Roar (roller coaster)

File:SFA-Roar-Entrance.jpg

The ride is a wooden roller coaster with a chain lift hill system. It features a unique "Speed Shed" element over a large section of track, designed to enhance the sense of speed without the visual sensory loss of a traditional tunnel. Of the two trains used on the ride, each one seats a capacity of 24 people in six cars and utilize both seat belts and lap bars. The height of the roller coaster is {{convert|95|ft}}, and its drop is {{convert|85|ft}}; the maximum speed reached is {{convert|50.5|mph}}. Unlike classic out and back rides, Roar is a twister design.

Six Flags America's Roar, called Roar (East) by GCI, was built in 1998. Unlike its sibling in the west, this ride is longer at {{convert|3468|ft}} and has a slightly longer ride time. The longer track length is due to the ride's location on a slanting hillside, and longer drops on the station side and lift hill. Its trains, designed and maintained by Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters, are also different. Roar is one of the three rides at Six Flags America that featured an on-ride camera (the others being Superman: Ride of Steel and Firebird). It has been removed along with the camera on Apocalypse. The camera for Apocalypse returned and was re-added for the 2019 transition to Firebird. The ride is situated in the park's Chesapeake themed section.

On May 1, 2025, Six Flags announced that the Six Flags America park will close at the end of the 2025 season on November 2, 2025.{{cite web|first=Ittai|last=Sopher|title=Six Flags in Bowie to close later this year|url=https://www.wusa9.com/article/entertainment/six-flags-america-closing-maryland-bowie-prince-georges-county/65-4819a65c-6f98-4357-b1be-d139f04ba551|website=WUSA (TV)|date=May 1, 2025|access-date=May 1, 2025}} The status on the future of the Roar roller coaster was not given at the time of the announcement.{{cite web|first=Peter|last=Marzano|title=Six Flags America, Hurricane Harbor to close after 2025 season, company announces|url=https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/six-flags-america-hurricane-harbor-to-close-after-2025-season-company-announces/3735849/|website=WMAQ-TV|date=May 1, 2025|access-date=May 1, 2025}}

{{Main article|The Joker (Six Flags Discovery Kingdom)}}

Six Flags Discovery Kingdom's Roar, called Roar (West) by GCI, was built in 1999 in light of adding the Six Flags moniker to the Marine World amusement park.{{cite web|title=Six Flags Discovery Kingdom profile|url=http://www.rcdb.com/4711.htm|publisher=Roller Coaster DataBase|accessdate=2010-09-11}} At {{convert|3291|ft}}, this coaster was shorter than the installation at Six Flags America. The ride consisted of two 12 car Millennium Flyer trains. This type of train helps give the sensation of a steel roller coaster utilizing the classic wooden style design.{{cite web|title=Great Coasters International trains|url=http://www.greatcoasters.com/index.php?p=trains|publisher=Great Coasters International|accessdate=2010-09-11}} Roar was situated in the Sky animal-themed area of the park. It closed on August 16, 2015.

On July 16, 2015, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom announced that Roar would be retired on August 16, 2015. The closure marked the completion of the attraction's seventeenth season. Park president Don McCoy released a statement that the ride was being removed to make room for future expansion. An estimated 11 million visitors to the park have ridden the roller coaster since its debut in 1999.{{cite news|url=http://blogs.mercurynews.com/eat-drink-play/2015/07/16/six-flags-vallejo-closing-its-roar-roller-coaster/|title=Six Flags Vallejo closing its Roar roller coaster|last=Zavoral|first=Linda|date=July 16, 2015|work=San Jose Mercury News|accessdate=July 21, 2015}} On September 3, 2015, Six Flags announced that the Roar at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom would be transformed into a "wood-steel hybrid" named The Joker featuring three inversions.{{cite news|last1=MacDonald|first1=Brady|title=Six Flags unveils new attractions for every park in 2016|url=http://www.latimes.com/travel/themeparks/la-trb-six-flags-2016-20150903-story.html|accessdate=September 4, 2015|work=Los Angeles Times|date=September 3, 2015}}{{cite news|last1=Glidden|first1=John|title='The Joker' roller coaster set to open next year|url=http://www.timesheraldonline.com/general-news/20150903/the-joker-roller-coaster-set-to-open-next-year|accessdate=September 4, 2015|work=Vallejo Times Herald|date=September 3, 2015}} Rocky Mountain Construction performed the conversion, opening the new version on May 28, 2016.

{{GTA table

| type = wood

| accessdate = September 9, 2019

| 2003 = 39

| 2004 = 48

| 2005 = 49

| 2006 = 39

| 2007 = 42

}}

;General

• {{cite web|title=Roller Coaster DataBase: Roar (Six Flags America)|url=http://www.rcdb.com/485.htm|publisher=Roller Coaster DataBase|accessdate=2010-09-11}}
• {{cite web|title=Roller Coaster DataBase: Roar (Discovery Kingdom)|url=http://www.rcdb.com/543.htm|publisher=Roller Coaster DataBase|accessdate=2010-09-11}}
• {{cite web|title=Great Coasters International: Roar (East)|url=http://www.greatcoasters.com/?p=projects&id=14&t=stats|publisher=Great Coasters International|accessdate=2010-09-11}}
• {{cite web|title=Great Coasters International: Roar (West)|url=http://www.greatcoasters.com/?p=projects&id=13|publisher=Great Coasters International|accessdate=2010-09-11}}

;Specific

{{Reflist}}

{{commons category|Roar (Six Flags Discovery Kingdom)}}

• [http://www.sixflags.com/america/rides/Roar.aspx Roar at Six Flags America]
• [http://www.greatcoasters.com/index.php Great Coasters International]

{{SFA Coasters}}

{{SFDK Coasters}}

Category:Roller coasters operated by Six Flags

Category:Roller coasters in Maryland

Category:Former roller coasters in California

Category:Six Flags Discovery Kingdom

Category:Six Flags America

Category:Roller coasters manufactured by Great Coasters International

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