Conquer a Goliath Coaster at Six Flags Great America

By: Jonathan Jones 06/19/2014

If you're seeking the thrill of a lifetime, look no further than Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Ill. Today, the amusement park's newest roller coaster, Goliath, opens to the public.

Yesterday, a few members of the Lake County team were able to preview the appropriately-named Goliath roller coaster.

Goliath will change everything you think you know about wooden roller coasters.

The envelope-pushing wooden roller coaster makes the park's other wooden coasters (like American Eagle and Viper) seem like a ride on the merry-go-round.

Photo Courtesy of Six Flags Great America

The 165-foot-tall lift hill provides beautiful views of Gurnee and Lake County. But the peaceful ascent doesn't last long.

Soon, the train plunges down the record-breaking 180-foot drop.

The first drop is as fun/terrifying as it looks (depending on your thrill-seeking threshold).

Photo Courtesy of Six Flags Great America

One of the most bizarre moments of a ride on Goliath is the "zero-g stall." I've ridden many coasters, but never before have I experienced anything quite like it.

Let me just say, you will be very thankful for the seat belt and lap bar.

That's right, Goliath's cars feature only seat belts and lap bars — no over-the-shoulder harnesses here! That makes the ride both more comfortable and more nerve-wracking.

Photo Courtesy of Six Flags Great America

So what makes Goliath so special? Besides being an all-around awesome ride, the coaster breaks three world records:

At 72 mph, it's the fastest wooden roller coaster on the planet. Its 180-foot drop is the tallest on a wooden roller coaster. And at 85 degrees, its first drop is also the steepest on a wooden roller coaster.

The fun doesn't end there. The coaster also packs two upside down inversions (definitely out of the ordinary for a wooden roller coaster). And if you're a fan of the classic wooden roller coaster, the opening of Goliath makes Six Flags Great America home to the most wooden roller coaster track of any theme park in the world.

Goliath opens to the public today, June 19, 2014. Be sure to tag your Goliath tweets and photos with #VisitLakeCounty so that we can re-share them.

Have you conquered Goliath yet? Tell us what you think about the record-breaking roller coaster in the comments section!

Six Flags Great America: https://www.sixflags.com/greatamerica 1 Great America Pkwy Gurnee, IL 60031