Dive Coaster

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This article is about the roller coaster model. For the Dive Coaster at Chimelong Paradise, see Dive Coaster (Chimelong Paradise). For the Dive Coaster at Happy Valley Shanghai, see Diving Coaster.

Dive Coaster
File:Griffon First Drop.jpg
Griffon, Busch Gardens Williamsburg
StatusIn production
First manufactured1998
No. of installations18
ManufacturerBolliger & Mabillard
Vehicle typeFloorless or normal seats located above the track
Rows2/3
Riders per row6/7/8/10
Restraint StyleOver-the-shoulder/Vest restraint
Dive Coaster at RCDB

The Dive Coaster is a steel roller coaster model developed and engineered by Bolliger & Mabillard. The design features one or more near-vertical drops that are approximately 90 degrees, which provide a moment of free-falling for passengers. The experience is enhanced by unique trains that seat up to ten riders per row, spanning only two or three rows total. Unlike traditional train design, this distinguishing aspect gives all passengers virtually the same experience throughout the course of the ride. Another defining characteristic of Dive Coasters is the holding brake at the top of the lift hill that holds the train momentarily right as it enters the first drop, suspending some passengers with a view looking straight down and releasing suddenly moments later.

Development of the Dive Coaster began between 1994 and 1995 with Oblivion at Alton Towers opening on 14 March 1998, making it the world's first Dive Coaster. The trains for this type of coaster are relatively short consisting of two to three cars. B&M also uses floorless trains on this model to enhance the experience.

As of 6 September 2025, eighteen Dive Coasters have been built, with the newest being Wrath of Rakshasa at Six Flags Great America. Yukon Striker at Canada's Wonderland is currently the world's tallest, longest, and fastest Dive Coaster, featuring a height of 68 m (223 ft), a length of 1,105 m (3,625 ft), and a maximum speed of 130 km/h (81 mph).

File:Baron 1889.jpg
Baron 1898, a themed dive coaster at Efteling in The Netherlands

History

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According to Walter Bolliger, development of the Dive Coaster began between 1994 and 1995.[1] On 14 March 1998, the world's first Dive Coaster, Oblivion, opened at Alton Towers. Though Oblivion is classified as a Dive Coaster, it does not have a true vertical drop as the drop angle is only 87-degrees.[2] Two years later, the second Dive Coaster built, Diving Machine G5, opened at Janfusun Fancyworld and also technically does not have a true vertical drop.[3] In 2005, SheiKra opened at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and was the first Dive Coaster to feature a 90-degree drop and a splashdown element.[4][5] In 2007, Busch Gardens Williamsburg announced that Griffon would be the first ever Dive Coaster to feature floorless trains[6] and SheiKra would have its trains replaced with floorless ones.[7][8] In 2011, the first 'mini' Dive Coaster opened at Heide Park Resort, named Krake. Unlike other Dive Coasters, Krake has smaller trains consisting of three rows of six riders.[9] In 2019, Yukon Striker at Canada's Wonderland was the first Dive Coaster to feature a vertical loop, allowing it to have the most inversions on a Dive Coaster with four at the time.[10] On 30 July 2022, Dr. Diabolical’s Cliffhanger opened at Six Flags Fiesta Texas as the first B&M Dive Coaster to feature a beyond vertical 95-degree drop and 7-across seating. On 31 May 2025, Wrath of Rakshasa opened at Six Flags Great America and broke the record for the steepest beyond vertical 96-degree drop and the most inversions on any dive coaster with five in total.

Design

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File:SheiKra (Busch Gardens Africa) 04.jpg
An example of a floorless Dive Coaster train on SheiKra

The design of a Dive Coaster can vary slightly from one to another. Depending on the amusement park's request, one row on the train can seat anywhere from 6 to 10 riders. Stadium seating is also used to give every rider a clear view. Next, compared to standard Bolliger & Mabillard 4 abreast cars, because of the extra weight of each train on a Dive Coaster, the size of the track must be larger than other B&M models (such as the Hyper Coaster) to support the weight.[11] At the top of the primary vertical drop, a braking system holds the train for 3 to 5 seconds, giving riders a view of the drop ahead before being released into the drop.[12][13]

In the station, Dive Coasters that use non-floorless trains simply use a standard station. With Dive Coasters that use floorless trains, in order to allow riders to load and unload the train, a movable floor is necessary. Because the front row has nothing in front of it to stop riders from walking over the edge of the station, a gate is placed in front of the train to prevent this from happening. Once all the over-the-shoulder restraints are locked, the gate opens and the floor separates into several pieces and moves underneath the station.[12] When the next train enters the station, the gate is closed and the floors are brought back up where the next riders board.[12]

Installations

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Bolliger & Mabillard has built eighteen Dive Coasters as of 2025.

Name Park Country Train Width Train Type Model Opened Status
Oblivion Alton Towers United Kingdom United Kingdom 8 seats Standard Wide 14 March 1998 Operating [2]
Diving Machine G5 Janfusun Fancyworld Taiwan Taiwan 8 seats Standard Wide 29 March 2000 Operating [3]
SheiKra Busch Gardens Tampa Bay United States United States 8 seats Floorless (Originally Standard) Wide 21 May 2005 Operating [4]
Griffon Busch Gardens Williamsburg United States United States 10 seats Floorless Wide 18 May 2007 Operating [14]
Dive Coaster Chimelong Paradise China China 10 seats Floorless Wide 21 January 2008 Operating [15]
Diving Coaster Happy Valley Shanghai China China 10 seats Floorless Wide 16 August 2009 Operating [16]
Krake Heide Park Germany Germany 6 seats Floorless Narrow 16 April 2011 Operating [9]
Oblivion: The Black Hole Gardaland Italy Italy 6 seats Floorless Narrow 28 March 2015 Operating [17]
Baron 1898 Efteling Netherlands Netherlands 6 seats Floorless Narrow 30 June 2015 Operating [18]
Valravn Cedar Point United States United States 8 seats Floorless Wide 7 May 2016 Operating [19]
Flying Apsaras in Western Region Happy Valley Chengdu China China 6 seats Floorless Narrow 10 February 2018 Operating [20]
Draken Gyeongju World South Korea South Korea 8 seats Floorless Wide 1 May 2018 Operating [21]
Valkyria Liseberg Sweden Sweden 6 seats Floorless Narrow 10 August 2018 Operating [22]
Yukon Striker Canada's Wonderland Canada Canada 8 seats Floorless Wide 3 May 2019 Operating [23]
Emperor SeaWorld San Diego United States United States 6 seats Floorless Narrow 12 March 2022 Operating [24]
Dr. Diabolical’s Cliffhanger Six Flags Fiesta Texas United States United States 7 seats Floorless Narrow 30 July 2022 Operating [25]
Iron Menace Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom United States United States 7 seats Floorless Narrow 10 May 2024 Operating [26]
Wrath of Rakshasa Six Flags Great America United States United States 7 seats Floorless Narrow 31 May 2025 Operating [27]
Tormenta Rampaging Run Six Flags Over Texas United States United States 8 seats Floorless Wide 2026 Under construction [28]

Similar coasters

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In 2018, Golden Horse, a Chinese amusement ride manufacturer infamous for creating knock-off coasters and rides, installed a Dive Coaster at Great Xingdong Tourist World. The trains contain four cars, each seating 6 riders per row, compared to B&M dive coasters, which have two or three cars per train.[29]

On 18 May 2018, HangTime, a Gerstlauer roller coaster, opened at Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, California, marketing as "the first dive coaster on the West Coast".[30]

See also

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References

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