Saudi Arabia rarely does things by halves, so it’s no surprise that its latest high-profile theme park has already smashed multiple world records. The newly opened Six Flags Qiddiya City carves a vast tourist destination out of the desert and features the world’s longest, fastest, and tallest roller coaster.
As its name suggests, Six Flags Qiddiya City forms part of the country’s ambitious Qiddiya gigaproject, which aims to transform a large stretch of the Arabian desert into one of the world’s most popular entertainment and tourism hubs. Located near the Saudi capital Riyadh, the development will eventually include an esports arena, a stadium, and a water park.
Six Flags Qiddiya City
The theme park marks Six Flags’ first destination outside North America. It took around four years to build and measures roughly 79 acres (32 hectares), which is spread between restaurants, retail areas, and, of course, rides.
There are 28 rides in total, with three headline attractions standing out as world record breakers. Of these, the most notable is Falcon’s Flight. Described as the world’s tallest, fastest, and longest roller coaster, it reaches 250 km/h (155.3 mph). Assuming you still have hold of your lunch, the alarmingly named Iron Rattler is hailed as the world’s tallest tilt-coaster. Finally, the Spitfire holds the tallest inversion record (i.e., where it flips upside down) for a roller coaster.
“Six Flags is proud to announce the opening of Six Flags Qiddiya City in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, a landmark project that will redefine entertainment in the region,” says John Reilly, president and CEO of Six Flags. “This world-class destination combines cutting-edge, record-breaking attractions, immersive experiences for all ages, and the signature thrills that have made Six Flags a global leader. We look forward to welcoming guests from across the kingdom and beyond to experience the future of fun at Qiddiya City.”
Six Flags Qiddiya City
Six Flags Qiddiya City offers some good news for Saudi Arabia’s incredibly ambitious series of gigaprojects following the halt of work on the world’s largest skyscraper, while elsewhere in the kingdom the world’s tallest building is rising quickly. If you’d like to visit the theme park for yourself, adult ticket prices start from US$85.
Source: Six Flags Qiddiya City