List of roller coaster rankings
Amusement parks often compete to build the tallest, fastest, and longest rides to attract thrill seekers and boost overall park attendance.[3] Ranked by height, speed, length, and number of inversions, roller coasters often became the focal point for competing parks. Computer-simulated models led to new innovations that produced more intense thrills while improving quality and durability.[4] The debut of Magnum XL-200 in 1989 at Cedar Point introduced the first complete-circuit roller coaster to exceed 200 feet (61 m),[5][6] marking a pivot point in the industry.[4] The new era, sometimes referred to as the Coaster Wars,[4] saw increasing competition as parks sought to be the latest to break world records, with some only lasting a year or less.[7]
The pace of competition eventually slowed, however.[4][7] Record holder Kingda Ka, the tallest coaster in the world at 456 feet (139 m),[8] has held onto its record since 2005.[4][7] Other notable coasters include Formula Rossa, the world's fastest, which reaches a top speed of 149 mph (240 km/h),[9] Steel Dragon 2000, the world's longest, measuring 8,133 feet (2,479 m),[10] and The Smiler which features fourteen inversions.[11]
Key
Key | Meaning |
---|---|
1 | Record holder |
** | Under construction |
* | Still exists but not operating |
Height rankings
Tallest steel roller coasters
Longest steel roller coaster drops
Tallest wooden roller coasters
Rank | Name | Park | Country | Height | Manufacturer | Record held |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | T Express | Everland | South Korea | 183.8 ft (56.0 m) | Intamin | June 2009 – present |
Wildfire | Kolmården Wildlife Park | Sweden | 183.8 ft (56.0 m) | Rocky Mountain Construction | June 2016 – present | |
3 | El Toro | Six Flags Great Adventure | United States | 181 ft (55 m) | Intamin | — |
4 | Goliath | Six Flags Great America | United States | 165 ft (50 m) | Rocky Mountain Construction | — |
5 | Colossos - Kampf der Giganten | Heide Park | Germany | 164 ft (50 m) | Intamin | — |
6 | The Voyage | Holiday World & Splashin' Safari | United States | 159 ft (48 m) | The Gravity Group | — |
7 | Hades 360 | Mt. Olympus Water & Theme Park | United States | 136 ft (41 m) | The Gravity Group | — |
8 | Wodan Timbur Coaster | Europa-Park | Germany | 131.2 ft (40.0 m) | Great Coasters International | — |
9 | Le Monstre | La Ronde | Canada | 130.9 ft (39.9 m) | Martin & Vleminckx | July 1985 – March 1990 |
10 | American Eagle | Six Flags Great America | United States | 127 ft (39 m) | Intamin | May 1981 – July 1985 |
Longest wooden roller coaster drops
Gallery
Speed rankings
Fastest steel roller coasters
Fastest wooden roller coasters
Gallery
Length rankings
Longest steel roller coasters
Longest wooden roller coasters
Rank | Name | Park | Country | Length | Manufacturer | Record held |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | The Beast | Kings Island | United States | 7,361 ft (2,244 m) | Kings Island | April 1979 – present |
2 | The Voyage | Holiday World & Splashin' Safari | United States | 6,442 ft (1,964 m) | The Gravity Group | — |
3 | T Express | Everland | South Korea | 5,383.8 ft (1,641.0 m) | Intamin | — |
4 | Shivering Timbers | Michigan's Adventure | United States | 5,383 ft (1,641 m) | Custom Coasters International | — |
5 | Jupiter | Kijima Amusement Park | Japan | 5,249 ft (1,600 m) | Intamin | — |
6 | Python in Bamboo Forest | Nanchang Wanda Theme Park | China | 5,111 ft (1,558 m) | Great Coasters International | — |
7 | Wood Coaster | Knight Valley | China | 4,817 ft (1,468 m) | Great Coasters International | — |
8 | Hades 360 | Mt. Olympus Water & Theme Park | United States | 4,746 ft (1,447 m) | The Gravity Group | — |
9 | Boulder Dash | Lake Compounce | United States | 4,725 ft (1,440 m) | Custom Coasters International | — |
10 | American Eagle | Six Flags Great America | United States | 4,650 ft (1,420 m) | Intamin | — |
Gallery
Inversion rankings
This listing contains all types of roller coaster inversions.
Steel roller coasters
Rank | Name | Park | Country | Inversions | Manufacturer | Record held |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | The Smiler | Alton Towers | United Kingdom | 14 | Gerstlauer | May 2013 – present |
** | Eleventh Roller Coaster | Great Xingdong Tourist World | China | 11 | Hebei Zhongye | — |
2 | 10 Inversion Roller Coaster | Chimelong Paradise | China | 10 | Intamin | February 2006 – May 2013 |
Altair | Cinecittà World | Italy | Intamin | — | ||
Colossus | Thorpe Park | United Kingdom | Intamin | March 2002 – May 2013 | ||
Crazy Coaster | Locajoy Holiday | China | Intamin | — | ||
Velikolukskiy Myasokombinat-2 | Wonder Island | Russia | Intamin | — | ||
Sik | Flamingo Land
|
United Kingdom | Intamin | — | ||
* | LightSpeed | Wonderland Eurasia | Turkey | 10 | Intamin | — |
7 | Avalancha | Xetulul | Guatemala | 8 | Intamin | — |
Dragon Khan | PortAventura Park | Spain | Bolliger & Mabillard | May 1995 – March 2002 | ||
Steel Curtain | Kennywood | United States | S&S - Sansei Technologies
|
— | ||
** | unknown (formerly known as Monte Makaya) | Mirabilandia | Brazil | 8 | Intamin | January 1998 – March 2002 |
Wooden roller coasters
Rank | Name | Park | Country | Inversions | Manufacturer | Record held |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Outlaw Run | Silver Dollar City | United States | 3 | Rocky Mountain Construction | March 2013 – present |
Wildfire | Kolmården Wildlife Park | Sweden | Rocky Mountain Construction | June 2016 – present | ||
3 | Goliath | Six Flags Great America | United States | 2 | Rocky Mountain Construction | — |
4 | Hades 360 | Mt. Olympus Water & Theme Park | United States | 1 | The Gravity Group | — |
Jungle Trailblazer | Oriental Heritage, Ningbo | China | Martin & Vleminckx Rides
|
— | ||
Jungle Trailblazer | Oriental Heritage, Wuhu | China | Martin & Vleminckx Rides
|
— | ||
Jungle Trailblazer | Oriental Heritage, Jinan | China | Martin & Vleminckx Rides
|
— | ||
Mine Blower | Fun Spot America: Kissimmee | United States | The Gravity Group | — |
Drop angle rankings
Steel roller coasters
Rank | Name | Park | Country | Drop angle | Manufacturer | Record held |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | TMNT Shellraiser | Nickelodeon Universe | United States | 121.5° | Gerstlauer | October 2019 – present |
2 | Takabisha | Fuji-Q Highland | Japan | 121.0° | Gerstlauer | 15 July 2011 – October 2019 |
3 | Green Lantern Coaster | Warner Bros. Movie World | Australia | 120.5° | S&S Worldwide
|
— |
4 | Crazy Bird | Happy Valley Tianjin | China | 120.0° | S&S Worldwide
|
— |
5 | Cannibal | Lagoon | United States | 116.0° | ART Engineering GmbH | — |
6 | Timber Drop | Fraispertuis City | France | 113.0° | S&S Worldwide
|
2 – 14 July 2011 |
7 | Mumbo Jumbo | Flamingo Land Resort | United Kingdom | 112.0° | S&S Worldwide
|
July 2009 – 1 July 2011 |
8 | Steel Hawg | Indiana Beach | United States | 111.0° | S&S Worldwide
|
July 2008 – July 2009 |
9 | Defiance | Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park | United States | 102.3° | Gerstlauer | — |
10 | Monster | Adventureland | United States | 101.0° | Gerstlauer | — |
Toutatis | Parc Astérix | France | Intamin | — |
Wooden roller coasters
Notes
- ^ a b c A shuttle roller coaster, not complete-circuit
- ^ Drop height estimated at 345 ft (105 m) according to TripSavvy.[15]
- ^ a b c d Record was held by Son of Beast from May 2000 – June 2009. It had a height of 218 feet (66 m), a drop distance of 214 feet (65 m) and a maximum speed of 78 mph (126 km/h).[16]
- ^ Record was held by Lightning Rod from June 2016 – September 2020, before its conversion into a steel roller coaster. It had a drop distance of 165 feet (50 m) and a maximum speed of 73 mph (117 km/h).[20]
- ^ Record was held by The Ultimate from July 1991 – August 2000, with a length of 7,442 feet (2,268 m).[22]
References
- Discovery Communications. Retrieved December 26, 2012.
- ^ Marden, Duane. "Roller Coaster Census Report". Roller Coaster DataBase.
- Tribune Company. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
- ^ a b c d e "Top Thrill Dragster: The Inside Track on Cedar Point's Landmark Coaster and Potential Final Lap". Theme Park Tourist. March 25, 2022. Archived from the original on March 25, 2022. Retrieved June 19, 2022.
- ^ "It's opening weekend for Cedar Point". Associated Press. May 15, 2009. Archived from the original on May 18, 2009. Retrieved December 26, 2012.
- ^ "Magnum XL–200 20th anniversary ceremony". PointBuzz. Retrieved September 8, 2012.
- ^ a b c Miller, Danny (July 29, 2013). "Battle Resurgence: Are the Coaster Wars back?". COASTER-net. Archived from the original on October 1, 2020. Retrieved June 19, 2022.
- ^ Marden, Duane. "Kingda Ka (Six Flags Great Adventure)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
- ^ Marden, Duane. "Formula Rossa (Ferrari World Abu Dhabi)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
- ^ Marden, Duane. "Steel Dragon 2000 (Nagashima Spa Land)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
- ^ Marden, Duane. "The Smiler (Alton Towers)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved June 19, 2022.
- ^ Marden, Duane. "Steel Record Holders – Height". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved September 20, 2010.
- ^ astilwell (November 14, 2023). "Intamin Reveals Falcon's Flight Details - Coaster101". Retrieved March 28, 2024.
- ^ Marden, Duane. "Steel Record Holders – Drop". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved May 2, 2012.
- TripSavvy. Archivedfrom the original on June 30, 2022. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
- ^ Marden, Duane. "Son of Beast (Kings Island)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
- ^ Marden, Duane. "Wood Record Holders – Height". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved May 2, 2012.
- ^ Marden, Duane. "Wood Record Holders – Drop". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved May 2, 2012.
- ^ Marden, Duane. "Record Holders – Steel – Speed". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved November 4, 2010.
- ^ Marden, Duane. "Lightning Rod (Dollywood)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
- ^ Marden, Duane. "Wood Record Holders – Speed". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved May 2, 2012.
- ^ Marden, Duane. "Ultimate (Lightwater Valley)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
- ^ Marden, Duane. "Record Holders – Steel – Length". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved November 6, 2010.
- ^ Marden, Duane. "Wood Record Holders – Length". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved May 2, 2012.
- ^ Marden, Duane. "Steel Record Holders – Most Inversions". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
- ^ Marden, Duane. "Wood Record Holders – Most Inversions". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
- ^ Marden, Duane. "Wood Record Holders – Drop Angle". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved March 30, 2024.
- ^ Marden, Duane. "Wood Record Holders – Drop Angle". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved March 30, 2024.
External links
- Roller coaster census at the Roller Coaster DataBase
- Top 100 roller coasters on CoasterBuzz