The Mindbender was a triple-looping indoor steel roller coaster that opened at Galaxyland, the amusement park inside West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, on December 20, 1985. Built by the renowned Anton Schwarzkopf and designed by Werner Stengel, the $6 million attraction rose 145 feet (44.2 m) inside a shopping mall — a height that earned it the title of the world’s tallest indoor roller coaster, a record it held for decades.
Reaching 60 mph (96.5 km/h) and pulling up to 5.2 Gs, the Mindbender delivered one of the most intense ride experiences on any indoor coaster anywhere, capping its 4,198-foot layout with three vertical loops and a double upward helix. After 37 years of thrilling riders, Galaxyland permanently decommissioned the coaster on January 30, 2023, to make way for new park developments. Its trains were later repurposed for the All American Triple Loop at Indiana Beach in Indiana.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Galaxyland, West Edmonton Mall, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Manufacturer: Anton Schwarzkopf
- Opened: December 20, 1985
- Closed: January 30, 2023
- Height: 145 ft (44.2 m)
- Top Speed: 60 mph (96.5 km/h)
- Length: 4,198 ft (1,279.5 m)
- Inversions: 3
The Ride Experience
Riders boarded one of four trains — each carrying 12 passengers across three cars — before plunging into the darkness of the mall’s vast interior. The coaster climbed 145 feet and then unleashed three consecutive vertical loops, a sequence that few indoor rides anywhere could match. Entirely enclosed within the mall structure, the thundering echo of trains and the absence of daylight created an atmosphere utterly unlike any outdoor coaster.
Despite its indoor setting, the Mindbender was no tame family ride. Its G-force of around 5.2 put it in the same physical territory as some of the world’s most extreme steel coasters, and throughout the 1990s it regularly appeared on best-steel-coaster lists, ranking as high as 13th in the 1998 Golden Ticket Awards. Its track length of 4,198 feet — longer than many outdoor installations — gave riders a sustained, punishing experience from first drop to helix finale.
History and Legacy
A catastrophic wheel-assembly failure on June 14, 1986 caused the rear car of a train to derail mid-ride, ejecting all four occupants. Three riders died and one suffered permanent critical injuries. Following an extensive investigation that attributed the failure to design and maintenance flaws, the coaster was rebuilt with reinforced wheel assemblies, reduced from four-car to three-car trains, and reopened in January 1987. It ran without a major structural incident for the remaining 36 years of its life.
Galaxyland closed its doors in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Mindbender never reopened to the public. Despite widespread fan campaigns to relocate or preserve the coaster, West Edmonton Mall confirmed its permanent decommissioning in January 2023. The ride’s trains were shipped to Indiana Beach, where they continue to operate on the All American Triple Loop — keeping a piece of one of Canada’s most celebrated coasters in motion.
Explore more: Roller Coasters hub.
Mindbender FAQs
How tall was the Mindbender at Galaxyland?
The Mindbender stood 145 feet (44.2 m) tall, making it the world’s tallest indoor roller coaster — a record it held for decades until its closure in 2023.
Is the Mindbender at West Edmonton Mall still operating?
No. Galaxyland permanently closed the Mindbender on January 30, 2023, after nearly 37 years of operation. The coaster has since been removed to allow for new Galaxyland developments.
What happened in the 1986 Mindbender accident?
On June 14, 1986, four cap screws on a wheel assembly failed, causing a rear car to derail mid-ride. All four occupants were ejected; three died and one was critically and permanently injured. The ride was redesigned and reopened in January 1987.
Get More from Mindbender
Log the coasters, stadiums, and venues you’ve experienced, rate Mindbender, and see what your friends thought. Get the ThrillZing app.
Photo: JZ85 / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.