The theme park renaissance continues as theme parks all around Orlando are adding new experiences to their lineups year after year. In addition to dark rides and simulators, parks are also building brand new roller coasters. Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure opened earlier this year, but that was only the start of a whole slew of new coasters headed to Central Florida.
From the highly themed to the highly thrilling, here are 5 new roller coasters coming to town, including their stats and even a few rumored details thrown in. Be sure to stay tuned to the site for more theme park and coaster news as it happens!
Ice Breaker at SeaWorld Orlando – Spring 2020
Opening this coming spring, Ice Breaker will be SeaWorld Orlando’s first launched roller coaster. It will be built in the Wild Arctic area of the park, expanding the Arctic area all the way out to the lagoon, behind Mango Joe’s eatery. The coaster will take riders both forward and backwards, with speeds reaching 52 miles per hour on a 90-second trip.
Coaster Stats:
• Maximum Height: 95 feet
• Maximum Speed: 52 mph
• Launch/Drop Angle: 100 degrees
• Track Length Traveled: 2,750 feet
• Minimum Rider Height: 48 inches
• Ride Elements: 4 multi-directional launch points, top-hat, 100-degree vertical spike
• Manufacturer: Premier Rides
Iron Gwazi at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay – Spring 2020
What will be North America’s tallest hybrid coaster and the fastest and steepest hybrid coaster in the world, Iron Gwazi is being built utilizing some of the original supports from the former Gwazi wooden coaster. This incredible new thrill ride will boost speeds of up to 76 miles per hour and a 91 degree drop, breaking two world records for hybrid coasters.
Coaster Stats:
• Maximum Height: 206 feet
• Maximum Speed: 76 mph
• Drop Angle: 91 degrees
• Track Length Traveled: 4,075 feet
• Minimum Rider Height: 48 inches
• Ride Elements: 12 airtime features, including three inversions
• Manufacturer: Rocky Mountain Construction
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at Epcot – 2021
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is replacing the Universe of Energy pavilion. The ride will be Disney’s first backwards launched coaster. The coaster train vehicles will be able to rotate 360 degrees to focus your attention on the action throughout the ride. An opening date for the coaster has not yet been given, but it is expected to open some time in 2021.
Before we board the coaster, the attraction will start in the “Galaxarium,” a planetarium-like exhibition. The the Guardians of the Galaxy arrive, and adventures across the cosmos ensue. The ride is rumored to include an interesting show scene before the initial launch. The rest of the coaster will be housed in a massive show building and is not expected to contain fully-fledged show scenes, but it is reported to contain domed screens, similar to the ones used at planetariums.
Coaster Stats:
• Maximum Height: Unknown
• Maximum Speed: Unknown
• Track Length Traveled: Unknown
• Minimum Rider Height: Unknown
• Ride Elements: Backwards launch, rotating coaster cars, no inversions
• Manufacturer: Vekoma
Tron Lightcycle Run at Magic Kingdom – 2021
A new roller coaster is being built in Tomorrowland, just to the left of the iconic Space Mountain. Tron Lightcycle Run will be nearly exactly the same as the original Tron Lightcycle Power Run coaster at Shanghai Disneyland. The ride will feature speeds up to 60 miles per hour, and will put riders on unique motorbike seating designed after the vehicles in the Tron films.
Coaster Stats:
• Height: 78 feet
• Maximum Speed: 60 mph
• Track Length Traveled: 2,750 feet
• Minimum Rider Height: Unknown
• Ride Elements: Launch, motorbike seating, no inversions
• Manufacturer: Vekoma
Jurassic Park Roller Coaster at Islands of Adventure – 2021
While this project has not yet been officially announced, construction for the new Jurassic Park themed roller coaster is well underway at Universal’s Islands of Adventure. The track and supports for the new ride have even turned up off-site in a staging area. See more here.
Rumored to be named Velocicoaster, the new thrill ride is expected to feature at least two launches, several inversions, and perhaps even a coaster top-hat—where the trains go nearly straight up and then straight back down. The new coaster, rumored to be opening Spring of 2021, is not replacing anything. Instead it is being built in the old location of the now defunct Triceratops Encounter. Sections of the track will also pass in front of the Discovery Center and the north section of the theme park’s lagoon.
Coaster Stats:
• Height: Unknown
• Maximum Speed: Unknown (~70 mph)
• Track Length Traveled: Unknown (~4500 ft)
• Minimum Rider Height: Unknown
• Ride Elements: Launches, top-hat rumored, several inversions rumored
• Manufacturer: Intamin
New Untitled Coaster at Fun Spot Kissimmee – 2019/2020
And one last bonus coaster for you, just today Fun Spot America announced that they are bringing a 4th coaster to their Kissimmee location at Old Town. The new ride will be five stories tall, featuring a triple out-and-back design and a layout of 1,300+ feet. In fact, they’re holding a contest to help name the new ride this month. Learn more here.
Coaster Stats:
• Height: 52 ft
• Track Length Traveled: 1,300 ft
• Minimum Rider Height: 42″
• Ride Elements: Chain Lift Hill
• Manufacturer: E&F Miler Industries
Remember to stay tuned to the site for more roller coaster and theme park news. If you’re thinking about booking your next trip to Orlando, request your free vacation quote from our good friend Elizabeth at Destinations in Florida. She can help you get the best deals on theme park tickets, your on-site hotel room, dining reservations and more — and her services are completely free!
Stay tuned for more coaster news as it happens! Subscribe to the news feed or enter your email below to never miss an update. Photos by their respective companies
Subscribe to Receive Email Updates
Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month. All patrons receive behind the scenes posts and exclusive podcasts. Learn More
1 Comments