Dragon Khan
| Industry | Amusement park ride |
|---|---|
| Founded | May 2, 1995 |
| Headquarters | Salou and Vilaseca, Catalonia , Spain |
| Products | Steel roller coaster |
Dragon Khan is a steel seated roller coaster located at PortAventura Park in Salou and Vilaseca, Catalonia, Spain. Boasting eight inversions, it once held the world record for the most inversions until surpassed by the ten-inversion Colossus at Thorpe Park, UK, which opened in 2002.
Constructed by Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M), Dragon Khan debuted on May 2, 1995, as one of the inaugural roller coasters at PortAventura. The attraction features a red track supported by white and light blue structures; its trains are painted green, blue, and purple, with a third train deployed during busy times.
Inversions
| Number | Inversion Type |
|---|---|
| 1 | Vertical loop |
| 2 | Dive loop |
| 3 | Zero-g roll |
| 4 | Cobra roll |
| 5 | |
| 6 | Vertical loop |
| 7 | Interlocking corkscrews |
| 8 |
The ride
Once aboard, guests ascend a lift hill that passes beneath one of the airtime hills of Shambhala. At the peak, the track crosses under Shambhala’s lift hill before a pre-drop maneuver and a right-hand turn lead into the initial descent. The course incorporates a vertical loop, dive loop, zero-g roll threading through the second vertical loop, followed by a cobra roll prior to the mid-course brake run.
After the braking section, the track dips beneath Shambhala's first drop into a second vertical loop that encircles the zero-g roll. This is succeeded by a 270-degree upward helix and interlocking corkscrews. The ride finishes with a left turn into the final brake run situated underneath the center of the cobra roll before returning to the Chinese-themed station. Speeds exceed , and the total ride time is approximately 1 minute and 45 seconds. Dragon Khan remains notable for having more inversions than any other B&M coaster to date.
Each of the three trains consists of seven cars with four riders per row, accommodating 28 passengers per train.
The attraction’s design is inspired by Chinese mythology: Dragon Khan symbolizes the reincarnated spirit of Prince Hu from Beijing. Located within PortAventura’s Chinese-themed section at the park’s far end, Dragon Khan is visible from various points throughout the park as well as from adjacent hotels and Reus airport.