Vipère (roller coaster)

Vipère is an upcoming 4th Dimension roller coaster under construction at La Ronde, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Vipère will be the first 4th Dimension coaster to operate in Canada.

Vipère
La Ronde
Coordinates45.523790°N 73.532505°W / 45.523790; -73.532505
StatusUnder construction
Six Flags Magic Mountain
NameGreen Lantern: First Flight
Park sectionDC Universe
Coordinates34.427°N 118.597°W / 34.427; -118.597
StatusRelocated
Opening dateJuly 1, 2011 (2011-07-01)
Closing dateJuly 2017 (2017-07)[1]
Green Lantern: First Flight at Six Flags Magic Mountain at RCDB
Pictures of Green Lantern: First Flight at Six Flags Magic Mountain at RCDB
General statistics
TypeSteel – 4th Dimension
ManufacturerIntamin
DesignerWerner Stengel
ModelBall Coaster – ZacSpin
Height107 ft (33 m)
Length825 ft (251 m)
Speed37 mph (60 km/h)
Inversions0
Height restriction52–77 in (132–196 cm)
Trains5 trains with a single car. Riders are arranged 4 across in 2 rows for a total of 8 riders per train.
Flash Pass available
Single rider line available
Must transfer from wheelchair
Vipère at RCDB
Pictures of Vipère at RCDB

The roller coaster was previously located at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California from 2011 to 2017 where it operated as Green Lantern: First Flight.[2] Manufactured by Intamin, Green Lantern: First Flight was the first ZacSpin model in the United States and the second 4th Dimension coaster at Magic Mountain following X2 from Arrow Dynamics, which opened on January 12, 2002.[3] The coaster also allowed Magic Mountain to reclaim the title from Cedar Point for having the most roller coasters in the world.[4] The coaster was closed abruptly in 2017. Removal of the coaster began in late 2019.

History

Six Flags Magic Mountain (2011–2019)
The Coaster when it operated as Green Lantern at Six Flags Magic Mountain

On October 20, 2010, six days after a leaked video revealed plans for a new roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain, Six Flags officially confirmed that Green Lantern: First Flight would open in spring of 2011.[4][5][6] The new coaster, a ZacSpin model from Intamin, would be the first of its kind in the United States.[5] According to the press release, it was scheduled to be built in a "newly themed section" of the park, later revealed as DC Universe in place of Gotham City Backlot.[5][7][8] Reports surfaced in February 2011 that portions of track had arrived on site.[9]

After delaying the ride's opening multiple times, Six Flags eventually settled on an opening date of July 1, 2011.[10] Park officials clarified that the delays were due to unplanned design changes to the loading station and not because of mechanical issues.[10] Primary construction was completed in May 2011.[11] In addition to Green Lantern's premiere on July 1, other rides in the DC Universe themed area made their debut as well, including The Flash: Speed Force, and Wonder Woman: Lasso of Truth.[3]

The coaster had a mechanical flaw where the trains would reportedly get stuck upside down. As a solution, Green Lantern received modifications to the trains to reduce the spinning. This, however, resulted in unnatural, painful and shaky movements which caused the ride to receive negative reviews from those who experienced the coaster.[1]

After the deadly incident on Inferno at Terra Mítica in Benidorm, Spain on July 7, 2014,[12][13] and because the two rides share several similarities, Six Flags Magic Mountain had ceased running Green Lantern: First Flight pending investigation findings from the European park.[14] A week and a half later, Six Flags Magic Mountain reopened the coaster.

La Ronde (2021–)

In July 2017, the coaster closed unexpectedly for unknown reasons. It remained standing but not operating at the park for two years before Six Flags announced on March 24, 2019, that the coaster would not be reopening.[1] On August 29, 2019, Six Flags announced that Vipère would open for the 2020 season.[15]

Due to the growing concerns of the COVID-19 pandemic, Six Flags announced a suspension of operations across the company on March 13, 2020.[16] This included all operations at La Ronde, including the construction for the new coaster. While the park resumed normal operations on August 3, 2020 (with a soft limited reopening starting July 25, 2020)[17][18], it did not include Vipère as its construction was still on hold. Earlier in April 2020, in order to financially survive the coronavirus pandemic, Six Flags announced measures for the company that would defer capital projects across the company slated for the 2020 season.[19] According to a park representative, the construction work for the new coaster was delayed and Vipère is expected to open for the 2021 season[20]

Ride
Vipère when at Magic Mountain

Vipère is an Intamin ZacSpin roller coaster where riders zig zag along a 825-foot (251 m) track at speeds of up to 37 miles per hour (60 km/h). Riders flip head over heels several times throughout the ride in a somewhat uncontrolled manner, but due to the way the ride vehicles are loaded, it sometimes didn't flip at all.[2][21] The ride has the same layout as Insane at Gröna Lund in Sweden.

Vipère is similar to X2, which is also a 4th Dimension roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain that opened in 2002. The difference between the two roller coasters was based on the spinning or rotation of the vehicle. On Vipère, the rotation of the vehicle is controlled by the unequal gravitational pull on different sides of the rotational axis. This uncontrolled spinning results in a slightly different ride experience every time.

Theme

When located at Magic Mountain, Green Lantern: First Flight was themed to the DC Comics superhero, Green Lantern. Its opening was preceded by Green Lantern at Six Flags Great Adventure as well as the Green Lantern film. The ride's name also appears as a title for a DC Animated Universe film, Green Lantern: First Flight.

Each of the ride's five cars are themed to throwing-stars. The entrance of the ride was marked by a 10-foot (3.0 m)-tall lantern icon that glowed green at night.[10] The Green Lantern battery was located at the entrance of the ride.[22]

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gollark: I just compiled a Rust program, see.
gollark: Oh, it needs proc, how annoying.
gollark: I AM INSTALLING RUST, MUAHAHAHA.

References
  1. "Six Flags Magic Mountain to scrap 'one of the worst coasters ever'". Santa Cruz Sentinel. March 26, 2019.
  2. Marden, Duane. "Green Lantern  (Six Flags Magic Mountain)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved October 21, 2010.
  3. MacDonald, Brady (June 30, 2011). "Review: Green Lantern coaster delivers a kick at Six Flags Magic Mountain". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 1, 2011.
  4. "Six Flags Magic Mountain Recaptures Coveted World Record of More Coasters than Any Other Theme Park on the Planet!". Six Flags Entertainment Corporation. October 20, 2010. Archived from the original on May 29, 2011. Retrieved May 29, 2011.
  5. Sim, Nick (October 21, 2010). "Video, images: Six Flags Magic Mountain reveals further details of 2011 rollercoasters". Theme Park Tourist. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
  6. Scollins, Mike (October 20, 2010). "Magic Mountain: More Coasters Than Any Other Theme Park ON THE PLANET!". Six Flags Blog. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved October 21, 2010.
  7. Siruss, Kevin (July 2, 2011). "Review - Green Lantern: First Flight rollercoaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain". Theme Park Tourist. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
  8. Luca, Andrei (May 13, 2011). "DC Universe Update At Six Flags Magic Mountain". The Coaster Guy. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  9. MacDonald, Brady (February 4, 2011). "Green Lantern roller coaster arrives at Six Flags Magic Mountain". Los Angeles Times.
  10. MacDonald, Brady (June 2, 2011). "Six Flags Magic Mountain pushes back debut of Green Lantern coaster". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  11. Dahlin, Kurt (May 19, 2011). "Green Lantern Track Construction Complete At Six Flags Magic Mountain". The Coaster Guy. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  12. Couzens, Gerard (July 7, 2014). "Teenager killed after being thrown from roller-coaster called Hell at Benidorm theme park". Mirror.com. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
  13. Gander, Kashmira (July 7, 2014). "'British' teenager dies after 'falling from rollercoaster' at the Terra Mitica in Benidorm". Independent.uk. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
  14. "Green Lantern Closed As Precaution After Tragedy In Spain". The Coaster Guy. July 8, 2014. Retrieved July 9, 2014.
  15. "Canada's First Ever Free-Fly Roller Coaster to Open at La Ronde in 2020". August 29, 2019. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  16. "BRIEF-Six Flags Entertainment Says Made Decision To Delay Opening Or Temporarily Suspend Operations For Certain Parks In Response To Coronavirus Outbreak". March 13, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  17. "Coronavirus: La Ronde officially opens its doors to season-pass holders". July 24, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  18. "La Ronde opens its doors to season-pass holders this weekend, with health and safety precautions in place". July 25, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  19. Smith, Rich (April 8, 2020). "Six Flags Suspends Dividend, Withdraws Guidance". NASDAQ.com. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  20. https://www.narcity.com/nouvelles/ca/qc/montreal/le-nouveau-mange-vipre-la-ronde-ouvrira-seulement-en-2021
  21. MacDonald, Brady (October 19, 2010). "Six Flags Magic Mountain aims to reclaim coaster crown with Green Lantern in 2011". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 21, 2010.
  22. Six Flags Magic Mountain (June 2, 2011). "Six Flags Magic Mountain's Photos – Wall Photos". Facebook. Retrieved June 3, 2011.
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