The Six Flags Magic Mountain (SFMM) Discussion Thread

[screaminkid2005]

See I personally love viper. I've ridden it a few times over the years and I've loved every single ride. I also didn't find the ride to have as much head banging as I thought it would. It was one of my favorites at the park.

[Superbatboy]

Not sure if it applies now, but I too remember in the late 90's different trains would give different types of rides. I remember both the train with the red stripe and the train with the yellow stripe giving rougher rides than the train with the orange and train with the beige stripe.

[Jew]

Have those brakes always been there? As far as i can remember they have been

 

Nope. Ride opened with no trim brakes at all. Was wild crazy and (smooth). No head banging at all. Alas though. With all arrows It doesn't stay that way. I say this with love because for over 20 years viper was my favorite ride. I still remember the first time I turned the corner after climbing the hill toward the parking lot and literally stopping in the lane when I saw it. Wasn't open yet. (2 weeks out). I went every weekend waiting for it to open.

 

The ride was tearing itself apart, so the trims had to be added.

[disney4me2001]

See I personally love viper. I've ridden it a few times over the years and I've loved every single ride. I also didn't find the ride to have as much head banging as I thought it would. It was one of my favorites at the park.

 

'Same here! Viper's actually one of my favorites at SFMM. I always go for the second to last row, and I almost never get headbanging in that row. It's a fun ride in my opinion, especially at night! I've also appreciated how efficiently this one appears to operate compared to other SFMM rides- whenever I'm there, Viper runs 2 trains, and there's minimal stacking. The other advantage being that there's almost never a line for it, so I can usually stay on for as many rides as I want!

[coasterbill]

Viper is one of the best arrow loopers I've ever ridden. It's not on the same level as Tennessee Tornado or even Loch Ness Monster but it's a good coaster and it's actually one of my favorite rides at Magic Mountain.

[Diamondbacker27]

^That actually reminds me of something else. If I'm not mistaken, Nutella once had to pay quite a few people for stating in an advert that eating nutella at breakfast is a healthy way to start your day. Seriously: nobody is allowed to believe that.

I've seen those. They tell people Nutella is healthy. I've seen what that can do to people.

[JeromyL]

I completely understand why they added the trims. I just wish they hadn't had to

[THE ONE]

^ So this is really interesting, that's two people now who have said Backwards Batman isn't that intense at SFMM, yet at SFGam people were saying it was almost TOO intense! What gives? Are people from Chicago just wusses or did they make some sort of change where this version is smoother and less intense than it was in Chicago.

I felt that the one at SFGAm less intense backwards than forwards. The helix after the second loop which I always thought to be really forceful forwards was not intense at all when it was backwards.

 

Batman backwards was definitely less intense than forward at Sfgam, two reasons.

 

One less row of seats, due to the trains position on the platform, thus giving it a zero car in the back = less weight.

 

Softer wheels to slow the train down = less speed. 5 rows had 1 softer wheel on it on each side.

 

I know this because I still know people who work at the park from when I worked at Sfgam!

 

 

Have those brakes always been there? As far as i can remember they have been

 

Nope. Ride opened with no trim brakes at all. Was wild crazy and (smooth). No head banging at all. Alas though. With all arrows It doesn't stay that way. I say this with love because for over 20 years viper was my favorite ride. I still remember the first time I turned the corner after climbing the hill toward the parking lot and literally stopping in the lane when I saw it. Wasn't open yet. (2 weeks out). I went every weekend waiting for it to open.

 

The ride was tearing itself apart, so the trims had to be added.

 

This is what killed the Shockwave at Sfgam. Their was a spot for a set of trim brakes exiting the first loop, but the park never installed them. I can remember almost blacking out on the ride in the second and third loops because of the speed the train was traveling, and that turn into the midcourse brake run was a killer. It has to be one of the most forceful coasters I have ever been on.

[Superbatboy]

I wonder if MM has plans to ever remove Viper. It would be bittersweet for me, growing up as a kid it was THE ride to get on as it was the tallest, fastest, most intimidating ride at MM for a long time. I guess as long as it's inexpensive to maintain (I'd venture to say it's one off MM's most reliable rides it's never been closed out of 100s of times I've been to MM) and it gets decent ridership, they'll hold on to it.

 

I personally think it's MM's most successful ride of all time (I think 1990 is still the record for the highest attendance, or is it '94 or '96? ).

[DJeXeL]

Viper is on borrowed time for sure. How much time? Only the park knows. They have a decent amount of parts for the trains so once that supply dries up and maintaining it becomes expensive, then it will be removed. This is exactly why I ride 2 or 3 times every time I visit as Viper is a pinnacle of engineering for its time.

[singemfrc]

It will be a shame when Viper is removed, it's que and building is one of the very few well themed areas of the park. I always like coming around the corner and seeing the Viper building.

[alilstronger]

I love Viper! That and Tatsu are my favorite coasters at this park. Granted X2 and Scream were down the entire day I was there. I personally love Arrow coasters and yes some are rough but nothing unbearable in my opinion.

[DJeXeL]

^Agreed. Canyon Blaster and Viper are 2 of the smoothest Arrows I've been on. Roughest Arrows in my opinion would be Anaconda @ KD and Vortex @KI.

[EastCoastKid]

I actually really enjoyed Viper when I visited last summer. Rode it twice.

If only it received new paint and new Vekoma trains, it would be even better.

[rustyinpeace]

Viper overal is a stellar experience for me and provides a perfect, well-rounded experience a good coaster should exhibit. I usually take the front row to enjoy those nice snaps on the loops and that airtime before the MCBR. When I go with groups of GPs to the park, I usually try to inflict my love for the ride on them.

[rcoaster10]

Does Viper have the traditional Arrow looper restraints? From pictures they look a little different than the ones on Corkscrew at Cedar Point.

[DJeXeL]

^Yes. Viper and Corkscrew @ CP use the same train/restraint design. Only difference being Corkscrew has 6-car trains whereas Viper has 7.

[Tmcdllr]

Viper is on borrowed time for sure. How much time? Only the park knows. They have a decent amount of parts for the trains so once that supply dries up and maintaining it becomes expensive, then it will be removed. This is exactly why I ride 2 or 3 times every time I visit as Viper is a pinnacle of engineering for its time.

 

Aren't there other companies that make parts for Arrow coasters? If so then as long as it does not demolish itself the park could keep it going for a long time.

[DJeXeL]

^I agree and hope we are both correct however, that hasn't stopped other parks from removing their Arrow loopers.

[CoasterGuy06]

S&S still makes parts for Arrow rides, unless something has changed very recently.

[MFJorts]

I agree with everyone that is saying Viper is still a good ride. I have been impressed with it the past couple times I've visited SFMM, decently intense and fairly smooth, especially given its age. It is much better designed than Vortex at KI, which has some of the most coat-hanger-y transitions I've seen on an arrow. I hope they keep it running for years to come. Although part of me has to laugh at how they kept the same loop sizes and just raised them up super-high in the air. Tennessee Tornado shows that they finally figured things out (Alan Schlike did, at least) but it was too little too late.

[SFMMGeek27]

I am excited to be attending the Batman Backwards Media Day in Friday! Hoping to get plenty of rides in!

[disney4me2001]

Viper is on borrowed time for sure. How much time? Only the park knows. They have a decent amount of parts for the trains so once that supply dries up and maintaining it becomes expensive, then it will be removed. This is exactly why I ride 2 or 3 times every time I visit as Viper is a pinnacle of engineering for its time.

 

Aren't there other companies that make parts for Arrow coasters? If so then as long as it does not demolish itself the park could keep it going for a long time.

 

If I remember correctly, during Q&A at WCB 2011 (it may have been 2010), someone asked if Viper would be removed anytime soon. Their answer ("their" referring to Jay Thomas, Tim Burkhart, and Neil Thurman) was no. But then again, things can always change. I personally don't want to see it removed in the near future, but if/when it does get replaced, I just hope that whatever replaces it can load and operate as efficiently as Viper has.

[Jew]

Viper is on borrowed time for sure. How much time? Only the park knows. They have a decent amount of parts for the trains so once that supply dries up and maintaining it becomes expensive, then it will be removed. This is exactly why I ride 2 or 3 times every time I visit as Viper is a pinnacle of engineering for its time.

 

Aren't there other companies that make parts for Arrow coasters? If so then as long as it does not demolish itself the park could keep it going for a long time.

 

Parts can also be machined if SFMM has the drawings (which Arrow should have given to the park). But I too am under the impression Arrow still makes parts...

 

-Joey

[6flagsbrad]

I just don't like the awkward hand grips on Viper's restraints. What's the "Magic Arrow Seat" again? I want to try it out.