If you’ve been paying attention to the theme park world lately, you know things just got weird. For decades, the "arms race" for the title of the biggest roller coaster in world was a back-and-forth battle between New Jersey and Ohio. We all knew the names: Kingda Ka and Top Thrill Dragster. They were essentially giant metal lawn darts—you go up, you come down, and the whole thing is over before you can even finish a scream.
But as of right now, the crown has officially left North America.
The opening of Six Flags Qiddiya City in Saudi Arabia on December 31, 2025, didn’t just nudge the record books; it basically set them on fire. The star of the show, Falcon’s Flight, is so much bigger than anything we’ve seen before that it almost feels like it shouldn't be legal. We aren't just talking about a few extra feet of height. We’re talking about a machine that uses a literal desert cliffside to achieve its scale.
The Absolute Madness of Falcon’s Flight
Let’s get the numbers out of the way because they’re kinda hard to wrap your head around. Falcon’s Flight isn’t just tall. It reaches a peak height of roughly 640 feet.
To put that in perspective, the previous record-holder, Kingda Ka, stood at 456 feet. That’s a 184-foot difference. That is basically like taking a 15-story building and stacking it on top of the old world record holder. It’s a massive jump.
Honestly, the speed is where things get truly terrifying. Most "fast" coasters hit 70 or 80 mph. This thing clocks in at 155 mph.
You’re literally moving at the speed of a high-performance sports car on an open track. Because of that speed and the desert environment, the front of the train actually has protective windshields. Imagine hitting a stray bug or even a grain of sand at 155 mph. Yeah, you'd want a windshield too.
It Isn't Just a One-Trick Pony
The problem with the old record holders was the duration. You’d wait three hours in the Jersey heat for a ride that lasted 50 seconds. Falcon’s Flight is different. It’s the longest coaster in the world, stretching out for about 2.6 miles (nearly 14,000 feet) of track.
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The ride lasts about three minutes.
Most people don't realize how long that is for a high-intensity coaster. By the time you hit the final brake run, your adrenaline levels are probably going to be completely tapped out. It uses three separate electromagnetic (LSM) launches to keep the momentum going. The biggest "drop" actually happens off the side of the Tuwaiq mountain cliff, which is a clever way to get height without needing a 600-foot tower of steel supports.
What Happened to the Old Legends?
You might be wondering what happened to the coasters we used to call the "biggest." It’s been a rough couple of years for the American icons.
- Kingda Ka: This is the big shocker. Six Flags Great Adventure officially retired Kingda Ka at the end of the 2024 season. It’s being torn down. It’s weird to think a coaster that dominated the world for 20 years is just... gone. They’re replacing it with a new multi-record-breaking launch coaster for 2026, but it won’t be the tallest anymore.
- Formula Rossa: The Ferrari World coaster in Abu Dhabi held the speed record (149 mph) for a long time. Falcon’s Flight finally beat it by about 6 mph.
- Steel Dragon 2000: This Japanese legend held the "longest track" record for over two decades. Falcon's Flight basically doubled its length.
The Engineering Nightmare of High-Speed Coasters
Building the biggest roller coaster in world isn't just about using more steel. It’s a thermodynamics problem. When a train travels at 150+ mph, the wheels get incredibly hot.
Intamin, the company that designed the ride, had to develop specific cooling systems and wheel compounds that wouldn't melt under the friction. Then you have the wind. In the Saudi desert, you’re dealing with high-altitude winds and heat that can expand the track.
There's also the "g-force" issue. If you take a turn too fast, riders pass out (grey-out). To keep the ride safe but record-breaking, the turns on Falcon's Flight have to be massive. The radius of the loops and curves is much wider than your neighborhood coaster, which is why the footprint of the ride is so enormous.
Why 2026 is the Year of the "Giga"
Even if you can’t make it to Saudi Arabia, 2026 is shaping up to be a massive year for coasters closer to home. Six Flags Over Texas is debuting Tormenta: Rampaging Run.
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It’s being billed as the world’s tallest "dive coaster." While it won't beat Falcon’s Flight for the overall height record, it stands 309 feet tall and features a 95-degree drop. That means you’re actually leaning inward as you fall.
It’s part of a broader trend where parks are moving away from simple height and focusing on "elements." We’re seeing more "tilt" coasters (where the track literally tips 90 degrees before dropping you) and "swing" launches.
Is the Record Safe?
Probably for a while. Building something like Falcon’s Flight cost a fortune—part of a $1 billion investment in the park. Most regional parks in the U.S. or Europe just don't have the budget or the space to build a 600-foot-tall mountain-climbing beast.
We might see some competition in the "fastest" category, as launch technology (like the stuff used in Maglev trains) gets more efficient. But for pure scale? Falcon's Flight is likely going to sit at the top of the mountain for at least a decade.
How to Actually Ride the Biggest Coaster
If you're planning a trip to see the biggest roller coaster in world, here's the reality:
- Check the Weather: The park is in the desert. Even though the coaster is designed for heat, extreme wind or sandstorms can shut it down.
- The Location: Six Flags Qiddiya City is about 40 minutes outside of Riyadh. It’s not a "pop in for a few hours" kind of place; it's a massive destination.
- The G-Forces: This isn't for the faint of heart. If you get motion sickness on a standard wooden coaster, Falcon's Flight will likely be too much. The sheer speed creates a wind-chill effect, even in the heat.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Audit your bucket list: If you had Kingda Ka on your list, cross it off and replace it with Falcon's Flight or the upcoming 2026 replacement at Great Adventure.
- Watch the POVs: Before booking a flight to Saudi Arabia, watch the 4K front-row "Point of View" videos now available online. It gives you a much better sense of the cliff-drop than any photo ever could.
- Monitor Six Flags Over Texas: Keep an eye on the construction of Tormenta: Rampaging Run if you want a world-record experience without leaving the States. It's slated for a Spring 2026 opening.