A wooden Viper now what a surprise and a treat this was to see and find as the Viper I'm used to is non other than a metal beast in the California hills that loves to bite you! Wooden Viper is without a doubt a great wooden coaster it's layout is totally awesome so it provides a great amount of ride time from start to finish wile leaving riders somewhat dazed from it's twisting turning action as you really don't know what way it's going to bite you next! On this given day in August when I took on the wooden Viper it was running backwards it has been sometime since I've gotten to ride a wooden coaster backwards as parks don't often do this unless it's for a special occasion or just because I'm assuming the reason they don't do it much is because I'm sure it takes it's toll on the ride running a different way then it's used to. The train is basically turned around making the back the front and the front the back so keep that in mind when your boarding on the times it's running backwards! The ride itself was very smooth and super enjoyable even when it was going backwards I can tell that the wooden Viper is taken care of making for a great ride each time I just hope that next time I get to ride it's still going backwards because it's a lotta fun not knowing where your going! Overall this is definitely an awesome coaster as well as a good time for anyone who enjoys good wooden coasters just remember that even though it was nice today the Viper can quickly change and bite you on it's bad days! read more

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HISSSSSS-TORY A special, limited-time promotion saw the wooden roller coaster 'Viper' running in reverse?!?! As of this writing, my hometown park Six Flags Great America has run three of their coasters backwards, most notably the blue side of the racing giant 'American Eagle'. Back in 2013, they also flipped the trains on 'Batman' for a brief stint, which sadly I missed out on. Thankfully I was able to snare a ride on this fantastic -- yet underrated -- wooden twister during Fright Fest 2017 when it also ran in reverse. Basically the only change is that maintenance rotates the train around 180° on a section of transfer track and you experience the ride facing the "wrong" way. 'Viper' is a terrific ride that actually gets better (faster, more out-of-control) as the day wears on. I still think it delivers the best night ride in the whole park, though 'Batman' comes in at a close #2. I chose the "last" row, actually the train's first car, which in this configuration is the last the leave the station. Holy balls the backwards sensation feels weird. I'd felt this many times on Eagle's blue side but never on this serpentine classic. It was fun in a very unnerving way, as you can't prepare your body for what comes next like you would if facing forward. I loved it. Ride ops were pretty good and the trains/lapbars are still surprisingly comfortable. At 22 years old, 'Viper' is the last remaining Cyclone model in North America (apart from the original at Coney Island in NY) since all other models have been torn down at their respective Six Flags parks. It's also by far the smoothest version ever built. Hopefully they'll bring back the unique promo at some point in the future, though it adds additional wear & tear on the track so I won't hold my breath. 'Twas fun while it lasted! read more

Viper - This classic wooden coaster ran backwards during the 2013 season, and again during Fright Fest 2017!! How cool!! - Amusement Parks Near Me

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Wood. So woody. So much wood. This is one of just a few wooden coasters at Great America but it feels much more smooth than Eagle. This ride opened in 1995 and gives that rickety feeling like it will break at any second while zipping around. Bumpy yet smooth as any great wooden ride should be. When I think of Viper, I think of a classic roller coaster. No loops or anything too crazy just some drops and high speeds. I always enjoy my minute and 45 seconds on this ride. Every time I ride Viper, I remind my friends to keep their hands in the coaster! When I was in junior high, a kid had part of his hand cut off while on the ride. Keep your hands inside the coaster, people!!! read more

Viper - Some of my friends entering the Viper's lair - Amusement Parks Near Me

We rode this on the 2nd day we were there. I remember this ride was very bumpy for a wooden rollercoaster, but we did sit in the middle and not in the front where it is more smoother. The line goes a little bit slower than usual. Since now I have ridden more woodies, I am not so sure what I would think of now, but I remember not liking it as much. read more

A classic wooden coaster based on the "original coaster", the Coney Island Cyclone. This is a great ride with some surprisingly excellent airtime on it's many rolling hills. The ride winds along a fairly lengthy course, cutting back through it's wooden superstructure and making for some fun head-chopper scares. And while it's got that bumping and shaking that makes woodies such a different experience from modern steel coasters, it's not going to rattle the fillings out of your teeth like some older woodies. This is a really underrated ride in the park that tends to be overshadowed by it's neighbors, but that means it's often possible to walk right on. It's not the most thrilling, but it's a lot of bang for your wait time buck. This is also a great ride for people that have graduated from smaller rides but aren't yet ready for the extreme ones. read more

BITTEN BACKWARDS This classic Woden roller coaster is a mirror image of the Cyclone Roller Coaster in Coney Island. I also believe this coaster is really under rated. The Viper reaches speeds of up to 50 mph and yeah it is has a little rattle and shake but its wood not steel. The tallest height is 100 feet with an 80 foot drop. This is isn't too bad when comparing the Viper to its tall neighbor the Raging Bull. The Viper first opened on April 29, 1995. I can hardly believe that this ride has been open for 18 years. It is located in the Southwest Territory of Six Flags Great America. The entrance is located directly next to the main entrance of the Hurricane Harbor water park. In 2013, riders were able to enjoy the Viper backwards. This brought new life to the coaster and longer lines. I will say that I was able to enjoy going the wrong way several times. I rode in the back row ever time and all I saw was train track, as I flew backwards. There were also a bunch of times where you grabbed great pockets of air, especially the last two drops. It was so much fun to be going backwards and to feel like you were flying off the track. Several of my fellow riders expressed that riding backwards made the Viper more enjoyable. I will admit that it was exciting but I need my old Viper back because the little one likes going forward. Luckily September 2, 2013 was the last day. I also found it interesting that 2013 was the first year 3 coasters went backwards at Six Flags: Batman, Viper & American Eagle. I guess riding in reverse was in this year. This coaster is an expected thrill. There are around 7-8 drops. I only know this because my little one was working on math and I used the ride as homework. Hey coasters can also be a learning experience too. The speed is a little unexpected for a wooden roller coaster but it truly adds to the fun. Each drop is more exciting then the next one. Speaking of wood...the train cars that operate on Viper can also operate on American Eagle. So I've got an idea for 2014...riders can ride Viper trains on American Eagle tracks and American Eagle Trains on Vipers tracks. I call this cross coaster marketing. Is there a suggestion box anywhere? If this happens we know the marketing staff at Six Flags reads Yelp. If you haven't ridden the Viper it's time to give it a try. Don't be afraid became it doesn't go upside down. It is just a classic wooden coaster with some speed and a few drops. It will be bring a smile to your face and take you to a time when this is all roller coasters did before the addition of loops, negative inversions, corkscrews & tracks overhead. So get in line and ride a piece of coaster history. I promise you will be happy you did. read more

Viper has definitely seen some neglect since they ran it backwards. Running it backwards put major stress damage on the structure, track, and trains. The ride is now unbearably rough on wheel seats. (That's rows 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, and 15.) Maybe it time to get new trains by Intamin. Those trains are meant for running backwards, and they're butter smooth on any traditional wooden track. Maybe they could even invert the track without modifying the structure too much using The Gravity Group's Engineered Precut Track. One star because it has a great historic layout. Otherwise, zero stars. read more

This is one of my favorite roller coasters at the park. It's just so fun! An updated wooden coaster with great whips and turns. It's pretty smooth for a wooden coaster too! The line for this ride moves on the slower end. It's not over in the blink of an eye though! Definitely recommend this one!! read more

Reviewing rides is a thing? Okay, well this coaster is great! A relatively short wait for a coaster here even during the busy season, but still a load of fun. It shakes a lot as oer tradition for most wooden coasters but doesn't hurt you. One time in the past they even did this coaster backwards. Worth stopping by if you want a shorter wait for a coaster and worth it with no other expectations. read more

I was supposed to road trip to New York this summer but the arrangements the guy who invited me made for his stay there fell through so we didn't go. Too bad cause I've still never been. And one of the things on my top 5 to do list was to go to Coney Island where I would ride the Cyclone. So I didn't get to do that but I got to ride the nearly identical Viper in Gurnee, Illinois. Looking at a map of Six Flags Great America it seemed like American Eagle was a cinch for the best situated, all by itself all the way at the back of the park with it's luxuriously long layout. Viper has it beat, all nestled off by itself between a patch of woods and the water park. Looking over the Wikipedia of SFGA I was struck by how many attractions had been removed over the years to make way for new ones and it seemed space was at a high premium. I was kind of expecting a crammed in feel at the park with no room to spare. So the queue line for Viper snaking through a decent sized patch of woods leading back to the hidden Viper was a cool surprise. Raging Bull flying by overhead at one point was a fun break from the foresty solitude, too. Viper definitely has the best line of any coaster at this park. The ride itself had more than ample airtime, exceeding my expectations on that count, especially since Eric S and I sat in the front row. I know he prefers the back, and I'm very curious as to how much more there is back there, but I had to pass on the rear of the train, having just ridden Viper's wooden big brother American Eagle at the back and getting rattled around just a bit much for my taste. Viper's also got enough bumps and turbulence to keep it out of 5 star range for me, but it does have that really fun nearly out of control feeling of a classic roller coaster. I mean, it wasn't for nothing that the Cyclone became such an iconic ride and spawned clones outside of Brooklyn. I really dig all the rapid fire little drops and the way it wraps around itself, just like a good Viper should. I feel like the trade off of a little extra roughness at the back would have been worth it for more airtime. Viper isn't the biggest coaster at Six Flags Great America and it isn't the best, but it's a fun beast to climb into and get thrashed around on, and feels a lot more classic than something built 21 years ago. And if I get to Coney Island I'm going to see if I can't tame it's more famous sibling from the back row. read more

100th Review! I don't mind if I ride this wooden roller coaster. In my opinion, it feels average, and there's not really a big surprise during the ride. This is true except for the airtime. One reason why this roller coaster isn't good is because it's really rough. This includes the first drop. It's bumpy as well. Viper is a clone of one of the most famous roller coasters of all time. It's the Cyclone! Well, Viper isn't like the Cyclone of course. The lines can be up to about an hour sometimes. All in all, rough coaster, but great airtime! I'll still be on this coaster, but not as much as I usually do. read more

I went on this ride over the summer and normally I enjoy this ride but as I was about to get aboard. One of the guys that was on the previous ride threw up all over his seat and management didn't know what to do in this situation. Even though there were 2 different roller coaster trains we couldn't use the other. So after 45 minutes management finally cleaned up the vomit and spent 15 minutes air drying the rollercoaster going through the entire ride with no people for 3 cycles. What a waste of my patience, by that time nobody was in line read more

This was my 50th roller coaster, and I don't regret picking it over Raging Bull or Demon at all! Sure, it's a little rough, but that's to be expected from a twenty-seven year old woodie. I can tell that it is extremely well-maintained by the park, and it runs surprisingly well. I even got some moments of unexpected ejector airtime on some of the smaller drops and hills. I was scared to ride Cyclone at Coney Island during my first visit there in 2014, but now that I've ridden this, which is basically a mirror image, I will definitely try to conquer it when I return to New York. But anyway, back to Viper. This ride is themed to a snake oil factory in the Southwest, and you can really tell that's what it is from the station. There are old posters for said snake oil on the walls, the entry looks like a dilapidated factory, and all the signs in the station were written in old-time fonts. There is virtually no line for this ride, so it is a great pick for when you are worn down from walking around and queuing all day. My one complaint is that the queue is extremely long. From the entry sign, you have to walk over two small hills and winding paths to get up to the station. But trust me, the ride is worth the long trek, and at least it's not as much of a hike as the path from American Eagle's entry to its station! Overall, I highly recommend this ride for anyone who enjoys an older coaster. read more

This is the second-best wood coaster here at the park with the addition of the new coaster Goliath. It always runs well and incredibly smooth. I love the quick drops and the airtime hills. read more

This Roller coaster had few drops and turns that made me chuckle and scream a little bit.