The Joker (Six Flags Discovery Kingdom)

The Joker is a steel roller coaster at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo, California. The ride opened on May 29, 2016, as a rebuild of former wooden roller coaster Roar, adding a new steel track on top of Roar's wooden support structure. This hybrid configuration was implemented by Rocky Mountain Construction and is themed to the Joker, a comic book character villain featured in DC Comics publications.[1][2] The original Roar roller coaster was constructed by Great Coasters International and opened in 1999.[3]

The Joker
Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
Location	Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
Park section	DC Universe
Coordinates	38°08′17″N 122°13′58″W
Status	Operating
Soft opening date	May 25, 2016 (2016-05-25)
Opening date	May 29, 2016 (2016-05-29)
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
The Joker at RCDB Pictures of The Joker at RCDB

History

Roar was a roller coaster at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom constructed by Great Coasters International. When it debuted on May 14, 1999, Roar was the park's first wooden roller coaster and one of its first rides overall during the transition of adding amusement park rides to the marine mammal park. The coaster featured a height of 94 feet (29 m), a first drop of 85 feet (26 m) and a top speed of 50 mph (80 km/h).[4]

In July 2015, Six Flags announced that Roar at Discovery Kingdom would be closing on August 16, 2015. Several weeks later on September 3, 2015, plans were revealed to convert the ride into a steel-tracked coaster called The Joker for the 2016 season. The renovation would be performed by Rocky Mountain Construction using the company's patented I-Box steel track technology on all of the original wooden coaster supports. The roller coaster would also receive new trains themed to the Joker comic book character and would feature three inversions, including a new element marketed as a “step-up under-flip inverted roll”.[1]

Based on the success of previous roller coaster conversions in its partnership with Rocky Mountain Construction, Six Flags anticipated that Roar would benefit from the overhaul and transition into The Joker.[5] Discovery Kingdom held a soft opening, a media preview event for The Joker, on May 25, 2016.[6] The roller coaster was well-received and opened for Memorial Day Weekend on May 29, 2016.[6][7]

Characteristics

Roar in 2009

The table below compares the original Roar, with the updated Joker ride. The original ride by the Great Coasters International was an approximately 94 feet (29 m) tall and the length of 3,291 feet (1,003 m). The refurbished ride by Rocky Mountain Construction features a steeper and taller coaster, thus achieving a faster speed.

Statistic	Roar[8]	The Joker[9]
Years	1999–2015	2016
Manufacturer	Great Coasters International	Rocky Mountain Construction
Designer	Mike Boodley	Alan Schilke
Track	Wood	Steel
Height	94.6 ft or 28.8 m	100 ft or 30 m
Drop	85 ft or 26 m
Length	3,291 ft or 1,003 m	3,200 ft or 980 m
Speed	50 mph or 80 km/h	53 mph or 85 km/h
Inversions	0	3
Max vertical angle	45°	78°
Trains	Great Coasters International	Rocky Mountain Construction

Ride experience

The Joker's trains are themed to the character widely known in the Batman comics. Each train has six cars, each seating four people with two across in two rows, for a total capacity of 24 riders per train. As the train departs the station, it enters several small 'bunny hills' and turns, reminiscent of pre-lift elements on Twisted Colossus. The train will then ascend up its first hill of 100 feet (30 m), followed by a curved drop at 78 degrees – re-profiled as a steeper drop from the original Roar coaster. It accelerates to a maximum speed of 53 mph (85 km/h) before entering the "step-up under-flip inverted roll" element.

After turning left out of the inversion, the train goes up a hill into a 180-degree stall featuring several head chopper beams. A wave turn element and several air time hills follow, along with an over-banked turn and two camel back hills. The track winds sharply through another over-banked turn before entering the final inversion, a barrel roll. Finally, the train undergoes another banked turn and airtime hill before reaching the final brake run and returning to the station.

References

1. MacDonald, Brady (September 3, 2015). "Six Flags unveils new attractions for every park in 2016". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 4, 2015.
2. Glidden, John (September 3, 2015). "'The Joker' roller coaster set to open next year". Vallejo Times Herald. Retrieved September 4, 2015.
3. MacDonald, Brady (September 3, 2015). "Meet the latest contender for best new roller coaster of 2016". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 4, 2015.
4. "Great Coasters International trains". Great Coasters International. Retrieved 2015-09-04.
5. Miller, Keith (2013). "New Rides & Attractions 2013 - Wooden Coasters". Funworld Magazine. IAAPA. Retrieved September 4, 2015.
6. Sestito, Maria (May 27, 2016). "The Joker doesn't disappoint roller coaster enthusiasts". Napa Valley Register. Retrieved May 28, 2016.
7. "The Maniacal, Twisted New Coaster, The Joker, Makes Its Highly-Anticipated Debut at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom". Six Flags. May 25, 2016. Retrieved May 28, 2016.
8. Marden, Duane. "Roar". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved September 5, 2015.
9. Marden, Duane. "Joker  (Six Flags Discovery Kingdom)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved September 5, 2015.

External links

• Joker - Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (Vallejo, California, USA)