Batman: The Ride: Mid America Adventure’s Flipped B&M Classic

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September 8, 2026

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by tz

Batman: The Ride is an inverted steel roller coaster that has anchored the Gotham City section of Mid America Adventure (formerly Six Flags St. Louis) in Eureka, Missouri, since it opened on April 22, 1995. Built by Swiss manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard, it arrived just a few years after the company debuted the inverted coaster concept, sending riders through five inversions with their feet dangling free beneath the track.

The St. Louis installation holds a notable place in coaster history as the first ‘flipped’ clone of the original Batman: The Ride, which opened at Six Flags Great America in 1992. Its first drop banks to the right instead of the left, mirroring the Illinois layout rather than copying it outright. In August 2026, the park itself was rebranded from Mid America Adventure to Mid America Adventure under new operator Enchanted Parks, though Batman: The Ride has continued running largely unchanged through the transition.

Stats at a Glance

The Ride Experience

After a roughly 105-foot lift hill, trains plunge into a first drop that curves to the right before threading through two vertical loops, a zero-gravity roll, and a pair of corkscrews. Riders are held in place by over-the-shoulder restraints as their legs swing free below the track, a sensation that was still a novelty to most American parkgoers when the ride opened in the mid-1990s.

The coaster runs two trains, each with eight cars seating riders four across, for a full circuit that lasts around two minutes. It was designed by Ing.-Büro Stengel GmbH, the German firm that engineered many of B&M’s early layouts.

A Milestone Clone in B&M History

Rather than being an identical copy of the Six Flags Great America original, the St. Louis version was built as a mirror image, giving it a distinct feel even for riders familiar with its Illinois sibling. That distinction made it a frequently cited example whenever enthusiasts discuss how B&M adapted a single successful design across the Six Flags chain in the 1990s.

The ride’s longevity has outlasted the branding of the park around it. Following the 2026 sale of the property to EPR Properties and its rebrand to Mid America Adventure, Batman: The Ride remains one of the park’s signature attractions, carrying its Six Flags-era pedigree into a new chapter for the 55-year-old Eureka property.

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Batman: The Ride Photo Archive: June 2002

These are original ThrillZing photos of Batman: The Ride taken at Six Flags St. Louis on June 29, 2002, restored and upscaled from the original camera files. They show the Bolliger & Mabillard inverted coaster in its eighth season: the entrance sign, riders dangling through the vertical loop, trains climbing into and cresting the loop, the Gotham City station and queue, and the loop and lift hill above the trees in evening light. All photos are free to reuse under a CC BY 4.0 license with credit to ThrillZing and a link to this page.

The Batman: The Ride entrance sign at Six Flags St. Louis, June 2002
The Batman: The Ride entrance sign at Six Flags St. Louis, June 29, 2002. Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)
A Batman: The Ride train cresting the lift hill at Six Flags St. Louis, June 2002
A Batman: The Ride train cresting the lift hill at Six Flags St. Louis, June 29, 2002. Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)
A Batman: The Ride train diving into the first drop above the treeline at Six Flags St. Louis, June 2002
A Batman: The Ride train diving into the first drop above the treeline at Six Flags St. Louis, June 29, 2002. Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)
A Batman: The Ride train cresting the vertical loop at Six Flags St. Louis, June 2002
A Batman: The Ride train cresting the vertical loop at Six Flags St. Louis, June 29, 2002. Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)
A Batman: The Ride train climbing the lift hill behind the vertical loop at Six Flags St. Louis, June 2002
A Batman: The Ride train climbing the lift hill behind the vertical loop at Six Flags St. Louis, June 29, 2002. Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)
A Batman: The Ride train rounding a turn beside the vertical loop at Six Flags St. Louis, June 2002
A Batman: The Ride train rounding a turn beside the vertical loop at Six Flags St. Louis, June 29, 2002. Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)
Batman: The Ride's vertical loop seen from below at Six Flags St. Louis, June 2002
Batman: The Ride’s vertical loop seen from below at Six Flags St. Louis, June 29, 2002. Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)
Batman: The Ride's vertical loop and lift hill above the trees at Six Flags St. Louis, June 2002
Batman: The Ride’s vertical loop and lift hill above the trees at Six Flags St. Louis, June 29, 2002. Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)
A Batman: The Ride train climbing the lift hill above the Gotham City wall at Six Flags St. Louis, June 2002
A Batman: The Ride train climbing the lift hill above the Gotham City wall at Six Flags St. Louis, June 29, 2002. Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)
A Batman: The Ride train banking against the sky at Six Flags St. Louis, June 2002
A Batman: The Ride train banking against the sky at Six Flags St. Louis, June 29, 2002. Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)
Batman: The Ride's Gotham City station and queue at Six Flags St. Louis, June 2002
Batman: The Ride’s Gotham City station and queue at Six Flags St. Louis, June 29, 2002. Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)
Batman: The Ride's track above the themed signage at Six Flags St. Louis, June 2002
Batman: The Ride’s track above the themed signage at Six Flags St. Louis, June 29, 2002. Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)
Batman: The Ride's layout above the midway lamps at Six Flags St. Louis, June 2002
Batman: The Ride’s layout above the midway lamps at Six Flags St. Louis, June 29, 2002. Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)
Batman: The Ride's lift hill crest and first drop above the trees at Six Flags St. Louis, June 2002
Batman: The Ride’s lift hill crest and first drop above the trees at Six Flags St. Louis, June 29, 2002. Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)
Batman: The Ride's track curving up above the trees at Six Flags St. Louis, June 2002
Batman: The Ride’s track curving up above the trees at Six Flags St. Louis, June 29, 2002. Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)
Batman: The Ride's track and supports against the sky at Six Flags St. Louis, June 2002
Batman: The Ride’s track and supports against the sky at Six Flags St. Louis, June 29, 2002. Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)
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Batman: The Ride FAQs

Is Batman: The Ride still operating?

Yes. It continues to run at the Eureka, Missouri park formerly known as Six Flags St. Louis, which was renamed Mid America Adventure in August 2026.

How fast does Batman: The Ride go?

The coaster reaches a top speed of about 50 mph (80 km/h).

How many inversions does Batman: The Ride have?

It has five inversions: two vertical loops, a zero-g roll, and two corkscrews.

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