estimated $4 million to construct. Despite a warm reception, it was plagued with maintenance issues and extensive downtime over the years. Coupled with ride quality issues and gaining a reputation for being extremely rough, guest satisfaction quickly declined. The hourly capacity of the ride also suffered from its confusing boarding and unloading procedure, where guests entered and exited on the same side inside the station. In addition, the combination over-the-shoulder and lap restraint system also proved to be cumbersome, resulting in slow loading times. In 1998, Viper was closed for most of the season, as Six Flags was having difficulty procuring replacement parts needed for maintenance. Behind the scenes, TOGO was struggling financially from the fallout of the company's highly-unsuccessful Windjammer Surf Racers, which opened at Knott's Berry Farm in 1997. The overall track design was also a factor in many of the ride's issues, with joints along the track unable to properly handle the stress from the trains. Sections of track were rewelded often and sometimes replaced altogether. Following sporadic operation over several years, Viper did not open with the park in 2001 and remained closed indefinitely for the rest of the year. It was subsequently removed from the park's promotional materials and maps. TOGO filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy that same year and shuttered their American offices. Six Flags considered removing Viper altogether and replacing it with an attraction from another park, but they were unsuccessful finding one that would properly fit its footprint. They pushed forward with modifications to the trains and track, and the coaster reopened to the public on March 29, 2002. The modifications failed to resolve ongoing issues, however, and Viper was down to one operating train by 2004. That season would prove to be its last, and the roller coaster was demolished in June 2005. They kept the station intact and repurposed it for El Toro, a record-breaking and well-received wooden coaster that opened in 2006. Ride experience Queue Guests passed underneath the entrance sign and entered a western-themed desert. This area featured many props, such as a well, cacti, wagons and more. Along the way, guests walked past a village with shade. Between 1997 and 1998, the site was home to a comedy show called The Legend of Venom Gulch, which would entertain guests while waiting in line. This show utilized the set pieces of the ghost town as backdrop and props