Six Flags Opens the Tallest, Fastest and Longest Roller Coaster in the World

NEED TO KNOW

• The world’s tallest, fastest and longest roller coaster is officially open to the public

• Falcons Flight is a “signature attraction” at the all-new Six Flags Qiddiya City, reaching top speeds of 150 mph, heights of 640 feet and about 2.6 miles of track

• The theme park is located about 40 minutes from Saudi Arabia’s capital city of Riyadh

It’s a big day for thrill seekers as the world’s tallest, fastest and longest roller coaster is officially open to the public.

Wednesday, Dec. 31, marked the official grand opening of Six Flags Qiddiya City, the company’s newest property in Saudi Arabia. Located about 40 minutes outside the country’s capital city of Riyadh, the park is Six Flags’ first venture outside of North America.

The park officially marked its opening day with a series of posts on Instagram, including one video that documented the “first guests” to arrive at the destination. Six Flags also marked the grand opening of the “stunning new park” in a Dec. 31 post shared to its official Instagram account.

Six Flags Qiddiya City is home to five record-breaking attractions, including the highly anticipated Falcons Flight. The ride, the world’s tallest, fastest and longest roller coaster, is considered the park’s “signature attraction,” according to its website.

Reaching top speeds of about 150 mph, riders will experience intense G-forces throughout the entire 2.6 mile track. Visitors will literally reach new heights at about 640 feet into the air — equivalent to a 60-story building. Clocking in at a total 3.26 minutes, Falcon’s Flight promises to be a “high speed, high thrill” experience.

“It’s three launches, there’s a real adrenaline rush,” Neil Dwyer, Six Flags Qiddiya City’s vice president of operations said during the park’s opening ceremony livestream.

He adds: “We start a little bit slower just to get you warmed up, then we’re going to take you up the side of the cliff, and we’re going to bring you back down, then over the camel back — a huge structure — and straight back into the station.”

The park features 27 additional rides, including 4 more record-breaking attractions. Sirocco Tower is the world’s tallest, free-standing shot tower at about 475-feet-tall. The Iron Rattler is the world’s tallest tilt coaster. Meanwhile Spitfire is the tallest inverting, triple-launch coaster and Gyrospin is the world’s tallest pendulum ride.

Families will equally have enough to enjoy with rides built for kids, including a classic carousel, bumper cars and the highly-immersive and interactive Enchanted Greenhouse dark ride.

“It’s one of the best ride collections of any theme park in the world, you have to come try it,” Dwyer says.

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Inside, guests will immerse themselves in six unique lands all centered around a vibrant castle: Discovery Springs, Steam Town, Twilight Gardens, Valley of Fortune, Grand Exposition and City of Thrills. Each area will offer its own selection of attractions, world-class dining and shopping.

“For Six Flags parks in North America, I would classify them as amusement parks. This will be the first, I think, fully integrated theme park,” Six Flags Qiddiya City president Brain Machamer says during the opening ceremony.

“The minute you come to the park, the music, the theming, the facades, the attractions, the employee uniforms, everything will be themed and will create that more immersive environment which you just won’t find at another Six Flags park to this level.”

According to the park’s website, adult tickets start at 325 Saudi Riyal (SAR), or about $87 USD, and children’s tickets will cost 275 (SAR), $73 USD.

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