What a gold rush! Meet 2019’s Yukon Striker

For a lot of us, amusement parks are one of the great perks of summer. And maybe nothing says 'amusement park' quite like the sound of people riding a roller coaster.

Roller coasters are usually the most popular rides, and parks promote themselves based on the latest and greatest, fastest and craziest versions that they have to offer. Over the last 20 years, the newest and rarest type of major coaster to emerge is the dive coaster. There are still only twelve of these things in the world—Valkyria at Liseberg Park, Sweden only opened last week on August 10.

But a thirteenth one is coming in 2019 ... and it'll be the first in Canada. Get ready to meet soon-to-be record-breaking Yukon Striker!

Can't top the drop

Valravn at the Cedar Point Amusement Park in Ohio opened in 2016 to huge lineups and rave reviews. (Gregory Varnum/Wikimedia Commons)

The Yukon Striker is scheduled to open April 2019 at Canada's Wonderland, a massive amusement park located in Vaughan, Ontario, just outside Toronto. What can people expect from a dive coaster that is different?

First is the drop. It is nearly vertical, or straight up-and-down. And before going down, the train holds for about 3 seconds, suspending riders so they can take in the incredible height before making the plunge. The car is also very different to most coasters. It has no floor, and is also made up of three rows of eight riders. This design is so that everyone on the coaster gets an almost identical ride—on a typical roller coaster, the ride at the back is a lot different than at the front.

And it will be quite a ride to experience together! The drop is 75 metres high (246 feet). The train will also reach a top speed of 130 km/h (80 mph) and feature a ride through a tunnel, a full 360° loop, a second smaller drop, and lots more.

Though it's no replacement for the actual ride, you can experience it for yourself with this video simulation below.