When Tantrum opened at Six Flags Darien Lake on May 25, 2018, it gave New York State something it had never had before: a roller coaster that drops at more than 90 degrees. The lime-green and orange Gerstlauer Euro-Fighter hauls riders straight up a vertical lift, then flings them down a 97-degree beyond-vertical first drop.
Tantrum was the park’s first new coaster in a decade and marked the start of a reinvestment push at the Western New York park (between Buffalo and Rochester). Compact but mean, it squeezes nearly 100 feet of height, three inversions and 52.8 mph into a plot beside the park’s midway.
Key Stats
| Height | 98.4 ft (30 m) |
| Drop angle | 97° (beyond vertical) |
| Speed | 52.8 mph (85 km/h) |
| Length | 1,246.7 ft (380 m) |
| Inversions | 3 |
| Duration | About 1 minute |
| Trains | 3 single-car trains, 8 riders each |
| Manufacturer / model | Gerstlauer / Euro-Fighter |
| Opened | May 25, 2018 |
| Park | Six Flags Darien Lake, Darien Center, New York |
New York’s First Beyond-Vertical Drop
Plenty of coasters drop straight down; far fewer drop past straight down. Tantrum’s 97-degree plunge made it the first roller coaster in New York State with a beyond-vertical drop, curling riders under themselves as the car noses over the crest. It’s the same design trick used by the world’s steepest roller coaster drops, several of which are fellow Gerstlauer Euro-Fighters.
The ride experience starts with a 90-degree chain lift — riders lie on their backs staring at the sky — followed by the drop, an immediate vertical loop, a cutback-style inversion and a heartline roll, with tight transitions in between. The eight-passenger cars mean short trains, snappy pacing and a surprisingly strong pop of airtime over the top.
Tantrum in the Darien Lake Lineup
Darien Lake is best known for Ride of Steel, the 208-foot Intamin hyper coaster that opened in 1999. Tantrum plays the opposite role in the lineup: where Ride of Steel is about open speed and airtime, Tantrum is about disorientation and compact intensity. Together with the park’s Vekoma Boomerang and classic wooden Predator, it rounds out a lineup that covers most of the thrill spectrum.
Since opening, Tantrum has become one of the park’s most popular flagship thrills — its distinctive vertical lift is visible from Interstate 90 and has become a mini-landmark for travelers crossing Western New York.
FAQ
How tall is Tantrum at Six Flags Darien Lake?
Tantrum stands 98.4 feet (30 meters) tall, with a vertical chain lift and a 97-degree beyond-vertical first drop.
How fast is Tantrum?
Tantrum reaches 52.8 mph (85 km/h) over its 1,246.7-foot course, passing through three inversions in about a minute.
Was Tantrum really the first coaster of its kind in New York?
Yes — when it opened in May 2018, Tantrum became the first roller coaster in New York State to feature a beyond-vertical (97-degree) drop.
Photo: Mifter via Wikimedia Commons (GPL v2)