The ride
Excalibur is a steel roller coaster built by Arrow Dynamics on its Special Coaster Systems/hybrid platform at Valleyfair in Minnesota, having opened to the public in 1989. After 37 seasons of operation it remains one of the defining attractions on the Valleyfair midway, drawing repeat riders who track every subtle change to its trains, restraints and station soundtrack.
On paper the ride is a serious thrill machine. It climbs 100 ft above the park before pitching forward into its first descent. That opening drop measures 105 ft, long enough to pin riders against their restraints and pull a prolonged moment of weightless airtime over the lap-bar. Trains reach a top speed of 54.5 mph before the first turnaround, where the layout opens up into a sequence of lateral and vertical elements. In total the track stretches 241 ft, giving the experience a distinctly long-form feel rather than the punchy one-and-done character of many modern compact coasters. enthusiast trip-planning resources
Coasters from Arrow Dynamics have a recognizable signature in track shaping, train design and the way transitions are paced. Riders familiar with other Arrow Dynamics installations will pick up on the same DNA in Excalibur's layout, particularly through its station design and the sound profile of the running gear. As a Special Coaster Systems/hybrid, it sits within a recognizable family of attractions and benefits from years of refinement applied to similar installations elsewhere.
Plan to ride Excalibur early in the day or during the final hour before park close, when standby waits at Valleyfair typically drop. Single-rider lines and early-entry ticketing programs, when available at Valleyfair, are usually the fastest ways to get repeat rides on a busy day. broader coaster community archives
In CoasterVault's ranking tables, Excalibur currently appears in our 187th position for fastest coasters, 190th position for tallest coasters, 123rd position for biggest drops lists, reflecting where its core stats place it among operating coasters in the United States. These rankings move whenever a new installation opens, so the position should be read as a snapshot rather than a permanent record.