As amusement parks open for the season, many of them are debuting highly anticipated roller coasters. This summer, whether you’re a roller coaster fanatic or a novice along for the ride, expect thrills and chills as you spin, twist and dive on some of the wildest new coasters of 2013.
Gatekeeper, Cedar Point, Ohio
Those who dare to take a ride on the Gatekeeper are in for an experience nothing short of heart-stopping. This record-breaking winged coaster positions two riders on either side of the track so the riders’ feet dangle as the coaster flips, twists, turns and dives. The coaster, which reaches an electrifying speed of 67 mph, features a harrowing 164-foot drop (the highest of any winged roller coaster in the world), six inversions (the most of any winged roller coaster in the world), a 360-degree in-line roll, a 180-degree rotation and much more
El Loco, Adventuredome, Las Vegas
This December, the adrenaline-pumping El Loco roller coaster will replace the original attraction, Rim Runner at the indoor amusement park, Adventuredome. The coaster will provide riders with a feeling of weightlessness as it barrels down a 70-foot drop that delivers a 1.5 negative vertical g-force. Along the coaster’s 1,300-foot track, riders will also experience a 45-degree outwardly banked turn, a barrel roll and a 180-degree twist, all within 75 seconds.
Hades 360, Mt. Olympus Water and Theme Park, Wisconsin
Mt. Deemed the “world’s first upside-down, underground wooden roller coaster,” Hades 360 delivers powerful turns and high speeds (up to 70 mph) typically uncharacteristic for wooden roller coasters. The ride features a 360-degree upside-down loop, a 90-degree twist underground in complete darkness and a 110-degree over-banked turn. At one point, the coaster slowly climbs 162 feet and then dives 134 feet at a hair-raising angle of 65 degrees.
