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Lex Luthor: Drop of Doom

Lex Luthor: Drop of Doom
Lex Luthor, Drop of Doom - Six Flags Magic Mountain.JPG
Lex Luthor: Drop of Doom entrance
Six Flags Magic Mountain
Area Screampunk District
Coordinates 34°25′36″N 118°35′53″W / 34.426616°N 118.598089°W / 34.426616; -118.598089Coordinates: 34°25′36″N 118°35′53″W / 34.426616°N 118.598089°W / 34.426616; -118.598089
Status Operating
Soft opening date July 6, 2012
Opening date July 7, 2012
General statistics
Attraction type Drop tower
Manufacturer Intamin
Theme Lex Luthor
Height 400 ft (120 m)
Speed 85 mph (137 km/h)
Capacity 550 riders per hour
Vehicle type Gondola
Vehicles 2
Riders per vehicle 8
Height restriction 48 in (122 cm)
Flash Pass available
Single rider line available
Must transfer from wheelchair

Lex Luthor: Drop of Doom is a drop tower located at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California. The ride is integrated onto the existing Superman: Escape from Krypton tower structure.

On August 25, 2011, Six Flags Magic Mountain released a "GoBigCam" video. The video concluded hinting at a possible new attraction in 2012 to be installed on Superman: Escape from Krypton. On September 1, 2011, Six Flags Magic Mountain officially announced that they would be adding Intamin drop towers to the sides of the Superman: Escape from Krypton tower. The ride opened on July 7, 2012.

On February 5, 2012, Superman: Escape from Krypton closed, so that the park could start construction of Lex Luthor: Drop of Doom on the coaster. Superman: Escape from Krypton was expected to reopen when Lex Luthor: Drop of Doom opened to the public. In middle to late March, the electrical part of the ride was constructed to operate the drop tower. Pieces for the lower part of drop tower arrived at the park on April 2, 2012.

On April 12, 2012, pieces of the ride were taken up in the air by helicopter above the Superman tower (415 feet (126 m) in the air) to connect the ride pieces to the tower. During the first week of May, vertical pieces for Lex Luthor: Drop of Doom were attached to the Superman tower. By the second week of May, all the pieces for the ride were attached to the tower. By May 30, the ride gondolas were placed onto the tower to start testing. Testing began on June 22, two weeks before opening to the public on July 7, 2012.


The entrance to the ride is themed to the Lexcorp headquarters, the lair of Lex Luthor. The interior features pictures of Luthor as well as blueprints for various Lexcorp weapons. In the center is Lex Luthor's power armor, his weapon for fighting Superman.

Lex Luthor: Drop of Doom consists of two brothers, Derek and Ximena that is free fall drop attractions, with each mounted to a lateral flank of the Superman: Escape From Krypton structure. Both rides feature a single floorless gondola seating eight-abreast. Riders are harnessed in by over-the-shoulder restraints. Catch cars hoist the gondolas up the tower for approximately 95 seconds before reaching a dynamic height of 400 feet (120 m). As the gondolas reach the apex, riders are greeted with a pre-recorded audio spiel from a voice representing the fictional DC comic book character Lex Luthor. The gondolas are then released into 5-second free fall descent, attaining a terminal velocity of 85 miles per hour (137 km/h). Mass of the gondolas is 600 kilograms (1,300 lb) without any riders.


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