Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
Six Flags Discovery Kingdom has one of the most impressive skylines of any theme park – at least the views from the parking lot are stunning. The theme park however has a very odd layup with the entrance area being placed somewhat in the middle of the park, splitting the park into two major ride areas to the left and right of the entrance and the zoo exhibits directly Infront.
Batman The Ride
My first ride of the day was the S&S Free Spin Coaster Batman – The Ride. As always, the ride comfort on this type of coaster was pretty good. There were a few rollovers, but no big surprises. My ride on Batman – The Ride ended up being pretty solid; meaning the ride could have been better, but it could have been a lot worse.
Superman Ultimate Flight
Superman Ultimate Flight is the first Sky Rocket II from Premier Rides. You can now experience this ride five times in the USA alone.
The first launch on Superman Ultimate Flight is very similar to the initial acceleration of a modern swing boat, but after the change of direction it is much more powerful and we almost reach the top of the non-inverted loop. With a lot of momentum we are accelerated a third time and after a 180° turn we easily reach the top level of the ride. After a very short breather we enter the inversion of the ride, which is clearly visible from afar, where we experience a very pronounced hangtime. Shortly afterwards we dive back into the non-inverted loop. Another reunion with the apex of the element heralds the finale of the ride, whereupon, after another run through the station, we come to a precise stop and our wild ride comes to an end.
Wonder Woman Lasso of Truth
At the back end of the DC Universe area is Wonder Woman: Lasso of Truth. This giant pendulum ride is a blast; although, the ride is not as diversified as other Giant Discovery rides by Zamperla, as it does rotate only in one direction without varying the speed of the rotation too much.
Joker
The Joker hybrid coaster is a rebuilt version of the Roar wooden coaster, now re-launched with a slightly different layout.
The ride on the RMC I-Box Track rollercoaster begins immediately with a short pre-lift section consisting of several waves and smaller bends. Once we reach a height of 100 ft (30 m), we immediately plunge down a steep curve. We are immediately drawn into a step-up under flip, where we change direction in a brilliant overhead manoeuvre. After a left-hand bend, we are then pulled directly into a zero-G stall, where we experience several seconds of weightlessness while we are once again upside down. Back in the seat, we are immediately pulled into a turning curve consisting of several alternating waves, first to the left and then to the right. This is followed by several airtime hills, which are repeatedly interrupted by larger turning curves. Finally, there is a roll through the rafters and several smaller airtime bumps before we find ourselves in the final brake.
The Joker is a really good rollercoaster. The ride is extremely dynamic and simply great fun without putting too much strain on the passengers. Just like on Kings Dominion’s Twisted Timbers, you can easily do one lap after another here – something you can’t do on every RMC. It’s terrific!
Flash: Vertical Velocity
Flash: Vertical Velocity is the most unique roller coaster at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom. Originally, the ride opened as V2: Vertical Velocity featured the same layout as the ride in Six Flags Great America. Due to height restrictions, the ride had to be shortened the year after to a maximum of 150 feet (46 m). Interestingly, the spiral runs now at an angle, thus creating an Inversion over the entrance area to the park. Apart of the initial jolt, the ride is a very fun shuttle coaster and should not be missed when visiting the park.
Monsoon Falls
While the ride area to the left of the park’s entrance lacks any theming, apart of the DC comic billboards and the bat mobile, the path towards this area is actually pretty decent with Monsoon Falls being the highlight. This Intamin Spillwater features a nice ride moistening all riders the most efficient way possible.
White Water Safari, Ark and Boomerang Coast-to-Coaster
Due to the Halloween event, many paths throughout the park functioned as one-way streets, therefore getting to the big ride area to the right of the park took a bit of time. First you had to pass the Wave Swinger, then the closed White Water Safari rapids ride before finally getting to the area where the Ark pirate boat and the Boomerang Coast-to-Coaster is located. Unfortunately, the Vekoma Boomerang was down on my day of visit.
Sidewinder Safari
The Zamperla Spinning Coaster Sidewinder Safari is the newest addition to the park. The ride features the standard Spinning Mouse layout, which can be found in dozens of installations worldwide. Due to the low capacity of the ride, I only recommend riding this fun coaster, when the wait times are low.
From this area, the paths split, creating one giant loop around the lake at the back of the park, where the Monkey Business and Thrilla Gorilla flat rides are located and the path along the big Toyota Stadium – where the dolphin show Drench! takes place – leading to the big ride area to the right of the entrance.
Cobra, Kong and Sky Screamer
In this area you find the family coaster Cobra featuring a double-8 track layout, as well as the Sky Screamer Star Flyer and the suspended looping coaster Kong, which is a ride only for the daredevils, as it is quite jolty even for a Vekoma SLC.
Medusa
The last big roller coaster on our tour of Six Flags Discovery Kingdom is the B&M floorless coaster Medusa. The ride on Medusa begins immediately with a short curve out of the station, whereupon the ride’s lift hill awaits us. As soon as we reach a height of 150 ft (45 m), after a small pre-drop and a short bend to the right, we immediately head towards the abyss. An oversized loop is immediately followed by an equally oversized dive loop, which presses us very firmly into our seats. After a large zero-G roll, we are immediately drawn into a sea serpent roll – a very unusual element for a B&M. After a steep turn, we reach a block brake. Without adjusting our speed, we immediately descend another steep turn at the end of which the entrance to the first corkscrew awaits us. After a helix, we immediately enter the second corkscrew and another helix – this time very close to the ground. A short ascent with a left-hand bend then leads us into the braking section.
Medusa is an extremely impressive roller coaster. The ride has a rather unusual layout for a B&M and some very cool elements. Unfortunately, however, the ride is now a little lacking in ride comfort, so that contact with the shoulder restraints is unfortunately unavoidable during the ride, which is why I have only ventured on a few rides on Medusa.
Pictures Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
Conclusion Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
Six Flags Discovery Kingdom is the weakest Six Flags theme park I have visited so far. The ride portfolio itself is pretty good and theoretically the park also offers a large zoo similar to the SeaWorld theme parks. However, as I didn’t experience any of this – thanks to the very limited offer on the day I visited – I can’t include this point in my rating. However, the layout of the theme park is relatively strange, thanks to the two large rollercoaster clusters to the right and left of the entrance that were added by Six Flags. The rest of the theme park then goes back to its history as the Marine World theme park.
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