originally posted on 6/14/2019
The Joker, Harley Quinn and Penguin have terrorized Six Flags Discovery Kingdom for far too long. It’s about time the Caped Crusader swooped in and put these villains in their place. Batman: The Ride opened Memorial Day weekend at the Vallejo, California, park.
Photo: Mike Rumble. View full-sized image.
Known as a 4D Free Spin coaster manufactured by S&S Worldwide, Batman stands at 120 feet tall and rocks riders up a 90-degree lift hill. Depending on the weight of the riders, guests can expect to flip up to six times as the train traverses its twisting IBox track frame.
The 4D Free Spin is a popular installment among Six Flags parks, with the first debuting at Six Flags Fiesta Texas in 2015. Discovery Kingdom’s version is the seventh such installation for Six Flags. Discovery Kingdom Marketing Director Kirk Smith said the ride was a number of years in the making.
Photo: Mike Rumble. View full-sized image.
Batman is the centerpiece of the new DC Universe section of the park. The area had become an unofficial DC-themed land, with The Joker, Wonder Woman: Lasso of Truth and Harley Quinn Crazy Coaster opening in recent years.
As part of the new DC Universe designation, Discovery Kingdom’s V2 coaster was rebranded as The Flash: Vertical Velocity, featuring a bright new red and yellow paint scheme.
ACEer Brian Christensen said he has been on four different versions of 4D Free Spin coasters. “I love this ride,” he said. “As soon as they declared they were building one here, I was just thrilled.” Noting that the Zipper is his favorite flat ride at traveling fairs, Christensen likened Batman: The Ride to the “coaster version of that flat ride.”
“It just makes me laugh and I get such a thrill out of it,” he said. “You never have the same ride experience from ride to ride. It’s unique in the sense that you’ll always get a different sensation.”
— Eric Chalhoub
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