over a flat section of track. It finishes with a small drop and rise into the final brake run before turning right back into the station.
Viper's Records
When Viper first opened in 1990, it was a record-breaker! It was the tallest and fastest looping roller coaster in the entire world.
Its speed record was broken the next year by a coaster called Steel Phantom, which opened in 1991. Steel Phantom could go 80 miles per hour (130 km/h). However, Viper got its speed record back in 2000 when Steel Phantom closed down.
Viper's record for the tallest vertical loop lasted until 2000. That's when Superman Krypton Coaster opened and had an even taller loop.
Viper in Movies and TV
Viper has been featured in several movies and TV shows!
- In the 1992 film Encino Man, the roller coaster was called "Vaper."
- It also appeared in the 1993 movie True Romance.
- You can see Viper in the 2000 film Space Cowboys.
- It was even in commercials for Toyota cars and Cheetos snacks.
On TV, Viper was in a 1993 episode of Beverly Hills, 90210. The characters rode it during their "Senior Skip Day" at Magic Mountain. Andrea, one of the characters, even overcame her fear of roller coasters on Viper! In 2012, it appeared in the Glee episode "Big Brother." The cast rode it during their senior ditch day, and the song "Up, Up, Up" played during their ride.
Viper is also in the video game RollerCoaster Tycoon 2. It's part of a recreation of the Six Flags Magic Mountain park in the game.
More recently, Viper was featured in Lucifer season 3, episode 25. The character Dan rides it after being tricked by someone in the episode.
