Hottest Amusement Park Attractions 2015

Thunderbird

The world’s first launched wing coaster opens at Holiday World this summer. As they’re flung forward at 60 mph, riders sit on the side of the rails, where they’ll feel as though they’re flying through multiple inversions and “keyholing” through the ride’s themed structure. Holiday World is located in Santa Claus, IN, and features themed areas based on holidays including Halloween, Thanksgiving and, of course, Christmas.

Wicked Cyclone

Six Flags New England in Agawam, MA, will transform its classic wooden roller coaster Cyclone into the Wicked Cyclone, which will be the first coaster of its kind to have a 200-degree stall and 2 zero-gravity rolls. This new coaster has been on many enthusiasts’ must-ride lists for 2015!

Fury 325

Fury 325 is the world’s tallest “giga coaster.” Standing 325 feet tall and flying through the 6,602 feet of track at up to 95 mph, this new roller coaster shatters many records set by other giga coasters. The $30 million attraction is located at Carowinds in Charlotte, NC.

Voyage to the Iron Reef

Voyage to the Iron Reef is a new, interactive, 4-D dark ride located in the Boardwalk area of Knott’s Berry Farm, which is not far from Disneyland in Buena Park, CA. Riders will take up their virtual arms to help protect the park from the Kraken Queen and her underwater army.

Batman: The Ride

The world’s first 4-D “free-fly” roller coaster is coming to Six Flags Fiesta Texas in San Antonio. It uses state-of-the-art magnetic technology as it sends riders upside down and lets them experience weightlessness. But your stomach may really be what’s flipping after scaling a 12-story hill and hurtling down 2 beyond-vertical drops.

Cannibal

Cannibal, a unique attraction at Lagoon amusement park outside Salt Lake City, Utah, has been in development for several years using mostly in-house and local resources. This $20 million-plus ride will climb a 208-foot enclosed tower before a beyond-vertical drop along 2,700 feet of track.

Disneyland's Diamond Celebration

Disneyland is turning 60, and it’s throwing a huge Diamond Celebration party! The park in Anaheim, CA, will introduce a whole new slate of nighttime shows, including Disneyland Forever, a brand-new fireworks display; the Paint the Night Parade, a new take on the classic Electrical Parade; and World of Color – Celebrate!, a show covering 60 years of Disneyland history.

Baron 1898

Baron 1898 is a heavily themed B&M dive coaster that will drop riders down a nearly 90-degree plunge at 60 mph. The ride, located at Efteling in Kaatsheuvel, Netherlands, is designed like a gold-mine shaft and is one of the more impressive-looking roller coasters opening in 2015.

Tempesto

Tempesto is a fictional Italian daredevil who is inviting riders to take part in his latest stunt at Busch Gardens Williamsburg in Virginia. Even guests with nerves of steel will be screaming as they wind through tight turns and a 154-foot-high inversion at speeds of up to 63 mph.

Rougarou

The Mantis coaster at Cedar Point in Sandusky, OH, is getting a new look and feel! The stand-up trains have been replaced by more comfortable floorless trains in one of the more interesting roller-coaster transformations yet. They said it couldn’t be done, but Rougarou brings new life into a nearly 20-year-old roller coaster for new generations.

Laff Trakk

Standing out among all the thrill rides opening in 2015 is this family-friendly attraction. The indoor, glow-in-the-dark, spinning coaster — the first of its kind in the country — was inspired by the different fun houses that have been part of the park over the years. Riders pass through a hall of mirrors, a house of cards and more.  

Impulse

Impulse, the largest project in the history of Knoebels Amusement Resort in Elysburg, PA, will feature a 10-story vertical free-fall drop, 4 inversions and 2,000 feet of track. Knoebels is known for its classic wooden roller coasters Phoenix, Twister and Flying Turns, and the steel coaster marks a new chapter for this smaller, family-oriented park.

Switchback

One of the most interesting-looking rides of 2015 comes from an unexpected place. ZDT’s Amusement Park, located about an hour outside San Antonio, is building the world’s first modern “wooden shuttle coaster” as a throwback to Coney Island’s classic Switchback Railway from the turn of the 20th century. Switchback will feature overbanked turns and a 60-foot drop. And just when the coaster has finished the 1,100-foot course, it does it all again … backward!

Oblivion - The Black Hole

Oblivion, a B&M dive machine at Gardaland on Lake Garda in Italy, shoots riders down a 140-foot, near-vertical drop. The “holding brake” dangles them at an 87-degree angle, letting them look nearly straight down for a few moments before the plunge. Oblivion hits speeds of 62 mph and will flip you upside down twice.

Justice League: Battle for Metropolis

Justice League: Battle for Metropolis is coming to both Six Flags Over Texas and Six Flags St. Louis this year. The motion-based ride combines the best technology of dark rides and thrill rides with an interactive story line to keep DC Comics superhero fans on the edge of their seats. The innovative attraction includes 2 final chase scenes, as well as several digital 3-D screens.