Goliath at Six Flags Magic Mountain launched on February 11, 2000, as the world’s fastest and longest-dropping full-circuit steel roller coaster — a title it held for exactly three months. Built by Swiss manufacturer Giovanola at a cost of roughly $30 million, this 235-foot hypercoaster sends riders plunging 255 feet at 85 mph before hurling them through a 585-degree helix where forces exceed 4.5 Gs for more than six consecutive seconds.
More than 25 years after its debut, Goliath remains one of Six Flags Magic Mountain’s most physically demanding headline coasters. With zero inversions, every thrill is earned through raw speed, massive elevation change, and sustained lateral force — a formula that was groundbreaking in 2000 and still holds up today.
Quick Answer
Goliath is a steel hypercoaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California. It stands 235 feet tall, drops 255 feet at a 61-degree angle, and reaches a top speed of 85 mph (137 km/h). It has zero inversions, a minimum height requirement of 48 inches, and seats 30 riders per train — 2 across in 3 rows per car, across five cars.
Stats at a Glance
Park: Six Flags Magic Mountain | Location: Valencia, California | Manufacturer: Giovanola (Switzerland) | Designer: Werner Stengel (Ing.-Büro Stengel GmbH) | Opened: February 11, 2000 | Cost: ~$30 million | Type: Steel hypercoaster (Mega Coaster model)
Height: 235 ft (72 m) | Drop: 255 ft (78 m) at 61 degrees | Top Speed: 85 mph (137 km/h) | Track Length: 4,500 ft (1,400 m) | Duration: ~3 minutes | Inversions: 0 | Trains: 3 trains × 30 riders | Capacity: ~1,600 riders/hour | Height Requirement: 48 in (122 cm)
What Is Goliath’s Top Speed?
Goliath’s maximum speed is 85 mph (137 km/h), hit at the bottom of the 255-foot first drop. When Goliath opened in February 2000, that made it the fastest full-circuit steel roller coaster on the planet. Cedar Point’s Millennium Force eclipsed that mark just three months later with a 93 mph top speed, but 85 mph still ranks Goliath among the fastest non-inverting coasters at any Six Flags park anywhere in the world.
That speed is amplified by terrain. The 255-foot drop descends below ground level into a 120-foot enclosed tunnel at its base — so the peak acceleration happens in total darkness before the train bursts back into the open California sky. The contrast between the tunnel blackout and the sudden flood of daylight and speed is one of the signature moments of the ride.
Goliath Seats: How Many and What’s the Layout?
Goliath runs three trains, each made up of five cars. Every car has three rows with two seats side-by-side, giving each car six seats and each train a total of 30 riders. That 2-across layout means every rider gets either a window or an aisle seat — no center squeeze. With three trains cycling and a theoretical capacity of around 1,600 riders per hour, Goliath moves its queue faster than many comparable coasters.
For seat selection: back-row riders experience maximum ejector airtime on the 255-foot drop and through the airtime hills — the train crests each hill slightly ahead of riders, briefly yanking them out of their seats. Front-row riders get an unobstructed sightline straight down the first plunge and feel the tunnel rush most directly. The helix delivers its 4.5-G force equally regardless of row.
The Ride Experience
Goliath’s layout is a hybrid few riders notice until they think about it afterward: the first half follows a classic out-and-back structure — big lift hill, big drop, return along a parallel corridor — while the second half transitions into a twister format with tightly banked turns and sweeping curves. That combination gives the ride a distinct two-act rhythm: open and airtime-heavy early, then confined and laterally punishing in the back stretch.
After the 255-foot drop and the tunnel, the train sweeps through a series of airtime hills before reaching a mid-course brake run. The second half builds toward the ride’s most famous feature: the 585-degree descending helix. This is a full turn-and-a-half of sustained lateral G-force, pressing riders into their seats at over 4.5 Gs for more than six continuous seconds. For context, that G-loading sits just below the threshold where untrained fighter pilots begin to lose consciousness. Goliath holds it there long enough to feel genuinely relentless.
With no inversions, Goliath’s classification as a ‘family-friendly’ hypercoaster relative to loop-heavy coasters is technically accurate but misleading in practice. The helix is more physically demanding than the upside-down elements on most looping coasters, which are brief and snappy. Goliath simply grinds.
Height Requirement and Who Can Ride
Riders must be at least 48 inches (122 cm) tall to board Goliath. Six Flags rates it Level 4 — maximum intensity — making it one of the park’s most demanding attractions. The combination of the 4.5-G helix and sustained lateral loading makes Goliath particularly hard on riders with neck, back, or cardiovascular conditions.
Pregnant guests and those recovering from recent surgeries or joint injuries should skip it. The helix alone is a prolonged physical stress that most inverting coasters never approach, even with loops and corkscrews.
Records and Legacy
On opening day, February 11, 2000, Goliath simultaneously held the world record for the longest drop and the highest top speed among all full-circuit steel roller coasters. Cedar Point’s Millennium Force opened on May 13, 2000, with a 300-foot drop and 93 mph top speed, eclipsing both marks in one shot. Goliath’s run as world record holder lasted just 91 days.
Losing the records that quickly could have defined Goliath as a footnote, but the coaster instead became a benchmark. It helped cement Six Flags Magic Mountain’s identity as the roller coaster capital of the world at a time when the park was already accumulating more coasters than any other park on earth — a title it still claims today.
Goliath also represents a significant chapter in manufacturer history. It was one of only three complete roller coasters ever built by Giovanola, a steel fabricator based in Monthey, Switzerland. The other two are Titan at Six Flags Over Texas and Anaconda at Gold Reef City in South Africa. Giovanola exited the amusement industry after completing this small trio. One manufacturing footnote worth knowing: the final track section just before Goliath’s brake run was fabricated approximately six inches too short, requiring a custom supplementary piece to fill the gap — invisible to riders, but a piece of well-known trivia in the enthusiast community.
Goliath vs. Titan: The Sister Coaster
Titan at Six Flags Over Texas (Arlington) opened in 2001 using almost the same Giovanola layout. The key differences: Titan stands taller at 245 feet with a longer 5,310-foot track, and it adds a second helix after the mid-course brake run. Goliath lacks the upward pre-brake helix that Titan includes but delivers its single 585-degree descending helix in one unbroken stretch. Coaster enthusiasts generally rate the two as roughly equivalent in intensity, with Goliath often cited for its stronger first-drop and tunnel moment and Titan for its extended layout.
Goliath Six Flags Magic Mountain FAQs
How fast does Goliath go at Six Flags Magic Mountain?
Goliath’s top speed is 85 mph (137 km/h), reached at the bottom of its 255-foot first drop. When it opened in February 2000, that was the fastest a full-circuit steel coaster had ever gone. Millennium Force at Cedar Point surpassed it in May 2000 with 93 mph.
How many seats does Goliath have?
Each Goliath train has 30 seats — five cars with three rows of two seats each, arranged side-by-side (2 across per row). Three trains operate, giving a capacity of approximately 1,600 riders per hour.
What is the height requirement for Goliath at Six Flags Magic Mountain?
Riders must be at least 48 inches (122 cm) tall to ride Goliath. It is rated Level 4 (maximum intensity) and is not recommended for guests with heart conditions, high blood pressure, neck or back problems, or recent surgeries.
How tall is Goliath at Six Flags Magic Mountain?
Goliath’s lift hill stands 235 feet (72 m) tall, but the first drop is 255 feet (78 m) — longer than the structural height because the drop descends into a below-ground tunnel at its base.
Does Goliath have any loops or inversions?
No. Goliath has zero inversions. Its thrills come from the 255-foot drop, 85 mph speed, and a 585-degree descending helix that subjects riders to over 4.5 Gs for more than six continuous seconds.
Who built Goliath at Six Flags Magic Mountain?
Goliath was manufactured by Giovanola, a Swiss steel fabricator based in Monthey, Switzerland, and engineered by Werner Stengel’s firm Ing.-Büro Stengel GmbH. It opened February 11, 2000, and was one of only three complete coasters Giovanola ever built.
What G-forces does Goliath pull?
Riders experience forces exceeding 4.5 Gs for more than six continuous seconds during Goliath’s 585-degree descending helix — one of the most sustained high-G sequences on any non-inverting coaster in the United States.
Get More from Goliath Six Flags Magic Mountain
Log the coasters, stadiums, and venues you’ve experienced, rate Goliath Six Flags Magic Mountain, and see what your friends thought. Get the ThrillZing app.