All aboard the holiday express! The holiday season is upon us so now is the time to plan ahead for the best part, the quality time spent together. Kick this season into high gear by starting a new Christmastime tradition of going on a festive train ride to the North Pole. We’ve compiled a list of all the best options so scroll down and discover your Christmas adventure.
Inspired by the beloved classic The Polar Express, the Southern California Railway Museum has brought the story to life with an enchanting recreation you won't want to miss. The experience begins as you board a completely decked-out holiday train and have your golden ticket punched by the animated train crew. Once settled on board, the activities (set to the sounds from the original motion picture) ensue, with hot cocoa and shortbread biscuits served by dancing chefs, to a reading of the famous children's story and joyous singing with merry carolers. Meanwhile, the express chugs along all the way to the North Pole for a visit with Santa!
Cost: $50-$70/adults; $44-$64/children(2-11); free for children under 2
'Tis the season to board the Christmas Train! Depart from the train station at Santa's village and travel through historic Irvine Park past twinkling Christmas lights and decorations to the North Pole. Here, alight the train and meet jolly Ol' Saint Nick. After snapping your next family portrait and enjoying a cup of hot cocoa, board again and journey back to Santa's village through the tunnel of lights. Then, in Santa's Village, there is no shortage of fun-filled activities, from cookie decorating to storytime with Mrs. Claus to a festive jump house and ice fishing.
Cost: Irvine Regional Park Entrance $3-$7/vehicle Christmas Train $20-$30/person; free for children under 2 Santa's Village $6/activity
The Pacific Southwest Railway Museum is offering the North Pole Limited train ride this holiday season. Onboard this 90-minute journey to pick up Mr. and Mrs. Claus, you will hear Santa's elves singing our favorite Christmas carols while enjoying cookies and hot chocolate, followed by a reading of a popular Christmas story. Then, every passenger will enjoy a personal meeting with Santa on the train as it makes its way back to Campo Depot.
Cost: $35-$50/adult; $25-$40/children(3-12); $10/children under 3
Campo Depot 750 Depot St. Campo, CA 91906 Online: psrm.org
El Dorado Frontier is a mini theme park found inside El Dorado Park. It is most famously known for its mile and a half long train ride that was built over 60 years ago. Every weekend during December, they host a Winter Wonderland extravaganza. Admission includes an unlimited carousel and train rides, while their other attractions are priced separately and include gem panning, hand-car mining buggy rides and carnival games. Lastly, the owners have really put a lot of thought into the aesthetics of this place and there are plenty of festive photo opportunities.
Cost: El Dorado Park Entrance $8/vehicle El Dorado Frontier $17/person
El Dorado Frontier 7550 E. Spring St. Long Beach, CA 90808 Online: eldoradofrontier.com
Next on our Christmas list, is this fun-size train that will surely impress your little conductors. In Costa Mesa, on the third weekend of every month, Goat Hill Junction offers free public rides on the cutest miniature locomotives you've ever seen. For the weekend of December 18 & 19, the trains will be decked out in holiday décor. The ride typically lasts 12 minutes and covers two loops of the park. The only requirement is riders must be walking and at least 31" tall.
Orange County Model Engineers 2480 Placentia Ave. Costa Mesa, CA 92626 Online: http://ocmetrains.org
Lastly, for an extra magical Christmas, Disneyland Park is the place to be and after a long closure, the Disneyland Railroad is open again! The ride is a perfect way to enjoy all the scenic holiday views that Disneyland is so famous for. There are four different stations to hop on and off of the train throughout the park and with an 18-minute long journey, it provides a perfect walking break for you and your littles.
With California slowly beginning to reopen, theme parks are getting in on the action. LEGOLAND is ready to play!
The brick-themed park has announced its opening date, and Apr. 1 is kicking off the fun. You’ll be able to cash in on Park Preview Days that will include select rides, dining, retail, live entertainment and building activities.
photo: LEGOLAND
So what rides can you expect to hop aboard? From Apr. 1, you can enjoy Coastersaurus, LEGO® TECHNIC™ Coaster, Driving School, Jr. Driving School, Skipper School, Royal Joust, Fairy Tale Brook, LEGOLAND Express Train, Lost Kingdom Adventure and Cargo Ace. You’ll also get to have fun with all the outdoor playgrounds and Miniland U.S.A.
Beginning, Apr. 15, the full reopening will commence. The remaining rides will open in addition to LEGO® CHIMA™ Water Park, SEA LIFE® Aquarium and select dining, retail, and indoor attractions available with advanced reservation.
LEGOLAND is offering priority access during April for LEGOLAND Hotel Guests, active Pass Holders (Play Pass, Annual Pass and Monthly Pay Memberships) and existing Day Ticket Holders for expired and unused during closures.
When amusement parks across the U.S. open their gates this year, there will be a slew of new rides and roller coasters to try. Bookmark this page and make sure to check the best amusement park rides opening in 2020 before going on your vacation.
1. Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway Disney’s Hollywood Studios, FL: Believe it or not, Mickey and Minnie never had their own ride at any of the Disney theme parks… until now. Opened at Disney World in March 2020, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway takes guests on a 3D ride through the Disney Channel’s Mickey Mouse cartoon shorts.
2. West Coast Racers Six Flags Magic Mountain, CA: Launched in January 2020, West Coast Racers is the world’s first racing coaster with two side-by-side tracks. The exhilarating ride includes four high-speed launches and multiple airtime hills over two complete laps. It’s so realistic to an actual car race that there’s even a “real-time” pit stop experience.
3. Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure Disney’s Epcot, FL: On Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, families will hop in cars that resemble a mouse and go on a crazy adventure through Gasteau’s restaurant in Paris. The ride will be located in the France pavilion at Disney’s Epcot and is expected to open this summer.
4. The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash! Universal Studios Hollywood, CA: Ever wondered what it was like to be your cat or dog (or parrot or fish) when you first adopted them? You can find out in The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash! at Universal Studios Hollywood. Riders become stray kittens and puppies on a quest to find their fur-ever home on this adorable ride, expected to open this spring.
5. Iron Gwazi Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, FL: When it opens at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, Iron Gwazi will be the tallest roller coaster in North America, and the steepest and fastest hybrid roller coaster in the world.
Amanda Norcross is Senior Editor at Family Vacation Critic, TripAdvisor's family travel website. Her expertise has been featured in major media outlets including The New York Times, People.com, and Prevention Magazine. Amanda enjoys discovering new destinations and sharing her experiences with parents who are looking to plan the most memorable vacations with their kids.
Calling all chocolate fans—Hersheypark is growing! Hershey’s Chocolatetown is coming in 2020 and according to the park’s website, it’s “The most transformative expansion in Hersheypark history.”
So what can you expect from this transformative expansion? Chocolatetown will include everything from new rides to tasty treats.
Older kiddos, teens and, of course, grown-ups can get an adrenaline rush on the park’s newest coaster, Candymonium. The attraction is Hersheypark’s 15th ride, as well as the tallest, fastest and longest, roller coaster.
Along with the chocolate-themed thrill ride, guests can check out the five new dining options and plenty of retail shops. The Chocolatier, a full-service restaurant and bar, is the highlight of the park’s new eateries. View past and present pieces from the park’s ride collection, nab an adult beverage from the Carrousel-themed bar or indulge in the signature Hersheypark dessert menu.
If you’re in a dessert-only mode, The Sweeterie features 50 plus confections crafted by Chef Cher Harris, The Pastry Queen of the World, and Milton’s Ice Cream Parlor has 12 rotating flavors of house-made chilly goodness.
The new attractions and eating options open just in time for the summer 2020 season. Visit the Hersheypark website here for details on season passes.
Lego-lovers rejoice! There’s finally an opening date for the brand-new LEGOLAND New York theme park in Goshen, New York.
The 150-acre theme park is LEGOLAND’s biggest to date and will feature more than 50 rides and attractions.
So when will the park open? Start planning now—because LEGOLAND New York has set a Jul. 4, 2020 opening date. That means your next summer vaycay can include a trip to new attractions such as the Great LEGO Adventure (where you can travel through the manufacturing process as a Minifigure), the Duplo Express, the Heartlands City Balloon Adventure or the Rogue Wave Riders.
Along with the new rides and activities, the park will also feature faves from other LEGOLAND parks. Your kiddo can get behind the wheel at LEGO Driving School, zip around on the Dragon Coaster, enjoy the Splash Battle or train for their next ninja-filled adventure at Ninjago World!
While the park will make its grand debut in the summer of 2020, the LEGOLAND New York hotel, which will include pirate, castle, Ninjago and LEGO Friends themed rooms, won’t open until 2021.
King’s Island amusement park in Ohio has just revealed the newest roller coaster awaiting thrill seekers this spring and it features a massive three hundred foot drop.
The new Orion coaster will be the park’s tallest, fastest and longest steel roller coaster in addition to being just one of seven “giga” coasters in the entire world. A ride qualifies as a “giga” coaster when it features a drop between 300 and 399 feet.
The ride will last three minutes and feature seven hills after the mega drop, reaching speeds of up to 91 miles per hour. Fans will have to wait until Spring 2020 to get their first thrill ride, as the coaster is still under construction. Just hours after the park’s announcement the first pieces of the ride arrived for installation.
King’s Island is already home to a record-breaking coaster, the Beast, which is the longest wooden roller coaster in the world.
What is a launched water coaster? Launched coasters are nothing new. They use force to shoot riders out of the station in order to reach extreme speeds before even reaching a big drop. The new Cheetah Chase will combine that concept with a water slide.
Instead of climbing an exhaustingly tall set of stairs like on most large water slides, riders will simply hop aboard their ride vehicle, which in this case will be a three-seat, toboggan style raft, at the top of a low hill where they’ll be blasted off and uphill at speeds of up to twenty miles per hour.
The other unique feature of this launched water coaster will be side-by-side tracks which allow riders to race each other. “This thing is really unique because you’re really going to have a true race…right from the start,” explained Ray Smegal, chief commercial officer with ProSlide the company that designed the coaster. “So, they’re going to shoot across the surface and get up to about 30 feet per second, and then climb a tall, steep hill with the water. The intensity of the race and that competition is going to really start from the beginning.”
The Cheetah Chase will be constructed in the Splashin’ Safari section of the park located in Santa Claus, Indiana, joining two other existing water coasters. The ride is set to open sometime in 2020.
If your little conductors have a one-track mind for all things train-related, then these San Diego train rides and trolley rides will make them go even more ‘loco’ over locomotives. From San Juan Capistrano and Seaport Village to Balboa Park and Disneyland, we’ve found eight exciting excursions you can do in a day. So chug-chug down our brilliant list to fast track a good time with your crew. Bonus: Four of these rides are free for kids ages five and under!
Hop on the Coaster and ride the rails to the historic Santa Fe Depot. Walk down to Seaport Village (15 min.) and visit the pirate ship, get a pretzel and ride the merry-go-round. Time the walk back to make the return train, then enjoy the beautiful ride through coastal San Diego on the way home.
Coaster Online: gonctd.com/coaster Cost: $8-$11/person round-trip; free for children under 6
Seaport Village 849 W. Harbor Dr. San Diego, CA 92101 Online: seaportvillage.com
From Zoomar's petting zoo to walking the historic district with its beautiful flowers and foliage everywhere to getting a cup of coffee at Hidden Coffee by the station to having lunch at Ruby's (within walking distance), there is plenty for the whole crew to do at this train stop. Even more, everything is within walking distance. So hop aboard in San Diego, then play in San Juan Capistrano for the day.
Cost: $25+/adult (round-trip); $15+/child (round-trip); 2 and under free
Play tourist for the day and hop on (and off) these adorable trolleys while you hit up the tourist destinations from Balboa Park to the New Children's Museum. Best part, you don't have to worry about parking. Just hop off, tour your destination, then grab the trolley coming your way. Even more, the drivers are full of information (and funny!) so you'll learn a lot about San Diego too! Also, remember that all kids ride free in October.
Catch the Sprinter in Escondido (San Marcos, Vista or Carlsbad) heading for Oceanside. Walk the short stroll to the Oceanside Pier and feed your kiddos lunch at Ruby's Diner. If the kids still have energy, scramble to the playground near the pier. Make sure to time it right to catch the train home.
Sprinter Online: go.nctd.com/sprinter Cost: $4/person round-trip; free for children under 6
Ruby's Diner Oceanside Pier Oceanside, CA 92054 Online: rubys.com
What's more magical than a train ride to Disneyland? All aboard the Amtrak train departing the Solana Beach Station. Take the one-and-a-half hour train ride to Anaheim Station. Once in Anaheim, there are buses (free with train ticket) that go straight to Disneyland. Spend the day enjoying the park then choo-choo back home tired and happy.
Go close to the border in this 12-mile Pacific Southwest Railway train ride with your little conductors in tow. The Golden State Limited chug-chugs through San Diego backcountry along the Mexican border, crossing the Campo Creek Viaduct, then cruising through the International Tunnel #4. All in all, the trip lasts about one hour. Add in a tour of the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum and your little traveler will be on cloud nine!
Visit the Master Train Rides Calendar to plan your trip. Cost: Golden State train ride, $18/adult; $9/child (ages 3-12); Kids under 3 free
Pacific Southwest Railway 750 Depot St. Campo, CA 91906 619-478-9937 Online: sdrm.org
A short trolley ride is perfect for little transportation experts. Park at Fashion Valley Transit Center (it's in the back of the mall) and take the Green Line a few stops to Old Town. Grab quesadillas and enchiladas for the family and relax with a margarita. Walk and shop, soak up the sights, and then roll back to the mall via that bright red trolley.
San Diego Trolley Online: sdmts.com/trolley Cost: $5/person round-trip; free for children under 6
Old Town San Diego Historic Park 4002 Wallace St. San Diego, CA 92110 Online: oldtownsandiegoguide.com
Jump on any Coaster stop from Oceanside to downtown San Diego and make your way to the Solana Beach station. Stretch those little leggies at Fletcher Cove Park, a six-minute saunter away once you exit the station. If it's a Sunday between noon-5 p.m., score fresh veggies, beautifully cut flowers and smoothies at the Solana Beach Farmers Market, also a quick jaunt up Cedros Ave. Grab some grub to go (and a latte from Lofty Coffee) and eat on the beach while wiggling your toes in the sand. Head back the way you came and be sure to check the train schedule before you go.
Coaster Online: gonctd.com/coaster Cost: Cost: $8-11/person round-trip; free for children under 6
Solana Beach Farmers Market Sundays, Noon-5 p.m. 444 S. Cedros Ave. Solana Beach, CA Online: solanabeachfarmersmarket.com
The end of an era is almost here with Disney Pixar’s forthcoming Toy Story 4 due out this summer. So far we already know that the fourth installment of the iconic animated Disney flick comes with at least three new characters: Tony Hale’s Forky, Keegan-Michael Key’s Ducky and Jordan Peel’s Bunny. If you’re looking for more info than the teaser trailers provide, these new LEGO Toy Story sets might have some answers.
Even though the film won’t hit theaters until Jun. 21, you can score these awesome building sets this April.
Buzz & Woody's Carnival Mania!
Courtesy of LEGO
The trailer already teased that Toy Story 4 would take us to the carnival and this set confirms it. The 230-piece ($49.99) includes all kinds of fair fare, including new character Minifigures, Ducky and Bunny.
Toy Story 4 RV Vacation
Courtesy of LEGO
Your kiddo's best Toy Story friends are headed out of town—and it looks like we might get a hint at how they end up at the carnival. Pack the gang up and get RV-ing with this set for children ages four and older. The 178-piece set will sell for $34.99.
Carnival Thrill Coaster
Courtesy of LEGO
The second carnival set in this new line includes all kinds of coaster fun. Kids four and up can can speed around the bends with all 98 plastic bricks of this Toy Story set ($19.99).
Woody RC
Courtesy of LEGO
Woody gets behind the wheel with this supercharged set. Set up cones, knock down blocks or just drive this character fave around. The 69-piece set (which comes with a Woody Minifigure) is for kids ages four and up and will retail for $9.99.
Every year, theme parks around the country try to outdo each other with new rides and attractions. 2019 is no exception—you can look forward to new “lands” based on movies, new rides based on comic book characters, amazing expansions, a thrilling new flume ride and one new ride dedicated to one famous mouse. Scroll down to see where you’ll be able to get brand-new amusement park thrills next year.
There was a time when the most thrilling attraction at Disneyland was the Jungle Cruise (which by the way is still one of the park’s most popular attractions thank you very much) but technology has changed drastically over the years and with it brings amazing new adventures. Next summer, the park opens the much anticipated “Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.” This new 14-acre “land” will allow fans of all ages to transport to the plant of Batuu to get a sense of what it might be light to live as galactic travelers in a galaxy far, far away. Among the new attractions opening there are “Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run” where fans will be able to take control of the Millennium Falcon while on a secret mission. Also, your family can be a part of an epic battle between the First Order and the Resistance (including a face-off with Kylo Ren) on “Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.”
Self-proclaimed as “The Thrill Capital of the South,” Six Flags Over Georgia is adding another thrill to its collection in the form of Pandemonium. Swirling around 15 stories above the ground, this ride will be the tallest swinging pendulum ride in the Southeast, and the ride will run up to 70 mph going higher and higher as it does. It will serve as the park’s new SteamPunk section of the park.
Found at: Legoland Florida Resort - Winter Haven, FL
One of the more unusual offerings opening up this year is “The LEGO Movie World” where kids can hop on board of a triple-decker couch and fight against a DUPLO alien invasion among other things. Based on the two LEGO movies (The LEGO Movie and The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part) the new section of the part features “Emmet’s Triple Decker Flying Couch!” where the “flying theater” takes guests on a virtual ride under a full-down virtual screen. It is said to be the first attraction in the U.S. that embeds a 180-degree turn in the ride experience. Then there is “Unikitty’s Disco Drop” where the ride “swoops guests to the tiptop of Cloud Cuckoo Land, then drops, spins and bounces them back down to earth.” And finally, there is the “Battle of Bricksurg” where riders are challenged to stop the DUPLO aliens from invading and stealing LEGO bricks by spraying water at targets. The new LEGO Movie World is expected to open sometime in Spring of 2019.
Six Flags Great America is unveiling the triple threat Formula 1 racing car themed roller coaster Maxx Force later this year. Maxx Force will be the fastest launch roller coaster in North America (accelerating to 78 mph in less than two seconds!), the fastest inversion in the world with a Zero-G Roll more than 60 mph and the highest double inversion of any roller coaster in the world standing at 175 feet above the ground.
Knott’s Berry Farm first thrill ride was the iconic Timber Mountain Log Ride built in 1969. 40 years later the park in giving its other water ride a major renovation. Calico River Rapids (formerly known as Bigfoot Rapids) will be upgraded with new animatronics, themed show scenes, a new story and dynamic water effects and will open this summer. Riders can expect to encounter roaring rapids, indigenous wildlife and peculiar homesteaders twisting and turning through an “unexplored” river path.
The Lone Star Revolution rollercoaster will tower at 100 feet in the air and will be the world’s largest loop coaster (for the time being). This new coaster will take riders forward and backward on the gigantic loop before suspending them upside down for what we are sure will feel like an eternity before letting them go again. Seating for this new ride is unique too in that riders will ride facing each other.
Dollywood is going through huge growing pains bringing a whole new section to the park that focuses on young families: Wildwood Grove. This new area is being built with families in mind creating larger respite locations and more play areas. Just beyond a massive hollow trunk of a fallen tree, guests will find 11 new attractions including six new rides:
The Dragonflier: A suspended roller coaster that lets guests soar with a dragonfly as it dips and darts along the gushing geysers and lush landscape of Wildwood Grove.
Black Bear Trail: Hop on the back of a friendly bear for a unique trek through their natural habitat.
Sycamore Swing: A giant “leaf boat” that swings back and forth just like a falling leaf.
Treetop Tower: Seated inside giant acorns, guests are shot 40 feet in the air and spun around a tall oak tree before coming back to the ground.
The Mad Mockingbird: Tennessee’s state bird gives visitors a lift as it flies in a high-speed circle around a tall tree with riders controlling their experience.
Frogs and Fireflies: Kids hop on leapfrogging frogs as they chase fireflies and each other.
Six Flags is adding another first to the amusement park franchise with West Coast Racers, the world’s first racing launch coaster. The park’s 20th roller coaster comes with an incredibly clever concept: this ride will feature two side-by-side tracks with four individual high-speed launches. Riders will actually race each other coming remarkably close to one another on the way to the finish line. The race covers two complete laps, multiple airtime hills, extreme high-banked turns and “exhilarating over/under near misses!”
Found at: Disney’s Hollywood Studios – Orlando, FL
Disney’s Hollywood Studios will basically be getting a carbon copy of Disneyland’s new 14-acre “land” but will be opening a few months later in the fall. “Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will allow fans of all ages to transport to the plant of Batuu to get a sense of what it might be light to live as galactic travelers in a galaxy far, far away. Among the new attractions opening there are “Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run” where fans will be able to take control of the Millennium Falcon while on a secret mission. Also, your family can be a part of an epic battle between the First Order and the Resistance (including a face-off with Kylo Ren) on “Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.”
Six Flags New England is creating something different for the theme park chain with Cyborg. Inspired by the DC Comics superhero, the attraction is a 360-degree dark ride experience where the superhero invites guests to S.T.A.R, Labs to check out a new technological device. What could go wrong? Aha! Riders soon find that the lab has been hacked. Soon, riders will find themselves “spinning and whirling mercilessly” through the air while Cyborg fights to regain control of the machine.
Bucky the Beaver, Hootie the Owl and Bubba the Bear will all be on hand for the unveiling of Timber Town, a new space at Frontier City aimed at young thrill seekers with four new attractions including a rollercoaster, a spinning boat, leaping frogs and flying planes similar to Disney’s Dumbo ride. In addition, some of the older rides will be getting a facelift.
Found at: Six Flags Great Adventure & Safari – Jackson, NJ
Catch your kids making a fib? Threaten to take them on this ride. Looking suspiciously like the chain’s other ride, Pandemonium in Georgia, Wonder Woman’s Lasso of Truth beats it by two stories creating a spinning ride that swings up to 17 stories in the air and reaching speeds up to 75 mph. The massive pendulum propels 40 riders in counterclockwise circles with feet dangling from floorless seats as they whirl through the air.
“After a sudden commotion, a shrill voice hollers, ‘Trespassers! Y’all git outta here!’ A gun cocks and you high-tail it out. Your getaway vehicle? Carowinds’ newest thrill ride, Copperhead Strike” says the amusement park’s website. Copperhead Strike will be a double launch coaster that unlike other roller coasters, will stick close to the ground and shoot off from 0 to 42 mph in just 2.5 seconds. With passenger trains designed to look like 1930s coupes, the ride features a Jojo roll right out of the gate followed by a launch to a giant loop, a set of five inversions and more. Copperhead Strike will serve as the central element of the Blue Ridge Junction section of the park.
Found at: Six Flags Fiesta Texas – San Antonio, TX
And yet another new spinning pendulum ride will be opening soon at Six Flags Fiesta Texas with The Joker: The Wild Card. Named after one of DC Comics biggest villains, The Joker Wild Card also reaches 17-stories tall (like Wonder Woman’s Lasso of Truth) but spins a little more out of control at a whopping 80 mph. The new ride will also serve as the park’s new DC Universe section and will entice guests to keep coming back as the park has announced that it will be adding winter weekends and holidays to its regular season.
Found at: Disney’s Hollywood Studios – Orlando, FL
Housed in the Chinese Theatre (where there former “The Great Movie Ride” was presented for many years) this new attraction is inspired by the new Mickey Mouse Shorts cartoons (with a decidedly different look for the little guy) and is one of the park’s most ambitious new attractions which is expected to open sometime this fall. Here, you’ll jump through a movie screen and become a part of a cartoon. The experience is considered “2D and a half” where no 3D glasses will be required and will feature a new tune to get stuck in your head days after you’ve ridden it. The ride is expected to open sometime in the fall of 2019.
Found at: Six Flags Discovery Kingdom - Vallejo, CA
Ever popular, the eighth Batman: The Ride will rise at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom later this year. Boasting as northern California’s first 4D wing coaster, this rides promises a sensory overload experience as riders will literally flip head-over-heels, at least six times, during the duration of each ride.
Found at Universal Studios Hollywood, Universal City, CA
Now that Jurassic Park has changed to Jurassic World, so has the theme park’s thrill ride. After an extensive remodel, the new ride will be “more immersive” and “technologically advanced” not to mention reimagined for theme park guests. It is said that every part of the former ride will be elevated to a new level. New to the story are never-before-seen dinosaurs, enhanced storytelling surrounded by a lush scenic design. Everything else though is hush-hush.
Known by some at “The Coaster Capital of Missouri,” Six Flags St. Louis is adding a whole different type of attraction this year based on Superman’s cousin. On board this oversized Ferris wheel, guests will soar almost seven stories high in the air while spinning and tilting in open-air vehicles.
Firebird will be an all-new floorless roller coaster soaring above Six Flags America. Seated in state-of-the-art floorless trains, the coaster will take riders through incredible twists, a jaw-dropping nine-story drop, two thrilling inversions, high-banked curves, corkscrew rolls and an incredible figure-eight finale.
Darien Lake will be renamed Six Flags Darien Lake next spring and along with the new name comes a new ride. The SkyScreamer will be sort of a like a swing ride that has been hoisted up 242 feet becoming the state’s largest attraction. At the top, riders will swing around in circles at 35 mph offering breathtaking views. That is if you aren’t too scared to open your eyes.
