Batman: The Ride (Six Flags Fiesta Texas)

Batman: The Ride is a 4D Free Spin roller coaster at Six Flags Fiesta Texas amusement park in San Antonio, Texas, USA. Manufactured by S&S - Sansei Technologies (S&S), the roller coaster is the first 4D Free Spin coaster in the world. It opened on May 23, 2015.

History
Teasing for Batman: The Ride started in mid-summer before the announcement, with for sale signs placed in many Rockville themed shops along with a balloon at Motorama Turnpike. In August 2014, Fiesta Texas announced the closure of one of the parks original rides, Motorama Turnpike and the Golden Ticket Award winning show, Rockin' at Rockville High in effort for the theme section Rockville to receive an urban renewal according from the park. Batman: The Ride was officially announced on August 28, 2014, along with new attractions at other Six Flags parks.

Track for Batman: The Ride arrived in February of 2015 with the construction of the site well underway to be ready to open in three months. The roller coaster nears completion in the end of March of the same year before opening on May 23, 2015 to the public. Batman: The Ride can be available throughout the year including the parks Fright Fest and Holiday in the Park.

Ride
Riders on Batman: The Ride will begin by climbing along a 120 foot vertical rise. Then zoom over hills while pivoting forward multiple times, before plummeting into a steep raven drop. Next, riders will subsequently change directions and get to enjoy a backwards flip, spinning backwards into another raven drop and then ending with a forward flip. The roller coaster uses an adjustable series of magnetic kickers to allow the cars to spin freely, based on factors such as gravity and rider weight in the cars. The park can adjust the degree of spin based on rider input, which will help them regulate the experience to average rider tolerance over time. The coaster is located where the former Motorama Turnpike was on the northernmost part of the Rockville section along Fiesta Texas Railroad.

The coaster is design by S&S, while the track is manufactured by Rocky Mountain Construction.

As the name suggests, Batman: The Ride is themed to the DC Comics superhero, Batman. The coaster will be located in the 50's themed section, Rockville. Riders would queue inside the Monarch Theater, which was the location of a pivotal moment in the Batman universe. Young Bruce Wayne was leaving the theater with his parents when they were killed right in front of him. The Batman theme is further explored inside while guests wait, with touches that include a Batmobile, Bat-Signal, and many other related artifacts.

Reception
Batman: The Ride became one of the most anticipated roller coasters of 2015 due to the ride being the first in the world. With some stating that the roller coaster may become the "most intense" ever built. The coaster has generally been well received by the media and park goers. Tim Baldwin of RollerCoaster! Magazine who gave the ride more than a few "Bat-whirls" stated that "you really don’t know what to expect" and "it is just like summersaulting through the sky". Albert Salazar from San Antonio Current, didn't know what to expect as the roller coaster didn't look like any other roller coaster at the theme park as Batman offers a "unique topsy-turvy experience." After him and his co-workers disembarked the ride in surprise they were all in shock, with one stating "What the hell just happened?" They then, "wondered when we could get on it again."

With the success of Batman: The Ride and becoming a "an immediate fan favorite", Six Flags has spawned another version of the ride the following year at Six Flags Great Adventure as The Joker. The company is planning on building three more for the 2017 season at their parks.

After Batman: The Ride's debut year in 2015, the roller coaster didn't receive any votes of the Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Awards for best new ride or any for the coaster to be apart of the top fifty steel roller coasters in the world of that year.