When Green Lantern Coaster opened at Warner Bros. Movie World on Australia’s Gold Coast just before Christmas 2011, it instantly gave the Southern Hemisphere its most extreme drop. The DC Comics-themed machine tips riders over a 120.5-degree beyond-vertical plunge — at the time the second-steepest coaster drop on the planet, and still the steepest anywhere in Australia today.
This guide covers every number Movie World publishes for the ride, plus the details the spec sheet leaves out: what the drop actually feels like in the single-car train, who’s tall enough to ride, and the 2015 mechanical failure that took the coaster out of action for nine months before S&S Worldwide rebuilt it.
Quick Answer
Green Lantern Coaster is a 108 ft (33 m) S&S El Loco model that reaches 41 mph (66 km/h) across 1,601 ft (488 m) of track, with two inversions and up to 3.5 g. Its signature feature is a 120.5-degree first drop — steeper than straight down — which remains the steepest drop of any roller coaster in Australia. Riders must be at least 140 cm (4 ft 7 in) tall.
Green Lantern Coaster: Full Stats
- Height: 108 ft (33 m)
- Drop angle: 120.5° beyond vertical
- Top speed: 41 mph (66 km/h)
- Track length: 1,601 ft (488 m)
- Inversions: 2 (dive loop and in-line twist)
- Max g-force: 3.5 g
- Ride duration: About 1:07
- Manufacturer / model: S&S – Sansei Technologies El Loco
- Designer: Alan Schilke
- Minimum height: 140 cm (4 ft 7 in)
- Opened: December 23, 2011 (previews from December 16)
An El Loco Built for a Super Hero
Green Lantern Coaster is an S&S El Loco — a compact American-designed model whose whole reason for existing is doing crazy things with a small footprint. Movie World’s version wears the hero’s colors head to toe: glowing green track twisting through jet-black supports, with a giant Green Lantern power ring worked into the structure near the entrance.
Each single-car train — seating eight riders, four across in two rows — climbs an open-air chain lift, hangs briefly over the edge, then dives 120.5 degrees — so far past vertical that riders are momentarily tucked under the track, staring back the way they came. What follows crams a dive loop, an in-line twist, sharp banked turns and an outward-banked hill into 1,601 feet of track, pulling up to 3.5 g at 41 mph — modest numbers on paper that ride far bigger thanks to the El Loco’s tangled, disorienting geometry.
What the Ride Feels Like
Each of the four trains is a single articulated car carrying eight riders, four across in two rows, restrained by simple lap bars rather than over-the-shoulder harnesses. The car’s articulated design lets the front and rear rows twist independently through the layout, so the back row snaps through turns a beat later and with noticeably more whip than the front — a detail seasoned riders specifically seek out.
Because the restraints are just lap bars, the near-vertical drop and inverted moments produce a strong sense of airtime and freefall that bigger, more heavily restrained coasters don’t replicate. It’s an intense 67 seconds rather than a long one, which is part of why the ride cycles quickly even with only a single car per train.
Height Requirements and Who Can Ride
Riders must be at least 140 cm (4 ft 7 in) tall to ride Green Lantern Coaster, measured at the ride’s height-check station near the queue. There’s no published maximum height or weight limit beyond fitting safely and securely within the lap bar restraint, but Movie World’s ride team checks this at the station rather than relying on self-assessment.
Because the trains use lap bars rather than vest-style harnesses, guests with limited upper-body or core control, or who need additional upper-body support, should check with ride attendants before boarding. As with any Movie World thrill ride, pregnant guests and those with heart, back, or neck conditions are advised against riding.
How It Compares to the World’s Steepest Drops
At its December 2011 debut, Green Lantern Coaster’s 120.5-degree drop trailed only Takabisha at Fuji-Q Highland in Japan (121 degrees) on the list of the world’s steepest production coaster drops. More than a decade on, no coaster built anywhere in the Southern Hemisphere has out-steepened it, which is why it still holds the Australian record.
That makes it a genuine bucket-list stop for coaster travelers: of the small handful of true beyond-120-degree drops built anywhere on Earth, Green Lantern remains the only one south of the equator.
Safety Record and the 2015 Rebuild
On March 15, 2015, a wheel-assembly failure caused a car to partially detach from the rails while the ride was in motion, an incident Movie World and Queensland’s workplace safety regulator both treated as serious. The coaster was closed immediately while S&S Worldwide investigated and redesigned the affected wheel components across its El Loco fleet.
Green Lantern Coaster reopened on December 16, 2015 — almost exactly nine months after the closure — with the redesigned hardware in place, and has operated without a repeat incident since. It’s worth knowing the history, but it doesn’t change the current stats or ride experience: this is the same 120.5-degree layout riders queue for today.
Planning Your Visit
Green Lantern Coaster is included in general admission to Warner Bros. Movie World on the Gold Coast — there’s no separate charge to ride it, and no fixed-price virtual queue is required, though the park sells optional Fast Track upgrades during peak season that let you skip the standard line. Movie World also sells single-day tickets, multi-day passes covering its sister Village Roadshow theme parks, and annual passes, all priced in tiers that shift with season and how far ahead you book.
Operating hours vary by day and season, and the ride is occasionally taken offline for scheduled maintenance like any coaster. For current opening hours, ticket pricing, and the maintenance schedule, check the official Warner Bros. Movie World ticketing page before you go.
Photos
Soak, snap and drape. A cooling towel takes the edge off a 45-minute midday queue in July.
Park apps, mobile ordering and photos kill a battery by 3 p.m. This one snaps on magnetically, so there's no cable to snag on a restraint.
Ride with your glasses on and keep them. Many parks allow glasses on rides if they're strapped, so check the ride rules first.
Green Lantern Coaster height and speed FAQs
How steep is Green Lantern Coaster?
The first drop is angled at 120.5 degrees — 30.5 degrees beyond straight down. It’s the steepest drop of any roller coaster in Australia and was the world’s second-steepest at its 2011 debut, behind only Takabisha in Japan.
How tall and fast is Green Lantern Coaster?
It stands 108 ft (33 m) tall and reaches 41 mph (66 km/h) over 1,601 ft (488 m) of track, with two inversions and forces up to 3.5 g.
What is the minimum height to ride Green Lantern Coaster?
Riders must be at least 140 cm (4 ft 7 in) tall, checked at the ride’s height station before boarding.
When did Green Lantern Coaster open?
It soft-opened on December 16, 2011 and officially opened December 23, 2011 at Warner Bros. Movie World on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. It later closed after a March 2015 mechanical incident and reopened with redesigned components on December 16, 2015.
What type of restraints does Green Lantern Coaster use?
Simple lap bars, not over-the-shoulder harnesses. Each single-car train seats eight riders, four across in two independently articulated rows.
Is Green Lantern Coaster included with Movie World admission?
Yes. It’s covered by standard park admission with no extra charge to ride; optional Fast Track passes are sold separately during peak periods for shorter queue times.
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