Each year’s class of new roller coasters promises to break speed and height records. This year’s models are no exception, but this time around, virtual reality is thrown in for good measure. For maximum thrills, dare to ride the following new rails.
— Six Flags Magic Mountain (Valencia, California)
If whipping around on a coaster with a 90-foot-high loop and twists and turns at 55 mph isn’t scary enough, what if that ride took you through a post-apocalyptic world of alien invaders? Wearing virtual reality headsets, passengers on the New Revolution at Six Flags Magic Mountain experience the ride from the point of view of a fighter jet in the animated action scenes synced to the movement of the coaster.
— Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (Tampa, Florida)
The new Egyptian-themed Cobra’s Curse at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, which was to open June 17, will start with a 70-foot vertical lift that deposits riders before a giant sculpture of a snake with 4-foot fangs. From here the twisting ride rockets off in rotating cars that go forward for a third of the ride, backward for another third and then spin freely at the end. Parkgoers will pass through an “Egyptian ruin” site that includes live snakes on display.
— SeaWorld Orlando (Orlando, Florida)
Fittingly, the new roller coaster Mako at the aquatic theme park SeaWorld Orlando is modeled on a shark. Billed as Orlando’s tallest coaster, Mako, which rises 200 feet, aims to mimic the movement of a shark. Reaching speeds up to 73 mph, the three-minute thrill is classified as a “hypercoaster,” one that offers successive hills and drops at high speed to produce a sensation of weightless suspension.
— Six Flags Over Georgia (Austell, Georgia)
Six Flags Over Georgia has just added a virtual reality
experience to its Dare Devil Dive ride. You can ride it tech-free or strap on wireless virtual reality headsets to whip around in a battle with aliens viewed on the screen. The DC Super Friends themed area, also new, includes five family-friendly rides and attractions inspired by Superman and the Joker, among others.
— Six Flags Great Adventure (Jackson Township, New Jersey)
The new Joker ride at Six Flags Great Adventure, the park’s 14th coaster, takes passengers on a wild ride in cars that hang off the side of the track. With feet dangling, riders spin in their seats forward or backward regardless of the direction of the ride, a motion known as “free fly,” while the track itself rises 12 stories with two 90-degree-plus drops.
— Cedar Point (Sandusky, Ohio)
At more than 20 stories tall, Valravn, the 18th roller coaster at Cedar Point, is considered the highest coaster in the world with the fastest dive at 75 mph. Riders who climb the 223-foot initial hill are suspended overlooking the drop for a full, terrifying four seconds before making that speedy plunge. Three inversions, or upside-down flips, follow over 3,415 feet of track.
— Dollywood (Pigeon Forge, Tennessee)
The hot-rod-themed Lightning Rod at Dollywood, which was to open this month, goes from 0 to 45 mph on its initial 20-story climb before falling and reaching speeds up to 73 mph, making it the fastest wooden coaster in the world, according to the park. Riders will get 20 seconds of air time over the course of the 3,800-foot track.
— Six Flags Fiesta Texas (San Antonio)
Virtual reality comes to Superman Krypton Coaster at Six Flags Fiesta Texas. On this ride, passengers are transported to a battle between Superman and Lex Luthor via wireless headsets with movement-synchronized animation. You can keep up the adrenaline by making a seven-story and temporarily weightless loop on the park’s second new ride, Fireball.
About the Author
