Twenty-six of the biggest rollercoaster launches coming in 2024 | Planet Attractions
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Twenty-six of the biggest rollercoaster launches coming in 2024
With records for the tallest, fastest and longest rollercoaster all set to be broken by a single ride, it should give you an idea of the kind of thrills in-store for thrillseekers this year as we list 26 of the biggest coaster launches coming in 2024
Tom Anstey | Planet Attractions | 02 Feb 2024
If there was ever a year for BIG rollercoaster additions, then 2024 is surely it.
With records for the tallest, fastest and longest rollercoaster all set to be broken - and that’s just coming from a single ride - then it should give you an idea of the kind of thrills in-store for theme park fans this coming year.
With a host of adrenaline pumpers, headline-grabbers and IP-driven experiences on their way, Planet Attractions takes a look at some of the top launches coming in 2024 when it comes to rollercoasters. From Vekoma stand-outs to Intamin innovations, sit back, let the overhead restraint bar lock you into your seat and get ready for launch, as we take you through the biggest rollercoaster launches of 2024.
The most recent IAAPA Expo in November 2023 brought some big time news, with details on Falcon’s Flight - the record-breaking rollercoaster coming to Six Flags Qiddiya in Saudi Arabia in 2024 - among the headliners.
Manufactured by Intamin, the game changing ride will break the records for the tallest, fastest and longest rollercoaster in the world, with its striking train car unveiled at the event in Orlando, Florida.
Unveiling the train for Falcon's Flight - the world's fastest, tallest, and longest rollercoaster. The ride will open at Six Flags Qiddiya in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and is manufactured by Intamin #IAAPAExpopic.twitter.com/nPpoeh6laB
The Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC) announced a partnership with Intamin in January 2021 for the development of Falcon’s Flight, which is currently scheduled to welcome its first visitors in October 2024. Dubbed the “rollercoaster evolution of the century”, Falcon’s Flight is utilising the natural landscape of the Qiddya desert to create the ride, which is being built across a 600-foot-tall (183-metre) cliff to reach its record height.
More than 13,000ft (4,000m) of steel track is being used on the ride, which will launch at a speed of around 100mph (160kmph) and with the support of a magnetic launch system featuring linear synchronous motors (LSM) will reach a top speed of 156mph (251kmph). The ride features three launch points, with more than 700 LSM modules with water cooling being used to accelerate the trains.
In terms of record-breaking, Falcon’s Flight is nearly 61m (200ft) taller than the current holder Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure. The ride will also be 7mph (11.2kmph) faster than the current fastest coaster in the world - Formula Rossa at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi. Falcon’s Flight is also nearly 1.5 times longer than Steel Dragon 2000 at Nagashima Spaland in Japan - the current holder of the world’s longest rollercoaster.
To increase throughput, Falcon’s Flight can operate up to six trains simultaneously, with each train allowing four 14 riders at a time for the three-minute experience.
In order to accommodate the coaster’s forces and desert climate, the ride train itself is unique, with the falcon-shaped lead car sporting a curved windshield and dimensions appropriate for a ride that reaches such velocities. Additionally, all of the trains are equipped with extra-large running wheels and custom designed rims for enhanced cooling.
While the front car features seating for two passengers, the remaining ones behind it will seat four per row and will feature an open design to enhance the sense of flying over the cliff’s edge and speeding around the entire park.
At night, the train will light up, including the lead car’s distinctive falcon eyes, with each train featuring 35 light modules that can be controlled individually.
Good Gravy is a first like no other in the world of rollercoasters, with the Vekoma-designed ride themed after a Thanksgiving dinner.
Opening to the public on May 11 2024, 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.
Holiday World and Vekoma have unveiled the gravy boat-themed vehicles for Good Gravy - a new family boomerang ride coming in 2024 #IAAPAExpopic.twitter.com/mcQ6HWqY7V
Coming at a cost of US$10m (€9.1m, £7.8m), the addition will be a key feature of Holiday World in Santa Claus, Indiana, with the US attraction currently developing an area entirely dedicated to thanksgiving called Stuffing Springs. The ride - a family boomerang - is the first of its kind in North America and will be accompanied by a children’s play area and a Dippin’ Dots stand.
“Good Gravy! is built for families,” said Holiday World president and CEO Matt Eckert.
“We’re a park known for high-quality, custom roller coasters that excel in their categories, and Vekoma has delivered yet another for us. Between the tight turns and quirky theme, this coaster is going to be an instant family favourite.”
Top Thrill 2 is the sequel to Cedar Point’s Top Thrill Dragster, with the reimagined ride adding a second 420-foot-tall (128-metre) tower spike and three launches with the offering featuring a hair raising top speed of 120mph (193kmph).
Manufactured by Zamperla, the reimagined rollercoaster at the park in Sandusky, Ohio, US, will break the record for the world’s tallest and fastest triple-launch strata coaster when it opens in the summer. The ride will also be the world’s only dual tower vertical speedway.
The ride will retain its original launch, travelling partway up the original ride hill at a speed of 74mph (119kmph) before rolling backwards. Riders then launch backwards at 101mph (162kmph) at a 90 degree angle before finally launching forward again, this time at maximum speed up and over the hill.
The new ride will last close to two minutes, a significant increase on Top Thrill Dragster, which lasted around 17 seconds.
Zamperla’s Roller Coaster Business Unit is adding a linear synchronous motor, powered by magnets to the ride, replacing the existing hydraulic system. The ride’s trains will also be replaced, becoming one of the first rollercoasters in the world to utilise Zamperla’s Lightning Trains, which are lightweight and designed to withstand the high speeds of the record-breaking ride.
Its predecessor, Top Thrill Dragster was the world’s tallest and fastest rollercoaster when it debuted in 2003 but the ride was shut down in 2021 after an accident. The addition of Top Thrill 2 will see the park once again have 18 active rollercoasters - the third most of any theme park in the world behind Six Flags Magic Mountain in California and Poland’s Energylandia.
Mine Cart Madness will be the signature attraction for Super Nintendo World’s new Donkey Kong Country Area, with the new attraction set to feature a world-first - ‘track jumping’.
First opened in March 2021, Super Nintendo World has proved a major success, with the Donkey Kong addition, set to open in the spring, representing the land’s first major expansion.
Mine Cart Madness, developed by Universal Creative, is a first-of-its-kind ‘Boom Coaster’, with the ride featuring an element unique to any other coaster in the world - an illusion that makes it feel as though riders are jumping across sections of track.
Sitting on arms attached to a hidden sideways track, riders move over a fake flat track so it appears the carts are making daring jumps across large gaps. A technology patented by Universal, this offers an exciting attraction that truly cannot be experienced anywhere else in the world.
Speaking on the new ride, Brian Robinson, chief creative officer for Universal Creative says Mine Cart Madness is “full of innovative and unexpected surprises”, with riders set to “blast out of a barrel, dodge obstacles, and jump tracks in an immersive rollercoaster experience you will never forget”.
A new Mattel-branded theme park set to open to the public later this year will feature two Hot Wheels-themed rollercoasters as its signature attractions.
Hot Wheels Boneshaker: The Ultimate Ride is a Chance Rides product, with the steel family coaster reaching a maximum height of 84ft (25.6m) and its ride car featuring a very distinctive hot rod skull, designed to look like one of the signature miniature car toys.
The second coaster - Hot Wheel Twin Mill Racer - is also a Chance Rides product, with the ride featuring a double loop and two corkscrews. The ride will reach a maximum speed of 50mph (80kmph) and a maximum height of 116ft (36.6m). Its train is based on a Hot Wheels race car.
“Construction is underway and substantial progress has been made on what will give fans of all ages a day of thrills and nostalgia,” said Julie Freeland, senior director of Global Location Based Entertainment at Mattel.
“We’re especially excited for families to experience the Hot Wheels Bone Shaker rollercoaster – a dream come true for any Hot Wheels fan.”
Located in Glendale, Arizona, once complete, Mattel Adventure Park will be a year-round destination dedicated to Mattel’s beloved IPs. Additional attractions include a Thomas The Tank Engine ride, a Barbie Beach House, a Masters of the Universe-themed laser tag arena and a Mattel-themed mini-golf course.
Set to open later this year, the highly-anticipated Hyperia will become the UK’s tallest and fastest rollercoaster when it makes its debut at the Merlin-operated Thorpe Park.
A Mack-manufactured steel hypercoaster, the record-breaking coaster will reach a top height of 236ft (72m) and travel at a maximum speed of 80mph (130kmph), taking the top spot from Blackpool Pleasure Beach’s The Big One.
Formerly known as Project Exodus, Thorpe Park submitted plans for Hyperia in December 2021, unveiling the name last October, which according to the park is “themed around our fearless goddess ‘Hyperia’ – her story is yet to be told”. The park also highlights its double meaning as the ride is itself a hypercoaster - the park’s second after Stealth.
In its most recent update, the park shared that work is progressing quickly on the third tower which will hold a non-inverted immelmann and stall loop. Much of the ride is already in place, with other parts nearly completed.
The ride will also feature a photo shop and F&B outlet, with a total construction time of 15 months. Plans show Project Exodus in the park’s Old Town area close to the site of the now-closed Logger’s Leap ride.
Legoland Windsor’s Minifigure Speedway has a spring opening date set, with the £10m (US$12.7m, €11.6m) investment representing the first ever Lego-themed duelling coaster attraction.
Manufactured by Zierer in partnership with Merlin Magic Making, Minifigure Speedway will be the park’s fastest rollercoaster at 35mph (56kmph), with riders choosing one of two teams before travelling forwards and backwards at speed on dual tracks as they race to find a winner.
“Minifigure Speedway is set to get pulses racing when it opens next spring and will be the fun seeker’s favourite amongst families,” said Helen Bull, divisional director at Legoland Windsor.
“Not only will it be the fastest coaster at the resort once complete, but it will also offer a uniquely exhilarating experience.”
Minifigure Speedway is the latest addition to Legoland Windsor, which in recent years has added a world-first Lego-themed indoor golf experience, while the 2023 season also saw the addition of Lego Ferrari Build and Race - an interactive attraction that sees guests create their own Ferrari race car.
The Yellow Brick Road is making its way to Oz, with Australia’s Warner Bros. Movie World set to welcome a pair of world-first Wizard of Oz rollercoasters as part of a larger themed land.
With the rollercoasters as its signature attractions, The Wizard of Oz precinct will feature both a suspended family coaster and a family boomerang racer, with Vekoma supplying both rides.
According to the park, both rides have been designed with high capacity in mind, as well as low height and age restrictions to provide more experiences for families.
While details on the rides are still limited, Movie World has confirmed the suspended family coaster will have a track length of 454m (1,500ft) and a maximum height of 19m (62ft). It will reach speeds of up to 42mph (67kmph).
The family boomerang racer will play out over two duelling tracks of 225m (738ft) and 220m (720ft) in length. Both tracks will reach a height of 22m (72ft) and a maximum speed of 36mph (58kmph).
Opening later in the year, the wider attraction will feature some iconic elements of the Wizard of Oz IP, including flying monkeys, the Wicked Witch’s castle, the Emerald City, Dorothy’s Kansas farm, and the Yellow Brick Road itself.
Ireland’s Emerald Park (formerly Tato Land) is making a major investment into a new themed land with the €20m (US$21.9m, £17.2m) Tír na nÓg featuring two intertwining coasters at its heart.
Inspired by Irish mythology, Vekoma is developing the two coasters, with JoraVision, Universal Rocks and Zierer also supplying the 26,000sq m (280,000sq ft) attraction.
The first track is a suspended thrill coaster featuring a 360 Zero-G Roll and an Upward Helix among five upside down experiences on the ride. With a total track length of 750m (2,460ft) and a highest point of 32m (105ft), the ride will reach speeds of up to 90kmph (56mph).
The second coaster is a family boomerang, and offers a more family friendly riding experience. It includes forward and backward runs on the track and through the station, with airtime hills, dives and turns The track is 450m (1,480ft) length, with a highest track point of 25m (82ft). It will reach speeds of up to 60kmph.
Along with the two main rollercoasters, Tír na nÓg will also introduce a third classic theme park attraction, known as a Waveswinger, as well as new food outlets and retail spaces. The space is expected to open in the spring.
The US$800m Genting SkyWorld at Resorts World Genting opened to the public in early 2022 but the popular attraction still has a few projects in the pipeline, an immersive SFX coaster from Dynamic Attractions among them.
Among its nine themed lands, Andromeda Base features several space themed galactic attractions but its signature offering is yet to make its debut.
Still to be named, the ride is currently under construction with a tentative opening date of 2024. Featuring two corkscrew inversions, the SFX coaster model stands out in a category of its own, acting as a ‘dark coaster’.
A similar experience, themed on Ferrari, opened at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi in January 2023. Called Mission Ferrari, the project was created by Dynamic Attractions alongside Holovis and the Qiguang Group. While the ride system and the track was developed by Dynamic Attractions, Holovis technology was integrated into the vehicles, including onboard audio with a stereo pair of speakers in every seat.
The SFX coaster at Genting was originally going to follow an Alien vs Predator theme, but after 20th Century Fox pulled out of the overall theme park project the IP was scrapped from the ride. While the theming of the ride has not been confirmed, based on its location the coaster will likely have a more generic sci-fi theme close to its original iteration.
Making its way to Warner Bros Movie World in Australia, The Flash: Speed Force is a spinning coaster ride from Intamin that follows a theme based on the DC speedster hero of the same name.
The halfpipe-shaped shuttle coaster is an Intamin ‘Surfrider’ model, and is a relocation and retheming of the Surfider at Wet’n’Wild Water World, which is also located in the same complex as Warner Bros Movie World.
The ride features a 220ft (67m) track reaching a maximum height of 98ft (30m). As it launches backwards and forwards via an LSM launch, The Flash: Speed Force will reach a maximum speed of 43mph (70kmph) spinning riders as it moves.
The relocated ride sits within the track layout for Superman Escape, and is being described by the park as a “ride within a ride” experience. It opens to the public in April.
Created by Mack Rides, Voltron Nevera is a steel coaster set to open in Europa-Park’s new Croatia-themed area, the first major new coaster to come to the German theme park in 12 years.
Reaching speeds of up to 55.9mph (90kmph) and a maximum height of 105ft (32m) the ride is Europa-Park’s 14th rollercoaster and is themed after the electricity experiments of the Serbian-American inventor Nikola Tesla.
With a length of 1,385m (4544ft), the ride will become the longest multi-launch coaster in Europe, while its 105 degree launch makes it the steepest of its kind in the world. Voltron Nevera also features seven inversions, four launches and 2.2 seconds of continuous weightlessness. The ride model is a Mack Stryker Coaster, which is the first of its kind in the world.
The ride’s station is inspired by Wardenclyffe Tower - an early experimental wireless transmission station which was both built and designed by Tesla.
Powered by Rimac, the ride also pays tribute to Croatian vehicle manufacturer Rimac Automobili and its founder Mate Rimac.
Voltron Nevera is complemented by a new 4D film produced by Magic Mack, which tells the story of Tesla.
Making its way to Kings Island, Snoopy’s Soap Box Racers takes inspiration from the soap box racing derby, inviting children and their parents the chance to choose their favourite Peanuts-decorated car before climbing backwards 70ft (21.3m) to the start line and being launched onto a track filled with twists and turns.
Passing through the station and past Camp Lookout, the race to the finish line has been manufactured by Vekoma, with Snoopy’s Soap Box Racers reaching a maximum speed of 36mph (58kmph) as they speed over 672ft (204.8m) of coaster track. As riders reach the finish line, the train of cars will roll backwards, with racers then experiencing the same course in reverse. In total, guests will travel 1,400ft (427m).
Snoopy’s Soap Box Racers is the first family boomerang model to come to King’s Island, with the ride anchoring the new Camp Snoopy zone. Also included will be Eagle Scout Acres, a shaded, nature-themed play area, while Camp Snoopy will also feature “camptivities” led by Peanuts characters each day.
The new coaster will be the fifth family-friendly coaster experience to come to the park when it opens later this year, with Kings Island dubbing itself the “Kids Coaster Capital of the World”. In the wider scope of the park, Snoopy’s Soap Box Racers will be the park’s 16th coaster.
Staying in the world of Peanuts, Knott’s Berry Farm has announced several additions to its Camp Snoopy attraction, with Zamperla set to provide three new rides including Snoopy’s Tenderpaw Twister Coaster.
A themed version of Zamperla’s Family Coaster 155, the ride is 155m (509ft) in length and is a twin helix model. Featuring a tire propelled boost, the ride can comfortably fit both children and adults with independent lap bars and is one of the lowest maintenance rides of any family coaster on the market. With a 90cm ride height requirement, Zamperla says the model acts as a “first big coaster” for young children.
The ride model has been used to great success with alternate theming, with twin models including the likes of Dragon’s Apprentice at Legoland Japan, Paw Patrol at Parque de Atracciones de Madrid, and Speedy Gonzalez Hot Rod Racers at Six Flags Magic Mountain.
With Snoopy’s Tenderpaw Twister Coaster acting as the anchor attraction, Zamperla’s Super Happy Swing 16 will be the second ride addition, which will be themed as Sally’s Swing Along. Finally, the supplier’s Convoy Dino Jeeps complete the offering as Camp Snoopy’s Off-Road Rally.
“All these rides will have a fantastic theme using the Peanuts IP,” said Ramon Rosario, Zamperla’s sales director. “They will be new experiences for park goers but themed to fit the great storytelling found at Knott’s Berry Farm.”
Penguin Trek is SeaWorld Orlando’s latest coaster offering, with B&M taking riders on a high speed expedition through the wilderness of Antarctica to find real-life penguins.
Dubbed “the coolest research mission you’ve ever joined”, Penguin Trek is an indoor/outdoor family launch coaster themed as a snowmobile ride through a crumbling icy cavern, with riders reaching speeds of up to 43mph (69kmph) over 3,020ft (920.5m) of track with a double LSM launch.
Not only a coaster experience, a dark ride element also features, with multimedia and special effects completing the icy spectacle.
As with all SeaWorld attractions, Penguin Trek comes with an educational conservation message. The queue is themed to be an arctic research base, while the end of the ride will see visitors come across a real penguin habitat - formerly the park’s Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin attraction.
Penguin Trek is SeaWorld Orlando’s eighth coaster, following the most recent addition, Pipeline: The Surf Coaster, which debuted last year.
Vekoma is behind two new rollercoasters coming to Poland's Energylandia, with plans for the Choco Chip Creek Mine Train and the Honey Harbour family coaster to be the anchor attractions for the new Sweet Valley themed land.
Taking Energylandia guests to a twisted, colourful village filled with super-sized sweets, Sweet Valley will eventually house a total of 8 rides.
Choco Chip Creek will be the largest attraction, with the family-friendly Mine Train coaster reaching speeds of up to 55kmph (34mph) over a 1,200m (3,900ft), 16.5m (54ft) high track journeying past giant rocks sprouting chocolate.
Meanwhile, Honey Harbour is a smaller Kalypso family coaster, which will reach a maximum speed of 55kmph (28.6mph) across an 11.7m (38.5ft) high track, which Vekoma says “offers enough excitement for children, teens and adults to create a great and unforgettable family experience”.
Working alongside Vekoma on both rides, design company Jora Vision is responsible for the conceptual design and master plan for the overall Sweet Valley area. Other attractions include the Candy Carousel, while Zamperla has supplied the Choco Valley Mini Tour mini flume, Lollypop Farm family tractor ride and Tea and Treats teacup ride. Gosetto has supplied the Tree Grove carousel. The land is completed by the Annual Sweet Market playground and the Sweet Valley Town Hall, which operates as a restaurant, theatre and meeting space.
Fjord Explorer is a Mack Water Coaster coming to French zoo and theme park Le Pal later this year.
Set to open in April, the €11m (US$12.1m, £9.4m) investment reaches a maximum height of 30m (98ft) and speeds of up to 76kmph (47mph), with a 20m (66ft) splashdown the ride’s final feature.
“In summer, when it's hot, people like water. They also like how the park is developing into its natural surroundings,” Arnaud Bennet, CEO of Le Pal, speaking to Planet Attractions.
“We thought a water coaster would be a good mix between rollercoaster and water ride. You get the best of both worlds with the sensation of the coaster and the fun of the big splash.
“We decided to do it with a Nordic-themed area because that means we can integrate the attraction with its natural surroundings.”
Fjord Explorer is set inside the park’s all-new Scandinavian neighbourhood, with colourful houses with green roofs sitting on the edge of the lake housing the new ride. The land also offers retail and dining options, including a new snack bar.
A new Intamin Ultra Surf rollercoaster will open at the Six Flags Over Georgia theme park in Mableton, US, later this year.
Launching in the summer, the attraction will be located in the park’s Screampunk area and will combine several water elements with a thrill ride experience.
Riders will reach speeds of 60mph (96kmph) and a peak of 144ft (43m) as they travel back and forth along a 590ft (179m) U-shaped track through an airtime hill and splash zone.
Other water effects will include a low-cutting splash combination, water vortex tunnel, water curtain and vertical wave wall.
Meanwhile, ride vehicles, themed to look like surfboards, will feature two spinning circular platforms, each offering 10 outward-facing seats, providing riders with four different airtime spins and three airtime moments throughout the ride.
According to Six Flags, “this ride provides unmatched weightless airtime to create an experience you don’t want to miss”.
An indoor rollercoaster from Rocky Mountain Construction will open at the Silver Dollar City amusement park in Missouri, US, in the spring.
Called Fire in the Hole, the new ride is an updated version of the park’s original Fire in the Hole rollercoaster, which opened at Silver Dollar City in the seventies.
Housed inside a purpose-built, five-storey structure in Silver Dollar City’s Fire District area, the new ride will send riders down a 1,512ft (460m) track at speeds of 26mph (42kmph) with three drops and a splash landing.
It will also feature a custom soundtrack, while the ride vehicles will be equipped with onboard audio, show lighting and enhanced special effects.
Fire in the Hole is the result of a US$30m (€28m, £24m) investment and will be the Midwest’s largest indoor coaster.
“Signifying our biggest investment in a single attraction, Fire in the Hole continues Silver Dollar City’s strategic, multi-phased growth plan offering families opportunities to play and stay together in the heart of the Ozarks,” said Brad Thomas, president of the Silver Dollar City Company.
“As the district’s anchor attraction, it will be a favourite rite of passage for families where one generation introduces the next generation to this adventure.”
Daddy Pig’s Roller Coaster will be one of five attractions coming to the new Peppa Pig Park in Günzburg, Germany in 2024, with the Zamperla attraction set to be one of the main features of the upcoming theme park.
Already in operation at the Peppa Pig Theme Park in Florida, US, Daddy Pig’s Roller Coaster is a Twin Helix steel family coaster model designed as a first rollercoaster experience for toddlers and preschoolers.
“At Peppa Pig Park in Günzburg, families with preschoolers are at the centre,” said Manuela Stone, MD of Legoland Deutschland Resort. “We are creating a place where our youngest visitors can experience wonderful moments with Peppa.”
Adjacent to Legoland Deutschland, Peppa Pig Park in Günzburg will be the first standalone Peppa Pig Park in Europe.
Ride Engineers Switzerland are behind an upcoming animal-themed coaster coming to Germany’s Serengeti-Park later this year.
Originally set to open in the summer of 2023, the ride is now set to debut at the zoo and theme park attraction during 2024.
Themed as a flying safari, while the ride track has no inversions, riders can decide their own movements as they ride the Air Loop coaster. When the coaster train is at full speed, passengers can adjust their side flaps to rotate the seat left or right, just like flying an aeroplane, with the ability to make full 360 rotations if they so choose.
The steel coaster has a track length of 1,312ft (400m) and reaches a maximum height of 82ft (25m). Its maximum speed will be 24.9mph (40kmph)
Walibi Rhône-Alpes is set to welcome the first Intamin Hot Racer model in Europe, when Mahuka opens to the public later this year.
The Hawaiian for ‘to escape’, Mahuka will be the centrepiece of the new Exotic Island-themed area of the Walibi, with the launch also celebrating the park’s 45th birthday.
Set in the remains of an abandoned temple in the South Pacific, riders are urged not to provoke an ancient god’s sacred fire, at risk of becoming a prisoner in the ancient site. On-board, riders must of course escape the excavation area, which they do on board the rollercoaster.
The Hot Racer model from Intamin features an over-the-shoulder lap bar to ensure freedom, comfort and safety for riders, who are arranged in a single row for a total of 9 riders per train. Featuring a single rail, the ride model specialises in close to the ground manoeuvres and will have a minimum height requirement of 120cm, making it accessible on average for children as young as 6 or 7.
Featuring two launches, the ride will reach speeds of up to 67kmph (41.6mph) with thirteen moments of weightlessness over 600m (1,968.5ft) of track. With a maximum height of 18m (59.1ft), the ride features three inversions, with elements including an inside top hat, a corkscrew and a heartline roll.
The ride is due to open at some point between March and June, with Walibi expecting a significant attendance boost following the launch.
Circuit Breaker is a first for any rollercoaster in that its planned location is directly next to a Formula 1, NASCAR and MotoGP racing track.
A Vekoma-manufactured ride, the coaster will be part of COTALand, a theme park development planned for Austin’s Circuit of the Americas in Texas (COTA).
Originally set to open in 2023 and now expected to open by 2025, COTALand is pitched as a way to bring visitors to the track even when races aren’t happening.
Among 27 planned rides and attractions, Circuit Breaker will be the US’s first tilt coaster. At its peak, the ride will tilt downwards on a pivot point, going from horizontal to vertical before dropping riders from its highest point through the rest of the course, which features four inversions. Circuit Breaker will also feature on-board audio and lighting effects,
The ride’s construction will likely follow that of Palindrome, a Gerstlauer-manufactured infinity coaster, which has started construction on the site. The Palindrome track will send cars up a vertical lift hill before travelling through a course ending a large spike. Riders then roll backwards through the entire course.
Canada’s Playland is set to introduce a colourful and mind-bending new addition to the park in 2023, with the addition of the CA$9m (US$6.7m, €6.1m £5.2m) rollercoaster Thundervolt.
Featuring a 380m (1,250ft) track, Thundervolt will take 12 riders at a time through a “supernatural environment with extraordinary animals, graphics and lighting that pulses as the ride system charges, leading up to its launch”.
Launching through an illuminated tunnel, riders will feel around 1.3g of force as they ascend up a steep incline and down an 18m (59.1ft) drop.
Reaching speeds of up to 72kmph (45mph), Thundervolt is Canada’s fastest launch coaster.
The ride model itself is a former Intamin-made product, which Zamperla purchased from Italy’s Miragica theme park and resold to Playland, overhauling the ride with a new launch system and a new train, recategorising it as a Zamperla lightning coaster.
“Our engineers have worked to make sure this is the best roller coaster train in the world,” said Adam Sandy, Zamperla’s rollercoaster sales and marketing director.
“We thought about every square centimetre of the Lightning, from the bottom of the wheels to the top of the seat. The Zamperla engineering team kept our core design values at the forefront: safety, ergonomics, the total cost of ownership and of course pure fun for thrillseekers.”
Thundervolt replaces the now-defunct Corkscrew coaster, which was made famous for its appearance in the 2006 horror film Final Destination 3.
A B&M coaster, Phoenix Rising will open to the public in the spring, with the new addition to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay seeing the park reach a landmark of 10 rollercoasters on-site.
Coming to the Pantopia area of the park, Phoenix Rising is a family-friendly option that sees riders “soaring above the Serengeti Plain before going on an exploratory journey over the Pantopia region”.
A suspended coaster, the new addition will be the first in the park to feature on-board audio, with a special soundtrack integrated into the overall ride experience.
Reaching a maximum speed of 44mph (70.8kmph), the track covers 1,831ft (558.1m) and is a Family Inverted Coaster model, though the ride itself will feature no full inversions.
With a ride height of 42 inches (1.06m), the coaster will be able to accommodate young thrillseekers wanting to try a more advanced coaster experience.
The Gravity Group is behind an all-new wooden coaster coming to the state of New York later this year at Six Flags Great Escape.
Called The Bobcat, the ride is the first new wooden coaster addition to the state since 1999 and is the first to be built at the park since 2003.
Replacing the park’s Alpine Bobsled ride, The Bobcat reaches speeds of up to 40mph (64kmph) over 1,412ft (430.4m) of track, with the ride’s peak standing at 55.4ft (16.9m).
“We knew we had to find a perfect fit to replace the Alpine Bobsled in the hearts of our guests,” said resort president Rebecca Wood.
“This beautiful, all-natural wooden family coaster will deliver a smooth, fast and heart-pounding experience. It’s sure to be an instant classic.”
Twenty-six of the biggest rollercoaster launches coming in 2024 | Planet Attractions
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Twenty-six of the biggest rollercoaster launches coming in 2024
With records for the tallest, fastest and longest rollercoaster all set to be broken by a single ride, it should give you an idea of the kind of thrills in-store for thrillseekers this year as we list 26 of the biggest coaster launches coming in 2024 Tom Anstey | Planet Attractions | 02 Feb 2024
If there was ever a year for BIG rollercoaster additions, then 2024 is surely it.
With records for the tallest, fastest and longest rollercoaster all set to be broken - and that’s just coming from a single ride - then it should give you an idea of the kind of thrills in-store for theme park fans this coming year.
With a host of adrenaline pumpers, headline-grabbers and IP-driven experiences on their way, Planet Attractions takes a look at some of the top launches coming in 2024 when it comes to rollercoasters. From Vekoma stand-outs to Intamin innovations, sit back, let the overhead restraint bar lock you into your seat and get ready for launch, as we take you through the biggest rollercoaster launches of 2024.
The most recent IAAPA Expo in November 2023 brought some big time news, with details on Falcon’s Flight - the record-breaking rollercoaster coming to Six Flags Qiddiya in Saudi Arabia in 2024 - among the headliners.
Manufactured by Intamin, the game changing ride will break the records for the tallest, fastest and longest rollercoaster in the world, with its striking train car unveiled at the event in Orlando, Florida.
Unveiling the train for Falcon's Flight - the world's fastest, tallest, and longest rollercoaster. The ride will open at Six Flags Qiddiya in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and is manufactured by Intamin #IAAPAExpopic.twitter.com/nPpoeh6laB
The Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC) announced a partnership with Intamin in January 2021 for the development of Falcon’s Flight, which is currently scheduled to welcome its first visitors in October 2024. Dubbed the “rollercoaster evolution of the century”, Falcon’s Flight is utilising the natural landscape of the Qiddya desert to create the ride, which is being built across a 600-foot-tall (183-metre) cliff to reach its record height.
More than 13,000ft (4,000m) of steel track is being used on the ride, which will launch at a speed of around 100mph (160kmph) and with the support of a magnetic launch system featuring linear synchronous motors (LSM) will reach a top speed of 156mph (251kmph). The ride features three launch points, with more than 700 LSM modules with water cooling being used to accelerate the trains.
In terms of record-breaking, Falcon’s Flight is nearly 61m (200ft) taller than the current holder Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure. The ride will also be 7mph (11.2kmph) faster than the current fastest coaster in the world - Formula Rossa at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi. Falcon’s Flight is also nearly 1.5 times longer than Steel Dragon 2000 at Nagashima Spaland in Japan - the current holder of the world’s longest rollercoaster.
To increase throughput, Falcon’s Flight can operate up to six trains simultaneously, with each train allowing four 14 riders at a time for the three-minute experience.
In order to accommodate the coaster’s forces and desert climate, the ride train itself is unique, with the falcon-shaped lead car sporting a curved windshield and dimensions appropriate for a ride that reaches such velocities. Additionally, all of the trains are equipped with extra-large running wheels and custom designed rims for enhanced cooling.
While the front car features seating for two passengers, the remaining ones behind it will seat four per row and will feature an open design to enhance the sense of flying over the cliff’s edge and speeding around the entire park.
At night, the train will light up, including the lead car’s distinctive falcon eyes, with each train featuring 35 light modules that can be controlled individually.
Good Gravy is a first like no other in the world of rollercoasters, with the Vekoma-designed ride themed after a Thanksgiving dinner.
Opening to the public on May 11 2024, 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.
Holiday World and Vekoma have unveiled the gravy boat-themed vehicles for Good Gravy - a new family boomerang ride coming in 2024 #IAAPAExpopic.twitter.com/mcQ6HWqY7V
Coming at a cost of US$10m (€9.1m, £7.8m), the addition will be a key feature of Holiday World in Santa Claus, Indiana, with the US attraction currently developing an area entirely dedicated to thanksgiving called Stuffing Springs. The ride - a family boomerang - is the first of its kind in North America and will be accompanied by a children’s play area and a Dippin’ Dots stand.
“Good Gravy! is built for families,” said Holiday World president and CEO Matt Eckert.
“We’re a park known for high-quality, custom roller coasters that excel in their categories, and Vekoma has delivered yet another for us. Between the tight turns and quirky theme, this coaster is going to be an instant family favourite.”
Top Thrill 2 is the sequel to Cedar Point’s Top Thrill Dragster, with the reimagined ride adding a second 420-foot-tall (128-metre) tower spike and three launches with the offering featuring a hair raising top speed of 120mph (193kmph).
Manufactured by Zamperla, the reimagined rollercoaster at the park in Sandusky, Ohio, US, will break the record for the world’s tallest and fastest triple-launch strata coaster when it opens in the summer. The ride will also be the world’s only dual tower vertical speedway.
The ride will retain its original launch, travelling partway up the original ride hill at a speed of 74mph (119kmph) before rolling backwards. Riders then launch backwards at 101mph (162kmph) at a 90 degree angle before finally launching forward again, this time at maximum speed up and over the hill.
The new ride will last close to two minutes, a significant increase on Top Thrill Dragster, which lasted around 17 seconds.
Zamperla’s Roller Coaster Business Unit is adding a linear synchronous motor, powered by magnets to the ride, replacing the existing hydraulic system. The ride’s trains will also be replaced, becoming one of the first rollercoasters in the world to utilise Zamperla’s Lightning Trains, which are lightweight and designed to withstand the high speeds of the record-breaking ride.
Its predecessor, Top Thrill Dragster was the world’s tallest and fastest rollercoaster when it debuted in 2003 but the ride was shut down in 2021 after an accident. The addition of Top Thrill 2 will see the park once again have 18 active rollercoasters - the third most of any theme park in the world behind Six Flags Magic Mountain in California and Poland’s Energylandia.
Mine Cart Madness will be the signature attraction for Super Nintendo World’s new Donkey Kong Country Area, with the new attraction set to feature a world-first - ‘track jumping’.
First opened in March 2021, Super Nintendo World has proved a major success, with the Donkey Kong addition, set to open in the spring, representing the land’s first major expansion.
Mine Cart Madness, developed by Universal Creative, is a first-of-its-kind ‘Boom Coaster’, with the ride featuring an element unique to any other coaster in the world - an illusion that makes it feel as though riders are jumping across sections of track.
Sitting on arms attached to a hidden sideways track, riders move over a fake flat track so it appears the carts are making daring jumps across large gaps. A technology patented by Universal, this offers an exciting attraction that truly cannot be experienced anywhere else in the world.
Speaking on the new ride, Brian Robinson, chief creative officer for Universal Creative says Mine Cart Madness is “full of innovative and unexpected surprises”, with riders set to “blast out of a barrel, dodge obstacles, and jump tracks in an immersive rollercoaster experience you will never forget”.
A new Mattel-branded theme park set to open to the public later this year will feature two Hot Wheels-themed rollercoasters as its signature attractions.
Hot Wheels Boneshaker: The Ultimate Ride is a Chance Rides product, with the steel family coaster reaching a maximum height of 84ft (25.6m) and its ride car featuring a very distinctive hot rod skull, designed to look like one of the signature miniature car toys.
The second coaster - Hot Wheel Twin Mill Racer - is also a Chance Rides product, with the ride featuring a double loop and two corkscrews. The ride will reach a maximum speed of 50mph (80kmph) and a maximum height of 116ft (36.6m). Its train is based on a Hot Wheels race car.
“Construction is underway and substantial progress has been made on what will give fans of all ages a day of thrills and nostalgia,” said Julie Freeland, senior director of Global Location Based Entertainment at Mattel.
“We’re especially excited for families to experience the Hot Wheels Bone Shaker rollercoaster – a dream come true for any Hot Wheels fan.”
Located in Glendale, Arizona, once complete, Mattel Adventure Park will be a year-round destination dedicated to Mattel’s beloved IPs. Additional attractions include a Thomas The Tank Engine ride, a Barbie Beach House, a Masters of the Universe-themed laser tag arena and a Mattel-themed mini-golf course.
Set to open later this year, the highly-anticipated Hyperia will become the UK’s tallest and fastest rollercoaster when it makes its debut at the Merlin-operated Thorpe Park.
A Mack-manufactured steel hypercoaster, the record-breaking coaster will reach a top height of 236ft (72m) and travel at a maximum speed of 80mph (130kmph), taking the top spot from Blackpool Pleasure Beach’s The Big One.
Formerly known as Project Exodus, Thorpe Park submitted plans for Hyperia in December 2021, unveiling the name last October, which according to the park is “themed around our fearless goddess ‘Hyperia’ – her story is yet to be told”. The park also highlights its double meaning as the ride is itself a hypercoaster - the park’s second after Stealth.
In its most recent update, the park shared that work is progressing quickly on the third tower which will hold a non-inverted immelmann and stall loop. Much of the ride is already in place, with other parts nearly completed.
The ride will also feature a photo shop and F&B outlet, with a total construction time of 15 months. Plans show Project Exodus in the park’s Old Town area close to the site of the now-closed Logger’s Leap ride.
Legoland Windsor’s Minifigure Speedway has a spring opening date set, with the £10m (US$12.7m, €11.6m) investment representing the first ever Lego-themed duelling coaster attraction.
Manufactured by Zierer in partnership with Merlin Magic Making, Minifigure Speedway will be the park’s fastest rollercoaster at 35mph (56kmph), with riders choosing one of two teams before travelling forwards and backwards at speed on dual tracks as they race to find a winner.
“Minifigure Speedway is set to get pulses racing when it opens next spring and will be the fun seeker’s favourite amongst families,” said Helen Bull, divisional director at Legoland Windsor.
“Not only will it be the fastest coaster at the resort once complete, but it will also offer a uniquely exhilarating experience.”
Minifigure Speedway is the latest addition to Legoland Windsor, which in recent years has added a world-first Lego-themed indoor golf experience, while the 2023 season also saw the addition of Lego Ferrari Build and Race - an interactive attraction that sees guests create their own Ferrari race car.
The Yellow Brick Road is making its way to Oz, with Australia’s Warner Bros. Movie World set to welcome a pair of world-first Wizard of Oz rollercoasters as part of a larger themed land.
With the rollercoasters as its signature attractions, The Wizard of Oz precinct will feature both a suspended family coaster and a family boomerang racer, with Vekoma supplying both rides.
According to the park, both rides have been designed with high capacity in mind, as well as low height and age restrictions to provide more experiences for families.
While details on the rides are still limited, Movie World has confirmed the suspended family coaster will have a track length of 454m (1,500ft) and a maximum height of 19m (62ft). It will reach speeds of up to 42mph (67kmph).
The family boomerang racer will play out over two duelling tracks of 225m (738ft) and 220m (720ft) in length. Both tracks will reach a height of 22m (72ft) and a maximum speed of 36mph (58kmph).
Opening later in the year, the wider attraction will feature some iconic elements of the Wizard of Oz IP, including flying monkeys, the Wicked Witch’s castle, the Emerald City, Dorothy’s Kansas farm, and the Yellow Brick Road itself.
Ireland’s Emerald Park (formerly Tato Land) is making a major investment into a new themed land with the €20m (US$21.9m, £17.2m) Tír na nÓg featuring two intertwining coasters at its heart.
Inspired by Irish mythology, Vekoma is developing the two coasters, with JoraVision, Universal Rocks and Zierer also supplying the 26,000sq m (280,000sq ft) attraction.
The first track is a suspended thrill coaster featuring a 360 Zero-G Roll and an Upward Helix among five upside down experiences on the ride. With a total track length of 750m (2,460ft) and a highest point of 32m (105ft), the ride will reach speeds of up to 90kmph (56mph).
The second coaster is a family boomerang, and offers a more family friendly riding experience. It includes forward and backward runs on the track and through the station, with airtime hills, dives and turns The track is 450m (1,480ft) length, with a highest track point of 25m (82ft). It will reach speeds of up to 60kmph.
Along with the two main rollercoasters, Tír na nÓg will also introduce a third classic theme park attraction, known as a Waveswinger, as well as new food outlets and retail spaces. The space is expected to open in the spring.
The US$800m Genting SkyWorld at Resorts World Genting opened to the public in early 2022 but the popular attraction still has a few projects in the pipeline, an immersive SFX coaster from Dynamic Attractions among them.
Among its nine themed lands, Andromeda Base features several space themed galactic attractions but its signature offering is yet to make its debut.
Still to be named, the ride is currently under construction with a tentative opening date of 2024. Featuring two corkscrew inversions, the SFX coaster model stands out in a category of its own, acting as a ‘dark coaster’.
A similar experience, themed on Ferrari, opened at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi in January 2023. Called Mission Ferrari, the project was created by Dynamic Attractions alongside Holovis and the Qiguang Group. While the ride system and the track was developed by Dynamic Attractions, Holovis technology was integrated into the vehicles, including onboard audio with a stereo pair of speakers in every seat.
The SFX coaster at Genting was originally going to follow an Alien vs Predator theme, but after 20th Century Fox pulled out of the overall theme park project the IP was scrapped from the ride. While the theming of the ride has not been confirmed, based on its location the coaster will likely have a more generic sci-fi theme close to its original iteration.
Making its way to Warner Bros Movie World in Australia, The Flash: Speed Force is a spinning coaster ride from Intamin that follows a theme based on the DC speedster hero of the same name.
The halfpipe-shaped shuttle coaster is an Intamin ‘Surfrider’ model, and is a relocation and retheming of the Surfider at Wet’n’Wild Water World, which is also located in the same complex as Warner Bros Movie World.
The ride features a 220ft (67m) track reaching a maximum height of 98ft (30m). As it launches backwards and forwards via an LSM launch, The Flash: Speed Force will reach a maximum speed of 43mph (70kmph) spinning riders as it moves.
The relocated ride sits within the track layout for Superman Escape, and is being described by the park as a “ride within a ride” experience. It opens to the public in April.
Created by Mack Rides, Voltron Nevera is a steel coaster set to open in Europa-Park’s new Croatia-themed area, the first major new coaster to come to the German theme park in 12 years.
Reaching speeds of up to 55.9mph (90kmph) and a maximum height of 105ft (32m) the ride is Europa-Park’s 14th rollercoaster and is themed after the electricity experiments of the Serbian-American inventor Nikola Tesla.
With a length of 1,385m (4544ft), the ride will become the longest multi-launch coaster in Europe, while its 105 degree launch makes it the steepest of its kind in the world. Voltron Nevera also features seven inversions, four launches and 2.2 seconds of continuous weightlessness. The ride model is a Mack Stryker Coaster, which is the first of its kind in the world.
The ride’s station is inspired by Wardenclyffe Tower - an early experimental wireless transmission station which was both built and designed by Tesla.
Powered by Rimac, the ride also pays tribute to Croatian vehicle manufacturer Rimac Automobili and its founder Mate Rimac.
Voltron Nevera is complemented by a new 4D film produced by Magic Mack, which tells the story of Tesla.
Making its way to Kings Island, Snoopy’s Soap Box Racers takes inspiration from the soap box racing derby, inviting children and their parents the chance to choose their favourite Peanuts-decorated car before climbing backwards 70ft (21.3m) to the start line and being launched onto a track filled with twists and turns.
Passing through the station and past Camp Lookout, the race to the finish line has been manufactured by Vekoma, with Snoopy’s Soap Box Racers reaching a maximum speed of 36mph (58kmph) as they speed over 672ft (204.8m) of coaster track. As riders reach the finish line, the train of cars will roll backwards, with racers then experiencing the same course in reverse. In total, guests will travel 1,400ft (427m).
Snoopy’s Soap Box Racers is the first family boomerang model to come to King’s Island, with the ride anchoring the new Camp Snoopy zone. Also included will be Eagle Scout Acres, a shaded, nature-themed play area, while Camp Snoopy will also feature “camptivities” led by Peanuts characters each day.
The new coaster will be the fifth family-friendly coaster experience to come to the park when it opens later this year, with Kings Island dubbing itself the “Kids Coaster Capital of the World”. In the wider scope of the park, Snoopy’s Soap Box Racers will be the park’s 16th coaster.
Staying in the world of Peanuts, Knott’s Berry Farm has announced several additions to its Camp Snoopy attraction, with Zamperla set to provide three new rides including Snoopy’s Tenderpaw Twister Coaster.
A themed version of Zamperla’s Family Coaster 155, the ride is 155m (509ft) in length and is a twin helix model. Featuring a tire propelled boost, the ride can comfortably fit both children and adults with independent lap bars and is one of the lowest maintenance rides of any family coaster on the market. With a 90cm ride height requirement, Zamperla says the model acts as a “first big coaster” for young children.
The ride model has been used to great success with alternate theming, with twin models including the likes of Dragon’s Apprentice at Legoland Japan, Paw Patrol at Parque de Atracciones de Madrid, and Speedy Gonzalez Hot Rod Racers at Six Flags Magic Mountain.
With Snoopy’s Tenderpaw Twister Coaster acting as the anchor attraction, Zamperla’s Super Happy Swing 16 will be the second ride addition, which will be themed as Sally’s Swing Along. Finally, the supplier’s Convoy Dino Jeeps complete the offering as Camp Snoopy’s Off-Road Rally.
“All these rides will have a fantastic theme using the Peanuts IP,” said Ramon Rosario, Zamperla’s sales director. “They will be new experiences for park goers but themed to fit the great storytelling found at Knott’s Berry Farm.”
Penguin Trek is SeaWorld Orlando’s latest coaster offering, with B&M taking riders on a high speed expedition through the wilderness of Antarctica to find real-life penguins.
Dubbed “the coolest research mission you’ve ever joined”, Penguin Trek is an indoor/outdoor family launch coaster themed as a snowmobile ride through a crumbling icy cavern, with riders reaching speeds of up to 43mph (69kmph) over 3,020ft (920.5m) of track with a double LSM launch.
Not only a coaster experience, a dark ride element also features, with multimedia and special effects completing the icy spectacle.
As with all SeaWorld attractions, Penguin Trek comes with an educational conservation message. The queue is themed to be an arctic research base, while the end of the ride will see visitors come across a real penguin habitat - formerly the park’s Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin attraction.
Penguin Trek is SeaWorld Orlando’s eighth coaster, following the most recent addition, Pipeline: The Surf Coaster, which debuted last year.
Vekoma is behind two new rollercoasters coming to Poland's Energylandia, with plans for the Choco Chip Creek Mine Train and the Honey Harbour family coaster to be the anchor attractions for the new Sweet Valley themed land.
Taking Energylandia guests to a twisted, colourful village filled with super-sized sweets, Sweet Valley will eventually house a total of 8 rides.
Choco Chip Creek will be the largest attraction, with the family-friendly Mine Train coaster reaching speeds of up to 55kmph (34mph) over a 1,200m (3,900ft), 16.5m (54ft) high track journeying past giant rocks sprouting chocolate.
Meanwhile, Honey Harbour is a smaller Kalypso family coaster, which will reach a maximum speed of 55kmph (28.6mph) across an 11.7m (38.5ft) high track, which Vekoma says “offers enough excitement for children, teens and adults to create a great and unforgettable family experience”.
Working alongside Vekoma on both rides, design company Jora Vision is responsible for the conceptual design and master plan for the overall Sweet Valley area. Other attractions include the Candy Carousel, while Zamperla has supplied the Choco Valley Mini Tour mini flume, Lollypop Farm family tractor ride and Tea and Treats teacup ride. Gosetto has supplied the Tree Grove carousel. The land is completed by the Annual Sweet Market playground and the Sweet Valley Town Hall, which operates as a restaurant, theatre and meeting space.
Fjord Explorer is a Mack Water Coaster coming to French zoo and theme park Le Pal later this year.
Set to open in April, the €11m (US$12.1m, £9.4m) investment reaches a maximum height of 30m (98ft) and speeds of up to 76kmph (47mph), with a 20m (66ft) splashdown the ride’s final feature.
“In summer, when it's hot, people like water. They also like how the park is developing into its natural surroundings,” Arnaud Bennet, CEO of Le Pal, speaking to Planet Attractions.
“We thought a water coaster would be a good mix between rollercoaster and water ride. You get the best of both worlds with the sensation of the coaster and the fun of the big splash.
“We decided to do it with a Nordic-themed area because that means we can integrate the attraction with its natural surroundings.”
Fjord Explorer is set inside the park’s all-new Scandinavian neighbourhood, with colourful houses with green roofs sitting on the edge of the lake housing the new ride. The land also offers retail and dining options, including a new snack bar.
A new Intamin Ultra Surf rollercoaster will open at the Six Flags Over Georgia theme park in Mableton, US, later this year.
Launching in the summer, the attraction will be located in the park’s Screampunk area and will combine several water elements with a thrill ride experience.
Riders will reach speeds of 60mph (96kmph) and a peak of 144ft (43m) as they travel back and forth along a 590ft (179m) U-shaped track through an airtime hill and splash zone.
Other water effects will include a low-cutting splash combination, water vortex tunnel, water curtain and vertical wave wall.
Meanwhile, ride vehicles, themed to look like surfboards, will feature two spinning circular platforms, each offering 10 outward-facing seats, providing riders with four different airtime spins and three airtime moments throughout the ride.
According to Six Flags, “this ride provides unmatched weightless airtime to create an experience you don’t want to miss”.
An indoor rollercoaster from Rocky Mountain Construction will open at the Silver Dollar City amusement park in Missouri, US, in the spring.
Called Fire in the Hole, the new ride is an updated version of the park’s original Fire in the Hole rollercoaster, which opened at Silver Dollar City in the seventies.
Housed inside a purpose-built, five-storey structure in Silver Dollar City’s Fire District area, the new ride will send riders down a 1,512ft (460m) track at speeds of 26mph (42kmph) with three drops and a splash landing.
It will also feature a custom soundtrack, while the ride vehicles will be equipped with onboard audio, show lighting and enhanced special effects.
Fire in the Hole is the result of a US$30m (€28m, £24m) investment and will be the Midwest’s largest indoor coaster.
“Signifying our biggest investment in a single attraction, Fire in the Hole continues Silver Dollar City’s strategic, multi-phased growth plan offering families opportunities to play and stay together in the heart of the Ozarks,” said Brad Thomas, president of the Silver Dollar City Company.
“As the district’s anchor attraction, it will be a favourite rite of passage for families where one generation introduces the next generation to this adventure.”
Daddy Pig’s Roller Coaster will be one of five attractions coming to the new Peppa Pig Park in Günzburg, Germany in 2024, with the Zamperla attraction set to be one of the main features of the upcoming theme park.
Already in operation at the Peppa Pig Theme Park in Florida, US, Daddy Pig’s Roller Coaster is a Twin Helix steel family coaster model designed as a first rollercoaster experience for toddlers and preschoolers.
“At Peppa Pig Park in Günzburg, families with preschoolers are at the centre,” said Manuela Stone, MD of Legoland Deutschland Resort. “We are creating a place where our youngest visitors can experience wonderful moments with Peppa.”
Adjacent to Legoland Deutschland, Peppa Pig Park in Günzburg will be the first standalone Peppa Pig Park in Europe.
Ride Engineers Switzerland are behind an upcoming animal-themed coaster coming to Germany’s Serengeti-Park later this year.
Originally set to open in the summer of 2023, the ride is now set to debut at the zoo and theme park attraction during 2024.
Themed as a flying safari, while the ride track has no inversions, riders can decide their own movements as they ride the Air Loop coaster. When the coaster train is at full speed, passengers can adjust their side flaps to rotate the seat left or right, just like flying an aeroplane, with the ability to make full 360 rotations if they so choose.
The steel coaster has a track length of 1,312ft (400m) and reaches a maximum height of 82ft (25m). Its maximum speed will be 24.9mph (40kmph)
Walibi Rhône-Alpes is set to welcome the first Intamin Hot Racer model in Europe, when Mahuka opens to the public later this year.
The Hawaiian for ‘to escape’, Mahuka will be the centrepiece of the new Exotic Island-themed area of the Walibi, with the launch also celebrating the park’s 45th birthday.
Set in the remains of an abandoned temple in the South Pacific, riders are urged not to provoke an ancient god’s sacred fire, at risk of becoming a prisoner in the ancient site. On-board, riders must of course escape the excavation area, which they do on board the rollercoaster.
The Hot Racer model from Intamin features an over-the-shoulder lap bar to ensure freedom, comfort and safety for riders, who are arranged in a single row for a total of 9 riders per train. Featuring a single rail, the ride model specialises in close to the ground manoeuvres and will have a minimum height requirement of 120cm, making it accessible on average for children as young as 6 or 7.
Featuring two launches, the ride will reach speeds of up to 67kmph (41.6mph) with thirteen moments of weightlessness over 600m (1,968.5ft) of track. With a maximum height of 18m (59.1ft), the ride features three inversions, with elements including an inside top hat, a corkscrew and a heartline roll.
The ride is due to open at some point between March and June, with Walibi expecting a significant attendance boost following the launch.
Circuit Breaker is a first for any rollercoaster in that its planned location is directly next to a Formula 1, NASCAR and MotoGP racing track.
A Vekoma-manufactured ride, the coaster will be part of COTALand, a theme park development planned for Austin’s Circuit of the Americas in Texas (COTA).
Originally set to open in 2023 and now expected to open by 2025, COTALand is pitched as a way to bring visitors to the track even when races aren’t happening.
Among 27 planned rides and attractions, Circuit Breaker will be the US’s first tilt coaster. At its peak, the ride will tilt downwards on a pivot point, going from horizontal to vertical before dropping riders from its highest point through the rest of the course, which features four inversions. Circuit Breaker will also feature on-board audio and lighting effects,
The ride’s construction will likely follow that of Palindrome, a Gerstlauer-manufactured infinity coaster, which has started construction on the site. The Palindrome track will send cars up a vertical lift hill before travelling through a course ending a large spike. Riders then roll backwards through the entire course.
Canada’s Playland is set to introduce a colourful and mind-bending new addition to the park in 2023, with the addition of the CA$9m (US$6.7m, €6.1m £5.2m) rollercoaster Thundervolt.
Featuring a 380m (1,250ft) track, Thundervolt will take 12 riders at a time through a “supernatural environment with extraordinary animals, graphics and lighting that pulses as the ride system charges, leading up to its launch”.
Launching through an illuminated tunnel, riders will feel around 1.3g of force as they ascend up a steep incline and down an 18m (59.1ft) drop.
Reaching speeds of up to 72kmph (45mph), Thundervolt is Canada’s fastest launch coaster.
The ride model itself is a former Intamin-made product, which Zamperla purchased from Italy’s Miragica theme park and resold to Playland, overhauling the ride with a new launch system and a new train, recategorising it as a Zamperla lightning coaster.
“Our engineers have worked to make sure this is the best roller coaster train in the world,” said Adam Sandy, Zamperla’s rollercoaster sales and marketing director.
“We thought about every square centimetre of the Lightning, from the bottom of the wheels to the top of the seat. The Zamperla engineering team kept our core design values at the forefront: safety, ergonomics, the total cost of ownership and of course pure fun for thrillseekers.”
Thundervolt replaces the now-defunct Corkscrew coaster, which was made famous for its appearance in the 2006 horror film Final Destination 3.
A B&M coaster, Phoenix Rising will open to the public in the spring, with the new addition to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay seeing the park reach a landmark of 10 rollercoasters on-site.
Coming to the Pantopia area of the park, Phoenix Rising is a family-friendly option that sees riders “soaring above the Serengeti Plain before going on an exploratory journey over the Pantopia region”.
A suspended coaster, the new addition will be the first in the park to feature on-board audio, with a special soundtrack integrated into the overall ride experience.
Reaching a maximum speed of 44mph (70.8kmph), the track covers 1,831ft (558.1m) and is a Family Inverted Coaster model, though the ride itself will feature no full inversions.
With a ride height of 42 inches (1.06m), the coaster will be able to accommodate young thrillseekers wanting to try a more advanced coaster experience.
The Gravity Group is behind an all-new wooden coaster coming to the state of New York later this year at Six Flags Great Escape.
Called The Bobcat, the ride is the first new wooden coaster addition to the state since 1999 and is the first to be built at the park since 2003.
Replacing the park’s Alpine Bobsled ride, The Bobcat reaches speeds of up to 40mph (64kmph) over 1,412ft (430.4m) of track, with the ride’s peak standing at 55.4ft (16.9m).
“We knew we had to find a perfect fit to replace the Alpine Bobsled in the hearts of our guests,” said resort president Rebecca Wood.
“This beautiful, all-natural wooden family coaster will deliver a smooth, fast and heart-pounding experience. It’s sure to be an instant classic.”
