Six Flags Magic Mountain · Goliath Plaza
Goliath
The Giovanola hypercoaster with a major first drop, an underground tunnel and a sustained helix.
Ride facts
- Type
- Roller coaster
- Height
- 48in (122cm)
- Intensity
- Intense
- Motion sickness
- Moderate motion risk
- Getting wet
- Stay dry
- Indoor / outdoor
- Outdoor
- Air conditioned
- No
- Rider Switch
- Available
Last verified October 2026
What it is
Goliath opened in 2000 and combines a large drop, high speed, a tunnel and an extended helix. The helix’s sustained forces are part of the experience; this guide does not predict a rider’s medical response.
It carries a 48-inch minimum despite being one of the biggest drops at the park, which is the standing surprise of Magic Mountain's height ladder. The restraint is a lap bar, the seats are roomy, and the ride is speed-and-airtime rather than inversions.
The mid-course underground tunnel is the moment non-enthusiasts remember: full darkness at full speed, then daylight and the helix. Goliath does not have Tatsu's flying position — it is simply enormous, and enormously re-ridable.
What riding it is actually like
The lift gives you the whole back corner of the park, then the drop. Sixty-one degrees from 255 feet is a commitment the stomach registers before the brain does. The first hill's airtime float leads straight into the tunnel — dark, loud, disorienting for exactly the right number of seconds.
The second half includes a sustained helix. Assess that element with the ride’s posted health and physical restrictions rather than relying on a promise about how it will feel.
The layout has no inversions, so it may appeal to riders avoiding loops. Its large drop, speed and sustained helix remain significant demands; a height minimum does not measure intensity tolerance.
Is Goliath scary?
The large drop, tunnel and sustained helix create speed, darkness and force sensations. These are separate from the 48-inch minimum; check the physical restrictions and your own tolerance.
Scores are editorial, on a 1–5 scale, judged against what frightens a typical four- to seven-year-old rather than an adult.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair
- Must transfer to the ride vehicle
- Audio description
- Check with Guest Relations
- Handheld captioning
- Check with Guest Relations
- Assistive listening
- Check with Guest Relations
- Sign language
- Check with Guest Relations
- Service animals
- Must use a kennel or wait with a companion
Transfer into traditional coaster trains. The final brake run and unload are ground level. Review the official accessibility page and linked guide for current physical, transfer and restraint criteria; staff determine eligibility.
Tips that actually help
- Choose a row for the view and ride experience without assuming a predictable physical or medical response.
- If tunnels in darkness are a no for a young rider, this is not the intro coaster — the tunnel is fast and total.
- Check the current queue when you reach Goliath Plaza; do not assume an afternoon wait.
- Follow the ride’s posted health restrictions and attraction staff’s directions; hydration does not establish fitness to ride.
Timing
- Best time to ride
- Use the current Goliath Plaza queue and party priorities; no particular hour is guaranteed.
- Typical wait
- No current numerical wait forecast verified. Check the official app and attraction queue on your visit date.
- line-skip passes
- Listed for line-skip access; check current participation and availability
Goliath: common questions
Does Goliath really make people black out?
The helix pulls sustained positive g-force that causes brief grey-outs for some riders, especially in the front row. It is a known, discussed, and for many riders sought-after feature of the ride. It passes within seconds and is not a medical event for healthy riders, but anyone with cardiovascular concerns should skip it.
What is the height requirement?
48 inches — surprisingly low for a 255-foot drop, and one of the reasons this park is so good for the 48-to-54 crowd.
Is Goliath scary for kids at 48 inches?
The drop is the scariest single moment, and the tunnel darkness surprises first-timers. Kids who handle Twisted Colossus usually handle Goliath; kids who found Colossus at the edge should wait a season.