Viper

Viper at Six Flags Great America

The Facts: Viper is another great example (see The Beast) of a park building a coaster in-house…and it being awesome. She’s certainly not young either, racking in at 15 years old. Viper stands 100’ with a drop only 20’ short of her full height, and with a top speed of 50 mph, she snakes around her 3,458 feet of track in just 1 minute and 45 seconds.

As I walked up to this coaster, I saw the old Viper logo. My experience with Viper is from Magic Mountain, and the stories I heard of the old Togo at Great Adventure. Neither are pleasant allusions. I had heard this was a good ride, but I wasn’t sure if the person who said so was being sarcastic, and I was never big on cyclone coasters.

What I Like: This coaster exceeds expectations. You walk over and you see a 15 year old cyclone. So it’s 100 feet tall? Big deal. Yeah, you say that until you’re holding on for dear life on one of the best paced coasters I’ve been on. Not only that, but it has some serious air time on any sort of hill it touches. It really feels like a cyclone! On top of it all, it’s aging excellently and therefore doesn’t leave you with that nasty headache some cyclones (I’m looking at you, Six Flags New England!) are prone to. And finally, that first drop… Even in the front, you can’t tell where you’re going. Awesome.

What I Don’t Like: They tried to bank. They really did. But it was 1995, Arrow was going strong, and all the good old woodies didn’t bank, so why should Six Flags? Well, it’s not terrible, but those side wheels screeching over I think the fourth turn around…clearly something is amiss. Also, these are PTC trains we are talking about here. Don’t sit anywhere but the front. Unless you want a headache.

Tips & Tricks: I have only visited Great America once, but I can tell you that I know a thing or two about PTC trains, which Viper uses. Always ride in the very front. Always. Ride in the very back if you have a crush on your chiropractor, and ride in the middle if you like being bored, or hate lines that much. Also, you will get wild, painfully insane air in the 3rd seat. This ride is no exception.

Ranking: #7 for Wood, #13 overall.

Smoothness: 4.5/5
If it was rough, I failed to notice. I know there was some places where the banking could have been better, and there were rough patches, but I was so into it that I failed to notice.
Forces: 5/5
This thing just drags you and tosses you around like its personal ragdoll. What's the point of a seat when you're never on it? :)
Pacing: 5/5
It didn't slow down until we were in the brakes. As I mentioned, you're thrown everywhere and you have no time to catch your breath.
Drop/Launch: 5/5
Even in the front, you can't tell if you're taking the track to the left or right until you're already plummeting, stomach in your throat. This ride doesn't miss a beat.
Enjoyability: 5/5
From start to finish, this coaster is non-stop fun. Definitely a five.
Layout: 4/5
Sadly, it IS a cyclone clone, so I had to take a point off for that. It still has the layout that'll rip you from your seat, though, so it still maintains a four.