Six Flags Superman Ride Stalls, Riders Forced to Walk Down

The roller coaster breaks down. People are stranded hundreds of feet in the air. Whatever will they do?

Just then, someone in the crowd bellows, "This looks like a job for Superman!"

But wait, this is Superman! Quick, has anyone spotted Underdog?

Riders Forced to Walk Down Superman Ride

Boston.com reported that "Riders on Six Flags New England's popular Superman: The Ride were forced to walk down from the track after the coaster stalled near the top of the lift hill on April 24."

Six Flags Responds to Ride Malfunction

The Agawam, Massachusetts amusement park told Western Mass News in a statement, "On Friday, April 24, the ride did not complete its typical cycle. Trained employees safely unloaded all guests from the ride."

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The statement concluded, "Our team was in constant contact with the guests, and all riders were invited to return to the park."

A Roller Coaster With a Complicated History

The roller coaster, featuring a 208-foot lift hill and a 221-foot drop, has had an identity crisis since its launch in 2000. From 2000 to 2008, it was called Superman: Ride of Steel. From 2009 to 2015, it was Bizarro.

In 2016, Six Flags renamed the roller coaster Superman: The Ride.

A Firsthand Experience on the Same Ride

The first time my wife and I rode the Superman (or Bizarro) roller coaster, the same thing happened to us.

While climbing the lift hill, not far from the top, we stopped. We were sitting with our backs toward the ground and our faces toward the sky. We remained that way for what appeared to be an eternity.

A young man, who had made his way up a staircase to our right, assured us that we would be fine.

READ MORE: Six Flags Selling Seven Amusement Parks for $330 Million

The man said the coaster is computer-driven until it reaches the top of the lift hill. At that point, gravity takes over for the remainder of the ride.

"We need to reboot the computer," the man informed us. He also informed us that it was anyone's guess whether the ride would proceed once rebooted or roll backward down the track.

It was at that point that my wife tried to climb over me to get off the thing. The young man and I eventually calmed her down, and she remained seated.

When the reboot was complete, the ride proceeded as though nothing had occurred. Whew!

The same day, my son convinced me to ride this thing that resembled a pair of spatulas connected at the handles. It appears the ride is no longer there. Wouldn't you know that we got stuck on that thing, hanging upside down for about 15 minutes?