Green Lantern: First Flight (Six Flags Magic Mountain)

Green Lantern: First Flight
Six Flags Magic Mountain
Park section DC Universe
Coordinates 34°25′31″N 118°36′00″W / 34.425290°N 118.599888°W / 34.425290; -118.599888Coordinates: 34°25′31″N 118°36′00″W / 34.425290°N 118.599888°W / 34.425290; -118.599888
Status Operating
Opening date July 1, 2011 (2011-07-01)[1][2]
General statistics
Type Steel – 4th Dimension
Manufacturer Intamin
Designer Ing.-Büro Stengel GmbH
Model Ball Coaster – ZacSpin
Height 107 ft (33 m)
Length 825 ft (251 m)
Speed 37 mph (60 km/h)
Inversions 0
Duration 2:00
Height restriction 52–77 in (132–196 cm)
Trains 5 trains with 2 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 8 riders per train.
Flash Pass available
Single rider line available
Must transfer from wheelchair
Green Lantern: First Flight at RCDB
Pictures of Green Lantern: First Flight at RCDB

Green Lantern: First Flight is the second 4th Dimension steel roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia in California. The ride opened to the public on Friday, July 1, 2011, just in time for the 4th of July holiday weekend.[1][2] Green Lantern: First Flight's opening followed that of Road Runner Express and the transformed Superman: Escape from Krypton earlier in the year ranking Six Flags Magic Mountain as the theme park with the most roller coasters in the world.[3] The ride is an Intamin 'ZacSpin'[4] and is the first of its kind in the United States.[5]

History

Green Lantern: First Flight was officially announced on October 20, 2010, six days after a video was leaked announcing several new experiences for Six Flags Magic Mountain in 2011.[3][6][7] On February 4, 2011, the Los Angeles Times reported the track for Green Lantern: First Flight had arrived on site at Six Flags Magic Mountain.[8] In early May 2011, the park closed down the area that will feature Green Lantern, Gotham City Backlot, and the rides located in the section, so they can retheme the theme area to DC Universe and also to focus on building the coaster.[9][10]

After the deadly incident on Inferno at Terra Mítica in Benidorm, Spain on July 7, 2014,[11][12] 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.[13] A week and a half later, Six Flags Magic Mountain reopened the coaster.

Debut

On June 2, 2011, Six Flags Magic Mountain stated on their Facebook page, "Green Lantern: First Flight will make its much-anticipated debut Friday, July 1, just in time for the July 4 holiday weekend."[1] On the same day the Los Angeles Times reported,"This is the second time the park have pushed back the opening day (a Memorial Day Weekend opening and a June 18 opening) to an July 1 opening. The reason towards the July 1 opening is not caused by mechanical issues but rather last-minute design changes to the coaster's loading station."[14] Following the completion of the roller coaster construction in May 2011, Green Lantern: First Flight was tested and then the commercial was filmed on June 29, 2011. On July 1, 2011, Green Lantern: First Flight opened in addition to the DC Universe themed area and its rides Batman: The Ride, The Flash: Speed Force, and Wonder Woman: Lasso of Truth.[2]

Ride

Green Lantern: First Flight is identical to Insane at Gröna Lund (pictured).

Green Lantern: First Flight 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 can 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 doesn't flip at all.[4][15] The ride has the same layout as Insane at Gröna Lund in Sweden.

Green Lantern: First Flight is similar to X², another 4th Dimension roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain. The difference between the two lies in the spinning or rotation of the vehicle. On Green Lantern: First Flight 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 different ride experience every time.

Theme

As the name suggests, Green Lantern: First Flight is themed to the DC Comics superhero, Green Lantern. Its opening follows that of a stand-up roller coaster of the same name at Six Flags Great Adventure as well as the Green Lantern movie.

Each of the ride's five cars are themed to throwing-stars. The entrance of the ride is marked by a 10-foot (3.0 m)-tall lantern icon that glows green at night.[1][14] The Green Lantern battery will also be located at the entrance of the ride.[16]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Six Flags Magic Mountain (June 2, 2011). "Six Flags Magic Mountain's Photos – Wall Photos". Facebook. Retrieved June 3, 2011.
  2. 1 2 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.
  3. 1 2 Scollins, Mike (October 20, 2010). "Magic Mountain: More Coasters Than Any Other Theme Park ON THE PLANET!". Six Flags Blog. Retrieved October 21, 2010.
  4. 1 2 Marden, Duane. "Green Lantern  (Six Flags Magic Mountain)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved October 21, 2010.
  5. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Roller Coaster Search Results  (ZacSpin roller coasters)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved July 1, 2011.
  6. ↑ Hart, Lance (October 14, 2010). "Six Flags Magic Mountain". Screamscape. Retrieved October 21, 2010.
  7. ↑ "Six Flags Entertainment Corporation Investor Meeting Presentation". Six Flags. November 4, 2010. Retrieved November 7, 2010.
  8. ↑ MacDonald, Brady (February 4, 2011). "Green Lantern roller coaster arrives at Six Flags Magic Mountain". Los Angeles Times.
  9. ↑ Luca, Andrei (May 13, 2011). "DC Universe Update At Six Flags Magic Mountain". The Coaster Guy. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  10. ↑ Luca, Andrei (May 1, 2011). "DC Universe Transformation Begins At Six Flags Magic Mountain". The Coaster Guy. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  11. ↑ Couzens, Gerard (7 July 2014). "Teenager killed after being thrown from roller-coaster called Hell at Benidorm theme park". Mirror.com. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
  12. ↑ Gander, Kashmira (7 July 2014). "'British' teenager dies after 'falling from rollercoaster' at the Terra Mitica in Benidorm". Independent.uk. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
  13. ↑ "Green Lantern Closed As Precaution After Tragedy In Spain". The Coaster Guy. 8 July 2014. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
  14. 1 2 MacDonald, Brady (June 2, 2011). "Six Flags Magic Mountain pushes back debut of Green Lantern coaster". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 3, 2011.
  15. ↑ 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.
  16. ↑ Six Flags Magic Mountain (June 2, 2011). "Six Flags Magic Mountain's Photos – Wall Photos". Facebook. Retrieved June 3, 2011.
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