Editor’s observe: It is a recurring submit, often up to date with new data and presents.
The previous few years have seen main progress for U.S. theme parks — and we’re not simply speaking about curler coasters rising to record-breaking heights. Theme parks throughout the nation have been including new lands, rides and points of interest to make your visits much more enjoyable and thrilling.
Associated: TPG’s 8 prime household trip locations
We discovered 11 new theme park rides and lands you gained’t wish to miss this yr, not together with any of the new points of interest coming to Disney World in 2024. Whether or not you might be in search of kid-friendly rides or terrifyingly tall coasters, right here is all the pieces new you’ll be able to expertise at U.S. theme parks across the nation this yr.
Penguin Trek — SeaWorld Orlando
With eight curler coasters, SeaWorld Orlando is already residence to extra coasters than some other theme park in Orlando. Penguin Trek, the park’s latest experience, will deliver that complete to 9.
Associated: SeaWorld to open new points of interest at each US park in 2024
Penguin Trek is a family-friendly launch coaster that may ship riders on an icy rescue mission by means of Antarctica. The experience autos on this indoor-outdoor coaster are designed to seem like snowmobiles. With a minimal peak requirement of 42 inches and a prime velocity of solely 43 mph, this can be a coaster that households can take pleasure in collectively.
On the finish of the experience, you’ll exit into the park’s real-life penguin habitat, the place you may get an up-close take a look at the lovely animals you “saved” whereas in your Antarctic rescue mission.
Penguin Trek is scheduled to open someday in 2024.
Jewels of the Sea: The Jellyfish Expertise — SeaWorld San Diego
Jewels of the Sea: The Jellyfish Expertise might be an interactive and academic attraction within the Ocean’s Discover space of SeaWorld San Diego. The exhibit may have three themed galleries designed to make visitors really feel as if they’re immersed in a jellyfish’s mystical underwater world.
Jewels of the Sea: The Jellyfish Expertise may have a few of the tallest jellyfish cylinders on this planet, together with an 18-foot-tall jellyfish habitat and a 10-foot-tall “dwelling arch” of jellyfish that visitors can stroll beneath. For an extra charge, you’ll be able to improve your jellyfish expertise to incorporate a behind-the-scenes tour.
Jewels of the Sea: The Jellyfish Expertise is scheduled to open someday in 2024.
Catapult Falls — SeaWorld San Antonio
Catapult Falls would be the world’s first launched flume coaster when it opens this yr. It is going to additionally maintain the file for the world’s steepest drop in a flume experience and North America’s solely flume coaster with a vertical elevate.
Catapult Falls might be a cross between a curler coaster and a water flume experience, with an open-air elevator that may transport your raft to the highest of a 55-foot-tall hill earlier than you come splashing down. SeaWorld San Antonio has not but introduced a minimal peak requirement for this attraction.
Catapult Falls is scheduled to open someday in 2024.
Sea Life Florida — Legoland Florida Resort
Sea Life Florida might be a family-friendly aquarium at Legoland Florida Resort in Winter Haven, Florida. Friends will be capable of observe marine life in a set of immersive, interactive displays.
Associated: First look: We tried out the brand-new Peppa Pig Theme Park in Florida
Merlin Entertainments, which operates Sea Life aquariums and Lego-themed parks and points of interest internationally, has not but launched particulars on precisely which animals or points of interest might be included. If it operates equally to different Sea Life aquariums, it’s doubtless that entry will both be included together with your Legoland admission or out there as a mixture ticket.
Sea Life Florida is scheduled to open in fall 2024.
Dino Valley — Legoland California Resort
In honor of Legoland California Resort‘s twenty fifth birthday, the Southern California theme park will open a dinosaur-filled land referred to as Dino Valley. The brand new land may have three rides, together with a Lego Duplo dinosaur safari, a river experience and an current experience referred to as Coastersaurus.
Associated: Construct the right household trip at these accommodations close to Legoland California
Friends may also play paleontologist within the interactive Dino Dig space and meet all-new Lego characters. Like all Legoland points of interest, these rides and experiences are geared towards youngsters ages 2 by means of 12 and their households.
Dino Valley is scheduled to open in spring 2024.
Phoenix Rising — Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
Busch Gardens already has a well-balanced mixture of thrill rides and those who enchantment to households. Phoenix Rising, the Tampa park’s latest attraction and tenth curler coaster, will toe the road between the 2. This suspended curler coaster will soar above the park at speeds of as much as 44 mph.
The peak requirement for Phoenix Rising is a family-friendly 42 inches.
Phoenix Rising is scheduled to open in spring 2024.
DreamWorks land — Common Orlando Resort
Between subsequent yr’s Epic Universe unveiling and final yr’s opening of Minion Land, Common Orlando discovered time to construct one other fully new DreamWorks land. This land might be situated inside Common Studios Florida and can themed to the various beloved characters featured in DreamWorks Animation movies like “Shrek,” “Trolls” and “Kung Fu Panda.”
Associated: These are the ten greatest rides at Common Orlando
The land will exchange the KidZone space of the park, which featured points of interest like a Woody Woodpecker coaster for youths and a Curious George play space. Common hasn’t but launched particulars on points of interest for the brand new land, however we all know there might be rides, character meet-and-greets and interactive play areas geared towards younger youngsters.
Common’s DreamWorks-themed land is scheduled to open someday in 2024.
Camp Snoopy — Knott’s Berry Farm
Camp Snoopy opened at Knott’s Berry Farm in 1983 and has been a preferred vacation spot for the park’s youngest guests ever since. This yr, Camp Snoopy is getting a serious makeover, together with new rides, new character meet-and-greets, new leisure and an up to date eating location.
The reimagined Camp Snoopy may have a brand new household coaster referred to as Snoopy’s Tenderpaw Tornado Coaster and a Beagle Categorical practice experience, amongst different points of interest. In fact, favourite “Peanuts” characters like Charlie Brown, Lucy, Snoopy, Pigpen, Sally and Marcie will meet visitors all through the land all day lengthy.
Camp Snoopy is scheduled to open in summer season 2024.
The Dolly Parton Expertise — Dollywood
Yow will discover nods to Dolly Parton’s life and music everywhere in the Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennesee, however this yr, Dollywood will open an attraction that lays out each element of Parton’s inspiration, profession and signature fashion.
Housed throughout a number of buildings, the Dolly Parton Expertise might be an interactive, multisensory attraction that tells the story of Parton’s life by means of her musical and charitable achievements, household keepsakes and extra.
The Dolly Parton Expertise is scheduled to open someday in 2024.
Fireplace within the Gap — Silver Greenback Metropolis
Fireplace within the Gap has been some of the well-liked — and distinctive — points of interest at Silver Greenback Metropolis because the experience opened in 1972. It was one of many world’s first indoor curler coasters and instructed a heart-pounding story of a city that was burnt to the bottom by vigilantes referred to as Baldknobbers and the volunteer firefighters (that’s you) that stepped in to save lots of the city.
Associated: 11 regional theme parks which might be nearer to residence however simply as enjoyable as the massive names
The experience closed on the finish of the park’s 2023 season to make room for an up to date model of Fireplace within the Gap set to open in a newly constructed constructing within the Fireplace District part of the park. The experience may have new and improved variations of well-known present scenes and characters (together with these huge, dangerous Baldknobbers), together with an up to date experience expertise and particular results that may protect what makes this attraction so particular whereas enhancing the experience general.
Fireplace within the Gap is scheduled to open in spring 2024.
Good Gravy — Vacation World
Using in a gravy boat previous an enormous rolling pin and thru a can of cranberry sauce could sound like a dream you had after wolfing down an enormous Thanksgiving dinner and mendacity again in your grandpa’s recliner, however we are able to guarantee you it’s a very actual curler coaster referred to as Good Gravy at Vacation World in Santa Claus, Indiana.
Every land at Vacation World is themed to a unique vacation, and Good Gravy might be within the Thanksgiving part of the park. Good Gravy would be the park’s first household coaster, with a minimal peak requirement of 38 inches and a prime velocity of 37 mph.
Good Gravy is scheduled to open in Could 2024.
Backside line
From animal experiences to thrill rides to household enjoyable, there’s one thing for everybody coming to U.S. theme parks this yr — and we are able to’t wait to see all of them.
Associated studying: