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 At the beginning of the
90's, Bolliger & Mabillard, the company coaster enthusiasts love and cherish, was
just starting their coaster career as their own company. Their first roller coaster,
Iron Wolf, was a stand-up coaster that opened at Six Flags Great America in 1990. Two
years later, SFGA called B&M back to build them the world's first inverted coaster,
Batman: The Ride.
Batman: The Ride had a concept never before seen. Eight rows of 4-across
cars hung below the track, with nothing underneath or to the side of them. The riders
sat in the trains, with their feet dangling, nothing in front of them except air, and
nothing above them except track and the sky.
Over the years, Batman: The Ride has been cloned and placed at almost every Six
Flags Park in the United States. For the purpose of this review, I will be basing it
on the one at Six Flags Magic Mountain.
............
In 1994, the popular inverted coaster clone opened at Six Flags Magic Mountain
in Valencia, California. It featured the same layout, trains, and theme as the
original one that opened two years prior at SFGA.
............
 As you board the four
across trains and pull down your OTSR, you notice if it wasn't for the floor below you,
your feet would have nothing below them. Your restraints are checked, and suddenly the
floor below you drops, your feet are completely dangling, and the ride starts up its 105ft
lift hill.
 As you reach the top of
the lift, you head over a little bump, and then down an amazing first drop, twisting to the
left. Now flying at speeds of 50mph, you head into your first inversion, an 88ft tall
vertical loop. Batman's first vertical loop is very intense and features high
positive G's. Coming out of the first loop, you fly into the heartline spin,
featuring zero-gravity. Next comes the second vertical loop, this time 77ft high.
Coming out of this inversion, you fly into a high speed turn-around section, which dips
right into the first corkscrew. Next comes a high speed turn over the transition from
the heartline spin into the second loop, which drops into a trench containing the second
corkscrew. Finally, you head through one more high speed banked turn and back into the
station.
............
Batman: The Ride is a very quick, fun, and intense roller coaster.
Although there are other inverted coasters that are taller, faster, and longer than Batman:
TR, none of them pack the same amount of intensity. Batman: The Ride is a wonderful
coaster and should not be missed.
Rating: 8/10
Pros:
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First drop
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Cool elements
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Very intense
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