Spider is a steel spinning roller coaster at Lagoon Amusement Park in Farmington, Utah, built by the German manufacturer Maurer Söhne. It opened to riders in April 2003, adding a disorienting, free-spinning twist to the park’s lineup of thrill rides.
Each train carries riders in pairs facing opposite directions, so the car’s independent spin means no two trips feel quite the same. The ride’s vehicles originally carried the name ‘The Spider and the Fly,’ a nod to its web-like layout, before the attraction settled into the shorter name it carries today.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Lagoon Amusement Park
- Manufacturer: Maurer Söhne (Maurer AG)
- Opened: April 2003
- Height: about 51 feet
- Top speed: about 37 mph
- Length: about 1,391 feet
- Inversions: 0
The Ride Experience
Spider’s trains hold four riders each, arranged two by two in rows that face opposite directions, and each car spins freely as it winds through the course. Combined with a track that climbs to a maximum angle of about 50 degrees, the spinning motion turns a relatively compact layout into an unpredictable, stomach-twisting minute-plus of riding.
The attraction can move around 930 riders per hour, making it a steady workhorse for Lagoon’s crowds even though it isn’t the park’s tallest or fastest coaster. Riders must be at least 46 inches tall to board.
Design and Updates
Spider cost roughly $3 million to build and uses Maurer’s Xtended SC 2000 spinning coaster model. For over a decade its track and supports wore a pink and purple color scheme that matched its spider-and-web theming.
Ahead of the 2016 season, Lagoon gave Spider a refresh: crews repainted the track and supports in red and black and replaced the cement surrounding the ride’s base, updating its look while leaving the core ride system unchanged.
Explore more: Explore more roller coasters.
Over 3,700 pieces, a real vertical loop and a working chain lift. Display it on a shelf in the coaster room.
Rub-on sunscreen that fits in a pocket — reapply in the queue without greasy hands on the lap bar.
Folds into its own pocket. Pop it on when the storm rolls in and the rides reopen to short lines.
Spider FAQs
What kind of roller coaster is Spider at Lagoon?
Spider is a steel spinning coaster, meaning its four-passenger cars rotate independently of the track as the train travels the course.
When did Spider open at Lagoon Amusement Park?
Spider opened at Lagoon in April 2003 and has operated continuously since.
How fast does Spider go?
Spider reaches a top speed of about 37 mph during its roughly 70-second ride.
Get More from Spider
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Photo: R.J. Hall / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.