What are some of the most anticipated theme park rides for 2018? The current round of announcements show that 2018 will be filled with new records.
Theme parks constantly look for innovative, engaging, and thrilling ways to impress their guests and fans. The competition to have the biggest roller coaster or the most immersive fan experience is huge. Every year fans eagerly await the new announcements. 2018 and beyond looks to have impressive theme park innovation, thrills, and fandom. These nine anticipated theme park rides look to be bigger, faster, and more exciting.
Some theme parks have a constant stream of fans walking through their turnstiles. Places like Universal and Disney rarely have to worry about dwindling crowds. For other theme parks, new rides often bring in bigger crowds. As the theme park season closes for some parks, announcements for next year’s new rides are announced.
The newest rides tend to blend innovation with adrenaline. While some places will always try to add family friendly experiences, many theme park enthusiasts seek the ultimate adrenaline rush. Many companies are looking to go taller, faster, and more extreme in the latest and greatest rides.
Established theme parks aren’t the only groups looking to offer guests new experiences. Several new theme parks have announced their openings. Building on popular franchises, these new theme parks look to offer the superfan immersive experiences. From favorite television shows to popular movie franchises, these theme parks are less about the thrill than the fandom.
While many of the most anticipated theme park openings and additions are in the United States, international parks tend to offer more extreme, entertaining, and unusual openings. Asia is a leader in both the theme park and water park industry. Each year the region’s parks are bigger and bolder. The Middle East also has secured its place in the amusement park industry. Many of these parks have well-known brand/theme tie-ins.
Time to start saving for next trek to a theme park. While opening dates aren’t known yet, these roller coasters, water rides, and amusement parks will definitely be a top choice for thrill enthusiasts and fans.
Knotts Berry Farm HangTime Coaster at Night(PRNewsfoto/Knott’s Berry Farm)
HangTime at Knotts Berry Farm
Dive coasters offer big thrills for coaster fans. The Coaster Critic defines a dive coaster as “steel roller coasters offering drops of 90-degrees or nearly 90-degrees.” West Coast theme park fans will finally have a dive coaster on their coast with HangTime. Knott’s Berry Farm will open the only West Coast dive coaster in the summer of 2018.
Southern California has many theme parks and attractions, but the roller coaster fans have been looking for this type of ride on the West Coast. According to Knott’s Berry Farm, “HangTime will tower 150 feet over the Boardwalk area, showcasing gravity-defying inversions, mid-air suspensions and twisting dive tracks.” This extreme drop is expected to be the steepest roller coaster drop in California.
One of the biggest thrills from this roller coaster will come from its negative-g stall loop. While many roller coasters offer a negative-g experience, HangTime will combine this aspect with a stall. The combination should give the riders a feeling of floating in the air. If you don’t like that funny feeling in your stomach on a roller coaster, this extreme coaster may not be for you.
Another fun aspect of HangTime will be the illusion of disappearing track. When a rider can’t see the next twist or turn, the unknown can increase the adrenaline rush. The “disappearing track” can make the next twist, turn, and drop even more thrilling.
Knott’s Berry Farm has embraced the roller coasters and the innovation that comes within the industry. Previously, the park’s Corkscrew was the “first corkscrew inversion rollercoaster” and Montezuma’s Revenge was the “first flywheel launch coaster.”
Even non-coaster fans can appreciate the new HangTime ride. This coaster will illuminate the Boardwalk area at night. With track chase lighting, the roller coaster will be a colorful site. As the coaster goes up, down and twists through the track, the lights will break through the darken sky.
HangTang will open during the 2018 summer season at Knott’s Berry Farm. Exact opening dates are not currently available.
Silver Dollar City announces Time Traveler, the world’s fastest, steepest and tallest complete-circuit spinning roller coaster. The $26 million ride opens Spring 2018 at the Branson, Missouri theme park. (PRNewsfoto/Silver Dollar City)
Time Traveler Silver Dollar City’s new record breaker
Over the past couple of years, Missouri’s Silver Dollar City has begun to establish itself as a roller coaster enthusiast’s favorite park. Recently, Silver City announced its 2018 new addition Time Traveler. This new roller coaster is billed as the “World’s Fastest, Steepest, and Tallest Complete-Circuit Spinning Roller Coaster.”
Located in Branson, Missouri, Silver Dollar City is popular with families and roller coaster fans. The theme park has previously received awards as best new ride 2013 for Outlaw Run. That roller coaster held several world records when it initially opened. This new ride looks to regain the world record distinction for the park.
Silver City looks to capitalize on the natural elements around the park. The Time Traveler will incorporate the Ozark mountainside into the ride. According to reports, Time Traveler will be “custom-engineered to have an immediate out-of-the-station, gravity-driven drop down an Ozarks mountainside.” The closeness to the terrain should increase the perceived fear factor.
The biggest thing that could set this roller coaster apart from other rides is the spinning aspect. While the proposed speeds and drops are extreme, the spinning nature should be a different experience for riders. Additionally, the track is set to cross over itself 14 times during the ride. The spins combined with the terrain should set this roller coaster apart from others.
Silver Dollar City is known for its family appeal. With Branson being a popular family travel destination, Silver Dollar City wants to ensure that its park is family inclusive. This new generation of thrill coasters should ensure its popularity with visiting families.
Time Traveler at Silver Dollar City is scheduled to open Spring 2018. The exact opening date has yet to be determined.
BERLIN, GERMANY – NOVEMBER 04: (L-R) Producers John Kilik, Nina Jacobson, actors Jena Malone, Liam Hemsworth, Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, director Francis Lawrence, actors Willow Shields, Donald Sutherland, Elisabeth Banks, Sam Caflin,Natalie Dormer, Julianne Moore and Stanley Tucci attend the world premiere of the film ‘The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2’ at CineStar on November 4, 2015 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)
Lionsgate Movie World at Jeju Shinhwa World, Korea
Asia is becoming a leader in the amusement park industry. Recently Lionsgate Movie World at Jeju Shinhwa World, Korea announced that it is in development. Why is this announcement so important? This amusement park is set to the “first outdoor theme park built exclusively around world-famous movies.” So movie fans better start saving big money for this theme park trip.
While some people may not recognize the name Lionsgate, the movies under that brand are extremely popular. Lionsgate movies include The Hunger Games, The Twilight Saga, and Now You See Me. Also, the company is set to release Robin Hood in 2018. The new theme park will incorporate these popular films.
Although specific rides, attractions and details have not been released, the announcement states that “visitors can experience actual movie scenes through state-of-the-art rides, attractions and 4D Intellectual Property (IP) reproduced streets and towns.” The park is said to have seven movie zones. “Each zone will also feature themed restaurants, cafes, souvenir shops and entertainment performances.”
This concept isn’t a new for theme parks. Dubai has a very similar theme park, Motiongate Dubai. Although the Lionsgate area is still under development, the park shows some idea what guests in Korea could expect. The rides could incorporate favorite scenes from the movies, character interactions, shows and much more.
Unfortunately, American Hunger Games fans will have to buy a plane ticket to visit a Hunger Games-inspired movie zone. A U.S. Lionsgate movie theme park isn’t expected. But, Lionsgate will have a Halloween collaboration at Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights for the Saw inspired maze.
Lionsgate Movie World in Korea is expected to open sometime in 2018.
The new RailBlazer roller coaster at California’s Great America will be the first coaster of its kind on the West Coast featuring a single rail track throughout; the design requires the rider to straddle the rail, creating an extremely low center of gravity that amplifies every move and enables more dynamic turns and rotations than have ever been possible on a coaster. With an eight-passenger single file train hugging the rail, the coaster will give riders an unobstructed view of the ground. (PRNewsfoto/California’s Great America)
RailBlazer at California’s Great America
Single rail track coasters seem to be the next big trend for roller coasters. California’s Great America announced the RailBlazer will join the line-up for the 2018 season. This single rail roller coaster will be a popular choice for thrill seekers.
A single rail coaster is different from a traditional roller coaster because all riders are in single file. The single rail track allows the designer to create more thrilling turns and rotations. With a lower center of gravity, riders will feel more power going into the turns and exhilaration is meant to be increased.
The thrill from a single rail track isn’t just the speed and turns. With riders in single file, the riders’ views are intense. As the track twists and turns, the riders have nothing to obstruct their view of the ground below. From the big drops to the banking turns, the rider can see everything, as long as they open their eyes.
With the innovative design, the thrills will be extreme too. According to reports, the roller coaster will offer a zero gravity roll, a 90 degree angle drop and speeds up to 52 miles an hour. If you’re stomach doesn’t do some flips during this ride, we’d be shocked.
The RailBlazer track is just one aspect to the new ride. The ride itself incorporates an off-road adventure theme. Even the immersive queue celebrates the California Central Coast and the Bay Area outdoors. From waterways to rocky terrain, the whole experience is a celebration of the California area.
California’s Great America anticipates opening the RailBlazer for the 2018 season. No specific opening date has been determined yet.
Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio introduces Steel Vengeance, the world’s first “hyper-hybrid” roller coaster. Combining smooth steel track atop a wooden support structure, the roller coaster breaks a total of 15 combined roller coaster and amusement park records. Steel Vengeance will make its debut in May, 2018. (PRNewsfoto/Cedar Point)
Steel Vengeance at Cedar Point
Cedar Point is considered a top theme park destination for roller coaster enthusiasts. Many of the theme park’s coasters have held or hold world’s best distinctions. For Spring 2018, Cedar Point looks to claim more “world’s best” roller coaster street cred with Steel Vengeance.
Steel Vengeance is set to be the first “hyper-hybrid.” The new classification comes from the combined hybrid coaster with an extreme height. Hybrid coasters have steel tracks on top of a wooden coaster. The new coaster will also top 200 feet tall. The combination sounds like it will be an extreme roller coaster experience.
Another new feature to Steel Vengeance will be the Twisted Snake Dive. As they describe this first of its kind maneuver:
"“…the coaster’s train will enter a half-barrel roll, hang upside-down for a brief moment and then turn back in the direction of travel, not completing a full roll.” While I can’t quite visualize this track, I have no doubt that it will produce an extreme thrill."
Beyond the new maneuvers and classifications, the total ride time for this roller coaster is impressive. The ride is said to last “approximately 2 minutes, 30 seconds.” Many roller coasters only last about a minute. The longer ride time came make the whole experience much more enjoyable. After all, who wants to wait forever in a queue for a super short ride?
Coming in Spring 2018, Steel Vengeance will surely hold numerous records. Beyond the records, the roller coaster will have a strong backstory about three outlaws. The story is fitting since the new roller coaster will be located in the Cedar Point’s FrontierTown.
Who’s got an iron stomach to take on this extreme coaster?
Breakers Edge Water Coaster and Whitecap Racer at The Boardwalk At Hersheypark
HersheyPark might have the delicious aroma of chocolate tempting guests but the two new family friendly rides may very well delight families too. Water parks are family favorite attractions. These two new attractions will have guests longing for wild, wet fun.
The Breakers Edge Water Coaster is the “world’s first HydroMAGNETIC water coaster with flying saucer.” The magnetic technology allows riders more thrilling drops and turns. The system helps to keep the raft closer to the slide which increased the speed. The water coaster isn’t a lazy river.
Intended to be a family ride, the water coaster should offer some wet, wild thrills. With a height requirement of 42 inches, more people, especially families, will get to ride together. Riders will sit in four-person, bobsled-like raft. The four riders will go up and down hills, bank through turns and giant drops. While the ride may only take a minute, the water thrills will impress guests.
The Whitecap Racer is touted as the “longest mat racer.” This racing ride will have riders battle each other to the finish. The six tunnels are side by side through 360-degree loops and drops to the eventual bottom. Only one rider will finish first. With a slider timing system, no one can argue who won the race.
The most fun part of this ride sounds like it will be the racing aspect. I’m wondering how many people will think one tube offers a faster experience than another. The battle to be the best will have riders to come back again and again.
These two new rides join the numerous rides at HersheyPark. Admission to HersheyPark includes Hersheypark Amusement Park, ZooAmerica North American Wildlife Park, and The Boardwalk At Hersheypark water park.
The Breakers Edge Water Coaster and Whitecap Racer will be opening at some time in 2018.
Toy Story Land, photo from Disney Parks Blog
Toy Story Land at Disney Hollywood Studios
Favorite movie franchises and characters are popular themes for amusement parks. Disney is the leader in large scale theme adaptations. At Disney Hollywood Studios, the new Toy Story Land will become a fan favorite.
Opening in 2018, the Toy Story Land will feature a family-friendly roller coaster, Slinky Dog. Recently, Disney placed the final piece of coaster track for the Slinky Dog. The idea behind this coaster is that Andy created the track from his Mega Coaster Play Kit. But the roller coaster kit would be too simple for Andy. Instead, he added a few of his other favorite toys to the mix.
This new Disney roller coaster should become a big hit with families. Like the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, the Fast Pass list for this ride is sure to be full as soon as it opens. This type of family coaster allows all ages to have big time fun.
Toy Story Land will have another new ride, the Alien Swirling Saucers. The concept has the dreaded “claw” trying to capture the alien saucers. The saucers will swirl around to the beat of some fun music.
Lastly, the current Toy Story ride, Toy Story Mania, will add a third track. This ride is very popular with families. The additional track should help reduce wait times.
Custom-built for the spectacular, Norwegian Bliss will boast many firsts at sea for the global market including the largest competitive race track at sea and an open-air laser tag course. The ship’s exciting new features will join the brand’s signature elements of freedom and flexibility that Norwegian is known for across the globe including a myriad of mouthwatering dining options and a vibrant onboard atmosphere fueled by dynamic intimate spaces and a multitude of bars and lounges, award-winning youth programs and more. (PRNewsfoto/Norwegian Cruise Line)
Norwegian Bliss Aqua Park
Cruising has always been a popular vacation choice and with new attractions, it will only become more of a draw. As more and more families choose a cruise for a family vacation, the cruise ships are increasing their fun levels. The new Norwegian Bliss incorporates amenities that will keep guests amused throughout the journey. This new ship has an extreme Aqua Park.
The Norwegian Bliss Aqua Park offers big thrills and relaxation. One of the biggest trends on cruise ships is large water slides. This ship is no different. The Ocean Loops will be a high adrenaline free fall slide. After the bottom drops out, riders will loop around twice. One of the loops will go over the side of the ship and the other loop will extend to the lower deck.
The other big thrill water slide, the Aqua Racer, pits rider versus rider. While on inner tubes, the two riders will race side by side down the slide. While one person will want to win, riders should really enjoy the view. The tubes are translucent and riders can see across the expansive water.
Since cruising is a family experience, the younger guests aren’t left out of the Aqua Park fun. The kids’ area will have interactive water fun. From water cannons to smaller scale slides, the younger guests will have plenty to do.
Next: The Hunger Games theme park is next level ironic
Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Bliss will start trips to Alaska, the Caribbean, and a few trips to the Mexican Riviera beginning in June 2018.