August 2023 was a thrilling month for coaster enthusiasts and amusement park lovers alike, as it marked the unveiling of an impressive array of new roller coasters. From gravity-defying twists to heart-pounding drops and family-centered thrills, these upcoming roller coasters promise to deliver an unforgettable experience.
Let’s look at all the new coasters announced in August that are set to open in 2024.
1. Good Gravy at Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari
Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari announced that a new family coaster called Good Gravy would be opening in 2024. The name Good Gravy may sound peculiar, but this innovative ride promises an experience like no other. It will be the world’s first gravy-themed roller coaster and will call the Thanksgiving area of the park home. The coaster is part of a new expansion to the land called Stuffing Springs. The area will include a play area, benches, and plenty of shade.
Good Gravy, designed by manufacturer Vekoma, promises to deliver family-friendly thrills. Once onboard, riders find themselves seated in large gravy boats complete with ornate artwork just like you would find on Grandma’s kitchen table.
The trains are lifted back up a reverse lift hill before they take off back through the station and zoom through thrilling twists that simulate the exhilarating frenzy of cooking in a kitchen. The coaster will reach speeds of 37mph and weave through massive kitchen utensils such as a rolling pin, whisk, a big box of stuffing, and more. Then riders will climb a 77-foot-tall spike before falling back and doing the whole course backward. It is a perfect coaster for those riders who want a bit more thrill but aren’t quite ready to take on The Voyage.
2. Snoopy’s Soap Box Racers at Kings Island
Snoopy’s Soap Box Racers is a Vekoma family boomerang coaster very similar to Good Gravy. It will be Kings Island’s 5th family coaster. Inspired by the beloved Peanuts characters, this ride offers a whimsical take on soapbox derby racing.
Kids and adults alike can hop into soapbox cars and zip down a winding track filled with twists and turns. After being lifted a 70 ft hill in reverse, riders will zip back down through the station and through a series of turns up and over the station before heading up a spike and heading back through the track backward. The coaster is going to be part of a new area of the park called Camp Snoopy.
3. Ultra Surf Coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia
Six Flags Over Georgia announced that a one-of-a-kind coaster would be making its debut next year. This Ultra Surf Coaster which is yet to be named, looks quite similar to Aquaman: Power Wave which opened this year at Six Flags Over Texas and was designed by Mack Rides. However, this model, designed by Intamin takes the thrill level up a notch.
While the track is nearly identical, the Ultra Surf coaster features trains that resemble a surfboard and include two spinning cars. The train is launched forward and backward along the track, reaching speeds of 60 miles per hour, and ends with a major splashdown. These free-spinning cars add a completely new element to the coaster and ensure each ride will be a different experience.
4. Iron Menace at Dorney Park
Iron Menace is set to make a thrilling debut at Dorney Park next year. Announced in August 2023, this coaster is already generating excitement from parkgoers. It marks the first new roller coaster at Dorney Park since the now-defunct boomerang coaster, Stinger opened in 2012. In fact, Iron Menace will sit where Stinger once stood.
Iron Menace is a Bolliger & Mabillard dive coaster. It is poised to become a highlight of Dorney Park, promising an adrenaline-fueled experience. With a top speed of 64 miles per hour, a 152 ft beyond vertical drop, and four inversions it’s bound to deliver heart-pounding thrills. The coaster will deliver excitement, although the layout does seem a bit short. It is still great to see a park that hasn’t had a new coaster in over a decade finally get a thrilling addition.
Continue reading to discover 4 more roller coasters coming in 2024…
5. Fire In The Hole at Silver Dollar City
Silver Dollar City’s original Fire in the Hole attraction was a classic. The iconic three-story indoor coaster has been thrilling visitors since 1972. Sadly, it was announced that the coaster would be closing this year. However, last month Silver Dollar City announced that a new Fire in the Hole would be opening in 2024 as part of a large expansion of The Fire District.
The new Fire in the Hole is being hailed as the largest indoor coaster in the Heartland. Riders will embark on a wild journey through unexpected twists, 3 drops, and even a splashdown. The coaster will also feature onboard audio and lighting and fiber optic special effects.
The coaster is being manufactured by Rocky Mountain Construction which will mark the company’s first family coaster following the announcement of their new family coaster model, the Wild Moose. However, this coaster is a custom model and not a Wild Moose coaster. The coaster looks to combine the best of a dark ride and a thrilling family coaster. We are excited to catch a ride on Fire in the Hole when it opens next year.
6. The Bobcat at Six Flags Great Escape
The Bobcat, the latest roller coaster addition to Six Flags Great Escape, promises a wild ride for guests. The coaster, manufactured by The Gravity Group, offers an exciting twist on a classic wooden coaster design. With a compact layout, riders can expect tight turns, surprising drops, and rapid-fire transitions that keep hearts racing.
The name “Bobcat” hints at a fierce and agile experience. This small but mighty family coaster will reach speeds of 40 miles per hour and will reach a height of about 55 feet. From concept art, it looks like the coaster will be like another of The Gravity Group’s coasters, Kentucky Flyer which opened at Kentucky Kingdom in 2019. The coaster will also be the first new coaster at Six Flags Great Escape in over 20 years. It is set to open for the park’s 70th anniversary celebration.
7. The Flash: Vertical Velocity at Six Flags Great Adventure
The Flash: Vertical Velocity roller coaster is set to make an electrifying entrance at Six Flags Great Adventure in 2024. Although it shares its name with an impulse coaster at another Six Flags park, this Vekoma super boomerang coaster is the first of its kind in North America and promises a high-speed, heart-pounding experience inspired by the iconic superhero.
From the start, riders are greeted with speed as they blast from the station but don’t quite have enough speed to make it through and fall backward and up the first vertical spike. The train will then plummet back through the station and through the track which includes an upside-down run, multiple-launches, and a second vertical spike. As with all boomerangs, the trains then head back through the track in reverse.
The Flash: Vertical Velocity is destined to become a standout attraction, offering a dynamic and electrifying ride that’ll have visitors feeling like true superheroes.
8. Top Thrill 2
While we all knew that the newly redesigned Top Thrill Dragster coaster would be opening in 2024, at the beginning of August we finally received official news of the coaster’s design and theme. Top Thrill 2 will hold on to the racing theme of its predecessor but will take on a whole new identity as The world’s tallest and fastest triple-launch strata coaster. This confirmed what many (including us) had speculated. Top Thrill 2 does indeed include a swing launch and vertical spike.
The coaster will still reach speeds of 120 miles per hour and a height of 420 miles per hour. However, this time riders will first be launched up the top hat but not quite make it over falling back and up the vertical spike. The train will then fall back through the launch a second time, gaining enough speed to crest the top hat and plummet back down to the finish line.
It also seems that the coaster will feature a switch track which should improve capacity. It is the most highly anticipated coaster coming next year, and we can’t wait to see how Top Thrill 2 compares to its predecessor.
What coaster are you most excited to ride in 2024? Let us know in the comments or on our Facebook page.
