15 Scariest Roller Coasters (Ranked by Fear Factor)

Most rollercoaster enthusiasts remember their first rollercoaster ride. Even on the tamest rollercoaster, they feel a thrill that they cannot experience on subsequent rides. Some believe that all coasterheads are chasing the excitement of their first rollercoaster ride.

This resource ranks 15 of the world’s scariest rollercoasters that will make you feel like a kid again. You may have taken dozens of rollercoaster rides, but some of the entries in this article will make you tremble like a first-timer.

A rollercoaster’s scaryness comes down to its height, speed, and track maneuvers. As long as we can measure those, we can rank rollercoasters by their fear factor. For context, below are some global data points that you can use as a baseline to judge individual rollercoasters.

• Height – The tallest rollercoaster in the world is 456 feet high.
• Length – The longest rollercoaster in the world has an 8,133-foot-long track.
• Seating Capacity – Most rollercoasters accommodate 24 or 32 riders per train
• Drop – The world’s biggest rollercoaster drop is 418 feet long.
• Top Speed – The fastest rollercoaster in the world has a maximum speed of 149.1 mph.
• Ride duration – Most high-thrill rollercoaster rides are 1.5 to 2 minutes long.
• Maximum Angle (vertical): The steepest vertical angle for a rollercoaster is 121 degrees.

With the above data points as your baseline, you can gauge the scariness of individual rides in this article. Find the rankings in the table below and read further for more information.

Rollercoaster	Location	Drop	Speed
Kingda Ka	Six Flags Great Adventure	418 ft	128 mph
Top Thrill 2	Cedar Point	400 ft	120 mph
Formula Rossa	Ferrari World Abu Dhabi	170 ft	149.1 mph
Intimidator 305	Kings Dominion	300 ft	90 mph
The Smiler at Alton Towers	Alton Towers	98.4 ft	52.8 mph
Fury 325	Carowinds	320 ft	95 mph
Takabisha	Fuji-Q Highland	138 ft	62 mph
Superman: Escape From Krypton	Six Flags Magic Mountain	328.1 ft	100 mph
Millenium Force	Cedar Point	300 ft	93 mph
Eejanaika	Fuji-Q Highland	210 ft	78.3 mph
El Toro	Six Flags Great Adventure	176 ft	70 mph
Banshee	Kings Island	150 ft	68 mph
X2	Six Flags Magic Mountain	215 ft	76 mph
Do-Dodonpa	Fuji-Q Highland	160 ft	110 mph
Oblivion	Alton Towers	180 ft	68.0 mph

Kingda Ka

• Location: Six Flags Great Adventure 
• Date Opened: May 21, 2005
• Height: 456 ft
• Length: 3,118 ft
• Seating Capacity: 18 riders per train 
• Drop: 418 ft
• Top Speed: 128 mph
• Ride duration: 0:28

Kingda Ka is the second fastest rollercoaster in the world. And true coasterheads know that when it comes to drumming up fear, height is far more important than speed. And in that regard, Kingda Ka is still the scariest roller coaster in the world.

The rollercoaster has a 418-foot drop, which riders experience at 90 degrees. This drop, for many coasterheads, is the world’s scariest rollercoaster moment. Add to that the fact that this rollercoaster is hydraulically launched (not a traditional lift-hill), and you can see why it remains unrivaled as the most horrifying rollercoaster in existence.

Kingda Ka goes from 0 to 128 miles per hour (its max speed) in 3.5 seconds only. So not only is Kingda Ka the second fastest rollercoaster in the world, but it is also one of the world’s fastest accelerating coasters. For any thrill seeker, those accolades are enough to want to line up for Kingda Ka.

But before you get your tickets for Six Flags Great Adventure, the park where this ride is located, you should know a few things:

• The ride will not operate even when there is light rain because water drops can feel like hard pellets due to the ride’s speed. So check the weather forecast before you visit the park. 
• You can’t carry anything on the ride. Your phone, keys, wallet –all have to go in a locker. And renting a locker costs money. 
• The ride might shut down if the weather is too windy. Again, be mindful of the weather forecast before you go.
• You should not go on this ride if you have had a recent surgery or a heart condition. 

Top Thrill 2

• Location: Cedar Point 
• Date Opened: 2024 (planned)
• Height: 420 ft
• Length: 3,422 ft
• Seating Capacity: 20 people per train 
• Drop: 400 ft
• Top Speed: 120 mph

Top Thrill 2, previously Top Thrill Dragster, is one of the most exciting rollercoaster rides in the world. Its scariest moment is its 90-degree 400-foot drop. Just 18 feet shorter than the world’s tallest rollercoaster, Top Thrill 2 has a definite place in the monster trio of the rollercoaster world.

Currently, the ride is closest for maintenance and track improvement. According to Cedar Point, the park that houses Top Thrill 2, the rollercoaster will reopen as the world’s fastest and tallest triple-launch Strata coaster. Before closing, the ride had a maximum speed of 120 miles per hour.

When it reopens, it will retain this speed but will have a new 420-foot vertical spike. So, you can expect to drop the same distance twice! Before Top Thrill went through any of these improvements, it was a solid number two pick among scary rollercoasters. But with these new improvements, it might even surpass Kingda Ka.

Excited about Top Thrill 2? Here’s some important information you need to know:

• Top Thrill 2 is being converted to a triple launch coaster, with a 101 mph backward launch. 
• Top Thrill 2 is set to open in the summer of 2024. 

Formula Rossa

• Location: Ferrari World Abu Dhabi 
• Date Opened: November 4, 2010
• Height: 170.6 ft
• Length: 6,804 ft
• Seating Capacity: 16 riders per train 
• Drop: 170 ft
• Top Speed: 149.1 mph
• Ride duration: 1:32

Formula Rossa is the fastest rollercoaster in the world. It has a top speed of 149.1 miles per hour. And that’s not even its scariest aspect. The ride has one of the tallest drops in the world. Imagine dropping at an 80-degree angle from 170 feet. That’s what Formula Rossa offers to thrill seekers willing to travel to the United Arab Emirates.

One of the reasons Formula Rossa isn’t rated as highly as Kingda Ka and Top Thrill is that it is not located in the US. The ride might be the fastest rollercoaster in existence, but it is not the most accessible experience in the world.

If you want to have the Formula Rossa experience, then you need to be mindful of the following:

• Formula Rossa is located in Abu Dhabi (UAE). USA and UK citizens get an automatic visa on arrival upon visiting the UAE.  
• There are 60+ countries eligible for UAE’s visa-on-arrival policy. For the rest, there is an online visa application process.
• Formula Rossa does not operate when it is raining or the weather is too windy. Check the weather forecast before you travel for the experience.
• Riders need to wear special safety goggles to keep dust, sand, or any other airborne particles out of their eyes.

Intimidator 305

• Location: Kings Dominion 
• Date Opened: April 2, 2010
• Height: 305 ft
• Length: 300 ft
• Seating Capacity: 32 riders per train 
• Drop: 300 ft
• Top Speed: 90 mph
• Ride duration: 3:00

Intimidator 305 is an all-American rollercoaster with a 300-foot drop that comes after a 305-foot climb. There are only seven rollercoasters in the 300-foot club, and Intimidator 305 is one of them. 

What makes this rollercoaster different from launched giga coasters like Formula Rossa and Kingda Ka is that it operates with a traditional cable lift hill system. A launched rollercoaster is shot up its steepest and tallest hill, but a cable lift rollercoaster is dragged up. There’s a day and night difference between the two experiences. 

When you ride a launched coaster, you might feel like you didn’t get enough to appreciate the drop. But if you ride a cable lift coaster, you get to anticipate the drop as you’re pulled up a tall lift hill.

Your descent is powered entirely by gravity, so you feel more out of control than you would on an accelerated coaster. For many coasterheads, Intimidator 305 and other cable/chain lift coasters are scarier than the hydraulic-launched record-breaking rollercoasters. 

Whether you agree or disagree with their view, you have to admit that Intimidator 305 is one of the scariest rollercoasters in the world.

Before putting it on your bucket list, though, read the following:

• The backseat of the i305 will give you the scariest experience. 
• The drop feels shorter than it is.
• I305 has plenty of quick transitions that might make you dizzy.
• If you are dehydrated, you might black out.
• I305 might close due to bad weather. But it isn’t shut as often as launched giga coasters.

The Smiler at Alton Towers

• Location: Alton Towers 
• Date Opened: May 31, 2013
• Height: 98 ft
• Length: 3,838.6 ft
• Seating Capacity: 16 riders per train 
• Drop: 98.4 ft
• Top Speed: 52.8 mph
• Ride duration: 2:45

While most rollercoaster enthusiasts equate a ride’s fear factor with its speed and drop height, some care more about the overall experience. The drop is just one moment of the whole experience. 

A rollercoaster could break speed and height records but not deliver as many “I am going to die” moments as its shorter counterpart. And no rollercoaster makes this case better than The Smiler at Alton Towers in the UK.

This ride holds the record for most inversions on a rollercoaster. It has a total duration of 2 minutes and 45 seconds, during which its riders invert 14 times. There are two other rollercoasters that use seat rotations to flip riders 14 times, but The Smiler has traditional track inversions, which are a lot scarier.

It has two dive loops, a cobra roll, and a double corkscrew, among other track maneuvers. The ride’s drop is 98.4 feet high, and it has a decent speed of 52.8 miles per hour. Rollercoaster experiences don’t get any more rounded than that.

Check out the information below before you head for Alton Towers to get on The Smiler:

• The Smiler is located at Alton Towers in England. US passport holders can visit the UK without pre-arranging a visa. 
• The rollercoaster does not operate when the weather is too windy.
• You are not allowed to carry loose items on the ride. You can either rent a locker or leave your belongings in a dedicated area on the ride platform.
• The ride has a queue time of 1 hour on busy days and 30 minutes when it’s not crowded.

Fury 325

• Location: Carowinds 
• Date Opened: March 28, 2015
• Height: 325 ft
• Length: 6,602 ft
• Seating Capacity: 32 riders per train 
• Drop: 320 ft
• Top Speed: 95 mph
• Ride duration: 3:00

If you’re the type to skip The Smiler, you will love Fury 325. It has an intense drop alongside high speed and a long duration. Plus, it’s right here in the United States. Fury 325 is named after its 325-foot climb, which leads to a 320-foot drop. That’s the highest drop for a traditional chain lift rollercoaster.

Fury 325 is the world’s fastest and the tallest chain lift rollercoaster. Many rollercoaster enthusiasts shy away from launched coasters because they don’t feel natural. A chain lift offers a more classic experience. You get pulled up to the ride’s highest point and are then at gravity’s mercy for the rest of the ride.

Where launched rollercoaster experiences are short-lived, Fury 325’s chain lift-powered experience lasts 3 minutes. That’s the longest duration for a 300 ft+ rollercoaster. 

During this time, you zip across F325’s 6,602-foot-long steel track at a maximum speed of 95 miles per hour. It may not be the world’s fastest or tallest rollercoaster, but it is definitely one of the world’s scariest thrills rides.

• Fury 325 is the third tallest full-circuit rollercoaster in the US. 
• The ride has a lap bar restraint alongside a seatbelt. Guests who can’t fit in because of larger size may be turned away.
• Fury 325’s operations are subject to weather conditions. Check the weather forecast before visiting the park.
• Guests with amputations above the ankles may be turned away.
• Casts are not permitted on the ride. Anyone with a neckbrace or neck-related injury is turned away.
• Prosthetic legs are not allowed on the ride. Guest services can find alternatives for riders, so speaking with them is recommended.

Takabisha

• Location: Fuji-Q Highland 
• Date Opened: July 16, 2011
• Height: 141 ft
• Length: 3,300 ft
• Seating Capacity: 8 riders per train. 
• Drop: 138 ft
• Top Speed: 62 mph
• Ride duration: 1:52

One of the scariest aspects of a rollercoaster ride is the angle of its drop. In that specific aspect, this Japanese rollercoaster takes the cake. The ride features a 121-degree beyond vertical drop. It is currently the steepest rollercoaster in the world. But that’s not all it has to offer.

Takabisha has a 138-foot drop followed by seven inversions spread across its 3,300-foot-long track. It isn’t as fast as the rollercoasters mentioned earlier, though. The rollercoaster has a top speed of 62 mph, which it retains for a good portion of its overall duration (1:52). 

Takabisha’s speed trade-off doesn’t make it any less thrilling. 62 mph might not look like a lot compared to Formula Rossa, but it is still above-average speed for a steel rollercoaster.

• Takabisha is located at FujiQ-Highland, a park that also houses two other rollercoasters on this list (Eejanaika and Do-Donpa). 
• US and UK passport holders do not need to pre-arrange a visa to travel to Japan. 
• Takabisha is closed when it rains, so check the weather forecast before visiting the park.
• Takabisha is sometimes open during snowfall. It is best to check with your local guide before planning your visit.

Superman: Escape From Krypton

• Location: Six Flags Magic Mountain 
• Date Opened: March 15, 1997
• Height: 415 ft
• Length: 1,235 ft
• Seating Capacity: 14 riders per train 
• Drop: 328.1 ft
• Top Speed: 100 mph
• Ride duration: 0:28

When it comes to the scariest rollercoasters in the world, superhero-themed rides are the last to come to mind. But Superman: Escape from Krypton is an exception. It opened as the tallest and the fastest rollercoaster in the world. Currently, it is one of the seven tallest rollercoasters on the planet.

The ride has a top speed of 100 mph, a drop height of 329.1 feet, and a track height of 415 feet. The entire experience lasts 28 seconds, but riders remember it for years. 

It generates a G-force of 4.5g, which contributes to the overall horror of shooting back and forth across a 1,235-foot track. The rollercoaster also has one of the speediest launches in America. It takes seven seconds to go from 0 to 100 mph.

Thrill metrics and accolades aside here’s what you need to know before putting Superman: Escape from Krypton on your bucket list:

• The ride has a backward launch, which creates a blind drop effect. 
• The rollercoaster doesn’t complete a full circuit. It goes back and forth over a 1,235-foot slice of steel tracks.
• The ride remains open during light rain but is closed if it rains too much.
• Loose items are prohibited on the ride. Make sure to secure your belongings in a locker before going on this ride.

Millenium Force

• Location: Cedar Point 
• Date Opened: May 13, 2000
• Height: 310 ft
• Length: 6,595 ft
• Seating Capacity: 36 riders per train 
• Drop: 300 ft
• Top Speed: 93 mph
• Ride duration: 2:20

Millennium Force is revered as a classic. Long before launched Giga coasters took over the scariest rollercoasters leaderboard, Millennium Force was the most fearsome rollercoaster in the world. Even today, it retains its position as one of the scariest rollercoasters in the world. Just like Fury 325 and Intimidator 305, Millennium Force has a conventional launch advantage.

It is not the tallest rollercoaster in the world, but it has a conventional cable lift, which makes every inch of its 310-foot climb significantly scarier than a launched coaster. You don’t just zoom up the hill. You are pulled up and given time to anticipate the drop.

Millenium Force has a 300-foot drop and a top speed of 93 miles per hour. The entire post-drop experience is powered by gravity, so you feel much more out of control. The ride lasts 2 minutes and 20 seconds and features one major airtime hill (128 ft).

Many riders prefer Millenium Force over launched coasters like Formula Rossa because Millenium is not a one-trick pony. Its 6,595-foot-long track features nine distinct maneuvers. In contrast, Formula Rossa has only one major track element: a top hat feature.

• Riders with any prosthesis may not be allowed to ride Millenium Force or any other high-speed rollercoaster at the park. 
• Casts and collars are not allowed on the ride.
• You will need to place loose items in a locker or at the ride platform to get on Millenium Force.
• Riders can consult with guest services before the ride.

Eejanaika

• Location: Fuji-Q Highland 
• Date Opened: July 19, 2006
• Height: 249.33
• Length: 3,782.83 ft
• Seating Capacity: 20 riders per train 
• Drop: 210 ft
• Top Speed: 78.3 mph
• Ride duration: 2:10

At some point, you might get bored of chasing the highest speed and the greatest drop. That’s when you will appreciate Eejanaika and the scares it has to offer. It is a 4D rollercoaster, which means that it rotates its riders independently of its track. The ride has three track inversions and 11 seat inversions. In other words, you invert 14 times over the course of two minutes and ten seconds.

With a track height of 249 feet, Eejanaika is the tallest 4D rollercoaster in the world as well as the tallest rollercoaster to have 14 inversions. The ride’s height and seat rotation, alongside its 78.3-mph speed, result in one of the scariest rollercoaster experiences in the world.

• Eejanaika is located at FujiQ-Highland in Japan. The park is also home to two other rollercoasters on this list. 
• Eejanaika does not operate during rain and heavy snowfall, so make sure to check the weather forecast before visiting Fuji-Q Highland.
• Riders with any “health concerns” or “abnormalities” are discouraged from getting on Eejanaika.
• Riders must be at least 12 years old. 
• Visitors with mental disabilities or other special needs must be accompanied by an attendant. 

El Toro

• Location: Six Flags Great Adventure 
• Date Opened: June 12, 2006
• Height: 181 ft
• Length: 4,400 ft
• Seating Capacity: 36 riders per train 
• Drop: 176 ft
• Top Speed: 70 mph
• Ride duration: 1:42

The tallest wooden rollercoaster in the world, El Toro, deserves a place among the world’s scariest rollercoasters. It has a drop height of 176 feet and a maximum speed of 70 mph. Both of these specs might not look like much compared to steel rollercoasters. But on wooden tracks, 70 mph feels like 90 mph, and a 176-foot drop feels as out of control as a 300-foot drop.

This ride lasts 1 minute and 43 seconds, during which you zip across 4,400 feet of wooden tracks. Since the tracks are laser-cut and prefabricated, you don’t get the bumpiness of handmade and hand-laid wooden tracks. But you get the “classic” feeling that comes with riding a wooden rollercoaster.

• El Toro rarely shuts down due to bad weather. 
• Loose items are not allowed on El Toro. Riders should place their belongings in a locker or with a non-rider.
• El Toro does not have a harsh or restrictive ride policy. 

Banshee

• Location: Kings Island 
• Date Opened: April 18, 2014
• Height: 167 ft
• Length: 4,124 ft
• Seating Capacity: 32 riders per train 
• Drop: 150 ft
• Top Speed: 68 mph
• Ride duration: 2:40

One element of horror is a never-ending experience. And that’s what riding Banshee can feel like. The ride is the longest inverted rollercoaster in the world. It has a 4,124 feet long track, which it takes 2 minutes and 40 seconds to cross. 

The rollercoaster’s maximum speed is 68 miles per hour, 18 mph higher than the US median. What makes Banshee scarier than equally long rollercoaster rides is its 7 gasp-inducing inversions. Fans of vertical loops and track acrobatics will love Banshee.

• You may not be allowed to get on the ride if you can’t fit into its restraints because of your size. 
• The ride doesn’t shut down as frequently as its speedier and taller counterparts.
• Banshee has a no-loose items policy, though it is not enforced very firmly.

X2

• Location: Six Flags Magic Mountain 
• Date Opened: January 12, 2002
• Height: 175 ft
• Length: 3,610 ft
• Seating Capacity: 28 riders per train 
• Drop: 215 ft
• Top Speed: 76 mph
• Ride duration: 2:00

X2 is a 4D rollercoaster. That means its seats rotate even where there are no track inversions. This design allows X2 to continuously rotate its riders and make them face the ground when the train goes through its 215-foot drop. The ride’s maximum speed is 76 miles per hour, significantly above the median.

X2 can be a novel experience that is equal parts terrifying and exciting. Aside from rotating at unpredictable moments, you also head face-first towards a fireball. Of course, riders don’t come in contact with the flames. But still, the experience is terrifying.

• All loose items, including keys, phones, and hats, have to be placed in a locker or handed to a non-rider before getting in line. 
• Riders over 6 feet tall cannot get on X2. 
• X2 riders must keep their arms and legs within the ride vehicle throughout the ride. 
• Riders should not slouch or lean sideways during the ride. They must maintain an upright position.

Do-Dodonpa

• Location: Fuji-Q Highland 
• Date Opened: December 21, 2001
• Height: 161 ft
• Length: 4,081 ft
• Seating Capacity: 8 riders per train
• Drop: 160 ft
• Top Speed: 110 mph
• Ride duration: 00:55

Do-Dodonpa is the fastest-accelerating rollercoaster in the world. It goes from 0 to 112 mph in 1.56 seconds. But since the acceleration is so quick, there isn’t enough time to be horrified by it. So, while Do-Dodonpa is a thrilling experience, it is not as scary as some of the other rides at FujiQ Highland Park.

Do-Dodonpa may not beat the world’s fastest rollercoasters in the fear factor, but it does beat them in other aspects. First is its acceleration (discussed earlier). Second is its inversion. Speedcoasters usually feature a top hat or a series of camelback hills. They are only speed-focused. Do-Dodonpa is not like that.

It has a 161-foot vertical loop that exceeds its primary drop (160 feet). But because the ride lasts 55 seconds only, you’re left wanting more.

• Do-Dodonpa is shut whenever it rains or snows. 
• If the weather is too windy, Do-Dodonpa may be shut.
• Riders with casts or prosthetics should not ride Do-Dodonpa.
• Neckbraces and casts are not allowed on the ride.
• Riders with special needs must be accompanied by a supervising attendant.

Oblivion

• Location: Alton Towers 
• Date Opened: March 14, 1998
• Height: 65 ft
• Length: 1,222 ft
• Seating Capacity: 16 riders per train 
• Drop: 180 ft
• Top Speed: 68.0 mph
• Ride duration: 1:15

Oblivion is scary not because of its speed or even its drop height. It is terrifying because of its drop angle. The ride was the first dive coaster in the world. Dive coasters now have vertical drops, but back in 1998, the best Bolliger & Mabillard could manufacture was an 87.5-degree drop.

When Oblivion was first opened to the public, it was among the top three scariest rollercoasters in the world. Today, it is at the bottom of the scary rollercoasters leaderboard. That just goes on to show how far rollercoasters have come since the 90s.

• Oblivion is located at Alton Towers in England. The park also houses The Smiler (covered earlier). 
• Riders must remain seated and keep their arms and legs inside the ride vehicle at all times.
• The ride is unsuitable for guests with heart, neck, or back conditions.
• Oblivion may be shut down because of rain or wind, but this is a rare occurrence.