America's theme parks are already filled with stomach-flipping thrill rides, themed lands and eclectic dining options – but that doesn't stop operators from turning out a steady slew of new attractions. Here we round up the most exciting additions to the USA's theme parks for 2022. (Due to COVID-19, be sure to double-check state travel advisories and park websites before you head out.)
Epcot, one of Walt Disney World's storied theme parks, is currently undergoing a complete overhaul (plans pictured) that'll see it finish up with four neighbourhoods, a roster of novel attractions and (already debuted in 2021) an epic new fireworks display. The construction end date is unknown but some new amusements, like the Play! Pavilion, are slated for 2022. It's described by Disney as a "digital metropolis" filled with games and virtual experiences.
Another attraction attached to a 2022 opening date is Journey of Water. This family-friendly zone is themed around movie Moana, which follows a Polynesian chief's daughter on an ocean quest to save her people. Fittingly, the attraction itself is based around water, taking the shape of a trail studded with fountains and flora.
Epcot will also welcome a mystical new pavilion come 2022. The Guardians of the Galaxy-themed land, whose façade is pictured in a rendering here, will include a brand new roller coaster, plus the otherworldly "Xandarian Galaxarium", an immersive walk-through area complete with swirling planets and spaceships at the start of the ride.
This is the ultimate experience for diehard Star Wars fans. With entertainment levels on par with a major cruise ship, Disney's Galactic Starcruiser is much more than a hotel: instead it promises an "all-immersive vacation experience" that thoroughly submerges guests in the Star Wars universe – right down to the views of the galaxy outside the window. Pictured here is one of the cosy themed cabins.
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Over the course of their stay, guests are plunged, immersive-theatre style, into a Star Wars story that includes crew members, visitors and beloved characters such as Chewbacca. Dinner includes live performances and there's even a chance to try your hand at wielding a lightsaber in special training sessions (pictured).
After proving a hit at Shanghai Disneyland – the roller coaster debuted at the Chinese park in 2016 – Disney is bringing the popular thrill ride to Florida. Set to open in Magic Kingdom, hopefully in 2022, it'll have a twisting track that'll set teeth chattering and a striking "curved wave" canopy overhead. A piece of that unique canopy is being lifted into place in this construction photo from 2020.
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A much-loved attraction with a place in both Florida's and California's Disney parks, Splash Mountain is set to get a dramatic makeover in 2022. The long-standing log-flume ride will take on a new theme devoted to charming Disney flick The Princess and the Frog, starring characters including Princess Tiana and Louis the alligator. There'll be plenty of music to bring the attraction to life, too.
A shiny new attraction will make a splash at Aquatica Orlando water park in spring 2022. Translucent, fibreglass slides will zip through the air, covering 330 twisting feet (101m) and ultimately plunging riders through a limpid pool filled with marine life.
The most recent thrill ride at Los Angeles County's Six Flags Magic Mountain is dedicated to DC Comics superhero Wonder Woman. It's a pretzel-shaped juggernaut, bold in red and yellow, that's held up as the tallest and longest single-rail coaster in the world: the track stretches on for some 3,300 feet (1,006m). The journey starts before you hop aboard too: the tale of how Wonder Woman got her powers is regaled to riders as they queue.
The perfect antidote to a hot summer's day in Texas – and another ride dedicated to the DC Comics Universe – Aquaman: Power Wave will debut in 2022. The coaster at Six Flags Over Texas, themed around the ultimate King of Atlantis, whizzes riders over some 700 feet (213m) of track, and eventually courses through water, sending waves into the air and drenching riders.
Speed is the USP of this mammoth new ride at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. It's set to be the fastest multi-launch coaster in the world – reaching speeds of 73 miles per hour (117km/h) – and it's themed around Roman gods. If that eye-watering pace wasn't enough, it's also got a pair of head-spinning inversions and a 95-degree-angle drop.
An entire land at Virginia's Kings Dominion park is getting a facelift. The Safari Village area will be transformed into Jungle X-Pedition, a leafy land inspired by archaeological expeditions. Visitors can expect plenty of little details bringing the theme to life, plus a brand new roller coaster, a dining spot called Explorer's Outpost and a shop.
Medusa’s SlideWheel will leave heads spinning when it debuts at Mt. Olympus in summer 2022. Tipped as the first of its kind in America, this "slidewheel", in Mt. Olympus's Indoor Water Park, sits somewhere between a slide and a Ferris wheel. Riders will zoom through the colourful, snakelike slides (named for Gorgon Medusa), which also rotate on a horizontal axis.
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A soaring mountaintop location gives this coaster at Glenwood Caverns extra fear factor. It's perched atop Iron Mountain with sweeping views across the town of Glenwood Springs if you can bear to open your eyes and look down. Add to this a stomach-stirring free fall, a banana roll and speeds of 56 miles per hour (90km/h) and you've got one of the most thrilling rides in the Western United States.
Another debuting ride that's steeped in superlatives, SeaWorld San Diego's Emperor was built as a homage to the incredible diving abilities of its namesake, the emperor penguin – and it's billed as the longest, tallest and fastest dive coaster in the state. The track ripples out in 2,500 thrilling feet (762m) and sees riders (strapped into floorless cars, legs dangling) face a vertical drop of 143 feet (44m).
SeaWorld Orlando will welcome its very first launch coaster in February 2022. Inspired by the Arctic – and with an ice-blue train to match its theme – Ice Breaker has no less than four launches (including one in reverse) and its tallest drop plunges riders down 93 feet (28m) at a hair-raising 100-degree angle. It's billed as having the steepest beyond-vertical drop in the state.
A giant swing that promises sweaty palms and pumping hearts is set to debut at SeaWorld San Antonio in spring 2022. The colossal ride will see two giant arms propel riders above the park, gradually gaining height until they top out at 135 feet (41m). Expect to be suitably wind-whipped as the swings reach speeds of 68 miles per hour (109km/h).
LEGOLAND Florida's new-for-2022 attraction will pay tribute to its past. Visitors can set sail on a LEGO boat (with a crew of LEGO pirates in tow) in a swashbuckling setting called Cypress Gardens – the name of the theme park that preceded LEGOLAND on this location. This pirate-themed ride joins the park's beloved PirateFest Weekends (all set to begin again in January 2022) and the pirate-themed hotel that opened in 2020.
Come February 2022, LEGOLAND Florida will also cut the ribbons on the world's very first Peppa Pig Theme Park. Geared towards pre-schoolers, the whole place will be dedicated to the cute pink pig and her clan, and will include kid-friendly roller coasters, character experiences and colourful playgrounds.
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Fun Spot America Atlanta has just revealed its brand new roller coaster, ArieForce One, set to launch in 2022. A partnership with well-respected coaster constructors Rocky Mountain Construction, the 146-foot-tall (45m) ride it's set to be a mammoth addition as it whizzes through the Georgia park at 64 miles per hour (103km/h). The intense ride also includes a terrifying 83-degree drop and the largest zero-G stall in America.
You'll need a strong stomach for Busch Gardens' latest offering, set to open in March 2022. A titan among roller coasters, Iron Gwazi drops riders from a dizzying 206-foot (63m) crest at an angle of 91 degrees – that makes it the tallest hybrid coaster in North America, and the steepest in the world. Eye-watering speeds of 76 miles per hour (122km/h) mean it's dubbed the fastest, too.