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A coaster themed after gravy and Thanksgiving dinner is among the offerings this IAAPA season, with Vekoma highlighting a host of major projects set to open in 2024 at this year’s Expo
Tom Anstey | Planet Attractions | 02 Nov 2023
Vekoma Rides has enjoyed a bumper 2023, with the company set to showcase some of its biggest openings from this year and beyond at IAAPA Expo.
For 2024, the company has a number of major projects set to launch, with IAAPA announcements including ‘The Flash: Vertical Velocity’, which will open next year at Six Flags Great Adventure, and the custom designed family boomerang ‘Good Gravy!’ coaster, which is coming to the Thanksgiving area of Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari.
The Flash: Vertical Velocity, is inspired by the DC superhero of the same name and is the first-of-its-kind in North America. According to Six Flags, the “ground-breaking super coaster takes you on the most exciting run of your life, alongside a faster-than-light hero”, with a 180-degree twisted drop followed by a Zero-G roll back up to a vertical tower. Reaching speeds of up to 59mph (95kmph), the ride will then rush backwards to the station.
Good Gravy will open to the public in May 2024 and is inspired by a Thanksgiving dinner. Riders on-board will sit in a train shaped like a gravy boat, which will be pulled backwards uphill before dropping forwards through the station on a cranberry coloured track. Reaching a maximum speed of 37mph (60kmph), the train will pass through a giant can of cranberry jelly, before narrowly avoiding some kitchen items, including a 20-foot-tall whisk and an 18-foot-tall rolling pin. The train will then climb at speed on a 77ft (23.5m) spike before repeating its journey backwards. More will be revealed about the ride during Vekoma’s press conference at IAAPA Expo on November 14.
Additional projects Vekoma will be showcasing at IAAPA Expo, include Tilt Coaster ‘Circuit Breaker’ at Cotaland, the horus family coaster ‘Midnight Flyer’, which will open at Santa’s Village in Jefferson, New Hampshire, and a family boomerang rebound ‘Snoopy's Soap Box Racers’, which is set to open at Kings Island.
Other 2024 projects from Vekoma include a suspended thrill coaster and family boomerang with intertwined design at Emerald Park in Ireland, a kalypso family coaster and mine train at Energylandia in Poland, a family boomerang and fifth Top Gun launch coaster at Fantawild in China, and the world’s first Wizard of Oz coaster at Warner Bros Movie World in Australia.
The company has already enjoyed a strong 2023, with the official opening of Big Bear Mountain at Dollywood and Lightning at Furuvik, representing its first family launch coaster models to open to the public.
Also in 2023, Sweden’s Liseberg opened a custom design family boomerang ‘Luna’, while the summer saw the world’s first super boomerang - ‘Cloud Shuttle’ - launch at Xuzhou Fantawild Wonderland in China.
“Whether you want to create a new family coaster that appeals to children, teens, parents and grandparents, are looking for a new heart-pounding experience to delight thrill seekers or want to develop a new groundbreaking attraction that will make your venue a success, we will assist you to discover more,” said a Vekoma statement. “Come and meet the Vekoma Rides team to discover our latest products and services and discuss your future project!”
IAAPA Expo 2023
The premier event for the global attractions industry, this year’s IAAPA Expo features a sold-out trade show floor made up of more than 1,100 exhibitors from around the world alongside a comprehensive education programme with more than 100 sessions led by industry experts across a multitude of topics, the Expo represents the largest gathering of amusement park and attractions professionals anywhere in the world.
Carrying on from Vienna, Austria, where it served as a key media partner for IAAPA Expo Europe in September, Planet Attractions will be in attendance as a media partner in Orlando, bringing you the latest news and updates directly from the show floor and meeting the many companies that bring visitor attractions to life.
To book a meeting with Planet Attractions at IAAPA Expo please contact our publisher Paul Thorman at [email protected] – we’d love to see you!
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