The tallest, longest, fastest roller coaster in the world is coming in 2024. Or probably later, given the sheer mount of construction and engineering it takes to put 2.5 miles of coaster track and multiple skyscrapers’ worth of drops in the middle of the Saudi desert.
Falcon’s Flight has long been announced as the headlining ride at Six Flags Qiddiya; the first amusement park in Saudi Arabia and the nation’s latest effort to turn search results for the country away from its human rights record. The massive, beyond-hypercoaster still exists only in computer models and blueprints, but this week saw its manufacturer Intamin toss out a full-scale video rendering that shows just how stupidly big this thrill ride will be.
That video released coincided with the annual International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) Expo — a trade show where parks and coaster engineers build hype for upcoming projects. But Intamin and Six Flags didn’t stop there. They also brought the planned record-breaker one step closer to reality by showcasing the ride’s slick, massive train cars:
Falcon’s Flight has had it’s train unveiled and WOW! 😍 pic.twitter.com/XkGwe5YmsL
— JAXXN – ECHELON (@JAXXNCREATED) November 14, 2023
There’s a lot to unpack here, from the massive wheels needed to cover nearly a 5K’s worth of track — a mile longer than the current record holder, Japan’s Steel Dragon — to the giant wind screens to keep you from getting roasted by desert air as you whip through the sky at 156 miles per hour. Thanks to its planned use of local architecture, its maximum drop clocks in at 640 feet, 10 feet more than plummeting off St. Louis’ iconic Gateway Arch.
Of course, there are caveats as well. This ride that pushes the boundaries of physics doesn’t yet exist, so there’s no telling how it will hold up or operate. It also only seats 14 people at a time. The wait, even with multiple trains on the track during operating hours, is probably going to be excessive. In that spirit of excess, this is an amusement park that intertwines with a Formula 1 race track, so it’s not going to be cheap to gain access.
Additionally, its home is a nation that, despite modest progress, still maintains a troubling human rights record. But if you can get over the fact you’re riding a roller coaster in an authoritarian state that harshly punishes peaceful dissidence, requires women to seek permission for many major life events and has been repeatedly accused of exploiting migrant labor to build this kingdom, well, Six Flags Qiddiya has plenty to offer.
Troubling backdrop aside, check out how wild Falcon’s Flight looks in its imagined form.
