SAW: The Ride

Thorpe Park's horror coaster with a 100-degree beyond-vertical drop - 10 degrees steeper than straight down.

The Drop: What Makes SAW Different

The beyond-vertical drop is the signature element of SAW: The Ride and the reason most people want to ride it. A standard vertical drop is 90 degrees - straight down. SAW's drop is 100 degrees, meaning the track tilts 10 degrees past vertical. Riders go over the crest and are momentarily angled so they are looking at the ground behind and below them before the train plunges.

At the time of its opening in 2009, SAW had one of the steepest drops of any roller coaster in the world. The drop itself is not the longest - the ride is compact - but the angle makes it feel like a genuine freefall rather than a conventional coaster descent. The effect is more psychological than physical: the stomach-lurch of tilting past vertical is distinct from anything on Thorpe Park's other coasters.

The drop is preceded by a slow, vertical lift hill inside a darkened SAW-themed building, which builds tension deliberately. By the time you reach the top, you have almost no forward visibility - only the drop below.

About SAW: The Ride

SAW: The Ride opened in 2009 as a collaboration between Thorpe Park and Lionsgate, themed around the SAW horror film franchise. It was built by Gerstlauer, a German manufacturer known for compact, intense coasters with extreme angles. The ride is a Euro-fighter model - a type defined by its small footprint, vertical lift hill, and beyond-vertical drops.

What to Expect

The ride begins in a darkened indoor section with SAW film imagery, sound effects, and an atmosphere designed to unsettle. The vertical lift hill is slow and creaking, building tension deliberately. When the beyond-vertical drop comes, riders are momentarily angled so they are looking at the ground behind and below them before the plunge.

The outdoor section that follows is fast and compact - SAW's shorter layout compared to the park's larger coasters means each element is dense and close together. The ride has a noticeably rougher character than the B&M coasters, which some find adds to its intense personality.

The horror theming is present throughout the queue line and station. Those sensitive to horror imagery or confined, darkened spaces should consider this before joining the queue.

Tips for Riding SAW: The Ride

• Be aware of the horror theming. The queue, station, and indoor section feature graphic SAW-franchise imagery. Not suitable for young children regardless of height.
• The drop is psychological as much as physical. The beyond-vertical angle is more visually disorientating than physically extreme - the actual G-forces are less intense than Stealth's launch, but the stomach-lurch of tilting past vertical is distinct.
• Queues peak mid-afternoon. SAW is popular with groups and tends to build queues later in the day than Stealth or Hyperia. Mornings are typically better.
• Front row for the indoor drop view. The front gives the clearest sightline down the drop angle. Back row intensifies the launch feel.
• Check the live queue. Use the live queue page to time your visit - SAW's queues fluctuate significantly throughout the day.

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