Having just opened in February 2023, Crystal Lagoons Island Resort offers not just a brand new attraction, but a brand new theme park developed in association with toy company Mattel. This is the first-ever Mattel theme park. What does this mean? We’ll tell you: a Hot Wheels roller coaster, a Thomas & Friends indoor theme park featuring a life-sized Thomas the Tank Engine passenger train, and Barbie, for a start. The project also includes seven individually themed islands, filled with 4D cinemas, fairground rides and entertainment centres.
Launching in May 2023, Chessington World of Adventures is set to open a £17 million ($20.9m) Jumanji-themed land, complete with the world’s first Jumanji roller coaster. Chessington’s first new coaster since 2004, and the only ride in the park that features inversions, Mandrill Mayhem scoops passengers up in the arms of a maniac monkey and takes them on a terrifying ride around the jungle and the iconic sights of the Jumanji movies. World of Jumanji also features two more spin-and-spew flat rides: Ostrich Stampede and Mamba Strike.
This spring, Dollywood guests are invited to join Wildwood Grove’s resident explorer, Ned Oakley, on an adventure to find the legendary Big Bear. This means jumping into a highly detailed roller coaster carriage, resembling a four-wheel-drive SUV (including an on-board audio), and heading out on the longest roller coaster at Dollywood. Costing $25 million (£20.2m), it’s also the park’s most expensive single attraction ever, while its 3,990-feet (1,216m) length makes it the longest coaster in Dollywood too. You’ll experience three separate launches, multiple airtime hills, high-speed carousel turns and it will even pass behind a waterfall at speeds of up 48 miles per hour (77km/h).
Hyped as ‘one of the fastest coasters at any Disney theme park in the world’, TRON Lightcycle Run launched in Tomorrowland at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom on 4 April 2023. Taking its inspiration from the 1982 hit movie, TRON, and its 2010 sequel TRON: Legacy, this thrilling ride digitises you from the moment you enter the queues. It allows you to climb aboard your very own Lightcycle before launching into the Grid for a high-speed race through a dark, computerised world. Swoop and swerve your way around the course and be the first through eight Energy Gates to secure your victory – or be derezzed.
Modern wooden roller coasters offer all of the clickety-clack charms of yesteryear coupled with the high octane thrills of today. The details of this brand new wooden coaster – anachronistically situated at Bollywood Parks in glitzy Dubai – is being kept pretty much under wraps, but from the test run footage we’ve seen, it will be a darn sight faster than its leisurely construction, which began way back in early 2020. Expect it to open at some point this year.
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Reportedly set to be the first ride of its type in North America, Aquaman: Power Wave will suspend passengers at a 90-degree angle in boat-shaped carriages, and launch riders both backwards and forwards, sending them hurtling straight up colossal 148 feet (45m) twin track towers. The water coaster then speeds along 700 feet (213m) of track and – after the ride reaches 63 miles per hour (101km/h) – it plunges into water, making a massive splash as a finale. Which is just what Aquaman's Jason Momoa would want for you.
Some theme park rides aren’t about superhero franchise tie-ins or movie licensing deals – they're about the thrills, bragging rights and the stats. And this one is named in honour of the Fun Spot's chairman of the board. Crossing from one side of the park to the other along 3,400 feet (1,036m) of track, you’ll soar up to 155 feet (47m), drop 83-degrees for 146 feet (45m), reach a top speed of 64 miles per hour (103km/h), spin through four inversions, loop through a first-of-its-kind zero-G roll over (or two), and experience the first-ever raven-truss dive… whatever that is. It looks absolutely breathtaking too.
In February 2023, the highly anticipated Super Nintendo World opened in Hollywood. From the moment guests pass through the iconic green pipe, they are fully immersed into the vibrant Mushroom Kingdom. You'll see Princess Peach’s Castle, Bowser’s Castle, break blocks and win coins in augmented reality challenges, and take a real-life Mario Kart ride. Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge takes inspiration from the famous racing game, fusing cutting-edge AR with projection mapping technology and actual set pieces along a moving ride track. 3-2-1-Go!
The frosty Frozen universe is coming to Hong Kong’s Disneyland in the second half of 2023. Arendelle: The World of Frozen will be the first full land dedicated to the Frozen movies, and will feature the sights and tastes of Queen Elsa’s homeland – including of a junior roller coaster and a clone of the Frozen Ever After attraction that can already be found at Epcot in Walt Disney World, Florida. The centrepiece of the land will be Wandering Oaken’s Sliding Sleighs. The ride begins in Oaken’s iconic shop, after which Olaf and Sven will pull guests up to the top of a hill and launch them on an exciting sleigh ride around Arendelle.
In summer 2023, Pennsylvania’s Hersheypark debuts its brand-new Wildcat’s Revenge hybrid coaster. Riders sit in one of three custom-designed trains before ascending a 140-foot (42m) hill, plunging into an 82-degree drop and speed along 3,510 feet (1,069m) of track, reaching speeds of up to 62 miles per hour (99km/h). Then, there’s the World’s Largest Underflip, an inversion that begins with an upward climb followed by a counter-clockwise 270-degree roll and a dive down towards the side.
With Robert Pattinson now wearing the black cape, and a Batman sequel in the works, a whole new generation of bat fans will be looking forward to this new roller coaster opening at Parque Warner Madrid some time in 2023 (the actual date is under wraps). Promising to be Parque Warner’s “most amazing experience,” the ride will run for over a kilometre in just 111 seconds, shoot up a 148-foot (45-m) high top hat (that’s a 90-degree climb followed immediately by a 90-degree drop), and be themed around Gotham and Bruce Wayne’s opulent mansion. Batman wants you to do him a favour: tell all your friends about it.
Designed around the idea of a megalithic site and place of worship dedicated to the titular god, Toutatis, the idea behind this ride is that it serves as a bizarre, druid bravery ritual in the midst of a Gallic festival. Of course, you too shall take the trial to prove your mettle. The bottom line is simple though: travelling at more than 66 miles per hour (106km/h) and standing 167 feet (51m) tall, Toutatis holds the world record for the most airtime on a steel roller coaster, and has become the tallest, fastest roller coaster in France.
Read on to discover the best theme park rides that launched in 2022...
With a drop angle of 102 degrees – way beyond vertical – Defiance brags the steepest, brakeless free-fall in the western US. Perched on a hillside for dramatic perspectives, this classic steel coaster is the highest looping roller coaster in the US at 7,132 feet (2,174m) above sea level, and features a 98-foot (30m) twisted top hat switch, 111-foot (34m) banana roll and a 41-foot (12m) Zero-G barrel roll. That’s 56 seconds of fun.
When it opened in May 2022, Cosmic Rewind was an instant mega-hit, with places in the virtual queue selling out in a matter of seconds each morning. Those lucky enough to snag a seat will experience an incredible indoor roller coaster reminiscent of Disney’s Space Mountain, minus the whiplash. Launching backwards, ride cars spin smoothly through the galaxy, accompanied by Guardians of the Galaxy star Chris Pratt and a retro soundtrack worthy of the movie series.
This is a drop ride with a very clever twist. Releasing riders from 380 feet (116m) up, guests will free fall at nearly 70 miles per hour (113km/h) and experience four Gs of force, but that’s not the only form of sensory overload. Strap on a set of VR goggles and you’ll experience the attraction in a sci-fi version of the park from the distant future, complete with wormholes and attacking robots, synchronised exactly with the physical ride.
You know you’re in diabolical trouble when, after a long haul of 150 feet (46m) up to the top of a roller coaster, with your feet dangling free in the breeze, the track drops away in front of you at such a steep angle that it looks like you’re about to drive off a cliff. Meet the world’s steepest dive coaster, which begins by pushing riders down a beyond-vertical, 95-degree plunge at 60 miles per hour (97km/h).
Combining live actors, animatronic characters, CGI, motion simulators, a sudden drop and innovative trackless carriages, Rise of the Resistance is a technological tour de force, and offers an immersive Star Wars experience from start to finish. You’ll be recruited by Rebels, blast off into space and experience a stunning confrontation with a platoon of stormtroopers – all before you even set foot in the final ride to escape Kylo Ren and The First Order.
Part role-playing game and part hotel, this attraction allows you to step aboard the Halcyon Starcruiser for a two-night stay and be swept away on an adventure in a galaxy far, far away. The windows in your cabin quarters offer views into outer space and, in the vessel’s public areas, you’ll meet familiar characters from the Star Wars universe. With a bit of tutelage from a Jedi master, you’ll even learn to operate the navigation systems and wield a lightsaber.
Opened in June 2022, The Edge is a duelling water coaster, or – to put it simply – a waterslide race. Riders seat themselves in double rubber rings then launch into a three-storey drop, surging through enclosed tunnels filled with pulsing rings of light and laser-like effects, before shooting up to enclosed ‘Boomerango’ walls with transparent edges, making riders feel like they’ll fly off the track. After a brief moment of weightlessness, they’ll race to the finish line.
Movie-mad Motiongate opened not one, but two new film-based, spinning coasters in 2022. For High Roller, guests enter a casino in which the movie’s illusionist protagonists, The Four Horsemen, are in the midst of pulling a heist. Your input will involve riding a roller coaster in a horizontally spinning carriage, so – coupled with the park’s new John Wick ride – you can get all kinds of giddy.
Opened in March 2022 and replacing Gwazi, the park’s former wooden roller coaster, Iron Gwazi is North America’s tallest, and the world’s fastest and steepest hybrid coaster. What’s a hybrid coaster, you ask? It means it’s part wooden and part steel. Rocketing riders down from 206 feet (63m) at 91 degrees, it’s the first ever hybrid coaster with a beyond vertical drop. Travelling at 76 miles per hour (122km/h) and with two inversions, it’s best ridden before lunch.
Disney has launched its very first Mickey ride, designed with TikTok in mind. It's styled outside like Hollywood’s iconic Chinese Theatre and once inside, you’ll be sucked into a cinema screen and whizzed around in a trackless carriage reminiscent of a classic runaway railway – but with a 21st-century twist. The thrills are kid-friendly and the ride smooth enough to film on your phone so, while Minnie and Co. look like their earliest incarnations, this is a thoroughly modern Mickey.
Another relaunch: to celebrate its 25th anniversary, this iconic wooden coaster has seen a major renovation, including seven new features. Comfort is improved with redesigned rails and a new braking system, while more additions include a 90-degree inclined bump (unique in Europe on a wooden coaster), two high-speed turns, two more air-time lifts, a tunnel filled with special effects and a reverse carriage at the rear to experience the ride backwards.
Opened on 16 July 2022 – in the park’s expanding DC Universe area – Flight of Courage is the world’s longest single-rail coaster. Flying riders along a 3,300-foot-long (1,006m) monorail track in rows of just one, the ride offers three inversions, rises up to 131 feet (40m), drops 127 feet (39m) at 87 degrees and reaches 58 miles per hour (93km/h). It’s also Magic Mountain’s 20th roller coaster, making it the park with the most coasters on Earth.
Disneyland Paris finally has its own Avengers-themed area, after a successful rollout in California’s Disneyland Resort. The new campus, which opened in July 2022, offers themed dining, Marvel characters roaming the park and two coasters. Avengers Assemble: Flight Force is a re-theme of Rock 'n' Roller Coaster avec Aerosmith, while Spider-Man W.E.B. Adventure is a copy of California’s Web Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure.
Peppa Pig is such a hit in the USA that some American kids are developing English accents, and the Brit invasion continues with a whole theme park that's opened near LEGOLAND Florida. Very much aimed at younger children – and with an emphasis on inclusion and accessibility – this Certified Autism Center is the first entire theme park based on Peppa and features water-play areas, sand pits, fairground rides and a roller coaster.
Sydney’s heritage-listed amusement park – with its iconic, grinning face and Art Deco towers presiding over Sydney Harbour – originally opened in 1935 and predominantly features vintage thrills. Though named after a classic ride, this Big Dipper is a completely new attraction. With two inversions and reaching speeds of around 45 miles per hour (72km/h), it's said to be the first inline seating launch roller coaster, and Australia’s tallest and fastest multi-launch coaster.
Opened in April 2022, the Phoenix (to translate it to English) is Denmark's tallest and fastest coaster. Travelling at speeds of up to 59 miles per hour (95km/h) with a ride duration of one minute and 20 seconds, it fits in an 80-degree drop, three inversions including a stall loop and G-forces of up to 4.1, plus a thrilling corkscrew that shoots right back through the launch station.
Opened in May 2022, Water Country’s new water slide sees riders zoom through 864 feet (263m) of fully enclosed tubes, twisting and turning at advertised speeds of up to 20 feet (6m) per second. Why is it amped? Well, those tunnels are filled with pulse-pounding music and a variety of dynamic lighting effects that make each ride different from the last.
Not every attraction needs to wring out your adrenal glands and this first-of-its-kind attraction, which opened in May 2022, lets guests build, test and race their very own Lego Ferrari on three tracks – two physical and one digital. The latter challenges racers to adapt to changing racecourse conditions, like wind speed and temperature. There’s also a Ferrari museum and a life-sized Lego Ferrari F40 model.
Adventure Island’s brand new water slide challenges guests to race against each other on parallel tracks and features the world's first duelling saucers. Jump on an inflatable two-person raft before speeding along nearly 600 feet (183m) of tunnels and low-sided slides, allowing you to race right beside your opponents. While it’s true that both rafts swirl around the same open saucers, riders remain in their own tracks.
When it opened in spring 2022, Pantheon was declared the world’s fastest multi-launch roller coaster, which narrowly nabs that coveted top spot by reaching speeds of up to 73 miles per hour (117km/h). Featuring four launches, a 95-degree drop, inversions, heights of up to 178 feet (54m) and travelling backwards at speeds of 61 miles per hour (98km/h) while climbing 17 storeys, this traditional steel coaster secures riders with just a lap restraint, so your screams may well be heard by the gods.
It may lack the adrenaline rush of conventional rides and roller coasters, but this new theme park – much like the films it's inspired by – attracts punters with otherworldly sights and experiences. Based on the work of Japanese animation giant Studio Ghibli, the park is filled with shops, cinemas and imitation sets from beloved Ghibli favourites like Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke and My Neighbor Totoro. The park opened in November 2022 and warns visitors on its website that there are "no big attractions", instead encouraging them to "take a stroll, feel the wind and discover the wonders".