Six Flags Magic Mountain has quietly reclaimed the title for the world’s tallest drop tower after a sister park in New Jersey demolished a record-setting ride that stole the crown a decade ago — but Magic Mountain won’t have the title for long.
The 400-foot-tall Lex Luthor: Drop of Doom ride at the Valencia amusement park is once again the world’s tallest drop tower.
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New Jersey’s Six Flags Great Adventure demolished Kingda Ka and Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom in late February — marking the final demise of the world’s tallest roller coaster and world’s tallest drop tower, respectively.
Lex Luthor: Drop of Doom sends riders racing 40 stories downward at a top speed of 85 mph during a 5-second free-fall descent — also making the Magic Mountain ride the fastest drop tower in the world.
The 2012 Lex Luthor: Drop of Doom only held the drop tower title for two years until the 415-foot-tall Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom debuted in 2014.
Lex Luthor: Drop of Doom took the drop tower title from the 390-foot-tall Giant Drop at Australia’s Dreamworld theme park that had held the crown for 14 years.
All three drop towers share one thing in common — they were all attached to pre-existing roller coasters that were at one time or another the world’s tallest, according to Screamscape.
Dreamworld’s Tower of Terror II shuttle coaster was removed in 2019, leaving behind only the tower supporting the Giant Drop.
Magic Mountain’s drop tower is attached to the Superman: Escape from Krypton shuttle coaster that has been closed for refurbishment since September.
Lex Luthor: Drop of Doom won’t hold the reclaimed title for very long.
The 475-foot-tall Sirocco Tower will become the world’s tallest drop tower when the ride opens in late 2025 at the new Six Flags Qiddiya amusement park in Saudi Arabia outside the capital city of Riyadh.