World's tallest water slide as seen from the top

Higher. Faster. Wetter?

The Verrückt (German for insane) is set to become the tallest and fastest waterslide in the world when it officially opens this summer (grand opening is May 23, 2014). Located at the Schlitterbahn Water Park in Kansas City, the waterslide is 17 stories high (good for 170 ft).

Thrill-seeking riders will have to ascend 264 steps to reach the top. However getting down will be much faster as people (in 4-man inflatables) are expected to reach speeds in excess of 65 mph (105 km/h). The current title holder for world’s tallest slide belongs to a Brazilian ride named ‘Insano‘.

That's exactly the idea behind Schlitterbahn Water Park's newest attraction, the exotically named Verrückt.

In German, Verrückt means insane. It is also the name of the recently anointed World’s Largest Water Slide by the Guinness Book of World Records, opening later this month at the Schlitterbahn Water Park in Kansas City. At a staggering 168.5 feet, Verrückt will stand taller than both Niagara Falls and the Statue of Liberty.

After climbing 264 steps you and your three friends will board a raft and plummet from the top at a speed of 65.2 mph before being propelled up and over a 50 foot-high hill. It opens May 23—just in time for swimsuit season—so book your tickets now. 

If solo is more your thing, check out these terrifying slides. Just remember: when embarking on the ride, wear a one-piece and lock your legs together real tight or the landing ain’t gonna be pretty. 

1. Kilimanjaro, Brazil

Height: 164 feet

Riders hit 60 mph as they race on their backs down this massive fiberglass speed slide in the Águas Quentes Country Club. The ride is so big that designers had to excavate part of a hill to accommodate it.  Be sure to commit to the free fall before you climb the 234 steps—park owners claims 1-in-20 chicken out at the top.

2. Insano, Brazil

Height: 135 feet

At Beach Park, in northern Brazil, riders climb 14 stories to enjoy panoramic views of the nearby Atlantic Ocean before plummeting at 65 mph to the waiting crowds below. The speed slide, which only lasts about four to five seconds, held the Guinness Book of World records title before Kilimanjaro.

Located in Kansas City, Kansas, USA, the Verrückt is scheduled to open to the public May 23 and when it does, it will do so as the tallest water slide. Officially verified by Guinness World Records prior to its opening, the Verrückt stands at a record-breaking height of 51.38 m (168 ft 7 in).

After the initial, nearly vertical drop, riders then zoom up a five-story hill before coming to a stop, presumably with their hearts nearly literally ready to beat out of their chests. Top speeds are expected to hit 65 mph (104.6 km/h).

For an even better idea of just how daunting and exciting the Verrückt looks, check out this video produced by Schlitterbahn for a bird's-eye view of the slide.

Riders will take the slide four to a raft, with everyone strapped in and the slide surrounded by a protective mesh netting.

For those uninitiated in German, verrückt translates as "insane." A fitting adjective for a ride that drops you from a height taller than Niagara Falls and twice as high as Shawn Dollar's record-breaking largest wave surfed.

The previous record belonged to Kilimanjaro at Águas Quentes Country Club in Rio de Janeiro. It stood at 49.9 m (163 ft 9 in) and was constructed in 2002. Schlitterbahn also operates four water parks throughout Texas, but none will have a slide to match the Verrückt.

"We wanted our Kansas City park to have an iconic ride all to itself," the Verrückt web site announced. "Just goes to show you, when Schlitterbahn has fun with water, we are always willing to go to record heights!"