Are you looking for the most outrageous roller coaster fun facts and trivia?
Well, look no further.
If you’re reading this, most likely you are a roller coaster fan!
What is it that we love about Roller coasters exactly?
Is it the adrenaline rush we get as we climb to the top of the peak before the inevitable drop?
Or maybe it’s the different types of coasters that we manage to make higher, faster and more extreme year by year.
Or perhaps its how a particular coaster even came to be in the first place!
No matter what draws you back to the queue line each time, we all remember what it was like to ride our very first big kid roller coaster.
Today, I will give you some fun facts about roller coasters in general that will keep you entertained while you wait in line to ride your favorite for the day!
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1. Catherine the Great’s Coaster Influence
Russians living in the 15th cetury wanted to add more thrill to their sledding activities.
Thus, “Russian Mountains,” 70 feet tall, giant wooden slides that were also 100 feet in length were born. The russian mountains were slicked over with ice.
Riders would board an ice block straw seat and off they would go, reaching upwards of 50 miles per hour!
This became highly popular in upper class circles, so much so, that Catherine II of Russia had one installed in her home. She went the extra mile and adjusted it for summer months too!
She had the wheels adjusted to fit wooden grooved rails, allowing for a roller effect.
Some credit her for the growth in popularity of roller coasters across europe in the 18th-19th centuries.
These were considered the beginning of roller coasters.
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2. World’s Oldest Roller Coaster is 121 years old!
Would you ride a roller coaster thats 121 years old?
If you’re up for the challenge, you can make the journey to Lakemount Park near Altoona, Pennsylvania to ride the iconic “Leap the Dips“ roller coaster!
It was built in 1902 by the Federal Construction Company and stands today as the oldest in the world!
This ride also believed to be the last surviving side friction roller coaster with a figure eight type design.
It reached peak heights of popularity during the roaring twenties but endured rough times as the years went by.
Nonetheless, it continued to operate until 1985, when it had to close due to falling into complete disrepair. Ultimately, the maintenance needed to upkeep the coaster wasn’t available.
Years later, a fundraising effort was started to restore it and it was achieved!
Restoration and refurbishment began in 1997, which included utilizing carpentry techniques that were used to build it during its original construction.
Over 70% of the original wood remained intact with the coaster with the help of private donations and eight local banks.
It reopened in 1999, receiving a national historic landmark as well as Coaster Classic and Coaster Landmark award from American Coaster Enthusiasts.
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3. Rise of Steel at Disneyland
As you may know, Disney Parks are known for their efforts when it comes to storytelling and innovation with their theme parks.
But did you know that Disneyland is where a big innovative game changer for roller coasters took place?
Disneyland is home to Matterhorn Bobsleds, the world’s first roller coaster to use a tubular steel track. One of my favorite roller coaster fun facts!
Some Disney parks fans may joke and say it has the world’s best chiropractor, but it really did change the game when it opened in 1959.
Imagineer Bob Gurr, who did the track design, stated it was the hardest project he had ever done.
It boasts two tracks, one being on the Tomorrowland side and one on the Fantasyland side.
The ride cradles on the border to both; however, the Fantasyland side is slightly longer in length, giving you a longer thrill experience.
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4. Got Kidney Stones? Ride Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
As mentioned in our ultimate guide to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, in October 2016, Dr. Wartinger published an interesting paper in a medical journal.
His findings found that several of his patients passed kidney stones after riding the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad roller coaster.
One patient in particular passed 3 kidney stones on three separate occasions. One of the coolest roller coaster fun facts!
With permission from Disney, he further tested his findings using a 3D model and rode the attraction 20 times!
His findings concluded that 70% of the time, the kidney stone would pass.
When the test was conducted on other Disney roller coasters, like Space Mountain and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, they failed to give similar results.
5. Fire in the Hole!
in 1972, Fire in the Hole debuted at Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri.
This turned heads due to the fact that it was the first enclosed roller coaster of its kind!
The roller coaster was built in house and was a combination of a dark ride and a roller coaster, making it a favorite to roller coaster enthusiasts and park visitors.
Fire in the Hole is special to the park as its story is centered around the town of Marmaros, the present day site of Silver Dollar City.
The town itself grew out of necessity because of mining families coming to the town.
However, due to the fact that it relied so heavily on mining as a tourist attraction, it slowly died out as mining decreased. It eventually was destroyed by a fire.
Obscure facts that eventually became legend are part of the story and theme of the ride, the fire that ultimately burnt down the town.
In February 2023, the park announced that that would be the last season for the coaster, returning later in August to announce a new version of “Fire in the Hole.”
6. Roller Coasters Fighting the Devil!
Crazy enough, the reason we have American roller coasters today may come as a shock to you!
In 1884, there was a rise in certain…amusements. These amusements being things such brothels, saloons and the like.
LaMarcus Adna Thompson was fed up by these prospects and sought out to create a more wholesome distraction from the “devil’s amusements and traps.” One of my favorite roller coaster fun facts!
He came up with the cool “Switchback Gravity Railway,” where folks at Coney Island could hop on for only 5 cents.
These cars moved by gravity, cruising slowly while riders faced outward instead of forward. It was a nice way to take in the views as the car glided at under six miles per hour.
The scenes were designed to showcase stunning destinations around the world.
7. Climb the World’s Tallest Roller Coaster
Ever thought about where the tallest roller coaster in the world is? Well, look no further!
The answer lies in my first roller coaster experience that made me blackout – Kingda Kah.
Situated at Six Flags Great America in Jackson, New Jersey, it towers at a whopping 456 feet.
It zooms from 0-128 miles per hour in just 3.5 seconds, ensuring you reach the top at a 90-degree angle 45 stories high.
And hey, sometimes you might not quite make it up there on the first try.
No worries, they’ll reset and give it another go when you come back down to the station. The rest of the ride is a thrilling 50-second speedy journey!
I can recall going up, but the coming down part? Not so much, haha!
8. The World’s Longest Roller Coaster is…
So, we talked about the tallest roller coaster, but what about the longest one? Well, that title goes to a coaster outside of North America.
To experience the Steel Dragon 2000, we’d have to head over to Nagashima Spa Land in Japan.
This coaster made its grand debut on August 1, 2000, as the tallest, fastest, and longest in the world.
Even though it’s no longer the tallest or fastest, it still holds the crown for being the longest with a whopping 4 minutes of ride time.
Plus, the track spans 8,133 feet and reaches speeds of nearly 95 miles per hour. One of the coolest roller coaster fun facts!
The Steel Dragon 2000 was the second giga coaster ever built, following the Millennium Force at Cedar Point.
It cost over $50 million to construct, mainly due to the extensive use of steel for earthquake protection, considering Japan’s susceptibility to this natural occurrence.
9. Fabio’s Roller Coaster Connection
So for those who are like me with a fear of birds, this next one will be a skip for you.
In 1999, Apollo’s Chariot had a grand opening debut at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. For 1990s babies like myself, you know that the Italian heartthrob, Fabio Lanzoni was everything!
The actor and model was invited to be amongst the first to ride the roller coaster.
As the coaster was running, a flock of geese came very close and actually smacked the famed actor in the face! One of the scariest roller coaster fun facts!
And because the experience was being filmed for promotional purposes, the ordeal was caught on video.
He returned to the station with a bloody nose and claims that the bird hit the camera then it his face. He did recover from the ordeal.
10. Zoom Zoom! World’s fastest roller coaster is…
We have seen the tallest roller coaster in Kingda Kah and the longest in Steel Dragon 2000. But now we have to venture forth, speed demons!
The fastest roller coaster in the world would be Formula Rossa, located in Ferrari World Abu Dhabi.
This roller coaster goes so fast, that riders are required to put on safety goggles to shield their eyes from potential debris and harm.
It takes off at an astonishing 0-149 miles per hour in 4.9 seconds! Surprisingly, its 170 feet tall and will have you experiencing 4.8 G forces.
Safe to say, this isn’t for anyone with medical issues.
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11. King of Wooden Roller Coasters
As of today, Kings Island in Ohio is home to “The Beast.”
Upon debuting in 1979, it was the world’s tallest. fastest and longest wooden roller coaster in existence. Today, it is only just the longest.
The Beast broke lots of world records for roller coasters like height, speed, and track length.
It’s still the longest wooden coaster at 7,361 feet, a record that Guinness Book of World Records still acknowledges. The ride time is one of the longest too, at 4 minutes and 10 seconds.
The Beast has held world records for the following:
- Tallest wooden roller coaster at 110 feet (same as Screamin’ Eagle at Six Flags St. Louis at the debut)
- Longest drop on a wooden roller coaster at 141 feet
- Fastest wooden roller coaster at 64.8 mph (maximum speed decreased to 51.2 miles per hour when brakes applied)
- Longest track length on a wooden roller coaster at 7,361 feet
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12. Must be the money: World’s Most Expensive Roller Coaster!
Now that we have touched on the world’s tallest, fastest and longest roller coasters, its time to chat about which was the first to truly make a theme park company’s pockets hurt haha.
This one is a bit complicated but originally, it was Expedition Everest, located at Disney’s Animal Kingdom within Walt Disney World.
When this thrilling coaster debuted at the resort as a whole, it brought many thrill seekers to its gates.
The grand total for Expedition Everest would be reported as $100 million in 2006.
It would later be recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records in 2011 as the most expensive on record.
However, this would change in 2019 when Universal Orlando Resort would debut Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure.
This coaster would cost $300 million in total and was a success, boasting 6 to 8 hour wait times when it first opened.
But once again, Disney Parks would take its wallet and spend a wee bit more with its Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind coaster in EPCOT.
The coaster would cost an estimated $500 million but it hasn’t been put officially into Guinness as of yet.
Watch Next: 5 BEST Rides at EPCOT You Can’t Miss!
13. Humble Beginnings
When it comes to roller coasters, let’s just say everything has to start small.
Going back to the 1800s, we venture to Pennsylvania, where an old mining railway company created the first gravity ride in the United States.
A gravity ride is defined as a ride where gravity is responsible for all or some of the movement where any vertical movement is not about a fixed point, such as roller coasters, water slides and drop towers.
The Mauch Chunk Switchback Railway boasted cars that were hauled up a mountain by a steam engine.
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14. Roller Coaster Loops Have a Special Shape
Contrary to popular belief, roller coaster loops are not giant circles!
Loops are more of a tear drop shape and this is for a simple reason: physics.
When you’re on a roller coaster upside down, centripetal force is like your trusty sidekick keeping you in place.
It works by pulling you towards the center of the curve while your speed is pushing you forward.
Engineers designing roller coasters have to think about how fast you’ll be going and make sure the centripetal force is just right to determine the loop’s shape and size.
15. How many roller coasters exist today?
As we now live in a time, every year, we are breaking the barriers and boundaries in how much further, longer, and faster our thrill seekers can push roller coasters.
Every year, numerous theme parks across the globe announces a coaster that shakes the foundation of what those in the 18th and 19th centuries could have even dreamed of.
Today, there are over 5,000 roller coasters in existence around the world. This includes older coasters as well.
And every year, the number will continue to grow!
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My Final Thoughts on the Best Roller Coaster Fun Facts
One last bonus fact is that National Roller Coaster Day takes place every year on August 16th.
Many people take the journey to Cedar Point to celebrate but don’t let that stop you from going to your favorite park to enjoy a coaster ride.
Whether you travel somewhere brand new or hit up your old favorites, roller coasters are pinnacles of engineering and bring joy to enthusiasts everywhere.
Share your favorite roller coaster fun facts or memories with us in the comments section below.
Until next time, Happy Park Hopping Hipsters!
About the Author
Victoria is a professional solo traveler here to make your solo trips as stress free AND enjoyable as possible for you.
She has over 5 years of Disney and Non-Disney travel experience and was featured by POPSUGAR as one of the Top 50 Black Disney Creators you should follow.
She is a Proud Native to Baltimore, Md but always will call Disney World home.