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For other coasters of the same name, see Viper (disambiguation).

Viper was a steel roller coaster located in Frontier Adventures at Six Flags Great Adventure. It was manufactured by TOGO, and opened in June 1995. One of the park's most infamously troublesome coasters, the ride was closed for many different technical reasons throughout it's operation, very similarly to Batman & Robin: The Chiller. Viper was even considered to some enthusiasts as one of the worst roller coasters in the world.[1]

It was left SBNO throughout the entire 2001 season and was planned to be removed, even going as far as being removed from the website, park map, and guides. Originally, Six Flags Great Adventure's 2002 attraction was intended to be a direct replacement of Viper, but Six Flags later decided against it, and the ride received modifications to the track and restraints and reopened on March 29, 2002. After two more seasons, it closed in September 2004 to make way for El Toro.[1]

History[]

Conception[]

In 1990, Six Flags Great Adventure had five roller coasters, but due to the ride rotation program and the purchase of Batman: The Ride, the park was down to only three by the end of 1992. Batman's opening brought the park back up to four coasters in 1993. At that point a decision was made to buy a new coaster to get the park's coaster count back to five.[1]

Ultra Twister, the ride that had previously been in the spot of where Viper eventually went, had been located to Six Flags AstroWorld in 1990, and had seen massive popularity at its new home. Because of this, the ride's manufacturer, TOGO, was chosen to manufacture a similar attraction as a sort of "spiritual successor" to Ultra Twister that would also tie in thematically to the new Frontier Adventures section of the park.[1] After Six Flags viewed a prototype sit-down coaster at TOGO International's testing facility in Ohio, they decided to buy the model as is.

Initially the new coaster was supposed to be themed after the Oscar-winning 1992 film Unforgiven, but market research done by Six Flags had deemed that the R-rated film was too dark of a theme for a generally family-friendly theme park. So in place, they went with Viper as the main theme, a giant snake that lives in the Southwestern desert.[1]

Construction[]

Viperconstruction1-sfgadv

Construction of some of Viper's queue elements.

Construction of Viper began in September 1994, and concluded in April 1995. Prep work for the ride began at the end of the 1994 season, clearing the remnants of Ultra Twister. One small structure which had been part of the Ultra Twister’s infrastructure was left in place near the ride entrance, and the steel building was clad in rustic wood siding to fit the area's new theme. The queue was designed to follow along the sidewalks of a ghost town.  The new ghost town buildings built were elaborate set pieces with no real structure behind them. The area between the queue and the sidewalk became a southwestern desert, complete with cacti (both real and faux) and aged western props of all kinds.[1]

Vipernewsreleasesfgadv1

The front page of Viper's news release

Announcement[]

"We've created a three-acre fantasy experience. Guests will be transported to an old ghost town where they'll encounter the sights and sounds of the old west, and ultimately discover the venomous VIPER. Like Batman: The Ride and the Right Stuff Mach 1 Adventure, we've created a whole story line for our Guests to follow and enjoy. Anyone can build a ride. At Six Flags, we build fantasy adventures."
―Then-park president Scott Bernstein in the press release for Viper; February 1, 1995On February 1, 1995, Viper was officially announced to the public via a new release. The documents detailed the theme and various statistics for the coaster.[1]

Operation[]

Viper While It Was Standing But Not Operating In 2001

Viper While It Was Standing But Not Operating In 2001

Viper officially opened on June 2, 1995, following a media event the previous day.

In 1996, due to its uncomfortable restraints, Viper's popularity began to fade and as a result, the lines shortened.

In 1998, Viper barely operated as spare parts were hard to obtain due TOGO's financial issues caused by Windjammer Surf Racers's problems.

In 2001, Viper was closed indefinitely throughout the season, being considered "Standing but not operating". Following the closure, Viper was withdrawn from the official website, the park guides, and map. Six Flags planned to remove Viper that year, but it was canceled because Six Flags had failed to find a replacement attraction to fit the land occupied by Viper.

In 2002, after some modifications on the restraints and track, Viper reopened. The ride continued to be rough and the coaster frequently experienced mechanical issues.

In 2004, Viper operated with one train during normal operations. On Labor Day, Six Flags experienced failed attempts of fixing to ride due to the issues. They decided to cut financial losses and permanently shut down the ride.

Experience[]

Queue[]

Guests passed underneath the entrance sign and entered a western-themed desert. This area featured many props, such as a well, cacti, wagons and more. Along the way, guests walked past a village with shade. Between 1997 and 1998, the site was home to a comedy show called The Legend of Venom Gulch, which would entertain guests while waiting in line. This show utilized the set pieces of the ghost town as backdrop and props for the show with a set of steps from the second floor, where actors could enter and exit the stage area. Guests then approached the station, which resembled an abandoned Spanish church complete with buttressed walls, arched windows and a bell tower. After it's closure, the station was reused for El Toro. It featured state-of-the-art technology with a special elevator adjacent to the entrance stairs, making the ride handicapped accessible. The placement of the elevator meant guests with disabilities could then wait on the regular queue line. The train shed featured the exact same exterior as the station. Once guests climbed a set of stairs, they entered the station and boarded the ride.

In 1999, a portion of the original queue line was taken over by Rodeo Stampede, a Breakdance ride by German manufacturer HUSS. The area was no longer needed as the popularity of Viper had significantly plunged.

Layout[]

As the train departed the station, it made a left turn and headed up the 88.6-foot (27.0 m) lift hill. At the top, the train made a left turn, followed by the first drop. After dropping, the train reached a maximum speed of 48 mph (77 km/h) and entered a 65-foot (20 m) dive loop. This is followed by a left turn and a heartline roll inversion. The train then made a left turn into the final brake run before returning to the station.

Gallery[]

Videos[]

Queue photos[]

Layout photos[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Viper at Six Flags Great Adventure. Great Adventure History.

External links[]

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