Green Lantern (Six Flags Great Adventure)

Green Lantern
Green Lantern (April 2011)
Previously known as Chang at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom
Location	Six Flags Great Adventure
Park section	Boardwalk
Coordinates	40°08′28″N 74°26′33″W / 40.1411°N 74.4424°W / 40.1411; -74.4424Coordinates: 40°08′28″N 74°26′33″W / 40.1411°N 74.4424°W / 40.1411; -74.4424
Status	Operating
Opened	April 4, 1997 (1997-04-04) (Kentucky Kingdom) May 25, 2011 (2011-05-25) (Great Adventure)[1][2]
Cost	$12,000,000
Type	Steel - Stand-up
Manufacturer	Bolliger & Mabillard
Designer	Werner Stengel
Height	154 ft (47 m)
Drop	144 ft (44 m)
Length	4,155 ft (1,266 m)
Max speed	63 mph (101 km/h)
Inversions	5 (including the inclined vertical loop)
Duration	2:30
Capacity	1556 riders per hour
Height restriction	4 ft 6 in (137 cm)
Green Lantern at RCDB
Pictures of Green Lantern at RCDB
Amusement Parks Portal

Green Lantern is a steel Bolliger & Mabillard stand-up roller coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure. It was originally constructed at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom in Louisville, Kentucky in 1997, where it was known as Chang. Upon opening in 1997, it set the world records for this type of coaster in height, drop, speed, length, and number of inversions. It would later be eclipsed by Riddler’s Revenge, which opened at Six Flags Magic Mountain a year later. The ride was removed in 2009, and debuted at Six Flags Great Adventure in 2011.

History

Chang (1997–2009)

Chang at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom in 2004.

Chang, meaning "long" in Mandarin Chinese, opened at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom on April 4, 1997.^[3] Upon opening, it set the world records for this type of coaster in height, drop, speed, length, and number of inversions.^[4][5] All of these records had eclipsed those of Mantis,^[6] which had opened at Cedar Point the year before, and would later be eclipsed by Riddler's Revenge, which opened at Six Flags Magic Mountain a year later.^[7]

When it opened in 1997, Chang had yellow track and yellow supports.^[8] A couple years later, Chang's track was painted lime green and the support columns were painted violet.^[8] In early 2006, the track returned to its original yellow, while the supports were painted blue.^[8] Six Flags originally announced that the ride would receive a Batman theme also with T2..^[9] T2 would have been named Batman: The Ride and Chang would have been named Riddler's Revenge, but those plans were later canceled for unknown reasons.^[9]

Chang was closed over the weekend of September 19, 2009, and was subsequently removed, as confirmed by local media sources, to expand Splashwater Kingdom.^[10] The expansion however, did not come to fruition, as Six Flags later announced plans to abandon the Kentucky Kingdom property.^[11]

Green Lantern (2011)

In 2010 pieces reportedly showed up at Six Flags Great America. The ride was reportedly going to be moved to Six Flags Great America in 2011, with the park even going through the zoning board to win approval,^[12] but those plans were later canceled in favor of a water park expansion.^[13] Soon after the announcement of the closure of The Great American Scream Machine, rumors began to circulate that the ride would be relocated to Six Flags Great Adventure in 2011. Although Six Flags did not confirm any rumors, a "first look" of the park's new ride layout from the town's zoning board meeting showed up on JTown Magazine's website, and had Chang's layout.^[14]

Late on September 15, 2010, the Asbury Park Press posted an article early, announcing the new ride.^[15] The specifications released of the new ride matched those of Chang.^[16] It was confirmed that the ride would receive a DC Comics Green Lantern theme, to coincide with the Green Lantern movie due out in 2011.^[15] The ride is located in the Boardwalk section of the park. Green Lantern is the third roller coaster to occupy this plot of land, after the Sarajevo Bobsled - which ran at Great Adventure from 1984 to 1988 prior to being moved to Six Flags Great America and then The Great Escape & Splashwater Kingdom - and the Great American Scream Machine, an Arrow Dynamics looping coaster that had occupied this area from 1989 to 2010. ^[15] On September 16, 2010, Six Flags officially announced the ride.^[17] Based on pictures and videos released, the track and trains of the ride were to be painted green with silver accents, with the supports painted black.^[17]In December 2010 footers were poured for the ride, with installation of the track beginning in January 2011. On January 24, 2011 the park posted on its Facebook page a picture of the completed lift hill. On the last day of January 2011, the park added a webcam of the ride construction on Facebook to allow park fans and roller coaster enthusiasts to watch the progress. By April 1, 2011 all track was in place. All of the track is painted green, with the exception of the vertical loop, which is painted yellow. Originally, the second corkscrew was the track section that was going to be painted yellow, but the decision was made to switch the scheme to the first loop. The loop is painted yellow because green lantern's enemy is parallax who is yellow. Like the previous coaster built on the site, the Great American Scream Machine, the entire infield of the ride is covered with gravel. The coaster also reuses Scream Machine's queue entry plaza building. Green Lantern opened to season pass holders between May 19–21 and it officially opened to the public on May 25, 2011.^[18]

Green Lantern is the park's fifth Bolliger & Mabillard roller coaster, joining Batman: The Ride, Bizarro, Nitro, and Superman: Ultimate Flight. The coaster is also the park's second standup coaster to ever appear at the park, the previous being a smaller scale stand up coaster made by Intamin called Shockwave operating from 1990 to 1992. Shockwave had also been installed at Six Flags Magic Mountain and preceded the installation of the Riddler's Revenge at that park as well.

On May 19 the highly anticipated roller coaster opened for a select crowd. Media and families from Children's Miracle Network were there for a sneak preview.

During the month of June 2011 a Parallax cutout with clutching arms that the train passes through was placed at the bottom of the first drop. ^[19]

Track and ride experience

Chang's first loop at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom in 2006.

Green Lantern is 4,155 feet (1,266 m) long.^[20][21]

Upon leaving the station, the train climbs up the 155-foot (47 m) tall lift hill. Along the hill the Green Lantern oath is played on speakers aligning the steps. At the top, the train enters the signature B&M pre-drop before making a slightly banked 180 degree turnaround. After this, the trains drops 144 feet (44 m) into a 121.58 feet (37.06 m) tall vertical loop. Coming out of the vertical loop, the track rises up to the right into a 103.83 feet (31.65 m) tall diving loop, hugging the first drop of Superman: Ultimate Flight. Riders then rise up and into a diving turnaround over the station. Dropping out of the turnaround, the train then enters a right leaning 72 feet (22 m) tall inclined loop. The inclined loop elements are unique to the three larger B&M standup coasters: Green Lantern, Mantis, and the Riddler's Revenge. After a small hill the train then rises up to the left into the mid-course brake run. Dropping out of the brake run, the train enters a right corkscrew, and turns to the right, weaving through the middle of the diving loop. The track then makes a ground hugging left hand turn, entering a low to the ground second right corkscrew. After a right hand turn, the train makes a final 180 degree left hand turn into the final brake run, before advancing back into the station.

The first half of Green Lantern's layout is a mirror image of Mantis at Cedar Point, with the exception of being taller and longer. The second half is also similar, but Green Lantern has an additional corkscrew after the mid-course brake run, along with an additional turn around before the final brake run.

References

1. ^ "Six Flags Entertainment Corporation Investor Meeting Presentation". Six Flags. November 2010. http://phx.corporate-ir.net/External.File?item=UGFyZW50SUQ9MzQ0MjQ3NXxDaGlsZElEPTQwMjU2MHxUeXBlPTI=&t=1. Retrieved November 6, 2010. 
2. ^ http://www.gadvoutpost.com/home.php?action=main^{[clarification needed]}
3. ^ "ACROSS THE USA: NEWS FROM EVERY STATE". USA Today. April 4, 1997. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/USAToday/access/11381184.html?FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:FT&date=Apr+4%2C+1997&author=&pub=USA+TODAY&edition=&startpage=11.a&desc=ACROSS+THE+USA%3A+NEWS+FROM+EVERY+STATE. Retrieved September 17, 2010. 
4. ^ Sloan, Gene (June 6, 1997). "New coasters offer superlative thrills". USA Today. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/USAToday/access/12316699.html?dids=12316699:12316699&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jun+06%2C+1997&author=Gene+Sloan&pub=USA+TODAY&desc=New+coasters+offer+superlative+thrills. Retrieved September 17, 2010. 
5. ^ "Busiest travel weekend of season". CNN. July 4, 1997. http://articles.cnn.com/1997-07-04/travel/9707_04_summer.trends_1_roller-coaster-national-parks-travel-agents?_s=PM:TRAVEL. Retrieved September 16, 2010. 
6. ^ Biz Buzz. CNNfn. March 17, 1997. Transcript. "The Mantis in Sandusky, Ohio, claims to be the tallest and fastest stand-up roller coaster. Although, the Chang will claim that title when it opens next month in Louisville, Kentucky."
7. ^ "Six Flags Once Again Breaks the Extreme Thrills Barrier With The Riddler's Revenge – World's Tallest, Fastest and Most Powerful Stand-Up Roller Coaster!". Business Wire. April 1, 1998. http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Six%20Flags%20Once%20Again%20Breaks%20the%20Extreme%20Thrills%20Barrier%20With%20The...-a020447017. Retrieved September 17, 2010. 
8. ^ ^{a b c} "Chang – Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom". CoasterGallery.com. http://www.coastergallery.com/SF/sfkk05.html. Retrieved September 16, 2010. 
9. ^ ^{a b} "1999". Theme Park Timelines. http://timelines.home.insightbb.com/sfkk_years.htm. Retrieved January 5, 2011. 
10. ^ "Chang Comes Down At Kentucky Kingdom". WLKY-TV. September 21, 2009. http://www.wlky.com/news/21043204/detail.html. Retrieved September 16, 2010. 
11. ^ Associated Press (February 5, 2010). "Six Flags closes Kentucky Kingdom theme park". MSN. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35255893/deck/home.mobile.msn.com/m/videos/mny.mobile.msn.com/en-us/home.mobile.msn.com/en-us/mainnav.aspx. Retrieved September 16, 2010. 
12. ^ "Great America gets OK on 150-ft.-high coaster". Chicago Sun-Times. June 12, 2010. http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/2385718,CST-NWS-coaster13.article. Retrieved September 16, 2010. 
13. ^ Susnjara, Bob (September 2, 2010). "Great America plans to expand water park". Chicago Daily Herald. http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=405433. Retrieved September 16, 2010. 
14. ^ "First look at the new Six Flags Great Adventure rollercoaster to be built in 2011". Jtown.us. August 6, 2010. http://jtown.us.com/?p=239. Retrieved September 16, 2010. 
15. ^ ^{a b c} Ruscitti, Keith (September 15, 2010). "Great Adventure to add new roller coaster". Asbury Park Press. http://www.app.com/article/20100915/NEWS/100915121/Great-Adventure-to-add-new-roller-coaster. Retrieved September 16, 2010. ^{[dead link]}
16. ^ Levine, Arthur (September 16, 2010). "You May Want to Sit Down for This". About.com. http://themeparks.about.com/b/2010/09/16/new-six-flags-green-lantern-coaster.htm. Retrieved September 17, 2010. 
17. ^ ^{a b} "Six Flags Great Adventure: GREEN LANTERN". Six Flags. September 16, 2010. http://www.sixflags.com/greatAdventure/rides/greenlantern.aspx. Retrieved September 16, 2010. 
18. ^ http://www.gadvoutpost.com/home.php?action=main
19. ^ Lobo, Sue. "Green Lantern Roller Coaster Debuts at Six Flags". Atlas Travel. http://blog.atlastravelweb.com/us-travel/green-lantern-roller-coaster-debuts-at-six-flags/. Retrieved May 20, 2011. 
20. ^ Marden, Duane. "Chang  (Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom)". Database Entry. Roller Coaster DataBase. http://www.rcdb.com/275.htm. Retrieved September 16, 2010. 
21. ^ Marden, Duane. "Green Lantern  (Six Flags Great Adventure)". Database Entry. Roller Coaster DataBase. http://www.rcdb.com/8932.htm. Retrieved December 13, 2010. 

External links

• Official webpage