It has always been a race to see who can build the tallest and fastest roller coaster. It isn’t always height that makes a ride terrifying though. Below is a list of some of the most thrilling roller coasters from across the world.
“The Intimidator,” Kings Dominion- Virginia
This is your classic high speed coaster with a 305 foot drop reaching speeds of 92mph. Aside from its insane vertical drop, the seats are tiny and open. I would image this ride has pretty strict weight restrictions. Sorry 80% of America.
“Kingda Ka,” Six Flags Great Adventure, New Jersey
The Kingda Ka is a knockoff mega coaster based off the slightly less tall, Dragster (Cedar Point, Ohio.) This coaster is the tallest roller coaster in the world. The Kingda Ka hydraulically launches you at 128 mph towards a 456 vertical hill and drop. The machine looks intense (and it is)- but the ride is so fast and short that many report they “had no idea what just happened.”
“Son of Beast,” Kings Island, Ohio
This coaster looks like a son of a beast. How many trees did it take to build this structure? Son of Beast is the tallest wooden roller coaster. It once featured a vertical loop which was later removed after an accident. Don’t worry- nobody was killed. The park claims the loop had nothing to do with it, rather it was a bump in the track.
“Montu,” Busch Gardens, Florida
The Montu is an inverted, Egyptian themed roller coaster. It was once the worlds tallest and fasted inverted roller coaster. Luckily, it still holds the record for the most inversions (for an inverted coaster.) The Montu features 7 loops with numerous dips, tunnels, and thrills along the way.
“Hulk,” Islands of Adventure, Florida
The Hulk a non-traditional coaster that is known for it’s eye catching infrastructure. Instead of the typical chain pull to the top, the Hulk launches you up the hill. This coaster features numerous inversions and many zero-G force experiences.
“Colossus,” Thorpe Park, England
Colossus is often said to be one of the “craziest” roller coasters in the world. With that said, this ride holds the record for having the most inversions. They must have to hose this baby down on an hourly basis.
“Alpengeist,” Busch Gardens, Virginia
The Alpengeist is the tallest and fastest inverted roller coaster. It features a 170 ft drop with an initial 106 ft vertical loop, followed by 5 more loops. You better hope a bird isn’t in the way of your legs…or face.
“Mindbender,” Galaxyland, Canada
The scariest rides are usually the ones where you don’t know what’s coming. Is the track about to throw you in loop or drop 100 ft? The Mindbender is the tallest indoor roller coaster and could easily make anyone wet their pants. It looks crazy enough with the lights on.
“Steel Dragon 2000,” Nagashima Spa Land, Japan
The Steel Dragon is the longest roller coaster in the world with 8,133 ft in track length. Be sure you’re ready for this ride before you get on. After the the 300 ft drop, going 95 mph- you still have 1.5 miles left.
“X Squared,” Six Flags Magic Mountain, California
X Squared is a unique roller coaster because the seats can rotate forward or backward 360 degrees which is controlled by the rider. This is Magic Mountains signature ride with wait times often exceeding 2 hours.