Tatsu is the signature flying roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California — the ride that tilts you face-down into a prone harness and sends you skimming just feet above the hillside at 62 mph. Designed by Swiss manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard, it debuted in 2006 as the tallest, fastest, and longest flying coaster ever built, and it’s still one of the most searched rides in the park.
This guide answers every question guests actually ask before they ride: how tall you need to be, when Tatsu opened and what records it still holds, every element from lift hill to pretzel loop, exactly where to find it on the park map, how long the line really runs, and how to skip it — plus a full FAQ for quick reference before you get in line.
Quick Answer
Tatsu opened May 13, 2006, at Six Flags Magic Mountain and requires riders to be at least 54 inches (137 cm) tall. It’s a Bolliger & Mabillard flying coaster — Thrill Level 4, the park’s highest intensity rating — that reaches 62 mph across 3,602 feet of track with four inversions, including the world’s tallest pretzel loop at 124 feet. It’s located at Rapids Camp Crossing atop Samurai Summit, and it still draws long lines, so the single rider line and Fast Lane are both worth knowing about before you go.
What Is Tatsu?
Tatsu is a steel flying coaster located in the Samurai Summit area of Six Flags Magic Mountain. Its name is Japanese for “Flying Beast,” a fitting label for a ride that debuted as the tallest, fastest, and longest flying coaster in the world. Riders board seated, are raised into a standing position, then tilted face-down into a prone flying harness before launching through the layout.
Unlike a typical seated coaster, Tatsu’s flying format keeps riders staring straight down at the terrain below for most of the ride — what Six Flags itself describes as “a stare-down with planet Earth.” That orientation is a big part of what makes it feel more intense than its 170-foot height and 62 mph top speed suggest on paper.
Tatsu Height Requirement
The minimum height to ride Tatsu is 54 inches (137 cm), per Six Flags Magic Mountain’s official ride restrictions. Six Flags classifies it as a Thrill Level 4 attraction — the park’s highest intensity tier — alongside coasters like X2 and Full Throttle.
There’s no separate maximum height or weight posted publicly; the flying harness and over-the-shoulder restraint are checked at the station for every rider regardless of size. Loose articles — phones, bags, hats, loose change — must be stowed before boarding, since riders fly face-down directly over the queue and hillside below.
When Did Tatsu Open — And What Records Does It Still Hold?
Tatsu opened to the public on May 13, 2006, becoming Six Flags Magic Mountain’s seventeenth coaster. It debuted simultaneously as the world’s tallest, fastest, and longest flying coaster — a record sweep no flying coaster had achieved before — and introduced the zero-gravity roll to the flying-coaster format for the first time anywhere.
Those records didn’t all stand forever. In 2016, The Flying Dinosaur at Universal Studios Japan opened, broke Tatsu’s length record, and tied its 62 mph top speed — but didn’t surpass it. Tatsu still holds the height record among flying coasters worldwide and remains home to the tallest pretzel loop in the world at 124 feet.
The ride has aged well by the numbers, too: it debuted ranked 40th among steel coasters worldwide in Amusement Today’s Golden Ticket Awards and climbed as high as 28th by 2012. Tatsu marked its 20th anniversary in May 2026, and theme park journalists still rank it among California’s most intense coasters — largely on the strength of that pretzel loop.
The Ride Experience: Elements and Layout
From the moment riders are tilted horizontal, Tatsu delivers a sensation closer to hang-gliding than a traditional roller coaster. The train crests the ride’s 170-foot lift hill before dropping 111 feet into a terrain-hugging layout that keeps guests staring at the ground below throughout the ride. Total elevation change across the layout — combining the structure’s height with the hillside it’s built into — reaches 263 feet.
The signature elements, in order, are a 103-foot corkscrew descent, a 96-foot zero-gravity roll (the first ever built into a flying coaster), an 80-foot horseshoe turn, an inline twist that tops out at 77 feet, and the headline 124-foot pretzel loop. That loop is the defining moment of the ride: riders plunge face-first toward the earth, are swept onto their backs, then flung back face-down in one continuous fluid arc. The full ride, from launch to brake run, runs a little over two minutes.
Tatsu runs three 8-car trains carrying 32 riders each, four across per row, for a theoretical capacity of roughly 1,600 riders per hour when all three trains are operating. Because the flying position keeps riders horizontal throughout, every banked turn and dip reads as a near-miss with the landscape — a big part of why it’s held up as one of the best flying coasters in North America two decades on.
Where Is Tatsu Located at Six Flags Magic Mountain?
Tatsu is built at Rapids Camp Crossing, atop the Samurai Summit section of Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California — one of the highest points in the park, which is part of why its terrain-hugging layout feels so exposed. It sits near other Samurai Summit attractions, including Ninja and Sky Tower, and is typically reached via the walkways climbing up from the center of the park.
How Long Is the Wait — and How to Skip It
Tatsu is consistently one of the most popular rides at Magic Mountain, and its posted wait often runs longer than the app’s estimate, especially on weekends and through the park’s Fright Fest and summer seasons. The single rider line is the best free tool for cutting that wait: it fills empty seats left by groups who don’t fill a full row, so solo riders — or anyone willing to split from their group — can often walk on well ahead of the standby line, with the trade-off that you aren’t guaranteed a seat next to whoever you came with.
For guaranteed time savings, Six Flags also sells Fast Lane, a paid virtual-queue product that lets you bypass the regular line at Tatsu and other participating attractions on the day of your visit; pricing and tiers change by season, so check the official Six Flags Fast Lane page before you go. For a free strategy, ride Tatsu in the first hour after opening or the last hour before close, when lines are shortest. Current park hours, ticket prices, and seasonal calendars are kept up to date on the official Six Flags Magic Mountain site, which is the best source to check right before your visit.
Tatsu Stats at a Glance
Park: Six Flags Magic Mountain, Valencia, California.
Location: Rapids Camp Crossing, Samurai Summit.
Manufacturer: Bolliger & Mabillard. Opened: May 13, 2006.
Height: 170 ft (52 m). First drop: 111 ft (34 m).
Top speed: 62 mph (100 km/h). Track length: 3,602 ft (1,098 m).
Total elevation change: 263 ft. Inversions: 4 (corkscrew, zero-gravity roll, inline twist, pretzel loop).
Ride time: about 2 minutes. Minimum height: 54 in (137 cm). Thrill Level: 4 (highest).
Trains: three 8-car trains, 32 riders each, four across. Hourly capacity: about 1,600 riders.
A fan and a mist in one, rechargeable. Very popular in queue lines once the afternoon sun hits.
Build a working coaster on the kitchen table and learn why the first drop has to be the tallest. A good gift for young coaster fans.
Over 3,700 pieces, a real vertical loop and a working chain lift. Display it on a shelf in the coaster room.
Tatsu flying coaster guide FAQs
How tall do you have to be to ride Tatsu?
You must be at least 54 inches (137 cm) tall, per Six Flags Magic Mountain’s official height requirements.
When did Tatsu open?
Tatsu opened on May 13, 2006, as Six Flags Magic Mountain’s seventeenth coaster.
How fast does Tatsu go?
Tatsu reaches a top speed of 62 mph during its terrain-hugging descent.
Is Tatsu still a record-holder?
Yes. It’s still the tallest flying coaster in the world and has the tallest pretzel loop at 124 feet. The Flying Dinosaur in Japan broke Tatsu’s length record in 2016 and matched its 62 mph top speed, but didn’t surpass Tatsu’s speed.
What does “Tatsu” mean?
Tatsu is Japanese for “Flying Beast.”
How many inversions does Tatsu have?
Four: a corkscrew, a zero-gravity roll, an inline twist, and the signature pretzel loop.
Where is Tatsu located at Six Flags Magic Mountain?
At Rapids Camp Crossing, atop the Samurai Summit section of the park, near Ninja and Sky Tower.
Is there a single rider line for Tatsu?
Yes, and it’s typically much faster than the standby line since it fills empty seats left in each row.
How long is the Tatsu ride?
About two minutes from launch to brake run.
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