The World's 10 Longest Roller Coasters

Hang On! You're In for a Long Ride.

• Nagashima Spa Land, Nagashima, Japan
• Steel out and back terra-coaster
• Duration: 4:00

Four minutes may not seem like much, but it can be a loooooong time on a coaster--particularly one that rises 318 feet and reaches a mind-numbing speed of 95 mph (the most for any non-launched coaster).

• Lightwater Valley, Ripon, Yorkshire, UK
• Steel terrain coaster
• Duration: 5:36

Ultimate features two lift hills and spends a lot of time racing through grassy and wooded areas. At 5:36 minutes, it may hold the coaster record for the longest duration.

• Kings Island, Mason, Ohio, (near Cincinnati), US
• Wood coaster
• Duration: 4:10

The legendary Beast also has two lift hills. Its second one drops 141 feet, which is a long way down for a woodie. At nearly 65 mph, it also is one of the world's fastest wooden coasters.

• Kings Island, Mason, Ohio, (near Cincinnati), US
• Wood coaster
• Duration: 2:20

The second-longest coaster in the US (outstripped only by its "dad," Beast), Son of Beast is notable for being the world's fastest wooden coaster (78.4 mph) as well as the tallest (218 feet). When it first opened, it included an inverted loop, which was made out of tubular steel track. The loop has since been removed.

• Fuji-Q Highland, Yamanashi, Japan
• Steel Hypercoaster
• Duration: 3:36

The massive coaster is also among the world's tallest (259 feet) and fastest (80.8 mph).

• Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio, US
• Steel out and back terra-coaster
• Duration: 2:20

Impressive on many levels, Millennium Force reaches a staggering height and speed of 310 feet and 93 mph, respectively. Cedar Point's ride is so intense that I experienced a brief moment of "grayout" at the bottom of the first drop when I rode the coaster.

• Holiday World, Santa Claus, Indiana, US
• Wood coaster
• Duration: 2:45

Often voted at or near the top of fans' favorite wooden coaster lists, The Voyage holds the record for the most air time (24.2 seconds) of any wood coaster. It also features a number of underground tunnels and reaches an impressive height of 163 feet and speed of 67.4 mph.

• Disney's California Adventure, Anaheim, California, US
• Launched steel coaster
• Duration: 2:36

Disney isn't typically known for record-holding coasters, but California Screamin', all 1.15 miles of it, is quite a long coaster. And although it looks like an old woodie (befitting its location in the retro Paradise Pier section of the park), it's actually a souped-up, magnetically launched coaster that goes from 0 to 55 mph in 4 seconds and includes a dramatic loop high above the faux vintage boardwalk and midway.

• Buffalo Bill's Casino-Resort, Primm, Nevada, US
• Steel hypercoaster
• Duration: 2:43

As you drive on I-15 from Las Vegas towards Los Angeles, the view is serene. Save for a few lonely cacti, the desert extends in all directions until it meets brick-red, scraggly hills. This picture-perfect scene goes on for miles until... what is that peculiar thing in the distance? Like a yellow phoenix rising from the sands, the incredibly tall, meandering track of the Desperado roller coaster punctures the blue sky. The ride begins inside Buffalo Bill's Casino, goes through its roof, climbs 209 feet, and drops 225 feet into an underground tunnel.

• Mitsui Greenland, Arao, Kumamoto Japan
• Steel coaster
• Duration: 3:56

Part of Gao is nestled inside an unusual looking green dragon.