Goliath opened at Six Flags Over Georgia on April 1, 2006, immediately claiming its place as one of the park’s signature attractions. Designed and built by Swiss manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M), the steel hypercoaster stands 200 feet tall and reaches a top speed of 70 mph along its 4,480-foot track — a $20 million investment that replaced the long-running Great Gasp and Looping Starship rides.
Rather than relying on loops or inversions, Goliath earns its name through raw scale and relentless momentum. Six camelback hills send riders into extended weightlessness before a powerful 540-degree helix closes out the circuit. The ride earned recognition as the fourth-best new attraction of 2006 in Amusement Today’s Golden Ticket Awards and has ranked as high as fourth among all steel roller coasters worldwide.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Six Flags Over Georgia, Austell, Georgia
- Manufacturer: Bolliger & Mabillard
- Opened: April 1, 2006
- Height: 200 ft (61 m)
- Drop: 175 ft (53 m)
- Top Speed: 70 mph (113 km/h)
- Length: 4,480 ft (1,370 m)
- Inversions: 0
The Ride Experience
Goliath follows a classic out-and-back layout, climbing its chain lift to 200 feet before plunging 175 feet at a steep angle. The resulting speed — 70 mph — carries riders through six consecutive camelback hills that produce sustained negative G-forces, or airtime, on each crest. Trains carry 36 riders apiece arranged four across, meaning even center-seat riders enjoy unobstructed views of the Georgia landscape during the climb.
The finale is a 540-degree helix, a long sweeping turn that wraps tightly enough to generate strong positive G-forces as a counterpoint to all the airtime preceding it. The contrast between floating camelbacks and a pressing helix is a hallmark of Bolliger & Mabillard’s hypercoaster formula, and Goliath executes it across roughly two and a half minutes of continuous motion.
Awards and Legacy
In its debut season, Goliath ranked fourth among all new rides in Amusement Today’s annual Golden Ticket Awards — an industry benchmark determined by park professionals and enthusiasts worldwide. Over the following years the coaster climbed the steel coaster rankings, peaking at fourth overall in 2009 and 2011, a notable achievement in a category dominated by larger and more elaborately themed competitors.
Goliath’s lasting appeal rests on its B&M pedigree, smooth ride quality, and the generous airtime its layout provides. For guests at Six Flags Over Georgia, it remains a must-ride anchor alongside the park’s other major coasters, and its combination of height, speed, and re-ridability keeps it a perennial crowd favorite more than a decade and a half after opening.
Explore more: Explore more roller coasters.
Goliath FAQs
How tall is Goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia?
Goliath stands 200 feet (61 m) tall, with its tallest drop measuring 175 feet (53 m). It reaches a top speed of 70 mph at the bottom of that first descent.
Who manufactured Goliath?
Goliath was designed and built by Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M), a Swiss roller coaster manufacturer renowned for their hypercoasters and the ride’s signature smooth, airtime-focused experience.
Does Goliath have any inversions?
No — Goliath has zero inversions. Instead it delivers thrills through six camelback hills that produce sustained weightlessness and a 540-degree helix at the end of the course.
Get More from Goliath
Log the coasters, stadiums, and venues you’ve experienced, rate Goliath, and see what your friends thought. Get the ThrillZing app.
Photo: Coasterswim at English Wikipedia / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.