Stealth

The UK's fastest-accelerating roller coaster - 0 to 80 mph in 1.8 seconds.

Is Stealth open today?

Yes — Stealth is open right now, with a 15-minute queue (as of 20:02 UK time).

Typically 12 minutes at this hour over the last 28 days, ranging from about 11 minutes at its quietest to 38 at its busiest — that is busier than usual for this hour. Compare with every other ride →

How fast is Stealth at Thorpe Park?

Stealth launches from 0 to 80mph in under two seconds and stands 62.5 metres (205ft) tall. It is the UK's fastest-accelerating roller coaster, using a hydraulic launch instead of a lift hill. The minimum height to ride is 1.4m. Check live Stealth queue times, updated every 2 minutes.

About Stealth

Stealth is Thorpe Park's signature ride and one of the most intense roller coasters in the UK. Manufactured by Intamin and opened in 2006, it uses a hydraulic launch system to propel riders from a standing start to 80 mph in just 1.8 seconds - the fastest acceleration on any UK coaster.

After the launch, the train climbs the 62.5-metre tower at near-vertical angle before cresting the top and plunging back down. The entire ride lasts around 30 seconds, but the launch alone is enough to make it unforgettable. There are no inversions - Stealth is entirely about speed and the raw sensation of the launch.

What to Expect

The moment the launch fires, the G-force is immediate and intense - you are pushed hard into your seat as the train rockets forward and upward. At the top of the tower, there is a brief moment of weightlessness before the descent. The return run is fast but over quickly. If you have ridden a launch coaster before, this is the benchmark against which others are measured in the UK.

The ride is relatively short, which is part of why queues build up: high throughput demand combined with a 30-second cycle. On a busy summer day, the wait can easily reach 90 minutes.

Tips for Riding Stealth

• Ride it first. Stealth draws the longest queues of any ride at Thorpe Park. Head straight here when the park opens - the queue is often under 20 minutes in the first hour.
• Front row for the view. The front row gives you an unobstructed view over the top of the tower. Expect a longer sub-queue for the front seats.
• Loose items. Nothing can be taken on - bags must go in a locker. There are paid lockers at the ride entrance.
• Weather affects operations. Stealth closes in high winds more readily than other rides. If the weather looks changeable, prioritise it early.
• Check the live queue. On quieter weekdays in term time, Stealth can be a near walk-on. Use the live queue page to judge before committing to the walk across the park.

When to Ride Stealth

Stealth consistently posts one of the two longest queues in the park, and the shape of its day is predictable. The queue is shortest in the first hour after opening, builds steadily to a peak between midday and about 3pm, then slowly unwinds. On a school-holiday Saturday that peak can mean 60–90 minutes; on a term-time Tuesday the same ride at the same hour might be 15. The single biggest factor is not the day of the week but whether schools are in - check the school holidays calendar before choosing your date.

Two windows reliably beat the average: rope drop, when a brisk walk from the entrance gets you on within 20 minutes, and the final hour, when day visitors start leaving. Because the ride cycle is only around 30 seconds, the queue also moves in surges rather than a steady shuffle - a 45-minute posted time often clears faster than it looks. Compare the current wait against Stealth's typical curve on our best time to visit heatmap before writing it off.

Good to Know Before You Queue

Nothing loose can be taken through the air gates - phones and keys included - so use the lockers by the entrance or leave items with a non-rider. Wind is Stealth's enemy: it is usually the first coaster to pause in gusty weather, and it occasionally produces a "rollback", where the train doesn't quite crest the tower and settles safely back to the launch track. Riders who get one tend to treat it as a badge of honour - you are launched again shortly after.

If the launch appeals but the queue doesn't, Hyperia next door delivers a longer ride with comparable speed and often a faster-moving line. Riding both back to back at opening is the classic power move - see our queue-beating guide for the full opening-hour plan.

← Back to Visitor Guide  |  Next: Hyperia →