The world’s fastest, longest and tallest rollercoaster is being built in Qiddiya, a new district on the outskirts of Riyadh whish is among the megaprojects aimed at transforming the Saudi capital into a city of the future.
Launched in 2018, Qiddiya is planned to become a global entertainment, sports and culture hub. The district will offer international sports arenas, concert and entertainment venues, academies for sports and arts, racetracks, outdoor and adventure activities and family-friendly theme parks – including the Six Flags theme park with the world’s fastest, longest and tallest rollercoaster, called “Falcon’s Flight”.
The Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC), in partnership with Intamin Amusement Rides, kicked off the design process for the Falcon’s Flight in January 2021 and the coaster seems on track to take visitors on their first rides in October 2024.
On each ride on the rollercoaster will be a three-minute-long adventure for up to 20 passengers experiencing the exhilaration of three electromagnetic propulsion launch systems, as well as panoramic views of Six Flags Qiddiya and the Resort Core. The trains will travel across approximately 4 kilometres, execute a vertical cliff dive manoeuvre into a 160-metre-deep valley using magnetic motor acceleration (LSM technology) and achieve unprecedented speeds of over 250 km/h.
Falcon’s flight will dominate the skyline at Qiddiya weave all the way around our destination, right out of the theme park, up the cliffside, and down the cliff face – the greatest drop of any ride in the world; it won’t be for the fainthearted!
Philippe Gas, Qiddiya CEO
“Rollercoaster fans around the world have been eagerly anticipating this ride since it was announced as there is nothing quite like it anywhere else (…) the excitement is building!”, said Qiddiya CEO, Philippe Gas.
Covering 32 hectares and featuring 28 rides and attractions across six themed lands, Six Flags Qiddiya is planned to become the theme park that breaks all records of entertainment, not only in Saudi Arabia, but also in the region.
“I will never forget the moment when I was standing at the edge of the 200-meter-high cliff on the Tuwaiq Mountain in Qiddiya, looking into the valley and imagining the creation of a future record-setting roller coaster”, said Daniel Schoppen, Vice President of Design & Development at Intamin Amusement Rides. “I knew that exactly at this spot, The Falcon Flight will dive down along the cliff, ending in a unique exhilarating 250+ km/h proximity flight close to the ground. The worldwide unique setting and heights such as the natural cliff will enable us to design an architectural masterpiece in steel.”
The 367 km² Qiddiya will have 5 key areas: the resort core, home to Qiddiya’s theme parks, entertainment and dining attractions; the Qiddiya Village, a 24/7 mixed-use centre dedicated to entertainment and sports; the motion zone, home to adrenaline fuelled motorsports experiences; the eco zone, a world of nature and wildlife adventures and encounters; and the golf and residential community, a community featuring golf courses and residential offerings.
