Behemoth is a steel hyper coaster built by Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M) at Canada’s Wonderland in Vaughan, Ontario. Standing 230 feet (70 meters) tall with a 226-foot first drop and a top speed of 77 mph (124 km/h), it opened on May 4, 2008, instantly claiming the titles of tallest and fastest roller coaster in Canada. The ride covers 5,318 feet of track in roughly three minutes and ten seconds, delivering relentless airtime across five hills — all without a single inversion.
Behemoth debuted a prototype V-shaped seating arrangement that was a first for B&M, giving every seat an unobstructed sightline over the layout below. Though Leviathan surpassed its records when it opened at the same park in 2012, Behemoth remains one of the most beloved hyper coasters in North America, drawing repeat riders for its pure, sustained airtime and a ride philosophy that puts sensation over spectacle.
Quick Answer
Behemoth at Canada’s Wonderland is 230 feet (70 m) tall, plunges 226 feet (69 m) on its first drop at a 75-degree angle, reaches a top speed of 77 mph (124 km/h), and requires riders to be at least 54 inches (137 cm) tall — with a maximum height limit of 80 inches (203 cm).
Stats at a Glance
Park: Canada’s Wonderland, Vaughan, Ontario. Manufacturer: Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M). Type: Steel Hyper Coaster. Opened: May 4, 2008. Height: 230 ft (70 m). Drop: 226 ft (69 m). Drop angle: 75 degrees. Top speed: 77 mph (124 km/h). Track length: 5,318 ft (1,620.9 m). Duration: approximately 3 min 10 sec. Inversions: 0. G-force: 4.5 maximum. Trains: 3 trains, 32 riders each. Hourly capacity: approximately 1,545 riders. Cost: C$26 million. Height requirement: minimum 54 in (137 cm), maximum 80 in (203 cm).
How Tall Is Behemoth? Height, Drop, and Speed Explained
Behemoth’s lift hill rises to 230 feet (70 meters), making it clearly visible from across Canada’s Wonderland. From that peak, the train tips into a 226-foot (69-meter) plunge angled at 75 degrees — one of the steepest first drops on any hyper coaster built in its era. That near-vertical entry distinguishes Behemoth from earlier hyper coasters that typically featured shallower descent angles in the 55–65 degree range.
The 226-foot drop accelerates the train to 77 mph (124 km/h) in under 3.9 seconds. At the bottom of that drop, riders experience a maximum of 4.5 Gs — briefly pressing hard into their seats before the layout immediately pivots to launching them out of those same seats across five consecutive airtime hills. The contrast between the heavy positive-G valley and the floater-airtime hills is what makes Behemoth’s layout so effective for its type.
To put the scale in perspective: Behemoth is taller than a 20-story office building. Its 5,318-foot (1.6 km) course is just over a mile long, and it maintains enough speed throughout to keep each of its five hills delivering genuine weightlessness rather than tapering off into mild undulations by the end of the ride.
Height Requirement for Behemoth
Riders must be at least 54 inches (137 centimeters / 4 feet 6 inches) tall to board Behemoth. There is also a maximum height restriction of 80 inches (203 centimeters / 6 feet 8 inches), which applies to very tall adults who may not fit safely in the restraint system. No minimum age is published separately — the height requirement functions as the practical qualifier for all riders.
At 54 inches, Behemoth shares its minimum with Leviathan, Canada’s Wonderland’s even taller giga coaster. For families crossing the threshold into major thrill rides, Behemoth is widely considered an excellent first major coaster before stepping up to Leviathan’s greater height and speed. If you are visiting with a child who just clears 54 inches, it is worth checking their height on the day of the visit, as Canada’s Wonderland enforces height requirements at each ride entrance.
Canada’s Wonderland provides a height-check station near the park entrance where guests can get a wristband confirming they meet specific ride requirements, saving time spent queuing for individual rides. For Behemoth specifically, the 54-inch minimum is firm — there is no supervised ride exception that allows shorter riders aboard.
The Ride Experience
Riders board one of three 32-passenger trains, each made up of eight cars with four seats arranged in two rows of two. Behemoth’s V-shaped seating positions riders slightly outboard from the centerline, which gives outside-seat riders a completely unobstructed view over the track — a design innovation B&M introduced with this ride. After the lift, the train crests at 230 feet and immediately tips into the 226-foot drop, reaching 77 mph at the valley floor.
The heart of the layout is five distinct airtime hills, each sending riders briefly weightless as the train crests and dives. Unlike coasters that manufacture excitement through inversions, Behemoth relies entirely on speed, elevation change, and geometry — a philosophy that keeps the experience accessible to a wide range of riders while still delivering serious intensity. After the airtime sequence, a wide hammerhead turnaround and two sweeping helixes build lateral G-forces before the brake run, rounding out a ride that lasts roughly three minutes and ten seconds.
The three-train operation allows for a theoretical throughput of approximately 1,545 riders per hour, which helps keep queues manageable even on busy summer days. Early morning or the last hour before park close are generally the best windows to minimize wait time.
How Big Is Behemoth Compared to Other Coasters at Canada’s Wonderland?
Behemoth held the title of Canada’s tallest and fastest roller coaster from its 2008 opening until 2012, when Canada’s Wonderland opened Leviathan — a B&M giga coaster standing 306 feet tall with a top speed of 92 mph. Leviathan surpasses Behemoth by 76 feet in height and 15 mph in speed, putting it in a different class entirely (giga coasters are defined by heights exceeding 300 feet).
Within the broader hyper coaster category — generally defined as steel coasters between 200 and 299 feet — Behemoth is comparable in scale to rides like Diamondback at Kings Island and Intimidator at Carowinds, both of which were also designed by B&M. Among Canadian coasters specifically, Behemoth is the second tallest behind Leviathan. In speed it has since been surpassed by Yukon Striker — also at Canada’s Wonderland, opened in 2019 — which reaches 81 mph (130 km/h) to Behemoth’s 77 mph.
The C$26-million investment in Behemoth represented the single largest capital expenditure in Canada’s Wonderland’s then-27-year history. That price tag reflects not just the scale of the structure but also the pioneering seating design, which required custom engineering work that B&M had not previously implemented on any other coaster.
Records and Legacy
When Behemoth opened on May 4, 2008, it became Canada’s tallest and fastest roller coaster — a record it held for four years. In its debut season, the ride finished third for Best New Ride at the Golden Ticket Awards, competing against every major coaster opening worldwide that year. The C$26-million ride drew significant attention for its prototype seating arrangement, which B&M has since applied to other models.
In 2012, Leviathan eclipsed Behemoth’s records at the same park. Rather than being overshadowed, Behemoth settled into a complementary role that it continues to hold: a pure airtime machine that emphasizes a different kind of sensation than Leviathan’s sheer scale and speed. The two coasters sit in close proximity within the park, and many enthusiasts rate riding them back-to-back as one of the best one-two coaster experiences available anywhere in North America.
Behemoth roller coaster Canada’s Wonderland FAQs
How tall is Behemoth at Canada’s Wonderland?
Behemoth stands 230 feet (70 meters) tall. Its first drop measures 226 feet (69 meters) at a 75-degree angle, making it one of the steepest hyper coaster drops of its era.
What is Behemoth’s top speed?
Behemoth reaches a top speed of 77 mph (124 km/h), achieved in under 3.9 seconds at the bottom of the 226-foot first drop.
What is the height requirement for Behemoth?
Riders must be at least 54 inches (137 cm / 4 ft 6 in) tall. There is also a maximum height restriction of 80 inches (203 cm / 6 ft 8 in). No minimum age is specified beyond the height requirement.
How big is the drop on Behemoth?
Behemoth’s first drop is 226 feet (69 meters) and is angled at 75 degrees — nearly vertical. The train accelerates from the top of the 230-foot lift hill to 77 mph in under 3.9 seconds during that drop.
Does Behemoth have any loops or inversions?
No. Behemoth is an inversion-free hyper coaster. Its layout consists of five airtime hills, a hammerhead turn, and two helixes — all focused on sustained out-of-your-seat sensations rather than flips or rolls.
How does Behemoth compare to Leviathan at Canada’s Wonderland?
Leviathan, which opened at the same park in 2012, is taller (306 ft vs. 230 ft) and faster (92 mph vs. 77 mph). Both share the same 54-inch minimum height requirement. Behemoth emphasizes airtime hills; Leviathan emphasizes raw speed and scale.
When did Behemoth open and who built it?
Behemoth opened on May 4, 2008 (with a soft opening on April 25, 2008). It was designed and built by Swiss manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M) at a cost of approximately C$26 million.
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