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7. Phantom’s Revenge – Kennywood

Image: Kennywood

First of all, let’s give it up for the designers of Phantom’s Revenge. This ride opened to the public in 1991, back during the first Bush administration. It’s older than Mike Trout or Selena Gomez. Despite its longevity, it maintains a place among the fastest roller coasters in America. This ride isn’t just the oldest coaster on the list, either. It holds that claim by nine full years!

Phantom’s Revenge is possibly the best example of coaster diving on this list. It’s a short roller coaster, at least compared to its ultra-fast peers, standing only 160-feet tall. Due to its modest slope of 52 degrees, the first drop is 228 feet. Interestingly, it’s a relative short track, too, stretching “only” 3,200 feet.

6. Intimidator 305 – Kings Dominion

Image: Ben Schumin , Wikipedia (license)

Okay, here is the first new speed in a while. Intimidator flies past the first three roller coasters, which peak at 85 MPH. Its top speed is 90 MPH, largely due to its height and precipitous first drop. Intimidator 305 is a gigacoaster, reaching 305 feet in the air (thus the name). And its initial fall is 300 feet straight down, something possible due to the 85-degree angle on the drop. Things get real in a hurry on Intimidator 305. It’s noteworthy that this particular gigacoaster was built in 2010, making the next entrant that much more impressive.

5. Millennium Force – Cedar Point

Image: Cedar FairAuthor’s confession: I’m in the tank for Millennium Force. I’ve previously described it as the best skyscraper coaster in the world. It’s my favorite coaster ever, and second place isn’t even close. So, keep my bias in mind here.

Nine years after Millennium Force, a competing park built an eerily similar attraction…and it STILL couldn’t surpass the original gigacoaster. Millennium Force stands a mighty 310 feet in the air and drops guests at an 80-degree angle. The rider experiences a strange disconnect as the serenity of the waters of Lake Erie distracts for a moment before the bottom drops out on the coaster cart. It’s a dizzying, inimitable ride experience that remains perfect roughly two decades after the opening of Millennium Force in 2000.

This attraction is the one that surpassed Goliath, never to look back until…

4. Fury 325 – Carowinds

Image: Cedar FairAn imitator finally usurped Millennium Force in 2015, 15 years after its debut. The roller coaster is Fury 325, whose height you can guess from the name. Thanks to the dizzying elevation, this gigacoaster squeezes out another couple of miles per hour from the ride design. Maxing at 95 MPH, it’s still only a minimal boost over Millennium Force.

I mention this because Fury 325 is 15 feet taller and claims a slightly better 81-degree drop. Even with these advantages, it only goes two miles per hour faster than the original gigacoaster.

 
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