The World’s Craziest Roller Coasters
Adrenaline, fear, ecstasy…the screams overlap as roller coasters circle the air. In theme parks all over the planet -although most of these attractions are concentrated in the United States-, each year games are inaugurated that break new records for height, extension, investments (that’s what it is called when passengers are left with their heads down) and kilometres per hour. There are them made of wood, steel, open-ground, aquatic, with rotating seats … And their builders compete in design and technological advances, ready to serve the fun and, of course, the safety of visitors. It sounds like a no-brainer, but people with heart problems, pressure problems, back and neck pain, pregnant women or minors cannot ride (in general, the restrictions are indicated by the passenger’s height). The average duration of the tours is two minutes. It seems minor, but up there, it is an eternity! Here we have listed some of the world’s craziest, tallest and fastest roller coasters.
- Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, Orlando, USA
One can choose the music to listen to aboard this multi-sensory roller coaster while the cameras capture every moment of an unforgettable experience. At Universal Studios, Florida, the steel giant opened its doors in 2009 at 51 meters high, an extension of 1,200 meters and a top speed of 105 km per hour. With 30 songs to personalize the trip, the other peculiarity is that the passengers are filmed for 1 minute 45 seconds.
- Kingda Ka, NJ, USA
Located at Six Flags Great Aventure in Jackson, NJ. Since it opened to the public in 2005, it has become the tallest roller coaster – and by then also the fastest – in the world, thus breaking the record for the Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point amusement park in Ohio. A hydraulic mechanism launches the train at 206 kilometres per hour in 3.5 seconds. At 950 meters long and 139 meters high, the adrenaline lasts 50 seconds. It stands out for its speed and for being the highest, but it has no investments.
- Formula Rossa, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Since its construction in 2010 at the Ferrari World Abu Dhabi amusement park, Formula Rossa is the fastest roller coaster globally, reaching a maximum speed of 240 km per hour. As its name suggests, it simulates a Ferrari Formula 1 car journey, a mark on which the theme of the park revolves. Interestingly, it reaches 240 km / h after just 4.5 seconds of travel, thanks to a hydraulic launch system similar to that used in some aircraft carriers. The roller coaster is 2 km long, and you must wear protective glasses against frequent dust storms in the area.
- Colossos, Soltau, Germany
At the height of 60 meters, Colossos is the tallest wooden roller coaster in Europe. At the Heide Park Resort, it reaches 110 kilometres per hour, and on the steepest curve, passengers feel like they are flying. To climb, you must be over 12 years old and measure between 1.40 and 1.95 meters.
- Balder, Gothenburg, Sweden
Also made of wood, Balder stands in the Liseberg amusement park in Gothenburg, Sweden. Inaugurated in 2003, the roller coaster was an immediate success, not so much because it was the largest or the fastest on the continent. Still, because of the high percentage of “airtime” it offers passengers during the adventure.
- The Incredible Hulk Coaster, Orlando, USA.
It is said in Universal’s Islands of Adventure that Dr Bruce Banner’s gamma-ray accelerator propels visitors through space with the roller coaster known to the world as “The Hulk.” Completely painted green, as appropriate, it reaches a height of 45 meters and, in a few seconds, a speed of 108 km per hour. Designed by famous roller coaster architects Bolliger and Mabillard, The Incredible Hulk Coaster features two twists, two full vertical turns, a double inverted cobra turn, and a “zero gravity” turn. In other words, it offers seven reversals in 2 minutes and 15 seconds. For all this, it was considered in 2007 by the press as the “best roller coaster”. It is located at the Marvel Super Hero Island entrance, and the minimum height required to climb is 1.37 m. However,
- x2, California, USA
At Six Flags Magic Mountain Park in Valencia, California, this is a fourth-dimensional roller coaster. That is, where the seats rotate according to a transverse axis (the one that crosses the body from side to side) in a predefined way so that people experience how their seats rotate 360 degrees from one side to the other.
- Goliath, Illinois, USA
This roller coaster is located in “woodies” (made of wood) at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois. Designed by Rocky Mountain Construction, it opened to the public in June 2014, breaking three records for attractions of its kind: the longest drop (55 meters), the steepest (85 degrees) and the fastest (116 km per hour). . As if this were not enough, on the way he has two investments.
- The Smiler, Surrey, England
It is the world’s most invested roller coaster, 14 in total, beating the previous Colossus record at Thorpe Park. Opened last year, the tour lasts 2 minutes 45 seconds and reaches 85 km per hour.
- Dodonpa, Japan
Dodonpa at Fuji-Q-Highland Park in Japan takes place for takeoff acceleration, reaching its top speed of 170.59 km per hour in just 1.8 seconds. Its name derives from the sound of the traditional Japanese “taiko” drums, and in the line to get on the roller coaster “, do-don-pa” is heard, raising the level of expectation for taking off.