Roar (roller coaster)
Roar (trademarked as ROAR) is the name of two wooden roller coasters operated by Six Flags. The original coaster was built at Six Flags America in Mitchellville, Maryland in 1998 while the other was built in 1999 at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo, California. Both rides were designed and built by Great Coasters International (GCI), and have been in continuous operation for a decade.
Design and operation
Roar entrance sign for Six Flags America
Both rides are wooden roller coasters that operate under a chain lift hill system. Both rides also have a unique feature called a "Speed Shed" over a large section of track. Which designed to enhance the sense of speed without the visual sensory loss of a traditional tunnel. Two trains are used by the ride, one which remains in the station and the other in the transfer brakes; the one in the transfer brakes moves into the station while the other is on the course. Each train has a capacity of 24 people; there are six cars that have two rows of two seats. The trains feature seat belts and lap bars for rider safety. The maximum height that the coasters reach is 95 feet (29 m) with a drop of 85 feet (26 m); the maximum speed reached is 51 miles per hour (82 km/h). Unlike classic out and back rides, this one is a twister that features over 3,200 feet (980 m) length of track for a ride that last just under 2 minutes (120 s). Both rides are engaged by a main operator panel and a dispatch panel located at the most far end of the station, in which both operators must engage dispatch buttons to start the ride.
Six Flags America
Six Flags America's Roar, known as Roar (East) by GCI, was built in 1998. Unlike its sibling in the West, this ride is shorter at 3,291 feet (1,003 m), and as a result it has a smaller duration time, although still over 1 minute (60 s). Roar is one of the three rides at Six Flags America that feature an on-ride camera (the others being Superman: Ride of Steel and Apocalypse). This coaster also instead features trains designed and maintained by Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters. The ride is situated in America's Skull Island themed section of a pirate island.
Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
Six Flags Discovery Kingdom's Roar, known as Roar (West) by GCI, was built in 1999 in light of adding the Six Flags moniker to the Marine World (before becoming Discovery Kingdom in 2007).[1] This coaster is longer than its sibling in the East, at 3,468 feet (1,057 m) with a duration time longer than its sibling but remaining under 2 minutes (120 s). The longer track length is due to the ride's location on a slanting hillside. Longer drops on the station side and lift hill increase the track length beyond its east coast counterpart. The ride consists of two 12 car Millennium Flyer trains. These types of trains help give the sensation of a steel coaster, but is still the classic wooden style design.[2] Roar is situated in the Sky animal themed area of this park.
Awards
| Golden Ticket Awards: Best Wooden Coaster |
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| Year |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
| Ranking |
39 |
48 |
49 |
39 |
42 |
|
| Mitch Hawker's Best Roller Coaster Poll: Best Wooden-Tracked Roller Coaster |
|---|
| Year |
1997 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
| Ranking |
- |
28 |
39 |
48 |
49 |
46 |
55 |
57 |
59 |
60 |
66 |
|
References
- General
- Specific
External links
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Flash Pass Available at both Six Flags parks.