Hello goodbye

Welcome (and bid farewell) to roller coasters

It’s great to geek out about parks and attractions here with you, my park nerd comrades in arms. But I also enjoy singing the praises of our shared passion with audiences who may not be as well versed about yo-hoing Caribbean pirates or ejector air. That’s precisely what I got to do recently when I penned a press release about American parks and attractions goodness for Brand USA, an organization dedicated to encouraging folks around the world to travel to the nation. (Which is no small task given the current geopolitical and economic climate.) Check out my Brand USA rundown of everything from Universal Epic Universe to Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant.

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Okay, let’s get back to the business of our special About Theme Parks cabal and take a look at some new coasters rolling out in 2026. I also have news about a thrill machine that’s given its last ride. And it’s a doozie.

Indoor coasters coming to Legoland

Merlin Entertainments made a surprise announcement about two new indoor coasters that are set to debut next year at both Legoland Florida and Legoland California. Details are sparse, but the company did reveal that it is spending $90 million on the pair of rides. At $45 million apiece, that would seem to indicate that the themeing and storytelling elements will be fairly elaborate as the coasters themselves, which will surely be low profile to accommodate the parks’ target audience of families with children ages 2 to 12, shouldn’t cost anywhere near that much. Indeed, Merlin indicates that the capital outlay represents the largest investment ever in the two parks. Construction has already begun on the attractions.

Workers pour concrete onto rebar at the construction site for the indoor coaster coming in 2026 to Legoland California. (Merlin Entertainments)

“We hope the mystery and anticipation adds to awesome thrills to come,” teases Fiona Eastwood, Merlin Entertainments CEO. “These new coasters are unparalleled for Legoland Resorts, promising to elevate two of our premier Legoland Resorts to new heights, utilizing the latest technology and embracing the Lego DNA, as only we can do.”

Reportedly, the attractions will have a Lego Galaxy theme and will blast guests into space. It sounds like the coasters could be taking at least some inspiration from Space Mountain. This wouldn’t be the first time that Legoland has featured sophisticated dark rides. Guests at its three U.S. parks can become ninjas-in-training aboard the clever, interactive attraction, Lego Ninjago The Ride. Legoland New York also offers the Lego Factory Adventure Ride, which turns passengers aboard trackless vehicles into Minifigures.

Ride with Naruto

Speaking of ninjas, Parc Spirou Provence in France has announced that it will be opening a land in 2026 themed to Naruto, an anime series about a young martial arts warrior. The headlining attraction will be a family thrill launch coaster from Italian ride manufacturer Zamperla. The ride will incorporate a tire-propelled launch to accelerate the trains to 47 mph. Passengers will climb a 103-foot dead-end spike and drop backwards for some reverse-facing action.

The 3.7-acre land will also include a Zampela NebulaZ, a spinning flat ride that’s a bit like a Ferris wheel gone bonkers. The mesmerizing ride is as much fun to watch as it is to ride.

Kryptonite finally fells Superman

Six Flags Magic Mountain in California has announced that the problem-plagued Superman: Escape from Krypton will not reopen this year–or ever. It had been standing but not operating since last fall and experienced long periods of downtime over its 28-year history. When it debuted in 1997, the 415-foot-tall ride was the tallest coaster in the world and one of only two to reach the 100-mph threshold. The similar Tower of Terror, which opened a couple of months before Superman at Dreamworld in Australia, also hit the triple-digit mark. That ride closed in 2019. Both coasters were manufactured by Intamin.

Superman has escaped the planet Earth. (Six Flags Entertainment Corporation)

The magnetically launched shuttle coaster blasted forward and straight up an L-shaped spike tower track where it slowed to a halt while delivering massive amounts of free-floating airtime. It then plummeted straight down. While Superman elicited off-the-chart pre-ride jitters and was undeniably thrilling, I found it to be oddly underwhelming. The record-setting Lex Luthor: Drop of Doom drop tower ride, which shares Superman’s tower, will continue operating according to the park.

With the loss of the ride, Six Flags Magic Mountain, which has long held the crown for the park with the most number of roller coasters, now shares the title with Poland’s Energylandia. Both parks have 19 coasters on their midways. The Six Flags park has announced that it will be adding a new coaster in 2026. Coming on the heels of Kingda Ka closing, Superman’s demise further scrambles the record books for the world’s fastest and tallest coasters. The records will be shattered, however, when Falcon’s Flight opens at Six Flags Qiddiya City in Saudi Arabia later this year.

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In addition to comments, let’s try something a little different with a poll for paid subscribers.

Were you able to hitch a ride with Superman at Magic Mountain? Do you have younger children who would want to check out Legoland’s new coasters?