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.
