Leviathan (roller coaster) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Leviathan
A picture of Leviathan's sculpture, plaza, station, and lift hill.
Canada's Wonderland
Location	Canada's Wonderland
Park section	Medieval Faire
Coordinates	43°50′40.22″N 79°32′32.76″W / 43.8445056°N 79.5424333°W / 43.8445056; -79.5424333
Status	Operating
Soft opening date	27 April 2012 (2012-04-27)
Opening date	6 May 2012 (2012-05-06)
Cost	US$28,000,000
General statistics
Type	Steel
Manufacturer	Bolliger & Mabillard
Designer	Werner Stengel
Model	Hyper coaster
Track layout	Out and Back
Lift/launch system	Chain lift hill
Height	93.3 m (306 ft)
Drop	93.3 m (306 ft)
Length	1,672 m (5,486 ft)
Speed	148 km/h (92 mph)
Inversions	0
Duration	3:28
Max vertical angle	80°
Capacity	1650 riders per hour
G-force	4.5
Height restriction	137–203 cm (4 ft 6 in – 6 ft 8 in)
Restraints	Lap bar and seat belt
Fast Lane Plus only available
Must transfer from wheelchair
Leviathan at RCDB

Leviathan is a giant steel roller coaster located at Canada's Wonderland in Vaughan, Ontario, Canada. It's found in the park's Medieval Faire area. This amazing ride was built by a Swiss company called Bolliger & Mabillard.

Leviathan is special because it's the first roller coaster from this company to be taller than 91.5 meters (300 feet). This makes it a "giga coaster," which is a super tall type of roller coaster.

At 1,672 meters (5,486 feet) long and 93.3 meters (306 feet) tall, Leviathan is the tallest and fastest roller coaster in Canada. It can reach a top speed of 148 kilometers per hour (92 mph)! It took these records from another big coaster at the park, Behemoth. As of July 2020, Leviathan is one of the tallest roller coasters in the world.

Leviathan was the 16th roller coaster built at Canada's Wonderland. The park announced the ride in August 2011. Its track was finished in February 2012, and the first test ride happened on March 15, 2012. The coaster opened early for season pass holders on April 27, 2012. It then opened to everyone on May 6, 2012.

Building a Giant Coaster

When Canada's Wonderland first planned Leviathan, they wanted a really tall ride. If Bolliger & Mabillard couldn't build a coaster over 91.5 meters (300 feet), the park would have found another company. The designer, Walter Bolliger, felt he "owed" the park. This was because they couldn't build a different type of coaster there years before.

People started guessing about a new roller coaster in early 2011. This was when construction began near the Dragon Fyre ride. On July 3, 2011, Canada's Wonderland put a special countdown clock online. It hinted at a big announcement on August 18, 2011.

Announcing the Ride

Canada's Wonderland officially announced Leviathan at 7:00 am on August 18, 2011. The news was also shared live on a TV show. Workers started building the track during the week of September 11, 2011. The parts for the brake area and station were done by the end of September.

On October 18, 2011, the longest and heaviest part of the lift hill was put in place. This piece was 36.6 meters (120 feet) long! By mid-November, the lift hill and the first big drop were finished. The track was fully completed on February 7, 2012. The first test run happened on March 15, 2012. On April 18, 2012, the park announced a 30.5-meter (100-foot) tunnel would be added. This tunnel would be at the bottom of the first drop.

First Riders for Charity

On January 19, 2012, Canada's Wonderland held an auction. People from all over the world could bid to be one of the first 96 public riders on Leviathan. This special ride happened on April 27, 2012. This was a week before the park officially opened the ride to everyone.

The auction raised over CAD$40,000. All this money was given to the Hospital for Sick Children. The highest bid for one seat was $1,000! When these first riders rode the coaster, the tunnel at the bottom of the first drop was not yet installed.

What It's Like to Ride

It's fast, it's smooth and it's got an incredible thrill.

As of 2017, Leviathan is the second tallest and fastest roller coaster built by Bolliger & Mabillard. It's their first "giga coaster." A giga coaster is a roller coaster with a height or drop that is more than 91.5 meters (300 feet). One full ride on Leviathan lasts about 3 minutes and 28 seconds.

Leviathan at dusk as seen from the parking lot.

The Ride's Path

The hammerhead turn on the Leviathan.

After leaving the station, your train turns right in a big curve. Then, it starts to climb the tall chain lift hill. Once you reach the very top, 93.3 meters (306 feet) high, you drop straight down! This first drop is at an 80-degree angle. You'll reach a speed of 148 kilometers per hour (92 mph).

Right after the first drop, the train goes through a 30-meter (100-foot) tunnel. This tunnel is next to the Wonderland Terminal. Then, you curve upwards into a 50-meter (164-foot) overbanked turn to the right.

Next, there's another drop that leads into a speed hill. This hill makes the train go fast, around 122 kilometers per hour (76 mph), with a slight turn to the left. After this, you go into a 56-meter (184-foot) camelback hill. This is followed by a 44.8-meter (147-foot) hammerhead turn that twists 115 degrees. Both of these parts are above the park's parking lot.

After the hammerhead turn, the train enters a second fast curve, going about 96.5 kilometers per hour (60 mph). Then, you go over a smaller, 37.8-meter (124-foot) camelback. This leads to a third fast turn that bends to the left. Finally, the train enters the brake run and slows down before returning to the station.

The Trains

The front of Leviathan's open-air train, with orange and red lapbars used to restrain the rider.

Leviathan uses three trains. They are colored red, orange, and yellow. Each train has eight cars, and each car has four seats. This means 32 riders can go on each train. The front of each train has a cool face of the Leviathan creature. Riders are held safely in place with lap bars and seatbelts.

The Track

The steel track of Leviathan is very long, over 1,672 meters (5,486 feet). The lift hill is 93.3 meters (306 feet) tall. The first drop is very steep, about 80 degrees. The track itself is a bright cyan color, and its supports are blue. Leviathan uses a single chain to pull the trains up the lift hill.

Station and Entrance Area

The ride's station and plaza is located in the Medieval Faire section of Canada's Wonderland.

Leviathan's station has an elevator near the exit. It also has wooden guard rails and two lines for riders. One line is for regular guests, and the other is a Fast Lane queue for pass holders. In front of the station, there's a rock fountain with a sculpture of a Leviathan on top. There's also a gift shop just for Leviathan, which is special because most rides don't have their own shop.

Awards and Recognition

Leviathan was recognized in the Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Awards. It came in third place for best new ride of 2012. It received 14% of the votes.