Sadly, as is the case at most of New England’s once-thriving oceanside amusement meccas (as well as many of those that existed outside the region), the coasters and other rides are all gone at Salisbury Beach. Except for one.

Thanks to the concerted efforts of a dedicated group of visionaries, the Salisbury Beach Carousel is again bringing squeals of delight and kinetic energy to the midway. And it’s not just any carousel, but an historic and lovely piece of genuine Americana that beckons beachgoers.

Before we get to the current-day carousel, let’s explore some Salisbury Beach history. Its trajectory follows a similar path as other seaside amusement areas in the U.S. Starting in the mid-1800s, hotels, restaurants, and, of course, the beach itself drew visitors that arrived first via steamboats and ferries. Then, as now, its ocean breezes and cool waters offered refuge from summer’s often-stifling heat and humidity. In the late 1800s, amusements started to be added to the mix of diversions, including the first carousel, Culver Flying Horses. When it was destroyed by fire, the ride was replaced by the Broadway Flying Horses, which began welcoming guests in 1914. The hand-carved gem was built by the Looff Carousel Company and originally debuted in 1890 at Coney Island in New York City.

Other coasters preceded it and followed it, but the Wildcat was the reigning king of the midway at Salisbury Beach. According to rcdb.com, it was installed in 1922, although other sources say its debut was a few years later in 1927. The classic out-and-back ride, which was first known as Comet, was created by noted coaster designer, Herbert Schmeck, and built by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company. In a fascinating aside, the Wildcat was commissioned and operated by the Dodgem Corporation. Yes, that Dodgem company.

Located in nearby Lawrence, Massachusetts, the pioneering company installed its very first bumper car ride at Salisbury Beach in the early 1920s. The Dodgem folks had the coaster built next to the bumper cars, and the two rides shared a common entrance which featured stylish Art Deco lettering.

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In the first half of the 20th century, the amusements expanded and thrived at the beach. In the 1960s, when I began visiting the beach, there were open-gate amusement parks, including Shaheen’s Fun-O-Rama, as well as a host of independent concessionaires. By the time I took my first ride on Wildcat in 1974, the Salisbury Beach amusement area was experiencing a long, sad decline. With the advent of the automobile and the mobility it offered and later, the introduction of Disneyland and more modern theme parks, tastes changed and attendance waned at places like Salisbury Beach. The Wildcat closed after the 1975 season, and the Broadway Flying Horses stopped spinning in 1976.

The amusements continued to fade at Salisbury Beach. Pirate’s Fun Park, which offered a small collection of rides including a Ferris wheel, go-karts, and the old-school Kastle Frankenstein dark ride, hung in there until 2004. Condominiums encroached on the amusement area, which became eerily quiet.

With less to do, fewer folks made the trek to Salisbury Beach. The handful of merchants and property owners that remained banded together about 17 years ago to promote the area and attract visitors.

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The Salisbury Beach Partnership was formed “to revitalize the area–not to get it back to what it once was, but to get it to what it can be in the present day and age,” says Paul Descoteaux, one of the organization’s board members as well as the operator of the new carousel and the pavilion building that houses it.

One of the group’s first goals was to get a boardwalk built. In 2017, the organization celebrated the opening of the 625-foot-long oceanfront span. The organization then turned its attention to the beach’s legacy as a beloved amusement area and determined that it wanted to bring a carousel back to the midway. The group first tried to track down the Broadway Flying Horses. After it left Salisbury, the carousel made its way to Shoreline Village in San Diego in 1977 where it operated until 2004. It then went into storage.

By the time the Salisbury Beach Partnership tried to reclaim its crown jewel, some of its figures had been removed and sold individually to collectors. It is a fate that has befallen many of the grand carousels that were built during the ride’s golden age. So the partnership shifted gears and looked instead for a similar vintage ride. It hit the jackpot in Pennsylvania.

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The Wintersteen family operated a carousel for over 90 years at Don Hanson’s Amusement Park on Harvey’s Lake in Pennsylvania. The park closed in 1984, and the carousel was relocated to Old Town in Kissimmee, Florida near Disney World for a period. When the Salisbury group was seeking it, the Wintersteen family had it packed away in a warehouse.

Although it was the third highest bidder, the family accepted the beach organization’s offer. The reason? The other bidders wanted to break up the ride and sell it in pieces. The Wintersteens wanted to see their prized carousel remain intact and continue to bring joy as a functioning ride.

“We couldn’t sign the paperwork fast enough,” says Descoteaux. “We were so very happy with what we got. [The Wintersteens] were ecstatic about it as well.”

The carousel dates back to 1909 and, like the Broadway Flying Horses, was also designed and built by the Looff Carousel Company. The 44 figures on the three-row ride showcase the old-world craftsmanship that defined classic carousels such as this one. Known as a “menagerie” machine, it includes animals such as giraffes and zebras as well as horses. While the original ride was powered by a steam engine (which the Partnership obtained when it took possession of the ride), a modern-day electric motor now keeps the Salisbury Beach Carousel turning. A lift can accommodate guests in wheelchairs. The group was unable to get the carousel’s original band organ, although it is hoping that it will be able to someday obtain one.

The carousel is housed in a lovely octagonal, post-and-beam building. It includes radiant floor heating–another one of the Partnership’s goals is to make Salisbury Beach a year-round destination–but in the summer, the pavilion’s expansive doors are opened wide to let the ocean breezes in and the joyful ambiance out onto the midway. The building includes a separate function room, and tables can also be arranged around the carousel for large events such as weddings.

“As corny as it sounds, this is a magical building,” Descoteaux says. People love sharing their memories about the former Broadway Flying Horses and the many other rides and attractions they experienced at the beach, he adds. “Now we are creating new memories with our carousel. The tradition goes on.”

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Unlike many other seaside amusement areas, which often lose any semblance of their character once the rides go away, the merchants that remain carry on the spirit of Salisbury Beach. After guests take a ride on the carousel, they can head over to Joe’s Playland where Skee-Ball, classic pinball machines, and other games await. They can also scarf down some of the world’s greatest thick-battered onion rings, try some “beach pizza” (which, curiously, hardly has any cheese but can be topped with a slice of provolone for an extra charge), or head to Wiley’s, which has been serving scrumptious hand-made candies and ice cream since 1913. There are some wonderful sit-down restaurants in addition to a number of other quick-service food stands. While the Frolics, a huge nightclub that hosted famous big bands in the 40s and 50s and rock acts after that (and may or may not have been the site of my underage drinking escapades), is long gone, the Blue Ocean Music Hall now welcomes national and local performers in its beautiful venue.

So, what are you waiting for? Take the Salisbury Beach Carousel for a spin. There’s plenty of merry to go round.

On a related note, for folks in the New England area (or vacationers who will be visiting), please consider coming to Salisbury Beach on July 6, 2026 to check out the band I am in, Express (and to ride the carousel, of course). We will be performing outdoors from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on the Oceanfront Stage as part of the free Bands on the Beach summer concert series.

Are you a fan of antique carousels? Have you been to Salisbury Beach?

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That got me thinking. I was able to curate our trips to theme parks and steer my brother clear of high-thrill attractions because I know them so well. Since others may not have that knowledge, I’ve decided to share my expertise and help those who might be in the same situation with a series of ride guides. Many attractions are hidden away, often tucked inside show buildings, so it can be hard to determine what’s in store and whether those who fall on the ride wimp spectrum would be able to handle them. I’ll try to demystify the rides and identify which ones to probably avoid and which ones to consider giving a go. I’ll even assign a rating for each attraction using a 10-point thrill scale, where 0 refers to ones that would be of virtually no concern to the wimpish, and 10 designates ones that would challenge even the most hardened ride warriors. Let’s kick off the ride guides by focusing on the original theme park, Disneyland.

It may be called “The Happiest Place on Earth,” but ride wimps see danger lurking just beyond Main Street U.S.A. When it first opened in 1955, Disneyland didn’t really feature anything that would have given wimps pause. Through the years, however, Walt’s original park has assembled a collection of rides that gets pulses racing. Mind you, there is nothing that comes close to some of the thrill-tastic coasters found at other parks, but those who want to keep things relatively tame would definitely want to steer clear of Disneyland’s more aggressive offerings.

Rides to (probably) avoid at Disneyland

We’ll start with the four rides that form Disneyland’s mighty “mountain range.” You will likely want to remain at the base camps for all of them. There is one more attraction at the classic park that would likely be too adventurous for you.

● Matterhorn Bobsleds: With its relatively slow speed (likely less than 30 mph) and lack of huge drops or inversions, Disneyland’s first roller coaster, which debuted in 1959 (and was the first in the world to feature tubular steel tracks), is not really all that thrilling. It is jarringly rough and not an especially comfortable ride, however. That, and the fact that it is a roller coaster (regardless of its comparatively low thrill profile) means you’ll want to consider foregoing it. Thrill rating: 4.25

● Tiana’s Bayou Adventure: There is more or less only one thrilling element throughout the entire log flume ride that was formerly known as Splash Mountain, but it’s a doozy. The vehicles take a 52.5-foot plunge at about 40 mph. It’s over in a matter of seconds, but the anticipation of the drop, let alone the drop itself, would probably be enough to drive you bonkers. It’s a shame, because the rest of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure–which is packed with animatronic characters, a rousing soundtrack, and a compelling story–is delightful. Thrill rating: 4.75

Space Mountain: Originally opened in 1977, the coaster is one of Disney’s most iconic rides. You may be surprised to learn that Space Mountain chugs along at a relatively poky speed of about 30 mph. (Consider that some coasters flirt with and even exceed 100 mph.) But the indoor attraction keeps passengers in the dark, and that makes the ride seem all the more terrifying. Thrill rating: 5

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Big Thunder Mountain Railroad: At 28 mph, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is even slower than Space Mountain. And like Matterhorn Bobsleds and Space Mountain, it has no big drops or inversions. But with three lift hills, it’s a fairly long ride. The sheer length alone may make wimps recoil in horror. Thrill rating: 4.5

Indiana Jones Adventure: It’s not a roller coaster, but the attraction’s “Enhanced Motion Vehicles” are zippy and feature a fair amount of jostling. In addition, much of the action takes place in the dark, and there are plenty of in-your-face effects including hissing snakes, whooshing darts, and a giant rolling ball that threatens to squash passengers. Thrill rating: 4.25

Rides to (possibly) give a try at Disneyland

Chip ‘n’ Dale’s GADGETcoaster: Yes, it’s a roller coaster. But with a height of 28 inches and a top speed of 22 mph, this is a very gentle ride. It barely qualifies as a “junior” coaster and is really more of a “kiddie” coaster. Plus, the whole thing is over in 44 seconds. If you’ve never been on a coaster, or haven’t ridden one in a while, Chip ‘n’ Dale’s GADGETcoaster could be a good test for you. It could perhaps be a gateway to bigger coaster thrills, depending on how you tolerate it. Thrill rating: 2.75

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The Haunted Mansion: Despite its scary-sounding name, the Haunted Mansion is really more silly than frightening. Young children may freak out at the somewhat dark scenes and imagery, but adults should do fine. As one of Disney’s all-time great rides, you really wouldn’t want to miss it. Thrill rating: 2.5 (for the scares, not the physical ride experience, which is quite tame)

Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run: One of the featured rides at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Smuggler’s Run is a motion simulator. It pretends to blast passengers off into space, but its ride vehicles never really move more than a few inches in any direction. Unlike most other simulator attractions, Smuggler’s Run is interactive, and all passengers have assigned roles (pilots, gunners, and engineers–although they will likely be changed when the attraction is updated this May with a new mission featuring The Mandalorian and Grogu). You might find the task that you are asked to perform to be distracting enough to make you forget about the minor thrills. Thrill rating: 3.25

Pirates of the Caribbean: It is dark, a bit disquieting, and (spoiler alert!) includes a couple of fairly mild flume drops, but you should do just fine. This is another gotta-ride Disney classic. So, go ride it. Thrill rating: 2.75 (for the drops)

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Star Tours: One of the original motion simulator attractions, Star Tours was given a makeover in 2011 and now features a random sequence generator. You never know where in the Star Wars universe you might be heading. If you are okay with Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run (see above), you should be okay with Star Tours. Thrill rating: 3.25

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance: Perhaps the most sophisticated attraction in the world, Rise of the Resistance uses multiple ride systems (including trackless vehicles) and unfolds over a generous 17 minutes. You will experience some thrills, but they are relatively mild. The attraction’s finale takes place aboard an escape pod. In the interest of transparency (warning: I’m about to reveal a big spoiler), the pod blasts off and suddenly drops, Tower of Terror style. But (and it’s a major but), the drop is very short and should not cause any conniption fits among the wimpish. Thrill rating: 3.75

All the other attractions and things to do at Disneyland

What’s great about Disneyland for wimps is that even if you eliminated all of the attractions above, there is still plenty to do at The Happiest Place on Earth. You should be perfectly fine aboard the park’s many other rides such as Peter Pan’s Flight, Jungle Cruise, Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, and the attraction that leads the pack in the theme park wimps’ hall of fame, it’s a small world. Then there are the shows, parades, nighttime spectaculars, character experiences, and the sheer joy that the park engenders.

Are you or someone you know a ride wimp? If so, is it helpful to have a thrill ratings and a ride guide? What other parks should I include in my series of ride guides?

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4 (out of 5)

So, you Will Smith-wannabes think you have the stuff to join the Men in Black? Slip on some black shades, enter the “recruitment program” at MIB Alien Attack and find out. Issued laser guns, passengers travel in ultra-sophisticated vehicles through an alien-infested New York City streetscape and rack up points by blasting the otherworldly bugs.

Beware. The bugs, it turns out, blast back. It’s zap or be zapped time.

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We’re not talking about a couple of modest water slides here. The honest-to-goodness water park will span about six acres and include 19 different slides along with a host of other attractions. The focal point and highlight will be Tidal Tower, which at 170 feet will tie the record for the tallest water slide tower in North America. NCL hasn’t provided details, but the line does say that two of the tower’s slides, on which guests will use inner tubes, will take advantage of the extreme height and offer “splashing drops and thrilling climbs…for an exhilarating ride.” With eight slides in total, the tower will also include mat-racing slides and body slides. NCL says that the topmost slides will include conveyor belts to lift the tubes up to the starting point, thereby giving guests a break from having to lug them. (But guests will apparently still have to climb up a gazillion steps to get themselves to the slides.)

There will be additional racing slides at the park’s Cliffside Cove. The area will also include two “cliff jump” slides, so named because they will abruptly end in midair leaving guests to freefall into a splashdown pool. One will end 15 feet and the other will end 10 feet above the water. NCL says that the cliff jump slides will be a cruise industry first.

Rounding out Great Tides Waterpark will be an interactive splash zone structure with toned-down slides for younger splashers, all kinds of sprayers and water cannons, and a tipping bucket–a water park staple–that will rain down on guests every few minutes. Partially encircling the park will be a jazzed-up river that will include a faster-than-lazy current and send passengers on a trip through a tunnel that will include a “dreamlike bioluminescent scene” according to NCL. The 270-acre Great Stirrup Cay also features beaches, a huge heated pool, a spa, water sports, dining spots, bars, and activities such as jet skiing.

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Royal Caribbean is also building a waterpark at its new private destination, Perfect Day Mexico. That’ll be the place where the other record-breaking, 170-foot-tall water slide tower (to be dubbed Jaguar’s Peak) will be found. I got to experience Daredevil’s Peak, the tallest water slide on the 135-foot-tall Daredevil’s Tower at Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day at CocoCay island retreat in the Bahamas. When it debuted, it was the tallest water slide tower in North America.

It’s since been topped by the 142-foot-tall Thrillagascar and Jungle Jammer slides at DreamWorks Water Park in New Jersey’s American Dream retail, dining, and entertainment complex and the 145-foot-tall The Rise of Icarus that opened in 2024 at Mt. Olympus Water and Theme Park in Wisconsin Dells. NCL’s Tidal Tower and Royal Caribbean’s Jaguar’s Peak may be able to claim North American bragging rights, but they fall far short of Icon Tower at Meryal, the water park that opened in 2023 in Qatar. That monster reaches a staggering 260 feet into the air.

Have you been on a cruise ship with water slides? Would you prefer to chill on the beach at a private island getaway, or does a waterpark sound appealing to you?

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Let’s start in New Jersey at Six Flags Great Adventure. Purple track pieces recently arrived at the park for what will be a “multi-record-breaking launch coaster” according to Six Flags. It will purportedly be from Mack Rides and may scale a tower in excess of 400 feet (filling the void left by the scrapped 456-foot-tall record-breaker, Kingda Ka). But that mystery ride is not scheduled to open until 2027.

Great Adventure recently announced that it will welcome Barrel O’ Fun, a modest spinning coaster, this year. Previously known as Rajin’ Cajun, the ride made the journey north from the shuttered Six Flags America in Maryland. But the coaster predates that park as well. Rajin’ Cajun originally debuted at Six Flags Great America near Chicago in 2004 and was transplanted to the Maryland park in 2014.

A Reverchon spinning Wild Mouse coaster, it features four-passenger cars that are dispatched one at a time. It rises 43 feet and hits a top speed of 29 mph. The hairpin turns, which are a staple of Wild Mouse coasters, combined with the free-spinning of the Reverchon rides have been known to make some passengers’ stomachs start rajin’ (if you know what I mean). The round cars will be designed to resemble wooden barrels. The relocated coaster will be part of the park’s refreshed Boardwalk area, which will be known as Shoreline Pier.

Barrel O’ Fun will be joined by three other reborn rides from the defunct Maryland park, two of which are classic midway staples: Flying Scooters, which equips passengers with a rudder to control the ride vehicles, and Wave Swinger, which spins suspended swing-like seats around and into the air. Hypno Twister, a Zamperla Nebulaz ride is also part of the package making the journey. Another classic flat ride, Super Roundup, will be moved from another location at Great Adventure. The reimagined land will take inspiration from the famed Jersey shore.

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There’s no word on what will become of the other rides at Six Flags America. It would be nice to think that coaster headliners such as Superman: Ride of Steel and Joker’s Jinx could find new homes. As I’ve previously written, it would be especially gratifying to me personally if the woodie, Wild One, extended its 109-year-old life. It started thrilling riders at Paragon Park in Massachusetts, a defunct park that I used to frequent. Although it’s likely a long shot, here’s hoping it’s not the end of the road for the vintage coaster.

Wild and wooly coaster coming to Nebraska

Fun-Plex Waterpark will welcome Mammoth, a new ride from Italian manufacturer Preston & Barbieri, to its modest midway this year. That will increase the number of thrill coasters in Nebraska to [quickly checks rcdb] one. (There are only three coasters, all of which are kiddie rides and one of which is also located at Fun-Plex in Omaha, in the state). The steel ride will rise 70 feet, top out at about 40 mph, and span 2,000 feet. Primarily a water park, Fun-Plex also includes a few dry rides including a Tilt-A-Whirl, go-karts, and a carousel.

Lookout Safari, a Zierer family coaster, will be added to the midway at Lake Winnepesaukah in Georgia this season. It will use a booster wheel lift hill to climb 20 feet and accelerate to 20 mph. It will join two other coasters, the wooden Cannon Ball and the Wacky Worm kiddie ride, at the small park, which is affectionately known as “Lake Winnie” and is located along the state line near Chattanooga, Tennessee. Lookout Safari is being relocated from the Indianapolis Zoo where it was known as Kombo.

Have you been on Rajin’ Cajun or similar Wild Mouse spinning coasters? Like me, would you want to see Wild One continue its long legacy of thrilling riders?

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There are scant details about what is planned. But the SpongeBob expansion will be part of a major investment by Beto Carrero World, which is Brazil’s largest theme park. In a recent interview, Alex Murad, the park’s president, said that Beto Carrero World would be shelling out $2 billion reais ($385 million US) throughout the property over the next four years and that the coaster would be “the most expensive in the Southern Hemisphere, costing twice as much as any other existing today.” So SpongeBob won’t be helming a modest kiddie ride.

According to rcdb.com, Intamin will manufacture the coaster, and it will have a price tag of $450 million reais (a cool $86.6 million US). That will likely make it a highly themed attraction. Indeed, rcdb.com says that it will include an indoor section, which will probably feature some show scenes, perhaps with animatronic characters. The site also reports that the ride will span 4,593 feet and feature multiple launches, rapid track switches, and 18 airtime moments.

SpongeBob and his pals already meet and greet guests at Beto Carrero World. Other IPs represented at the park include Hot Wheels and DreamWorks franchises such as Madagascar, Shrek, and Kung Fu Panda. 2.9 million guests visited Beto Carrero World in 2025. Murad says that the hope is that the investment and expansion will double attendance by the end of the decade. In addition to the SpongeBob land, the park will be adding a land geared to young children based on YouTube sensation, Galinha Pintadinha (Lottie Dottie Chicken to English-speaking fans), and three new hotel towers with 600 rooms. According to Murad, the accommodations will help establish Beto Carrero World as a theme park destination resort.

A sweet park is on the way to Sao Paulo

Brazil will welcome another theme park destination resort when Cacau Park, which is scheduled to debut in late 2027, opens its gates. Taking a page from Hersheypark, the Cacau Show candy company is developing the park. With a budget of $2 billion reais ($380 million US), Cacau Park will have 70 attractions, including three roller coasters. One of them, which Vekoma is building, is being billed as the tallest and fastest coaster in Latin America. It will climb about 180 feet and hit a top speed of around 75 mph. The as-yet unnamed coaster will include a launch and four inversions. Mistral, a suspended family coaster, will also be part of the lineup as will a second family coaster; Vekoma will be providing both of those as well.

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When it opens, the Cacau Park resort will include two themed hotels and City Walk (hmm, that name rings a bell), a dining and shopping complex that will put the spotlight on chocolate and other Cacau Show goodies.

Brazilians can’t seem to get enough of theme parks. Before an economic downturn in Brazil and COVID curbed travel, the country was the number one source of overseas visitors to Florida’s theme parks. The homegrown theme park resorts would seem to be an attempt to capture the market and keep folks and their discretionary vacation reais in Brazil.

Is SpongeBob worthy of an E-Ticket coaster attraction? Is the world ready for another chocolate-themed park?

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Sesame Workshop has filed suit against United Parks and Resorts, alleging that the company has not been paying royalties for the use of its characters and intellectual property. Further, it claims that the park chain closed Sesame Place San Diego last September, changing its operational schedule from year-round to seasonal, with little notice. The California location, which opened in 2022, is the second Sesame Place park; the original one is located just outside Philadelphia. In its bid to terminate its licensing agreement with United Parks, Sesame Workshop also says that the park company scuttled plans to open a third Sesame Place and closed its Sesame Street-themed land at SeaWorld San Antonio.

“While we did not want to end a partnership that has spanned 45 years, we have regrettably determined that the termination of our agreement is the only path forward,” Sesame Workshop said in a statement.

For its part, United Parks says, “We are aware of the lawsuit filed by Sesame Workshop and look forward to setting the record straight in court.”

In addition to the standalone Sesame Place locations and the SeaWorld parks, the Sesame Street brand is featured at the Busch Gardens parks in Tampa Bay, Florida and Williamsburg, Virginia, which also fall under United Parks’ umbrella. Beyond the U.S. chain, Bert, Ernie, and the gang can be found at Port Aventura in Spain and other parks. Interestingly, Universal Studios Japan recently announced that it would be closing its Sesame Street-themed land. Which prompts the question: Does the Sesame Workshop lawsuit have merit, or does Oscar the Grouch just like trash-talking theme parks?

Less flags, less fun

To the surprise of just about nobody, Six Flags Entertainment Corporation announced that it would sell seven of its parks. After the Cedar Fair merger with Six Flags in 2024, the combined companies created a portfolio of 42 properties throughout North America. That’s a lot of parks. The troubled company has since been posting attendance and revenue losses, so something probably had to give. What is surprising are some of the parks that were included in the sale. Underperforming, long-neglected places such as Michigan’s Adventure would seem to make sense. I wouldn’t have expected Six Flags St. Louis, which opened in 1971 (then called Six Flags Over Mid-America) as one of the three original Six Flags parks, or Valleyfair in Minnesota, which was the namesake “Fair” for the Cedar Fair chain, to be part of the deal, however. The other parks include Worlds of Fun in Missouri, Six Flags Great Escape in New York, Six Flags La Ronde in Montreal, and Schlitterbahn Waterpark Galveston.

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I was also taken aback by the price tag. The investment trust, EPR Properties, picked up the seven properties for the fire-sale price of $331 million. On a per-capita basis, that’s a pretty sweet deal for all of those roller coasters. Shouldn’t the cash-strapped company have held out for more cash? Enchanted Parks will manage the acquired parks. For the remainder of the 2026 season, the sold parks will retain the Six Flags name and branding. Will the new owners be able to lavish the attention and capital on the smaller collection of parks to help make them successful? Here’s hoping that’s the case.

I am heartened by the announcement that Travis Kelce is Six Flags’ official “brand ambassador” for the 2026 season. A lifelong coaster and park fan, the football star acquired a stake in the company late last year. The brand could use some polishing and should be able to capitalize on the Kelce bump. (Then again, I am disheartened that Jana Partners, the activist investment firm which is affiliated with Kelce and which has a sizable stake in Six Flags, is pressuring the company to explore a sale and make leadership changes. That is not going to help the park chain’s image or calm its turbulent waters.)

“Decisions like this are never taken lightly,“ says John Reilly, the chain’s president and CEO, about unloading the seven properties. “This move allows Six Flags to concentrate on the parks that we believe offer the greatest opportunities for growth and long-term success,” Amen to that as well, I guess.

Sure it is a major organization engaged in the often-harsh world of business, but given its squeaky-clean, little kid-centric image, are you as rattled as I am by the nasty allegations leveled by Sesame Workshop? If it is successful in ending its agreement with United Parks, to what parks would you want to see Big Bird and his brood migrate? What do you think might become of the pared-down portfolio of Six Flags parks? How about the ones now being run by Enchanted Parks?

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4 (out of 5)

Six Flags knows coasters and thrill rides. Sophisticated, media-based, story-driven dark rides? That’s more the province of the destination Universal and Disney parks. Yet, Justice League: Battle for Metropolis brings a Universal-style attraction to Six Flags parks. The ride is a gas (courtesy of The Joker). Is it Universal-level quality? Almost.

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Robert (it should be stated that virtually everyone knew him as “Bob”) Levine was a heckuva guy. I’m not just saying that because I loved him. During his long and highly successful career in executive ground transportation sales, he was beloved by everyone he encountered–and he encountered lots and lots of folks. Robert conducted a daily master class in networking and assembled a rolodex for the ages. (Rolodexes used to be a thing, kids. Look it up.) He worked with captains of industry and dignitaries such as Colin Powell and Bill Clinton, making sure that everything went off without a hitch whenever they came to Boston.

He especially loved working with some of the biggest celebrities, particularly those in the music industry. Robert would be on site at Boston Garden, Gillette Stadium, and Fenway Park, ensuring not only that every act–from the Rolling Stones, to Jon Bon Jovi, The Eagles, and Def Leppard–got where they needed to go, but that they had everything they needed—before they even knew to ask for it. He schmoozed backstage with stars such as Billy Joel–who he vaguely resembled–and Bono from U2.

But Robert was closest with the bad boys of Boston, Aerosmith. He spent so much time with them, I think he could have been considered an honorary member of the band. I remember Robert telling me that when Aerosmith returned from a world tour, for which he arranged the ground transportation, he was on the tarmac at Logan Airport to greet them. When the band members got off the plane, they hugged him and said that seeing him truly made them feel like they were home.

Anybody who was anybody knew and cherished my brother and would do anything for him–as he would for them. Sure, Robert landed accounts and arranged transportation services for his clients, getting them from point A to point B. But what he did was way, way more than that. Robert went far above and beyond for his clients providing doting, impeccable service, all the while developing lifelong friendships. Robert delighted in bringing joy, often unexpectedly, to others. He said that he was going to collect all of his celebrity escapades and write a book that he would call, “Behind the Tinted Glass.”

His influence extended well beyond his day job. Robert helped shape the region’s tourism community as the New England Chapter president of the Global Business Travel Association. He also served on a number of other boards. He was a larger-than-life, one-of-a-kind titan and an unstoppable dynamo. It could be said that he was the unofficial mayor of Boston.

While Robert was arranging rides for his clients, I, of course, was going on and writing about rides. There are some ways in which my brother and I were alike. We both loved to travel, for example. But there were many ways in which we were quite different. Robert wouldn’t go near the coin-operated mechanical horses that used to be outside stores (are they still there?), let alone the roller coasters that I love. He was, to put it mildly, a thrill ride wimp.

Still, we would visit parks together, carefully avoiding anything that might scare him. Just how much of a wimp was he? I knew coasters were out of the question. But I thought Robert might be able to give psychological thrills a go, so he gamely accompanied me one year to Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Florida. We entered the first haunted house, and Robert immediately panicked. You know those incongruous red emergency exit signs that break the theme in haunts? He made a beeline for the first one and busted through the door, setting off an alarm. Then he did the walk of shame to a bench, where he sat and waited for me. That was his first–and only–time in a haunted house.

Sometimes, I’d convince him to try out a ride I thought he could handle. But even the slightest movement–we’re talking about something as innocuous as Peter Pan’s Flight here–would startle Robert, and he’d scream, “Oh Ma!,” an expression he co-opted from our easily frightened grandmother. He would get angry with me for suggesting the offending ride, but soon enough all was forgiven.

There were some attraction successes. Robert liked Toy Story Mania so much, we rode it twice. As I recall, he racked up decent scores. And he got a kick out of the defunct Poseidon’s Fury walk-through experience at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, even though he had an “Oh Ma!” moment when everything went dark in the final scene. He enjoyed going to shows at the parks and was especially wowed by The Bourne Stuntacular at Universal Studios Florida. We had a wonderful family trip to the Nickelodeon Hotel and Resort in Punta Cana. He didn’t go on any of the water slides at the Aqua Nick water park, but he loved getting slimed there and would often bring it up when we gathered at family events. For Robert, the highlight of our park trips–and really, any trip–would be the meals we shared. Food is an abiding passion for the Levine clan.

We loved revisiting the local parks–or at least, what remains of them–that we went to when we were kids. Places like Salem Willows (where we would eat the chop suey sandwiches more for their nostalgia than their taste), Revere Beach (where, sadly, the amusements are all gone, but the glorious Bianchi’s Pizza remains), and Salisbury Beach, (home of the world’s most extraordinary onion rings). See what I mean about our passion for food?

He was my only sibling. I’m heartbroken, and I’m going to miss him dearly. I know I’m going to think about Robert when I visit parks and wonder whether he would have been able to go on attractions with me. As a seasoned park veteran, I don’t get too scared these days by coasters and thrill rides. But if you see me on a midway, don’t be surprised if you hear me scream “Oh Ma!” in honor of my brother.

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Those interested in the promotion can go to Allegiant’s Website, search for flights departing Orlando (MCO) and arriving at McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) in Knoxville on November 6 and then choosing the special flight #925. The airline is promising a Dollywood-centric experience aboard the outbound flight, including a celebration at the gate with live entertainment (which undoubtedly will include a rendition of “9 to 5”), an in-flight trivia contest (suggested question: What was the name of the park before it was Dollywood?), exclusive merchandise, and themed food and drinks. Perhaps the airline can serve some cinnamon bread and a cup of ambition as part of its in-flight offerings.

The fun won’t stop when the flight lands. Those passengers that purchase park tickets (which, I’d have to imagine would be most, if not all of them) will have additional perks at Dollywood on the following day, Saturday, November 7. The park says that it will provide special treats (more cinnamon bread?), exclusive ride time, reserved seats for shows, and “other surprises.” Since the visit will take place during the Smoky Mountain Christmas festival–which is among parkdom’s best seasonal events–the reserved seating will likely be for one or more of Dollywood’s stirring holiday productions.

The park is also offering hotel packages for Flight #925ers at its properties, Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort. Deals include discounted room rates, park tickets, complimentary TimeSavers front-of-the-line passes, and a $100 dining and shopping credit.

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“Flight #925 is all about embracing the joy of travel,” says Drew Wells, Allegiant’s chief commercial officer. “Partnering with Dollywood Parks & Resorts allows us to deliver a unique experience that reflects the best of both brands: great value, unforgettable moments, and the chance to create memories from the second you step on board.”

Sure, the route between Orlando and Knoxville is a popular one, but there are plenty of other feeder markets that Dollywood and Allegiant could have targeted. I do think that zeroing in on Florida’s theme park corridor is intentional. In my estimation, Dollywood holds a special place in the industry. It may not quite be on the level of Disney or Universal (although Night Flight Expedition, which is scheduled to debut this spring and should be open for the November event, certainly looks Disney-esque and E-Ticket worthy), but it’s a considerable step above most regional parks and a destination theme park resort in its own right.

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So, does the 925 tie-in sound intriguing to you as well? Unfortunately, a quick check of the Allegiant site seems to indicate that all tickets for the special flight have been sold. But if you want to get in on the promotion, check with the airline to be sure. The quick sale of tickets demonstrates strong demand. Perhaps Allegiant and Dollywood will schedule additional dates and flights–in which case they’ll need to stock up on cups of ambition.

What in Thunderation is going on at Silver Dollar City?

Sister park Silver Dollar City recently revealed that this will be the final season for Thunderation. The popular coaster, which opened in 1993, has apparently reached the end of the line. When I first boarded Thunderation a number of years ago, I was impressed by the ride. A classic mine train coaster from defunct manufacturer, Arrow Dynamics, it climbs 81 feet and hits 48 mph, which is fairly potent for this type of ride. It also features a nice helix. During my last visit to the Branson, Missouri park, however, Thunderation had become noticeably rougher and was showing its age. So yeah, it’s time to bid farewell. The park is giving fans a big heads up so that they can get in their last rides this year. It will also be presenting special ceremonies, promotional merchandise, and other ways to give Thunderation a proper sendoff.

Both Silver Dollar City and Dollywood are owned and operated by Herschend Family Entertainment. You get bonus points if you were able to answer the trivia question I posed earlier. For those scratching their heads: Before it was Dollywood, the Tennessee park was known as–pause for dramatic effect–Silver Dollar City and took its cues from the original park in Missouri.

Would you want to participate an airline/theme park promotion like Flight #925? Will you miss Thunderation?

Twister coaster

A twister coaster is so named because its track twists and turns into itself. Because of all the turns, twister coasters can be built on relatively small plots of land. With all of the twists and curved track, they usually deliver lots of lateral G-forces that can slam passengers to-and-fro sideways. When riders are racing along a twister coaster, it may appear that they might not clear the structure when they enter it. This is known in the industry and among enthusiasts as a “head chopper.” (Lovely imagery, right?)

Examples of twister coasters include Thunderhead at Dollywood in Tennessee and Tremors at Silverwood in Idaho.

Out-and-back coaster

A popular type of wooden coaster is the out-and-back. As the name implies, the track takes passengers out to the halfway point, turns around, and heads back to the station. Because of their configurations, out-and-backs can take up a lot of real estate. They typically do not include many twists or turns, instead offering lots of hills that can deliver sweet pops of out-of-your-seat airtime. Variations include double out-and-back and triple out-and-back coasters.

Examples of out-and-back coasters include Shivering Timbers at Michigan’s Adventure, which travels a half-mile out and a half-mile back, and El Toro at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey. Interestingly, El Toro, which was built by Intamin, uses prefabricated wooden track.

Cyclone

A specific type of twister coaster, cyclone coasters pay homage to the original Cyclone at Brooklyn’s Coney Island. Built in 1927, the Cyclone is among the most famous rides in the world. Deemed a National Historic Landmark, it is still operating to great acclaim. The famous ride actually features a steel structure. But it is considered a wooden coaster because of its traditional wooden coaster track. All other cyclone coasters reproduce the original’s layout.

There used to be a number of cyclone coasters, including Psyclone at Six Flags Magic Mountain in California. Three remain today, including Viper at Six Flags Great America near Chicago.

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Figure Eight

In the early 1900s, when coasters first became popular, figure eight track layouts were quite prominent. In fact, many coasters were (unimaginatively) named "Figure 8.” As you might imagine, their layouts trace a figure-eight pattern.

There are still plenty of steel figure eight coasters, but the only remaining woodie that’s still operating is Swamp Fox at Family Kingdom in South Carolina.

Twin coaster

Twin coasters have two tracks and typically dispatch two trains at the same time that “race” one another. They are also known as racing coasters. The two tracks are usually mirror images, and they generally follow the same course alongside one another for most of the ride. A close cousin of the twin coaster is the Möbius coaster, which features two trains on what appears to be two tracks, but is actually one continuous loop of track. Racer at Kennywood in Pennsylvania is a (wonderful!) classic Möbius coaster.

Examples of wooden twin coasters include The Racer at Kings Island in Ohio and Racer 75 at Kings Dominion in Virginia.

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Topper Track coasters

The coaster types listed above all focus on track layouts. For this category of wooden coaster, we turn to the track itself. Nearly all wooden coaster tracks incorporate a stack of wooden track pieces with a thin steel rail embedded in the top layer onto which the trains’ wheels run. In 2013, the innovative ride manufacturer Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC) introduced Topper Track. Its coasters feature a thick band of steel rail that completely covers the entire wooden stack. The more robust track allows the coasters to go higher and faster while remaining comparatively smooth. It also allows them to include inversions that turn passengers upside down, which was novel for modern-day wooden coasters when the first Topper Track coaster, Outlaw Run at Silver Dollar City in Missouri, opened.

There are three other Topper Track coasters operating, including Goliath at Six Flags Great America in Illinois, Wildfire at Kolmården in Sweden, and Lightning Rod at Dollywood. Lighting Rod had much of its Topper Track replaced in 2021 with I-Box track (see hybrid wooden and steel below).

Bobsled

Bobsled coasters also focus on the track. Specifically, they do not include any rails, but instead use a trough through which trains race, much like a bobsled. Wooden bobsled coasters were popular in the first half of the 1900s. Today, there are a number of steel ones operating, but the only wooden bobsled coaster is the retro Flying Turns at Knoebels in Pennsylvania.

Hybrid wooden and steel

This one is a bit, um, off the rails. Technically, many consider hybrid wooden and steel coasters to be “steel” coasters, because their tracks are entirely steel. It’s tricky though. Another wild innovation by RMC, these coasters feature a wooden structure and a proprietary “I-Box” steel track. Most hybrid wooden and steel coasters start with the wooden structure of an aging, overly rough woodie, which RMC invariably transforms into incredibly smooth rides. Other ride manufacturers have developed their own hybrid concepts including Great Coasters International, which offers Titan Track.

A stellar example of a hybrid coaster is Iron Gwazi at Busch Gardens Tampa in Florida.

Do you have a favorite kind of wooden coaster? Did I overlook any wooden coaster types?

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4.5 (out of 5)

Like Universal Orlando's other original Harry Potter-themed rides, Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure is spectacular.

Located in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Hogsmeade at Islands of Adventure (one of three theme parks at Universal Orlando), Hagrid's is a hybrid dark ride and roller coaster. Unlike nearly all other attractions that attempt to blend the thrills of a coaster with the immersive storytelling of a major E-Ticket ride, Universal hasn’t sacrificed anything. It is both a richly themed, compelling attraction filled with stunning animatronics and other captivating elements as well as a full-throated, scream-tastic coaster.

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In addition to the historic and refined Hotel Hershey (where, among many other nods to the company’s signature confections, guests can enjoy a chocolate-infused spa treatment), the Hershey Lodge, and the Hershypark Camping Resort, the resort will welcome Hershey Inn & Suites. Folks looking for a place to stay when they visit the park will be able opt for the new, moderately priced property when it opens this spring. The hotel will include a complimentary hot breakfast and provide shuttle service to the park. As with all resort guests, perks will include early admission to the park during the summer season, extra evening hours at the park, and free admission to Hershey Gardens and The Hershey Story Museum Experience. The exterior of the new hotel will be decked out in candy bar-chocolate. And get this: All guests receive free chocolate treats at check-in.

Younger visitors at The Boardwalk At Hersheypark water park, which is included with general admission, will have new ways to get wet this season. The Bayside Pier section of the park will welcome a new play zone with water spray elements as well as tipping buckets. Among existing attractions at The Boardwalk are the Breakers Edge water coaster, the Tidal Force shoot-the-chutes boat ride, and the Intercoastal Waterway lazy river.

Located in nearby downtown Hershey, near the corner of Cocoa and Chocolate Avenue, the company will be opening the Hershey Social Restaurant + Bar in the spring. In addition to signature cocktails (which, I’m guessing, will include chocolatey concoctions), hearty fare, and gooey desserts, the new eatery will also include “interactive darts” (not quite sure what that means), trivia competitions, and other ways to get, you know, social.

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Adventure awaits at PortAventura World

Spain’s premier theme park resort, PortAventura World, will debut two attractions this season. Kids will be able to tackle rope bridges, climb structures, and otherwise explore the new play area, Makamanu Jungle: The Adventure Trek. It looks like it will be a great place for niños to run around and expend some energy. Located in the Polynesia land, Makamanu Jungle will join other play spaces at Port Aventura Park, including Área Infantil in the China land and El Huerto Encantado (The Enchanted Garden) in the Sesame Street-themed SésamoAventura land.

The resort’s separate-admission Caribe Aquatic Park will welcome Coral Bay: The Lost Legend, a 6,000-square-meter expansion that will include new slides, an adventure pool with a water obstacle course, and a splash pad. PortAventura is also teasing that the water park addition will introduce a “unique water attraction in Europe that will leave you speechless.” More to come on that announcement I guess.

Have you been to Hersheypark? How about PortAvetnura?

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With a launch set for 2027 and no actual construction underway to date, the Dracula Land project seems iffy. Still, the plans are alluring. Let’s see what’s in the works.

As with most of the Disneyland parks, guests would be able to hop aboard a train upon entering the park. Dubbed the Transylvanian Railway, it would be one of the signature attractions of the Moonlit District. The Dracula Land folks say that the gateway land would remain open late into the evening and host a projection and drone show. Unlike the rest of the park, the Moonlit District would also operate year-round. In addition, the land would offer Romanian Odyssey, a flying theater ride that would likely take guests soaring above the Eastern European country, a double carousel, and Hollywood Vampires, an immersive exhibit that would probably explore movie incarnations of the creature, such as Bela Lugosi’s classic portrayal. The Main Street Opera House at Disneyland presents Walt Disney – A Magical Life. At Dracula Land, visitors could learn more about the inspiration for the park’s namesake in the proposed walk-through experience, The Legend of Vlad.

The Dracula’s Castle land at the park would feature a large-scale rendering of the mythical monster’s abode. As depicted in concept art (see below), the gothic building gives off distinct vibes of Frankenstein Manor, the fortress at the heart of Dark Universe at Universal Epic Universe. The Castle Escape attraction within the show building, which is described as a race through the catacombs to flee from Dracula, could aspire to Universal-level quality. This land would also feature a coaster, Flight of the Batwing.

Other lands would include Transylvania, which would offer the dark ride, The Magic Forest, as well as a mountain coaster. London Town would include a large Ferris wheel and a “vampire hunting training parkour and obstacle course” (whatever that is). In the Port of New Orleans, guests could brave the multi-launch coaster, Werewolf Run (apparently vampires wouldn’t be the only monsters lurking in Dracula Land). And younger kids would find play zones, an interactive dark ride, and toned-down spinning rides in the aptly named Family Kingdom.

The concept is certainly intriguing. And Universal has deftly demonstrated the appeal of horror in its theme parks, as well as at the new Universal Horror Unleashed attraction in Las Vegas.

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“The legendary figure of Dracula and the rich mythology of vampires are truly timeless–making a theme park dedicated to them is a brilliant and captivating idea,” says Chris Lange, owner of Creative Studio Berlin, which is helping to design the park. “With its proximity to Bucharest and Transylvania, the location could not be more fitting, as it lies at the very source of these enduring legends.”

Beyond the theme park, the scope and scale of the planned resort is impressive. The opulence of the 400-room Dracula Grand Hotel is implied in its name. Straddling the park would be a second, 200-room lodge, the Dracula Family Hotel. (I’m having a tough time wrapping my head around the intersection of “Dracula” and “family.” Then again, we do have Count Chocula and Count von Count.) At an announced 538,000 square feet, the Dracula Aqua Park would dwarf massive indoor facilities such as the DreamWorks Water Park in New Jersey. Toss in a mall with over 70 stores and restaurants, a 22,500-seat performance venue, and a race track and motor park (because, why not?), and it’s clear that the Dracula Land folks aren’t timid about aiming high.

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But the aggressive timeline for the project gives me pause. It would be difficult, if not nearly impossible, for a large-scale, €1-billion resort with a high-end theme park at its center to be built in less than two years. Making Dracula Land even more suspect: Apparently at least some of the financiers ponying up the €1 billion have yet to be secured. Much of the project’s official Website is targeted to investors.

The theme park annals are littered with projects that never made it out of the development phase. Dreamers (and sometimes schemers) have floated parks ranging from harebrained ideas to perfectly reasonable propositions. Just because a project checks all of the boxes, however, doesn’t mean that its visionaries can get the permits and funds to actually bring their visions to life.

That’s not to say we should put the final nail in Dracula Land’s coffin. I wish the project all the best and would love to visit the park and resort should it get built. But at this point, I’m not booking my flight to Bucharest next year.

Would you want to visit Dracula Land? Do you think the park will one day open its gates?

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Theme park or amusement park? Have you ever wondered whether there is any difference between the two terms?

Some might argue it’s one of those you-say-tomato-and-I-say-tomahto things. However, park fans (a group of which we are proud members) beg to differ. There are differences, but they can be subtle, and there is often plenty of overlap. Before we call the whole thing off, let’s parse the terms and shed some light. You might want to fasten your seat belts and lower your lap bars; we could be in for a bumpy ride.

Storytelling is a critical component at theme parks

"To all who come to this happy place, welcome. Disneyland is your land." When he uttered those words in 1955 at the grand opening of Disneyland, Walt Disney ushered in a new era of entertainment. Most would agree that the California park is the original theme park and serves as a template for all the theme parks that have followed. (Interestingly, Disney did not coin the term “theme park,” and it did not exist when Disneyland debuted. But the company subsequently embraced the designation.)

The basic formula that Disney pioneered was to take the common rides found at amusement parks—roller coasters, flat rides, carousels, dark rides, and the like—and use them to tell stories. That is the essence of a theme park. By incorporating whimsical architecture, color, landscaping, characters, and other elements, park visitors become active participants in stories rather than passive passengers on mechanical rides.

Further, Disney divided his park into themed lands, and created the attractions within those lands to tell a larger story. Instead of experiencing one overriding theme, Disneyland guests can travel to Frontierland, Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, and other fantastic places. By using the storytelling techniques his filmmakers mastered, including music, lighting, composition, and framing, and adapting them to three dimensional spaces, Disney was able to immerse (a term that park designers frequently embrace) his guests in all-encompassing adventures. Disney’s Imagineers and their colleagues in the industry even use movie language, such as long shots, medium shots, and close-ups, when developing lands and attractions.

Sometimes, as with Peter Pan’s Flight or The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, theme park attractions tell linear stories and use established characters. Other times, as with Toy Story Mania!, the narratives are less defined, but the attractions still stick with specific themes and use storytelling techniques—and, more often than not, dazzling technology—to engage and delight visitors.

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The level of immersion increased considerably when Universal Orlando opened the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Instead of a single attraction within a generic land, the entire land is themed to one element—in this case Harry and his buddies. And everything in the land, including the food and merchandise, strictly adheres to the theme. Even the employees play along with the Wizarding vibe. Disney responded with single-themed lands such as Cars Land, Toy Story Land, and Pandora – The World of Avatar. They are all lushly themed.

But Disney kicked it up a notch with the ultra-themed Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Every last detail in the land is true to George Lucas’ mythology. Heck, even the signs for the cantina and the shops are in Aurebesh, the language of the Outer Rim territories. (Fortunately, you could download an app to translate the language you encounter in the land into English.)

Amusement parks pour on the thrills

On the other hand, amusement parks generally skip any storytelling pretense and sometimes don’t have any defined lands. They usually feature a random collection of roller coasters and other rides. Taking their cue from Chicago’s 1893 world’s fair, the World’s Columbian Exposition, and its Midway Plaisance as well as New York’s Coney Island and its boardwalk, amusement parks typically present their rides along one or more midways. Instead of trying to immerse visitors in unified, themed experiences, the midways usually offer rides, games, food concessions, and stores that have nothing in common.

Loud noises, including the screams of riders, help create high-energy environments. There are generally loads of rides that offer thrills for thrills’ sake–and not to tell any larger story–at amusement parks. Even the “kiddie” rides, which go easy on the thrills, entertain their young passengers primarily with spinning and other action-filled experiences. Examples of amusement parks include Cedar Point in Ohio, Lake Compounce in Connecticut, Knoebels in Pennsylvania, and Canobie Lake Park in New Hampshire, to name a few.

In my estimation, many parks fall into a gray area somewhere in between a theme park and an amusement park. Six Flags, for example, describes its locations as “theme parks.” While the parks do include themed lands such as “Yankee Harbor” and “Yukon Territory,” their design is often rudimentary. The rides in each land typically offer little to no theming. Slapping images of superheroes or cartoon characters on rides often passes for storytelling at parks.

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Some parks can surprise with individual attractions such as the highly themed Monster Mansion (see video above) at Six Flags Over Georgia. A number of Six Flags parks offer Universal-like Justice League: Battle for Metropolis rides. So, it’s a mixed bag. In general, however, I place Six Flags in the amusement park category.

Even early amusement parks included storytelling

It gets murky elsewhere as well. There were even hints of the theme parks to come in the World’s Columbian Exposition, the predecessor to modern amusement parks. It included a grand White City with ornate neoclassical buildings and lovely grounds designed by noted landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. Coney Island, arguably the prototypical amusement park, included theme park flourishes in its heyday.Examples include the Scenic Railway, an early roller coaster that included themed dioramas past which passengers rode, and an elaborate nighttime show that included simulated burning buildings and other effects.

Although Disneyland is generally acknowledged as the model for modern day theme parks, there are parks that preceded it that could also be called theme parks–or at least theme park-like. For example, there were parks with holiday themes, such as the circa-1952 (three years before Disney opened his park) Santa’s Village in New Hampshire. It is still delighting families today with its compelling Christmas theme.

There are no federal guidelines or industry standards to determine what distinguishes an amusement park from a theme park. And there are plenty of parks that straddle the line. In general, however, if its attractions attempt to tell stories and are part of larger, unified themes, it's a theme park. If it is mostly a mishmash of rides and its primary goal is to deliver thrills, it's probably an amusement park.

Do you differentiate the terms, “amusement park” and “theme park?” Are Six Flags locations theme parks or amusement parks?

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Universal Studios Florida has already been capitalizing on the Vin Diesel series with Fast & Furious – Supercharged. As in Hollywood, which featured a similar immersion tunnel attraction as the finale of its Studio Tour, the Florida ride will close down in anticipation of the new coaster. Which is just as well. Supercharged on both coasts was decidedly meh. As I wrote in a recent review of the Fast & Furious ride, a coaster–especially a high-thrill one–would make a heckuva lot more sense to showcase Dom Toretto and his “family’s” world of auto racing.

As for the high thrills, in-the-know rcdb.com claims Florida’s Hollywood Drift will rev up to 72 mph, which is the same speed as the California coaster. That would make it the fastest and tallest coaster at Universal Orlando–but not in the theme park capital of the world. Mako at SeaWorld Orlando hits 73 mph, and the even more furious Iron Gwazi at Busch Gardens Tampa accelerates to 76 mph. In terms of height, Florida thrill machines Iron Gwazi, Mako, and the 200-foot-tall SheiKra at Busch Gardens Tampa will all tower over the new Fast & Furious ride.

While it will share the same name as the California coaster, it’s unclear what else the Florida ride will share. It will almost surely feature the same 360-degree spinning capability to simulate the car-crazy family’s penchant for souped-up “drifting” autos. (The coaster is called Hollywood Drift after all.) It will also likely be manufactured by Intamin, the European company responsible for the West Coast version of the ride as well as Universal Orlando standouts, Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure and VelociCoaster.

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The announced 170-foot spike pretty much guarantees that the Florida coaster will include magnetic launch motors. Hollywood Drift won’t be the first coaster at Universal Orlando to include a spike. The less intense Hagrid’s ride features a 65-foot dead-end spike; the new coaster will climb nearly three times as high. Passengers on SeaWorld Orlando’s Ice Breaker brave a 93-foot spike. There are plenty of spikes out there in coasterdom, including a 420-foot doozie on Cedar Point’s Top Thrill 2. Of course, what goes up must come down, so Hollywood Drift will include at least some backwards-facing action when its trains plummet down the spike and continue in reverse.

By the way, Universal says that the spike element will be located adjacent to CityWalk. Fast & Furious will occupy the plot vacated by the recently demolished Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit. That ride’s route circled around a spot adjacent to CityWalk’s Hard Rock Cafe, which is probably where the new spike will send passengers soaring up and down. California’s Fast & Furious coaster does not include a spike. Its continuous circuit navigates the extreme elevation changes at the studios, which is located near the Hollywood Hills. The land at Universal Orlando (like most of Florida), however, is relatively flat.

There had been rumors about a “Ghostbusters” or “Back to the Future” coaster taking the place of Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit. What do you think about Universal opting for another Fast & Furious coaster instead? Are you sorry to see Supercharged go?

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As with any specialty, folks working in the parks and attractions industry (and journalists like me that cover the beat) have their own lingo and jargon. Let’s explore some of the more common types of rides and break down what their names mean. You’ll be speaking like an industry pro in no time.

What is a dark ride?

A dark ride refers to any amusement park or theme park ride that uses vehicles to send passengers into an indoor environment and through a series of scenes or tableaus. While most dark rides feature cars on a track, some use boats that float in channels of water (like Pirates of the Caribbean), trackless vehicles, and other means of conveyance.

In the early days of amusement parks, classic dark rides such as Coney Island’s Spook-A-Rama (which is still spooking guests at Deno’s Wonder Wheel Amusement Park) were almost always designed to scare passengers by sending them into dimly lit rooms with stunts such as light-up skeletons. That tradition continues with attractions such as Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment at Universal Epic Universe. But dark rides don’t have to be dark in tone–or in lighting. Attractions such as the bright, cheerful “it’s a small world” [sic] are the polar opposite of spooky and dark, but are still considered “dark” rides.

Some dark rides attempt to tell a story, while others are just a collection of random scenes. Many dark rides, such as the Buzz Lightyear attractions at the Disney parks, now include interactive features like onboard guns so that passengers can score points and compete with one another.​ Industry stalwart Sally Dark Rides helped pioneer interactivity for the genre and creates breakthrough attractions such as Haunted Hotel at Funtown USA in Maine.

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Dark rides are also known as haunted rides, spook houses, tunnels of love, ghost trains, and Pretzel rides (named after a ride manufacturer, not the salty snack). As with many ride categories, there are hybrid attractions that can blur the terms. Revenge of the Mummy–The Ride at the Universal parks, for example, is both a dark ride and a roller coaster.

What is a flat ride?

The term is used to generically refer to a broad variety of attractions, but a flat ride typically refers to attractions that spin around. Depending on their speed and other factors, they may or may not be considered thrill rides. Slow-moving, low-profile, and low-impact attractions are typically grouped into the sub-category, “kiddie rides,” and are intended for young riders. More thrilling flat rides that include high speeds and other disorienting features are affectionately known in the amusement industry as “spin-and-spew,” “spin-and-puke,” or “whirl-and hurl” rides. Lovely imagery, eh? Examples include the Tilt-A-Whirl, Scrambler, Gravitron, and Flying Bobs (or Himalaya).

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Flat rides are sometimes referred to simply as “flats.” Unlike coasters, which can take up a lot of real estate and conform to a park’s terrain, flat rides are compact and designed to be installed on a flat base. The term also refers to portable rides at carnivals and fairs that can be disassembled and laid flat in trailers for transport.

What is a motion simulator ride?

A motion simulator ride uses seats that move in sync with point-of-view media projected onto a screen to provide viewers with the illusion that they are moving and physically participating in the action. Most motion simulator rides are presented in theaters of various sizes. Although viewers never move more than a few inches in any direction, they can feel as if they are accelerating wildly, speeding, free falling, among other sensations.

One of the earliest motion simulator rides is Star Tours at the Disney parks. It uses 40-passenger cabins that are mounted on motion bases. Other rides use different motion base configurations. Individual seats might have their own motion controls; sometimes, rows or sections of seats move together. In Despicable Me Minion Mayhem at the Universal Parks, for instance, the theater is divided into sections of seats, with each section having its own motion base.

A sub-genre of the concept is the roving motion base simulator ride. Using a vehicle that is mounted on a motion base, it combines a dark ride with a motion simulator ride. As in a dark ride, the vehicles move through a series of scenes that include actual, practical set pieces. But the sets also include screens onto which action is projected, and with which the vehicles move in tandem. The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man at Universal Orlando’s Islands of Adventure introduced the concept of a roving motion base simulator ride.

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Motion simulator rides are also known as ride films, ridefilms, and motion theaters. The late Douglas Trumbull, who developed attractions such as Back to the Future: The Ride, developed the concept of the motion simulator ride.

What is a flying theater attraction?

A flying theater uses banks of seats that rise into the air and move in sync with action projected onto a large screen, which is often domed to envelop guests in the imagery. The attractions typically simulate hang gliding and often sends guests on journeys above famous sights. The Mouse launched the genre with the original Soarin’ at Disney California Adventure. Standalone flying theaters, such as Wings Over Washington in Seattle and SkyFly: Soar America in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, can sometimes be found in popular tourist destinations. I suppose flying theater attractions could be considered spinoffs of motion simulator rides.

Did you know what a flat ride was before reading this article? Have you ever experienced a ride that justified the insider slang term, “whirl-and hurl?”

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The Tower of Terror is a classic Disney theme park attraction. Combining a thrilling freefall ride, dazzling effects, and an inspired and fiendishly clever storyline based on the seminal “The Twilight Zone” television series, Disney Imagineers have created a ride that, like a select few E-Ticket attractions, is so much greater than the sum of its parts.

For those old enough to remember the original "The Twilight Zone" show (or those young’uns savvy enough to seek it out more recently), merely the sound of Rod Serling’s voice intoning, "You have now crossed over into...the Twilight Zone," is enough to give you a bad case of the shivers. A master storyteller, Serling created black and white mini-dramas that, through subtle plot twists and deft presentation, were deeply spine-tingling and engaging.

The Tower of Terror reproduces the Zone zeitgeist and invokes the same sense of off-kilter foreboding as the show. Instead of passively watching a television program, however, guests become active participants in a “lost episode.”

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A surprising number of the rides have animal themes. Let’s start by diving underwater with barracudas at SeaWorld.

Barracuda Strike at SeaWorld San Antonio in Texas

The seventh roller coaster at SeaWorld San Antonio will be a family inverted ride from the Swiss manufacturer, Bolliger & Mabillard. It will climb 90 feet and send passengers on a journey in cars that are suspended beneath the tracks. There won’t be any inversions, but with a perky-ish top speed of 44 mph and a serpentine layout featuring banked turns, Barracuda Strike should have at least some teeth for adrenaline junkies while remaining accessible to a wide swath of riders. Big Bad Wolf: The Wolf’s Revenge, which opened last year at sister park Busch Gardens Williamsburg, and Phoenix Rising, which debuted at Busch Gardens Tampa in 2024, are similar coasters that have garnered positive reviews. It might be nice to think that Barracuda Strike would actually plunge passengers underwater as depicted in the rendering above (perhaps with pre-dive signage imploring riders, “Take a deep breath!”), but alas, that’s just a marketing image to hype the ride.

NightFlight Expedition at Dollywood in Tennessee

Geared to a family audience with a height of about 30 feet and a top speed of 29 mph, NightFlight Expedition won’t be an extreme roller coaster. In fact, some (including the authoritative rcdb.com) don’t even consider the attraction to be a roller coaster at all. But the $50-million, indoor, highly anticipated, E-Ticket ride, which will incorporate both a roller coaster track and a water-filled flume, would seem to qualify to me. Whatever its designation, NightFlight Expedition surely looks like it will be a compelling addition to Dollywood and one of the 2026 park highlights.

Flying Fox at Kentucky Kingdom

Another suspended family coaster is on the way in 2026. Flying Fox will climb 65 feet and max out at 37 mph. The custom Vekoma coaster will use a booster wheel lift hill to get its trainload of passengers flying.

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Shootout and Unknown at Oasis Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri

Oasis Lake of the Ozarks is another delayed project, but construction is underway and developers say the new amusement park and parts of the resort will open fall 2026. Among its rides will be Shootout, a family boomerang coaster from Vekoma. Like similar rides, such as Snoopy’s Soap Box Racers at Kings Island, its train will head backwards out of the loading station using a tire lift system, and then release into a course that will include a 75-foot-tall spike. After dead-ending on the spike, Shootout will retrace its route backwards before returning to the station. The new park’s second coaster, which has yet to be named, will be a suspended family coaster like Flying Fox at Kentucky Kingdom.

Hot Wheels Bone Shaker: The Ultimate Ride at Mattel Adventure Park in Arizona

As I wrote when I included Hot Wheels Twin Mill Racer, the other coaster that’s supposed to open at Mattel Adventure Park, in my roundup of the ten most anticipated U.S. coasters for 2026, I am dubious whether the long-delayed toy-themed park will, in fact, finally open this year. If it does, however, passengers will get to climb 84 feet and navigate a 540-degree helix on the Chance family coaster, Hot Wheels Bone Shaker.

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Jurassic World: Cretaceous Coaster at Universal Kids Resort in Texas

As its name makes clear, Universal’s new park will be aimed squarely at kids, so don’t expect any major thrills. Jurassic World: Cretaceous Coaster will be similar to the modest Flight of the Hippogriff at Universal Studios Hollywood. The park’s other coaster, Rhonda’s Trollfest Express, will dial down the thrills even more.

Are any of these new rides (and new parks) on your radar for possible visits in 2026?

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Then along came Falcon’s Flight at Six Flags Qiddiya City in Saudi Arabia, which annihilates all previous records.

With the flashy, new park, it would seem the coaster wars are heating up again; the theater of war, however, has shifted from America to the Middle East. Case in point: A few months ago, Miral, the company that operates Ferrari World, announced that the UAE park would be introducing a “significant and signature” coaster that will claim four world records. Might it challenge the records of Falcon’s Flight? Stay tuned, coaster fans.

I’ve already identified my picks for the top ten U.S. roller coasters debuting in 2026. Let’s keep the new ride rundown going by turning our attention to the ten most notable coasters coming to parks outside the U.S. No coaster is more notable than Falcon’s Flight. And some of Six Flags Qiddiya City’s other coasters are eye-popping as well.

Falcon’s Flight at Six Flags Qiddiya City in Saudi Arabia

The new Six Flags park, part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s wildly ambitious plan to welcome international tourists and diversify its oil-dependent economy, actually opened its gates in 2025. But since the official opening was held last week on the very last day of the year, it’s fair game for the 2026 coaster countdown.

Falcon’s Flight so thoroughly trounces all previous coasters, its manufacturer, Intamin, has given it a new designation: “Exa Coaster.” Its magnetically launched trains ascend to a height of 640 feet…which is 184 freakin’ feet taller than Kingda Ka. It drops 519 feet and hits a ferocious top speed of 155 mph, leaving Formula Rossa in its dust. Just shy of 14,000 feet, it’s about 6,000 feet longer–that’s over a mile or 71% more track–than the next-longest ride, Steel Dragon 2000 at Nagashima Spa Land in Japan. With stats like those, Falcon’s Flight seems less like an actual coaster and more like a you-gotta-be-kidding-me RollerCoaster Tycoon simulation. Check out this dramatic, pyro-enhanced video of the coaster, which was the highlight of the park’s grand opening ceremony. Then ask yourself whether you’d take flight on this ride.

Iron Rattler at Six Flags Qiddiya City in Saudi Arabia

Another one of the new-generation Vekoma Tilt Coasters, Iron Rattler takes passengers onto a dead-end section of track that teeter-totters 90 degrees and then leaves them dangling for a few nerve-wracking moments before it releases the train to navigate the rest of the course. At a height of 208 feet, a top speed of 73 mph, and five inversions, Iron Rattler is considerably more intense than recently opened tilt coasters, Siren’s Curse at Cedar Point and Circuit Breaker at COTALAND.

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Spitfire at Six Flags Qiddiya City in Saudi Arabia

In the figurative, if not literal shadow of Falcon’s Flight, Qiddiya City’s Spitfire may not be garnering much attention. But check out its mighty impressive stats: An Intamin swing launch coaster, it races forwards, ascends up a top hat tower part of the way, stalls out, and then accelerates backwards up its 240-foot-tall spike. After the train peters out, it drops forwards, engages the LSM motors a third time, and revs up to 79 mph, which gives it enough juice to make it up and over the 240-foot-tall top hat. Up to this point, Spitfire may sound like a mini version of Cedar Point’s Top Thrill 2. But it has more to offer. The train flips over and travels along the inside of the tower, making it the world’s tallest inversion and giving passengers one of the craziest upside-down coaster experiences ever devised.

Colossus at Six Flags Qiddiya City in Saudi Arabia

The only wooden coaster at Qiddiya City, Colossus climbs 95 feet and accelerates to 50 mph. Built by Great Coasters International, it features Infinity Flyer trains.

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Tecuani Beast at BON Luxury Theme Park in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico

When BON Luxury Theme Park soft opens this year, adrenaline junkies will be heading to its most thrilling ride, Tecuani Beast. The Vekoma coaster will incorporate two launches and six inversions.

Ashara: Goddess of Fire at BON Luxury Theme Park in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico

Details are sparse, but judging by the rendering, this switchback mine coaster from Vekoma will include plenty of themed elements.

Drakon at Paultons Park in England

The most thrilling coaster at Paulton’s Park, Drakon will be a Gerstlauer Euro-Fighter that will include a vertical lift that will climb 75 feet, a beyond-vertical first drop, and two inversions (a first for the kid-centric park), including a zero-G stall. The ride will be the featured attraction in Valgard: Realm of the Vikings, a new land.

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Zéphyr at Ange Michel in France

Another Gerstlauer Euro-Fighter, Zéphyr’s vertical lift will take passengers up 98 feet , drop them at at a beyond-vertical 97-degree angle, rev up to 53 mph and include three inversions.

Giant Revolution at Lotte World Adventure Busan in South Korea

Lotte World will welcome the first Double Heart coaster from Zamperla. Designed to pack a lot of thrills into a small space, the multi-launch ride will blast riders forwards, backwards, and forwards before making it up and over the first of its heart-shaped elements. It will then dive down and trace a second heart-shaped section of track that will include two inversions.

Kyûbi Unchained at Parc Spirou Provence in France

Also from Zamperla, Kyûbi Unchained will be a family thrill coaster that will use a tire-propelled launch to hit 47 mph and climb a 103-foot dead-end spike. It will then fall and offer some backwards-facing fun. The coaster will anchor a land themed to Naruto, an anime series about a young martial arts hero.

So, would you brave Flacon’s Flight if you had the opportunity? What is your impression of Six Flags Qiddiya City?

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