Since Canada's Wonderland opened hyper coaster Behemoth in 2008, it has boasted the country's largest roller coaster. Next year, the Toronto area park will also be able to boast one of the tallest roller coasters in the World in the $28 milllion Leviathan. The massive steel roller coaster will be a lofty 30-stories (306 feet) tall. After what's likely to be an impressive view on the lift hill, riders will be treated to an enormous drop at 80 degrees. The plunge will push Leviathan's 32 person trains to an intense 90 mph. The ride's 5,400-foot layout includes a number of high speed, heavily banked turns. Leviathan will also have a few camel back-shaped hills aimed at providing airtime moments when riders will be lifted gently out of their seats.

Roller coaster fans are especially interested in Leviathan as the coaster's size puts it in a small group of 300-foot tall rides known as giga coasters. Coaster enthusiasts are also excited because it will be leading coaster designers, Bolliger & Mabillard's, tallest roller coaster and the company's first foray into this coaster genre. They have a track record of innovative designs including floorless coasters, dive coasters, and inverted coasters. It will be interesting to see what they can offer to this category of high altitude and high speed roller coasters. Canada's Wonderland has moved to the top of my list of theme parks that I need to visit in 2012. Learn more about Leviathan at Canada's Wonderland.