Whether it brings you out in a cold sweat or gets the hairs on the back of your neck standing on end, there is a special feeling to queuing up to try the latest and greatest new ride. Whether it’s being thrown off the side of a mountain on a zip wire or head first down a 100mph+ rollercoaster, there is an incredible adrenalin rush that comes from being scared witless. The following rides do just that and more and are, without doubt, 10 of the scariest ways on the planet to spend/survive a couple of exhilarating/vomit inducing minutes.
Takabisha, Fuji-Q Highland Amusement Park – Japan
The Takabisha rollercoaster in Japan is famous for having the steepest drop in the world, at an eye-watering 121 degrees. The ride provides stunning views of nearby Mount Fuji before dropping an impressive 141 feet at 100mph. So enjoy that view while you can!
Skyscreamer, Six Flags – New Jersey
If you thought that swing rides were usually a tame affair, you obviously haven’t been on Skyscreamer at Six Flags, New Jersey. The ride is officially the world’s tallest swing ride and lifts passengers to a knee-trembling 250ft in the air before swinging them around at an impressive 40mph!
Vertical Velocity, Six Flags – Chicago
Just one look at the Vertical Velocity rollercoaster in Chicago should be enough to bring you out in a cold sweat. The u-shaped design of the ride sees passengers being thrown vertically up a corkscrew track at 70mph…. before going through the same routine again, only this time backwards!
Velocity Zip Line, Snowdonia – Wales
If you’ve ever wanted to feel the sensation of flying like Superman then head to the Velocity Zip Line in Snowdonia, Wales. The zip wire is not only the longest in Europe but also the fastest in the world! passengers are clipped into the wire and then sent hurtling off a cliff and down into the valley below at over 100mph!
X-Scream, Stratosphere Casino Hotel and Tower – Las Vegas
The X-Scream rollercoaster may not be the fastest or longest ride in the world but it certainly has one unique feature: It is located on the roof of the Stratosphere Casino Hotel in Las Vegas! Passengers are thrown around the track before coming to an abrupt halt, at the edge of the tower, with only the ground in front of them, some 866 feet below!
Drop of Doom, Six Flags New Adventure – New Jersey
The name ‘Drop of Doom’ says it all about this ride. It is officially the highest drop tower in the world and is also attached to the world’s highest rollercoaster. Passengers are carried some 415 feet into the air before the ride pauses for a moment and then plummets to earth. And all this happens while a rollercoaster races overhead!
Dodonpa, Fuji-Q Highland Amusement Park – Japan
The Dodonpa rollercoaster is all about getting you as scared as possible, as quickly as possible. The coaster has the faster launch on the planet and goes from standing to 107mph in just 1.8 seconds! To put this into perspective, astronauts experience a force of 3 G’s from their rocket-powered liftoff, while the Dodonpa manages 2.7 G’s!
Kingda Ka, Six Flags Great Adventure – New Jersey
Kingda Ka is attached to the Drop of Doom (the world’s highest drop tower) and has a number of records all of its own. The mammoth ride is the world’s tallest steel rollercoaster at 456 feet, has the longest drop on earth at 418 feet and, with a top speed of 128mph, is the second faster coaster in the world!
Eejanaika, Fuji-Q Highland Amusement Park – Japan
If you thought a standard rollercoaster was scary, try riding Eejanaika in Japan. The ride is described as a ‘4th Dimension rollercoaster’, which basically means that the seats can rotate forward or backwards in a 360 degree spin motion. That means passengers are not only thrown around the track, but also spun around in their seat at the same time!
Giant Canyon Swing, Glenwood Springs – Colorado
One look at the Giant Canyon Swing in Colorado makes it easy to see why it made this list. The ride is precariously positioned right on the edge of a cliff and catapults passengers straight over the edge, with a 1,300 foot drop down to the Colorado River below!
