Leviathan

History and development

Speculation about a major new roller coaster at Canada's Wonderland began in early 2011 when construction work was observed near the Dragon Fyre ride and Go Karts. On 3 July 2011, the park launched a teaser website featuring a countdown clock set for 18 August 2011 at 7:00 am, accessible through its Facebook page. The website included quotations from online theme park reporters and the CEO of Cedar Fair, the park's parent company. The ride was officially announced as Leviathan at the appointed time on 18 August 2011, with a simultaneous live announcement on Breakfast Television Toronto. In the early planning stages, Bolliger & Mabillard had initially been hesitant to design a coaster over 91.5 metres, but Walter Bolliger later stated the company felt it 'owed' the park after an exclusivity clause with Cedar Point prevented building an inverted coaster there years earlier. Had the manufacturer declined, the park would have contracted another company to design the record breaking coaster.

Construction began in earnest during the week of 11 September 2011, with the brake-run and station track sections completed by the end of that month. A significant milestone was reached on 18 October 2011 with the installation of the lift hill's longest and heaviest track piece, measuring 36.6 metres. By mid-November, the lift hill and first drop were finished, and the overbank turn was nearing completion. Work continued through the winter, and the track was fully completed on 7 February 2012. The first test run of the completed coaster was conducted on 15 March 2012. On 18 April 2012, the park announced via Facebook that a 30.5-metre tunnel would be added at the bottom of the first drop, a feature not present during initial testing. Leviathan was the sixteenth roller coaster to be built at Canada's Wonderland since the park's opening.

• 3 July 2011: Teaser website with countdown launched.
• 18 August 2011: Leviathan officially announced live on television.
• 11 September 2011: Track erection begins.
• 18 October 2011: Longest lift hill piece installed.
• 7 February 2012: Track construction completed.
• 15 March 2012: First test run conducted.
• 18 April 2012: Announcement of first-drop tunnel.
• 27 April 2012: Opening for season pass holders and auction winners.
• 6 May 2012: Grand opening to the general public.

First rider auction and opening

On 19 January 2012, Canada's Wonderland launched a unique charity auction allowing bidders worldwide to compete for one of the first ninety-six public rides on Leviathan. The exclusive ride event was scheduled for 27 April 2012, a week before the official public opening. The auction successfully raised over C$40,000, with all proceeds donated to Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children. The highest bid for a single seat on the coaster reached $1,000. When the winning bidders experienced their ride on 27 April, the tunnel at the bottom of the first drop had not yet been installed. The coaster opened to season pass holders on that date, followed by its grand opening to the general public on 6 May 2012. This auction represented a novel approach to generating excitement and charitable support for a major new attraction.

Ride layout and experience

One ride cycle on Leviathan lasts approximately three minutes and twenty-eight seconds. After departing the station, the train makes a 180-degree turn to the right before engaging the chain lift hill, which ascends at a speed of 15.5 kilometres per hour. At the summit of the 93.3-metre lift, the train plunges down an 80-degree first drop, accelerating to its top speed of 148 kilometres per hour. Immediately following this drop, the train races through a 30-metre tunnel beside the Wonderland Terminal before curving upward into a 50-metre-tall overbanked turn to the right. The layout then features another drop leading into a speed hill, where the train banks slightly left at about 122 kilometres per hour.

The exit from this turn leads directly into a 56-metre-tall camelback hill, providing a moment of weightlessness. This is followed by a 44.8-metre-tall, 115-degree hammerhead turn that sharply reverses the train's direction. Both of these elements are situated above the park's guest parking lot and in front of the main entrance, making them highly visible landmarks. After the hammerhead, the train enters a second high-speed curve at roughly 96.5 kilometres per hour. The ride concludes with a smaller, 37.8-metre-tall camelback, a final left-bending high-speed turn, and then the brake run returning the train to the station. The entire experience is characterized by its speed and smoothness, with the ride maintaining high velocity through multiple large elements.

As of 2024, Leviathan remains Bolliger & Mabillard's second tallest and fastest roller coaster overall. The ride's classification as a giga coaster is defined by its height or drop exceeding 91.5 metres, a threshold it comfortably surpasses. The ride experience is designed to deliver sustained thrills rather than intense inversions, focusing on airtime and sweeping high speed maneuvers. The placement of major elements over the parking lot and entrance plaza allows for dramatic spectator views and enhances the ride's imposing presence within the park. The specific sequence of elements, from the initial tunnel to the final brake run, is engineered to maintain a high average speed and provide multiple moments of weightlessness.

Trains and restraint system

Leviathan operates with three distinct open-air trains, coloured red, orange, and yellow. Each train is constructed from steel and fibreglass and features a thematic 'face of Leviathan' element on the front car. The train design uses Bolliger & Mabillard's traditional hyper coaster cars with eight cars per train and four seats in a single row per car, differing from the staggered seating found on the park's Behemoth coaster. This configuration allows each train to carry 32 riders. Riders are secured using a combination of seatbelts and lapbars featuring B&M's signature clamshell design. These clamshell restraints are padded and designed to accommodate a wide range of body sizes comfortably and securely.

The clamshell lapbar design is consistent across all Bolliger & Mabillard Hyper Coaster models. The padding and shape are intended to provide a snug yet comfortable fit for a wide spectrum of rider proportions. The trains are styled after the manufacturer's classic hyper coaster cars, prioritizing an open and exposed feeling that enhances the sense of speed and height. The absence of over-the-shoulder restraints contributes to the ride's smooth and airy sensation, allowing for greater freedom of movement during moments of airtime. The three-train operation allows for efficient loading and dispatch, helping to manage the ride's typically long queues. Each train's distinct colour aids in identification for both ride operators and photographers capturing on-ride images.

Track and structural specifications

The steel track stretches 1,672 metres in length, with the lift hill reaching the ride's full height of 93.3 metres. The first descent maintains an angle of approximately 80 degrees. A single chain mechanism powers the lift hill. The track itself is coloured a distinctive cyan, while the supports are painted blue. This colour scheme makes the coaster a prominent visual feature across the park and from nearby highways. The track's specific colour is defined by the hex code #2fd9cf, and the supports use the hex code #0295b3 for their blue hue.

The structural design utilizes a traditional lift hill style, which contributes to its ranking among the tallest of its type in the world. The track layout incorporates several large, sweeping elements built at a massive scale to maintain the giga coaster's high speed throughout the course. The placement of the hammerhead turn and large camelback above ground level structures like the parking lot required precise engineering and adds to the visual drama of the ride. The track's completion in February 2012 marked the end of a five month construction period that began with the first track piece installation in September 2011. The track's total length of over one mile provides a substantial ride duration that fully utilizes the kinetic energy generated by the initial drop.

Station, plaza, and guest amenities

Leviathan's station features several functional and thematic elements, including an elevator near the exit and wooden guard rails with slanted railings. The queue area is divided into two lines: a standard queue and a dedicated Fast Lane queue for pass holders. Directly in front of the station stands a rock fountain topped with a sculpture depicting the Leviathan creature, enhancing the ride's medieval theme. To the right of this sculpture is an arcade building that was renovated during the coaster's construction. Unlike most attractions at Canada's Wonderland, Leviathan has its own dedicated gift shop. This shop offers riders the opportunity to purchase their FunPix on-ride photos as a souvenir of their experience.

The station's design integrates with the Medieval Faire section of the park, using materials and architectural details that fit the themed area. The presence of a dedicated gift shop adjacent to the ride exit is a notable feature, as most park attractions share centralized retail locations. The renovation of the nearby arcade building during construction indicates the broader site improvements that accompanied the coaster's installation. The plaza area around the station and fountain serves as a gathering point and photo opportunity for guests, with the coaster's massive structure forming an impressive backdrop. The station layout, with its dual queues and efficient loading platform, is designed to handle the high volume of guests attracted to the flagship attraction.

Rankings and industry recognition

Upon its debut, Leviathan quickly garnered attention within the amusement industry. In the Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Awards for 2012, it was ranked among the best new rides, securing third place with 14 percent of the vote. The coaster's scale also earned it several international rankings. As of July 2020, Leviathan was ranked as the eighth tallest roller coaster in the world. It also held the position of the sixth tallest coaster by drop height globally. Among traditional lift-style coasters, it was ranked as the fourth tallest in the world. Within Canada, it definitively holds the records for both tallest and fastest roller coaster, titles it took from its sister coaster, Behemoth.

The ride's status as a giga coaster places it in a rare category of roller coasters exceeding 300 feet in height. Its records within Canada have remained unchallenged since its opening. The Golden Ticket Award recognition reflects its positive reception among park enthusiasts and industry observers in its debut year. The international height rankings are based on comparative data of operating coasters worldwide, and Leviathan's consistent presence in the top ten confirms its significant scale. The coaster's design influenced subsequent projects by Bolliger & Mabillard and other manufacturers aiming for the giga coaster classification.

Placement within the park and impact

Leviathan is situated in the Medieval Faire section of Canada's Wonderland, an area that also features other themed attractions and architecture. Its location places it on the opposite side of the park from Behemoth, the hyper coaster whose Canadian records it surpassed. This strategic placement helps distribute major crowd drawing attractions across the park's layout. The coaster's path extends over the guest parking lot and main entrance, creating a dramatic gateway visual for arriving visitors.

The addition of Leviathan in 2012 represented a C$28 million investment by park owner Cedar Fair. It significantly increased the park's appeal to thrill seeking demographics and cemented Canada's Wonderland's reputation as a destination for world class roller coasters. The ride increased overall park attendance and season pass sales in the years following its debut. Its success demonstrated the market for giga coasters in Canada and influenced future attraction planning at the park. The coaster also boosted the local economy in Vaughan by drawing increased tourism and necessitating seasonal employment for its operation. The ride's physical and commercial impact solidified Canada's Wonderland's position as a leading seasonal amusement park in North America.

Technical specifications and comparisons

Leviathan's technical specifications place it in an elite group of roller coasters worldwide. The first drop angle of 80 degrees is steeper than many traditional hyper coasters but less severe than some vertical drop coasters. The lift hill uses a single chain drive system operating at 15.5 kilometres per hour to pull the 32 passenger trains to the summit. The track's cyan and blue colour scheme was specifically chosen for high visibility and thematic cohesion with the Medieval Faire area. Both coasters were manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard, making Canada's Wonderland one of the few parks to host multiple B&M hyper or giga coasters. The ride's duration of three minutes and twenty eight seconds is comparable to other major giga coasters, providing a complete experience from lift hill to final brake.

Questions about Leviathan

Where is the Leviathan roller coaster located?

Leviathan is located at Canada's Wonderland in Vaughan, Ontario. Specifically, it is situated within the park's Medieval Faire section. The coaster's massive hammerhead turn and camelback are positioned above the guest parking lot and in front of the main entrance, making it a highly visible landmark from outside the park. Its location is opposite the Behemoth coaster on the park map.

When did Leviathan open to the public?

Leviathan had a phased opening in the spring of 2012. The first public riders were season pass holders and charity auction winners who experienced the coaster on 27 April 2012. The official grand opening for the general public followed just over a week later on 6 May 2012. The ride was announced in August 2011 and construction was completed in February 2012, with testing beginning in March.

How tall and fast is Leviathan?

Leviathan stands 93.3 metres (306 feet) tall from the ground to the top of its lift hill. Its first drop matches this height. The coaster reaches a top speed of 148 kilometres per hour (92 miles per hour) during its initial descent. These specifications make it the tallest and fastest roller coaster in Canada, surpassing the previous record-holder, Behemoth, which is also at Canada's Wonderland.

What type of roller coaster is Leviathan?

Leviathan is a steel roller coaster manufactured by Swiss company Bolliger & Mabillard. Its model is classified as a Hyper Coaster, but because its height exceeds 91.5 metres (300 feet), it is specifically termed a giga coaster. It was Bolliger & Mabillard's first coaster design to break the 300-foot threshold, marking a significant milestone for the manufacturer. It uses a traditional chain lift hill.

How many people can ride Leviathan at once?

Leviathan operates with three trains, each seating 32 riders. The trains have eight cars with four seats per car, all in a single row configuration. Riders are restrained using a combination of seatbelts and padded clamshell-style lapbars designed by Bolliger & Mabillard to fit a wide range of body sizes comfortably and securely. The trains are coloured red, orange, and yellow.

Did Leviathan win any awards when it opened?

Yes, Leviathan was ranked in the Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Awards for best new ride of 2012. It came in third place with 14 percent of the vote. This recognition followed its opening to season pass holders on 27 April 2012 and to the general public on 6 May 2012. As of July 2020, the ride also holds several international height records. It is ranked as the eighth tallest roller coaster in the world and the fourth tallest traditional lift style coaster globally.

Sources: Wikipedia and current public reporting, checked by the Novello Desserts desk. Last updated 2026-10-24.