Green Lantern: First Flight (roller coaster)

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Green Lantern: First Flight
Six Flags Magic Mountain
LocationSix Flags Magic Mountain
Park sectionDC Universe
Coordinates34°25′32″N 118°36′00″W / 34.4254695°N 118.5999082°W / 34.4254695; -118.5999082
StatusRemoved
Opening dateJuly 1, 2011 (2011-07-01)
Closing dateJuly 2017 (2017-07)[1]
Replaced byWonder Woman Flight of Courage
General statistics
TypeSteel – 4th Dimension – Wing Coaster
ManufacturerIntamin
ModelZacSpin
Lift/launch systemVertical chain lift hill
Height105 ft (32 m)
Length810.4 ft (247.0 m)
Speed34.2 mph (55.0 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.
Must transfer from wheelchair
Green Lantern: First Flight at RCDB

Green Lantern: First Flight was a steel roller coaster formerly located at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California, United States. The ZacSpin model from Intamin was the first of its kind in the US when it opened on July 1, 2011. Its debut allowed Magic Mountain to reclaim its status of having the most roller coasters in the world.[2]

Green Lantern closed abruptly in 2017 and remained inactive until its removal in 2019. It was moved to La Ronde amusement park in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where it was set to reopen as Vipère in 2020. As a result of extended closures and limited park operation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Vipère's opening was indefinitely delayed. In 2022, La Ronde made the decision to cancel the coaster's installation.

History[edit]

Six Flags Magic Mountain (2011–2019)[edit]

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.[2][3][4] The new coaster, a ZacSpin model from Intamin, would be the first of its kind in the United States.[3] 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.[3][5][6] Reports surfaced in February 2011 that portions of track had arrived on site.[7] The ride vehicles also arrived at the park during this time.[8]

After delaying the ride's opening multiple times, Six Flags eventually settled on an opening date of July 1, 2011.[9][10] Park officials clarified that the delays were due to unplanned design changes to the loading station and not because of mechanical issues.[9] 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.[12]

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 somewhat mixed reviews from those who experienced the coaster.[1]

After the deadly incident on Inferno at Terra Mítica in Benidorm, Spain on July 7, 2014,[13][14] 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.[15] A week and a half later, Six Flags Magic Mountain reopened the coaster.

La Ronde: cancelled opening[edit]

In July 2017, Green Lantern closed unexpectedly for unknown reasons. It remained inactive at the park, and in March 2019, Six Flags announced that Green Lantern would not be reopening.[1] The coaster was removed later in the year and relocated to La Ronde in Montreal, where it was originally set to reopen as Vipère in 2020.[16] Green Lantern's loading station left behind was reused in 2022 for its replacement roller coaster, Wonder Woman Flight of Courage.[17]

Due to the growing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Six Flags suspended operations across the company on March 13, 2020.[18] This included La Ronde's construction of Vipère. While the park resumed normal operations in August 2020,[19][20] Vipère's construction remained on hold. Six Flags had begun taking steps to improve its financial standing by deferring capital projects during the pandemic.[21] A park spokesperson stated that Vipère's debut was being pushed to the 2021 season.[22]

In 2021, La Ronde extended the postponement indefinitely.[23] The Vipère project was eventually cancelled in February 2022.[24]

Ride[edit]

Green Lantern at Magic Mountain

Green Lantern: First Flight was 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.[10][25] The ride has the same layout as Insane at Gröna Lund in Sweden.

Green Lantern was 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 X2, the seat rotation is controlled by the position of two rails on the outside of the track, resulting in a "choreographed" rotation that is identical on every ride. On Green Lantern, 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[edit]

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 resemble shuriken. The entrance of the ride was marked by a 10-foot (3.0 m)-tall lantern icon that glowed green at night.[9] The Green Lantern battery was located at the entrance of the ride.[26]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c "Six Flags Magic Mountain to scrap 'one of the worst coasters ever'". Santa Cruz Sentinel. March 26, 2019.
  2. ^ a b "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.
  3. ^ a b c Sim, Nick (October 21, 2010). "Video, images: Six Flags Magic Mountain reveals further details of 2011 rollercoasters". Theme Park Tourist. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ Siruss, Kevin (July 2, 2011). "Review - Green Lantern: First Flight rollercoaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain". Theme Park Tourist. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
  6. ^ Luca, Andrei (May 13, 2011). "DC Universe Update At Six Flags Magic Mountain". The Coaster Guy. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  7. ^ MacDonald, Brady (February 4, 2011). "Green Lantern roller coaster arrives at Six Flags Magic Mountain". Los Angeles Times.
  8. ^ Stevenson, John (February 7, 2011). "Green Lantern train arrives at Six Flags Magic Mountain". Coaster101. Retrieved August 17, 2021.
  9. ^ a b c MacDonald, Brady (June 2, 2011). "Six Flags Magic Mountain pushes back debut of Green Lantern coaster". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  10. ^ a b Marden, Duane. "Green Lantern  (Six Flags Magic Mountain)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  11. ^ Dahlin, Kurt (May 19, 2011). "Green Lantern Track Construction Complete At Six Flags Magic Mountain". The Coaster Guy. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  12. ^ MacDonald, Brady (June 30, 2011). "Review: Green Lantern coaster delivers a kick at Six Flags Magic Mountain". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 1, 2011.
  13. ^ 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.
  14. ^ Gander, Kashmira (July 7, 2014). "'British' teenager dies after 'falling from rollercoaster' at the Terra Mitica in Benidorm". Independent.uk. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
  15. ^ "Green Lantern Closed As Precaution After Tragedy In Spain". The Coaster Guy. July 8, 2014. Retrieved July 9, 2014.
  16. ^ "Canada's First Ever Free-Fly Roller Coaster to Open at La Ronde in 2020". August 29, 2019. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  17. ^ "Wonder Woman Flight of Courage to Debut at Six Flags Magic Mountain in 2022".
  18. ^ "BRIEF-Six Flags Entertainment Says Made Decision To Delay Opening Or Temporarily Suspend Operations For Certain Parks In Response To Coronavirus Outbreak". Reuters. March 13, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  19. ^ "Coronavirus: La Ronde officially opens its doors to season-pass holders". July 24, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  20. ^ "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.
  21. ^ Smith, Rich (April 8, 2020). "Six Flags Suspends Dividend, Withdraws Guidance". NASDAQ.com. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  22. ^ "Voici quand le nouveau manège à la Ronde ouvrira finalement". July 21, 2020.
  23. ^ "La Ronde postpones the 2021 opening date of Vipère -". September 24, 2020.
  24. ^ "La Ronde donne des nouvelles de la montagne russe «Vipère» qui devait ouvrir en 2020". February 3, 2022.
  25. ^ 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.
  26. ^ Six Flags Magic Mountain (June 2, 2011). "Six Flags Magic Mountain's Photos – Wall Photos". Facebook. Retrieved June 3, 2011.
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