World's Steepest Dive Roller Coaster Planned for Texas Theme Park
By Anna Gallegos
July 29, 2021
Six Flags Fiesta Texas in San Antonio is celebrating its 30th anniversary by building the world's steepest dive roller coaster.
Dr. Diabolical’s Cliffhanger will take thrill seekers on a series of spirals and turns before suspending riders above a "beyond-vertical" 95-degree drop. The coaster then sends riders on a terrifying 150-foot dive.
That's then followed by a smaller, but equally stomach turning, 75-foot dive.
The coaster will have 2,501 feet of track and will have speeds up to 60 MPH. It will feature three 21-passenger trains.
"With eight intense elements including dramatic inversions and extreme airtime, it will quickly become a fan favorite,” Jeffrey Siebert, park president, said in a statement.
Six Flags is getting rid of the Sundance Theater in the Crackaxle Canyon Screampunk District to make way for the new ride, the San Antonio Express News reported.
Fiesta Texas' 10 roller coasters are already the park's biggest attraction. However, the park wants to attract new visitors after a drop in attendance in 2020 due to the pandemic and related restrictions.
“In our industry the coaster is king,” theme park consultant Dennis Speigel told the paper. “It’s always been that way.”
Dr. Diabolical’s Cliffhanger is expected to open in summer 2022.