National Roller Coaster Day, celebrated on August 16, is a day to honor the thrills and excitement of roller coasters. This date marks the anniversary of Edwin Prescott’s groundbreaking patent for the vertical Loop the Loop roller coaster, granted on August 16, 1898.
Prescott’s looping coaster made history when it was built in 1901 on Surf Avenue in Coney Island, where the iconic 1927 Cyclone roller coaster now stands. This innovative ride was a major milestone in roller coaster design, paving the way for the thrilling loops and twists we enjoy today.
When is National Roller Coaster Day?
On National Roller Coaster Day, amusement parks often offer special promotions, making it the perfect time to experience the latest roller coaster adventures. Mark these dates in your calendar, because these are the days you won’t want to miss:
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Friday, August 16 |
| 2025 | Saturday, August 16 |
| 2026 | Sunday, August 16 |
| 2027 | Monday, August 16 |
| 2028 | Wednesday, August 16 |
| 2029 | Thursday, August 16 |
| 2030 | Friday, August 16 |
The Roller Coasters of the Past
Want to learn about the history of roller coasters? Some of it is related to Coney Island, a place which has a rich history of amusement rides beyond just roller coasters. One fascinating example is the Scenic Spiral Wheel, also known as “The Top.” This unusual ride was a highlight at Luna Park about 100 years ago. Check out this YouTube video about The Scenic Spiral Wheel to get a glimpse how crazy this ride was:
First “Roller Coasters”: From Russia with Love
Surprisingly, the idea of roller coasters actually originated from Russia. During the 16th century, Russian citizens created ice slides by building large wooden ramps and coating them with ice to slide down during the winter months. These early versions of roller coasters became known as “Russian Mountains.”
The Russians origins influenced the terminology used in several Romance languages. In Italian, roller coasters are called “montagne russe,” and in French, they are referred to as “montagnes russes,” both of which translate to “Russian mountains.” This naming convention highlights the cultural impact of the original Russian ice slides on the development and terminology of roller coasters in Europe.
To extend the fun beyond the winter months, Catherine the Great innovated by adding wheels to sleds, allowing them to be used year-round. The French later adapted this idea, creating early roller coasters with wheeled sleds on grooved wooden ramps. You can learn more about the early days of roller coasters from this brilliant video called Essential Roller Coaster History, Episode 1:
In America, thrill riding emerged with the Mauch Chunk Railway in Pennsylvania, initially used for transporting coal and later for paying passengers seeking excitement. The first true modern roller coaster in the U.S. was the Gravity Pleasure Switchback Railway, introduced at Coney Island in 1884 by LaMarcus Adna Thompson.
As roller coasters evolved, more daring designs emerged, including the looping Flip Flap Railway and figure-eight coasters. Despite some early limitations, such as the need for manual pushing and simple safety features, these early rides laid the groundwork for modern roller coasters. Only a few of these early coasters, like Leap-the-Dips and scenic railways at Tivoli Gardens and Luna Park, have survived.
Top 25 Roller Coasters in the World
Want to know which roller coasters are the best in the world? This list, taken from the video below by Coaster Studios, highlights the top 25 roller coasters worldwide as of January 2024. Featuring rides like Kondaa at Walibi Belgium, Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, and Steel Vengeance at Cedar Point, the selections showcase a range of innovative designs and exhilarating experiences.
Complete List of the Top 25 Roller Coasters in the World
- Kondaa at Walibi Belgium
- Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, Florida
- Mystic Timbers at Kings Island, Ohio
- Intimidator 305 at Kings Dominion, Virginia
- Storm Chaser at Kentucky Kingdom, Kentucky
- Taron at Phantasialand, Germany
- Fury 325 at Carowinds, North Carolina
- Skyrush at Hersheypark, Pennsylvania
- Maverick at Cedar Point, Ohio
- Air Force One at Fun Spot America Atlanta, Georgia
- Zadra at Energylandia, Poland
- X2 at Six Flags Magic Mountain, California
- Wildfire at Kolmården Wildlife Park, Sweden
- El Toro at Six Flags Great Adventure, New Jersey
- Wildcat’s Revenge at Hersheypark, Pennsylvania
- Hyperion at Energylandia, Poland
- Taiga at Linnanmäki, Finland
- Steel Vengeance at Cedar Point, Ohio
- Batman: Gotham City Escape at Parque Warner Madrid, Spain
- Jurassic World VelociCoaster at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, Florida
- The Voyage at Holiday World, Indiana
- Hakugei at Nagashima Spa Land, Japan
- Iron Gwazi at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, Florida
- The Ride to Happiness at Plopsaland De Panne, Belgium
- Time Traveler at Silver Dollar City, Missouri
Have you visited any of these roller coasters? Leave us a comment and share your thoughts on it!
Fun Ways to Celebrate National Roller Coaster Day
National Roller Coaster Day isn’t just about riding your favorite coaster—it’s a celebration of all things thrilling and fun. From building your own LEGO roller coaster to hosting a coaster-themed party, there are countless creative ways to mark the occasion. Ever thought of designing your own virtual coaster or learning the history behind these adrenaline-pumping machines? This day offers the perfect excuse to dive into all things roller coaster, in and out of the amusement park.
- Ride Your Favorite Coaster: Visit your favorite amusement park and ride all their roller coasters.
- Learn Coaster Trivia: Visit websites like Coaster101 to read up on fun facts and trivia about roller coasters around the world.
- Write a Coaster Blog Post: Start a blog on platforms like WordPress or Blogger and share your personal roller coaster rankings and experiences.
- Watch Roller Coaster Videos: Search for POV roller coaster videos on YouTube, like those from Coaster Studios or Theme Park Review.
- Follow Coaster Enthusiasts: Follow popular coaster influencers on Instagram, such as @coasterbot or @coasterforce, for high quality amusement park and roller coaster content.
- Build a LEGO Roller Coaster: Get the LEGO Creator Expert Roller Coaster set and spend the day constructing your own amusement park ride.
- Share Your Experiences: Post your roller coaster adventures on Instagram or Twitter with the hashtag #NationalRollerCoasterDay and tag your favorite parks.
- Play Roller Coaster Games: Play “Planet Coaster” on PC or “RollerCoaster Tycoon” on your smartphone to design and manage your own theme park.
- Visit a Roller Coaster Museum: Plan a trip to the National Roller Coaster Museum and Archives in Plainview, Texas.
- Plan a Coaster Road Trip: Map out a trip to visit Hersheypark in Pennsylvania, Kings Island in Ohio, and Busch Gardens in Virginia.
- Learn About Coaster Engineering: Watch documentaries or read articles on the engineering behind roller coasters, such as those found on the Discovery Channel or this excellent video by Wired:
Which of these ideas do you like the most? Leave a comment!
Before You Go:
We have many more national days lists for you to explore.
- Food-related national days: complete list of national food days, pasta & noodles days, vegan & vegetarian days, mushroom days, ice-cream days, pizza days, coffee days, chocolate days, wine days, alcohol & drinking days.
- Non-food national days: National Days Calendars 2024-2025 (check out the printable calendars in my Etsy shop), National Days for Teachers, and a wide array of special lists such as cat days, dog days, animal days, cleaning & organizing days, book days, music days, family & relationships days, national days for women, stationery days and even Harry Potter days.
- Country-specific national days: Australian national days, more coming soon.
