Sidewinder Safari is a steel spinning wild mouse roller coaster at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo, California. Built by Italian manufacturer Zamperla, the ride opened to guests on May 28, 2022, after pandemic-related delays pushed back its originally planned 2020 debut, becoming the park’s reptile-themed answer to the classic spinning coaster format.
What sets Sidewinder Safari apart from a typical wild mouse layout is its queue and theming: riders wind past live snakes and lizards housed alongside the line before boarding four-person cars that spin freely through a tight, twisting course of sharp turns and sudden drops, blending an animal encounter with a compact thrill ride.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
- Manufacturer: Zamperla
- Model: Twister Coaster 420
- Opened: May 28, 2022
- Height: about 43 feet
- Top speed: about 29 mph
- Length: about 1,378 feet
- Inversions: 0
The Ride Experience
Guests board one of six individual cars arranged around the spinning coaster’s compact footprint, with riders seated four across. After a chain lift hoists the cars up the ride’s modest height, gravity and momentum take over as each car spins independently through the twisting steel track, adding an unpredictable rotational element to the zigzagging layout.
The ride lasts about two and a half minutes, delivering bursts of G-force that reach roughly 2.5 g through its tightest turns, making it an accessible but genuinely thrilling option for riders who have outgrown the park’s kiddie rides but aren’t ready for its larger coasters.
A Reptile-Themed Queue
Six Flags Discovery Kingdom built its identity around marine and wildlife encounters, and Sidewinder Safari extends that theme to its queue line, where live snakes, lizards, and other reptiles are displayed for guests to observe while they wait to ride.
The coaster’s name and safari-inspired branding tie directly into this concept, making it one of the park’s few attractions that combines a steel thrill ride with a hands-on animal exhibit experience.
Explore more: Explore more roller coasters.
Over 3,700 pieces, a real vertical loop and a working chain lift. Display it on a shelf in the coaster room.
Rub-on sunscreen that fits in a pocket — reapply in the queue without greasy hands on the lap bar.
Folds into its own pocket. Pop it on when the storm rolls in and the rides reopen to short lines.
Sidewinder Safari FAQs
What type of roller coaster is Sidewinder Safari?
It’s a steel spinning wild mouse coaster, a Zamperla Twister Coaster 420 model, featuring tight turns and cars that spin freely as they travel the track.
When did Sidewinder Safari open?
It opened at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom on May 28, 2022, after its original 2020 debut was delayed.
How long does the Sidewinder Safari ride last?
The ride lasts about two and a half minutes as the spinning cars travel 1,378 feet of track.
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Photo: Kiddo27 / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.