Leviathan at Canada’s Wonderland in Vaughan, Ontario, is Canada’s tallest and fastest roller coaster — a 306-foot steel giant that reaches 92 mph on its first drop alone. When it opened on May 6, 2012, it didn’t just break Canadian records; it marked a historic milestone for Swiss manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard, making Leviathan the company’s very first giga coaster.
Built in the park’s Medieval Faire section and visible from the main entrance and guest parking lot, Leviathan dominates the Vaughan skyline with its cyan track and blue supports. With three minutes and 28 seconds of non-stop speed, sweeping overbanked turns, and zero mid-course braking, it remains one of the most celebrated rides in the B&M lineup — and the undisputed signature coaster of Canada’s Wonderland.
Quick Answer
Leviathan is a 306-foot-tall B&M giga coaster at Canada’s Wonderland in Vaughan, Ontario. It hits 92 mph on an 80-degree first drop and covers 5,486 feet of track in 3 minutes 28 seconds — making it Canada’s tallest and fastest roller coaster, and B&M’s first coaster ever to break the 300-foot threshold.
Stats at a Glance
Park: Canada’s Wonderland, Vaughan, Ontario. Manufacturer: Bolliger & Mabillard. Type: Giga coaster. Opened: May 6, 2012. Height: 306 feet (93.3 m). First drop angle: 80 degrees. Top speed: 92 mph (148 km/h). Track length: 5,486 feet (1,672 m). Ride duration: 3 minutes 28 seconds. Max G-force: 4.5. Inversions: 0. Trains: 3 (red, orange, yellow), 32 riders each. Hourly capacity: approximately 1,650 riders. Height requirement: 54–80 inches (137–203 cm).
Leviathan uses B&M’s clamshell lap bars with seat belts — no over-the-shoulder harnesses. That open restraint design is a big part of why the ride feels so free and exposed, especially on the first drop.
The Ride Experience
The moment the chain lift grabs and begins pulling you toward the sky, you understand why Leviathan has a reputation. The ascent to 306 feet is slow enough — the chain travels at 9.6 mph — that the Toronto skyline and the full expanse of Canada’s Wonderland spread out around you before the track crests at the top. Then it drops.
The first plunge is 80 degrees — not quite vertical, but steep enough that the horizon vanishes and there is nothing in front of you but open air and a tunnel rushing up at the bottom. The train hits 92 mph at the base of that drop and rockets through a 100-foot tunnel alongside the Wonderland Terminal before pulling into a sweeping 50-meter overbanked turn. From there, Leviathan never fully lets up.
The defining character of this ride is sustained speed and strong positive G-forces through long, curving elements. This is not a coaster built around repeated ejector airtime — it is engineered to press you into your seat with high-speed sweeping turns. That said, the large camelback hill delivers a genuine floater airtime moment, one of the longest sustained floats on any giga coaster. And crucially, with no mid-course brakes, every bit of energy built on the first drop carries all the way through to the final brake run.
Layout Breakdown: Every Element
After departing the station, the train makes a 180-degree turn before engaging the chain lift. Then the sequence unfolds across eight total drops:
First Drop: 80 degrees from 306 feet, reaching 92 mph and feeding directly into a 100-foot tunnel at the base. Overbanked Turn: 50 meters (164 feet) tall, sweeping right with pronounced banking. Camelback Hill: 56 meters (184 feet) tall — the ride’s primary airtime moment, a long sustained float at the crest. Hammerhead Turn: 44.8 meters (147 feet), a 115-degree element that is one of Leviathan’s most visually dramatic features and is clearly visible from the park’s main entrance and parking lot. High-Speed Curve: A banked left-curving segment at approximately 96.5 km/h (60 mph). Second Camelback: 37.8 meters (124 feet), a lower but still energetic hill. Final High-Speed Turn: A left-sweeping curve leading into the final brake run.
Zero inversions, zero shoulder harnesses, zero mid-course brakes. The layout is clean, fast, and deliberate — every element serves either to maximize speed or to channel it through a high-G turn.
B&M’s First Giga: The Story Behind Leviathan
Before Leviathan, Bolliger & Mabillard had never built a coaster taller than 300 feet. Canada’s Wonderland pushed them there — and according to park lore, B&M’s Walter Bolliger felt the company owed the park a landmark ride. An earlier Cedar Point exclusivity clause had previously blocked a B&M inverted coaster from being built at Canada’s Wonderland, and this was the make-good. The brief: go bigger than B&M had ever gone. The layout was designed by Werner Stengel, one of the most respected roller coaster engineers in the industry.
The coaster was announced on August 18, 2011. Track erection began the week of September 11, 2011, and finished by February 7, 2012. The first test run took place on March 15, 2012. Before the public opening, Canada’s Wonderland held a charity soft opening on April 27, 2012, auctioning 96 seats to raise funds for the Hospital for Sick Children — generating more than C$40,000, with the highest individual bid reaching $1,000 for a single seat. The public opening followed on May 6, 2012.
Leviathan became the 16th coaster in Canada’s Wonderland’s history and immediately claimed Canada’s records for height and speed. At the 2012 Golden Ticket Awards, it placed third for Best New Ride and later ranked as high as sixth among all steel coasters in the world in 2013 and 2017.
How Leviathan Compares to Other Giga Coasters
Leviathan sits in a small, elite category. Giga coasters — conventionally defined as coasters with a height or drop of 300 feet or more using a traditional lift hill — number only a handful worldwide. Leviathan was B&M’s first, but B&M followed it with Fury 325 at Carowinds in 2015, which stands 325 feet and reaches 95 mph, making it technically taller and faster.
The two B&M gigas ride very differently. Fury 325 is widely regarded as more aggressive, with low-to-the-ground twists, a distinctive treble-clef turnaround, and relentless intensity throughout. Leviathan is smoother and more flow-focused — its layout prioritizes sustained speed and long sweeping elements. For riders who want the purest expression of high-speed giga flight without the edge-of-control ferocity of Intamin’s Intimidator 305, Leviathan is frequently cited as the more approachable — and for many, more enjoyable — experience. Coaster Critic rates it a perfect 10 out of 10.
Other notable North American giga coasters include Millennium Force at Cedar Point, the coaster that defined the category when it opened in 2000. Leviathan remains the only giga coaster in Canada.
Planning Your Visit: Tips for Riding Leviathan
Height requirement: 54 to 80 inches (137 to 203 cm). Riders outside that range cannot board. Wheelchair users must transfer from their chair.
Wait times: Leviathan consistently draws some of the longest queues at Canada’s Wonderland, especially on summer weekends in July and August. The single most effective strategy is to head straight to it at park opening before crowds accumulate. Midweek visits in spring or early fall see dramatically shorter waits. The Canada’s Wonderland app provides live wait times — if the line drops mid-afternoon (often after a brief shower), that is the moment to move.
Fast Lane Plus: Canada’s Wonderland offers a Fast Lane Plus add-on that covers Leviathan and other major attractions. On a busy summer Saturday it can save hours and is worth considering if you are visiting during peak season.
Best seats: Front row delivers maximum exposure to the drop and an unobstructed view from the top of the lift. Back row intensifies the whip over the first crest as the rear of the train pulls over the hill. Middle rows are the smoothest option. Regardless of row, request an outer seat — the open-air exposure on both sides is one of Leviathan’s defining qualities, and the outer position maximizes it.
Leviathan FAQs
How tall and fast is Leviathan at Canada’s Wonderland?
Leviathan stands 306 feet (93.3 m) tall and reaches a top speed of 92 mph (148 km/h) at the bottom of its 80-degree first drop.
Is Leviathan a giga coaster?
Yes. A giga coaster is defined by a height or drop of 300 feet or more on a traditional lift hill. At 306 feet, Leviathan qualifies — and it was Bolliger & Mabillard’s first-ever giga coaster when it opened in 2012.
Does Leviathan have any inversions?
No. Leviathan has zero inversions. Its layout consists entirely of drops, overbanked turns, camelback hills, and high-speed curves — no upside-down elements at any point.
What is the height requirement for Leviathan?
Riders must be between 54 inches (137 cm) and 80 inches (203 cm) tall to ride Leviathan.
Where exactly is Leviathan inside Canada’s Wonderland?
Leviathan is located in the Medieval Faire section of Canada’s Wonderland in Vaughan, Ontario, roughly 30 minutes north of downtown Toronto. Its lift hill and hammerhead turn are visible from the park’s main entrance and guest parking area.
How long does a ride on Leviathan last?
The ride lasts approximately 3 minutes and 28 seconds, covering 5,486 feet (1,672 m) of track across eight total drops with no mid-course brake run.
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