Stealth

On 15 March 2024, Stealth gained a new international profile. Looopings reported that Thorpe Park now calls the Intamin launch coaster the world’s fastest accelerating roller coaster. The reason was the permanent closure of Do-Dodonpa at Japan’s Fuji-Q Highland, long known for extreme acceleration but no longer returning after safety issues. Thorpe Park also adjusted Stealth’s specifications: no longer 0 to 129 kilometres per hour in 2.3 seconds, but in 1.8 seconds. For visitors, the ride itself did not visibly change, but its marketing value did. A coaster from 2006 suddenly received a world-record story on its eighteenth birthday, just as the area around it was being refreshed.

In February 2019, Stealth appeared in the news because of a deliberate Thorpe Park joke. The park announced on social media that the launch coaster would produce glitter with every launch, a wink at a viral theme park trend. Looopings made clear that it was a parody rather than a real modification. Still, the report is interesting for the attraction’s history: Thorpe Park chose Stealth for the joke because its launch is so recognisable and forceful. The coaster was described as 62.5 metres tall, 400 metres long and one of Europe’s fastest. Even a nonsense announcement worked because guests immediately understand the explosive start that defines Stealth.

Three days after the selfie-stunt report, the consequences followed: Ally Law received a lifetime ban from Merlin Entertainments attractions. The YouTuber had climbed several structures after closing, including the 62.5-metre Stealth, without a safety harness. Thorpe Park and Merlin responded sharply because the action was life-threatening and undermined the safety culture around major rides. For Stealth, this is a relevant follow-up to the earlier stunt news. The coaster was not only the backdrop for a viral video, but also the trigger for a strong sanction that showed how seriously parks take such incidents. The article places Stealth at the intersection of iconic height, online fame and practical safety.