After nearly a decade in development and construction, Primordial finally opened last month at Lagoon Amusement Park in Farmington, Utah. The coaster is a technological marvel, blending dark ride elements with a roller coaster.
While it isn’t the first to do so, it is only one of a few interactive roller coasters worldwide. Let’s look at this impressive family coaster and discover if it was worth the wait.
Nearly a Decade of Development, Construction, and Delays
Primordial was first put into development back in 2015. Rumors began to swirl as early as 2017 that Lagoon was going to be adding a new coaster to its lineup. These rumors would grow once construction began on the coaster and massive mountain it is housed within in 2018.
Additionally, Lagoon would file a trademark for the name “Primordial” and fans were sure this would be the name of the new coaster, despite Lagoon’s denials. Construction of the coaster would go on for years without any mention from Lagoon on what it would eventually be. After delays from the pandemic, Lagoon would officially announce that the new coaster was named Primordial in November of 2022. They would also announce that the coaster would be opening for the 2023 season.
Lagoon, however, would not state when in the season the coaster would open. From the opening of the season, until kids were going back to school, Lagoon failed to give an opening date. Rather, they only stated that the ride’s opening was “imminent.”
This led to some of Lagoon’s season passport holders becoming upset as the park had used Primordial to promote sales of their 2023 season passports. Many passport holders were upset that the coaster did not open until September when the park is getting close to closing for the year. Lagoon has sought to remedy this by giving their passport holders exclusive ride time during times when the park is typically closed; which is something they have never done before.
A (Sort-Of) One-Of-A-Kind Coaster
Primordial is an interactive roller coaster that features many impressive elements. While Lagoon boasts that Primordial is one-of-a-kind, it bears many similarities to another coaster that was manufactured by the same company. Primordial and Wonder Mountain’s Guardian at Canada’s Wonderland were both manufactured by ART Engineering.
Both coasters are interactive and feature many of the same elements such as 3D screens which riders shoot at with blasters, rotating ride vehicles, a drop track, and on-board audio. The stories are also similar in that riders are on a quest set in a medieval fictional realm.
However, Primordial takes these elements and elevates them to a level that Wonder Mountain’s Guardian does not. First, the roller coaster portions of Primordial are much longer as it feature a long drop at the beginning of the ride and a backward section of the coaster in the middle. While the trains in Wonder Mountain’s Guardian rotate up to 90 degrees, Primoridal’s ride vehicles rotate 360 degrees pointing riders in all directions based on which section of the ride they are in.
Additionally, Primordial features several different endings including three different physical endings. In addition to the drop track, riders can also be sent rolling forward or rolling backward at the end of the attraction. This makes the coaster extremely re-rideable as it can offer riders a different experience each time. At the end of the ride, guests can view their scores and see how they compare to their fellow riders.
The overall ride, including the queue, is incredibly immersive and on par with an attraction you might expect at a park like Universal Studios. Primordial is a family-friendly coaster with a height requirement of only 36 inches. It reaches speeds of 40 miles per hour and the first drop is 84 feet. Although the first drop is outdoors, the remainder of the coaster is housed within the 70,000-square-foot mountain. Unfortunately, Lagoon does not have Primordial listed on their website yet, so more stats on the coaster may be forthcoming.
All-in-all, Lagoon Amusement Park has truly outdone itself with the addition of the Primordial even if the coaster took quite a long time to open. This new attraction combines the best of modern roller coaster engineering with imaginative theming and interactive elements, offering visitors an unforgettable experience.
Whether you’re a seasoned coaster enthusiast or just looking for a thrilling family-friendly adventure, Primordial is sure to be the highlight of your visit to Lagoon. It seems it was definitely worth the wait!
