Roller coasters are amusement rides developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. Early iterations during the 16th and 17th centuries, popularized in Russia, involved wooden sleds that carried riders down large slides made from ice. The first roller coasters to attach a train to a wooden track appeared in France in the early 1800s.[1] Although wooden roller coasters are still being produced, steel roller coasters were introduced in the mid-20th-century and eventually became more common. They can be found on every continent except Antarctica.[2]
Amusement parks often compete to build the tallest, fastest, and longest rides to attract thrill seekers and boost 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 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 (61m) in height,[5][6] marking a pivot point in the industry and a new era sometimes referred to as the Coaster Wars.[4] This period saw increasing competition as parks sought to be the latest to set a new world record, and some records were held for less than a year.[7]
The pace of competition eventually slowed, however.[4][7] The now-defunct Kingda Ka, previously the tallest coaster in the world at 456 feet (139m),[8] held the height record from 2005 until its closure in 2024.[4][7]Formula Rossa, formerly the world's fastest at 149mph (240km/h), held the speed record for 15 years.[9]Steel Dragon 2000, with its track length of 8,133 feet (2,479m), was the longest in the world for more than 25 years. These records were eventually surpassed by Falcons Flight in 2025, which opened as the tallest, fastest, and longest roller coaster in the world. Other notables include The Beast, the world's longest wooden coaster since its opening in 1979, featuring a track length of 7,361 feet (2,244m),[10] and The Smiler, which set a world record with fourteen inversions in 2013.[11]
12Record was held by Kingda Ka from 21 May 2005 – 10 November 2024, featuring a height of 456 feet (139m) and a drop distance of 418 feet (127m).[8]
↑Falcons Flight has been advertised with a height of 640 feet (200m). This is the difference from the highest point to lowest point. Tallest freestanding element is the 534.8 feet (163.0m) camelback hill.[16]
↑Drop height estimated at 345ft (105m) according to TripSavvy.[18]
↑Record was held by Texas Giant from 17 March 1990 – 28 April 2000. It had a height of 143 feet (44m), a drop distance of 137 feet (42m) and a maximum speed of 62mph (100km/h).[19]
123Record was held by Son of Beast from 28 April 2000 – 16 June 2009. It had a height of 218 feet (66m), a drop distance of 214 feet (65m) and a maximum speed of 78mph (126km/h).[20]
↑Record was held by Mean Streak from 22 May 1991 – 14 May 1992 and 1994 – 28 April 2000. It had a height of 161 feet (49m), a drop distance of 155 feet (47m) and a maximum speed of 74mph (119km/h).[22]
↑Record was held by Rattler from 14 May 1992 until its drop was lowered in 1994. It had a height of 179 feet (55m), a drop distance of 166 feet (51m) and a maximum speed of 65mph (105km/h).[23]
↑Record was held by Dodonpa from 21 December 2001 – 4 May 2003, with a maximum speed of 106.9mph (172.0km/h).[26]
↑Record was held by Kingda Ka from 21 May 2005 – 10 November 2010. It had a maximum speed of 128mph (206km/h).[8]
↑Record was held by Lightning Rod from 13 June 2016 – 25 September 2020, before its conversion into a steel roller coaster. It had a drop distance of 165 feet (50m) and a maximum speed of 73mph (117km/h).[28]
↑Record was held by The Ultimate from 17 July 1991 – 1 August 2000, with a length of 7,442 feet (2,268m).[30]
↑The Roller Coaster DataBase lists the ride as having eight inversions, since the banana roll is counted as one inversion. Other sources list the ride as having nine inversions, with the banana roll counted as two.[33]
↑Record was held by Son of Beast from 28 April 2000 – 16 June 2009, which featured 1 inversion. The vertical loop was removed following an incident in July 2006.[20]
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