Over the past month or so, there has been a surplus of new roller coaster announcements from theme parks across the United States and Canada. Thus far, 2022 has given us not only the innovative Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, but larger, thrilling coasters like Iron Gwazi, and Dr. Diabolical’s Cliffhanger, Pantheon. However, 2023 looks to be the year of the family coasters. Most of the coasters announced have surprisingly been family-friendly coasters. Let’s look at what you can expect to ride next year!
1. Big Bear Mountain: Dollywood
Big Bear Mountain will be a launching family coaster that twists and travels through both the Wildwood Grove section of the park. Guests will travel along almost 4,000 feet of track and the jeep-like themed trains will include onboard audio. The coaster is set to be Dollywood’s largest coaster.
2. Zambezi Zinger: Worlds of Fun
This new hybrid coaster pays homage to its predecessor that delighted guests at Worlds of Fun from 1973-1997 but with a more modern twist. The new coaster features a helix lift hill, much like the original, and includes several banked turns through the trees with lots of low-to-the-ground twists. The new coaster does reach a higher speed than the original, however, at 45 miles per hour. The coaster will be an excellent addition in time for Worlds of Fun’s 50th Anniversary next year.
3. & 4? New Coasters at the New Mattel Adventure Park
Mattel Adventure Park is set to open in 2023 in Glendale, Arizona. This park themed around your favorite toys such as Hot Wheels and Barbie is set to include two roller coasters. The first is the Hot Wheels Roller Coaster. The coaster will be a double looping launch coaster that is “designed for speed.” There is also rumored to be a second coaster. This one would be a family coaster, although no official sources have confirmed this addition to the park’s lineup of rides.
5. Flying Viking: Adventureland
The Flying Viking will be Adventureland’s 7th coaster. This family coaster will have its track intertwined with the log flume ride Draken Falls. The coaster will reach speeds of 26 miles per hour and travel along 1300 feet of track.
6. DarKoaster Escape The Storm: Busch Gardens Williamsburg
This new coaster will be occupying the space once held by Curse of DarKastle. It will be an indoor coaster that the park is boasting as the first all-indoor straddle coaster. The ride seats are meant to give the feeling of riding on a snowmobile. It will also feature a whopping 4 launches, a top speed of 36 miles per hour, and include special snow and 3-D effects. This is definitely a family coaster to be excited about.
7. Circuit Breaker: COTALand
Located at the Circuit of the Americas, Circuit Breaker will be North America’s first tilt coaster. Although the layout looks somewhat short, the coaster does seem to dip underground twice and includes a 90-degree tilt and hold before plummeting to the ground. COTALand, the amusement park located within the racetrack is set to open this year. This coaster will be similar to another Vekoma manufactured tilt coaster located in Taiwan.
8. Snoopy’s Racing Railway: Canada’s Wonderland
This family-friendly launch coaster will be Canada’s Wonderland’s 18th coaster. It will feature a launch from 0-31 miles per hour and include several fun dips and turns.
9. Wild Mouse: Cedar Point
As part of Cedar Point’s new Boardwalk, the Wild Mouse coaster will be Cedar Point’s first coaster since Steel Vengeance opened in 2018. It will be the park’s 19th coaster and include 1,312 feet of track. Guests will travel in free-spinning cars and reach speeds of 35 miles an hour.
10. Unnamed Surf Coaster: SeaWorld Orlando
Announced back in June with a teaser video, this blue surf-themed coaster is said to be the first of its kind. From the promotional video, the coaster looks to be a stand-up style coaster that will give riders a taste of what it feels like to ride the waves.
11. Aquaman: Power Wave: Six Flags Over Texas
Aquaman: Power Wave was originally set to open earlier. However, due to supply chain and labor shortages related to the pandemic the coaster had its progress delayed multiple times. Now set to open in 2023, this coaster will also be the first of its kind in North America. It is a steel launched water shuttle coaster. It will reach speeds of 62 mph, send riders both forward and backward up and down two vertical towers, and end in a major splashdown.
12, 13, 14 Thus Far Unannounced…. But Can We Hope?
There are a few coasters that, at the time of writing this article, have not been announced to open in 2023 but we are hopeful we might see them open by the end of next year. The first, of course, is the long-anticipated TRON Lightcycle / Run. With testing being done on the coaster recently, it is highly likely that the coaster will open at some point next year. At least we hope it will finally open. There is also the widely speculated possibility that the now closed, Wildcat at Hersheypark will be getting a Rocky Mountain Construction upgrade. Could we see this new coaster open in 2023 as well? Finally, there is the matter of the recently retired Top Thrill Dragster. It was announced by Cedar Point that while Top Thrill Dragster, as we know it, will not reopen, they are working on a new, reimagined ride experience. We hope to see this experience open in 2023 for what would have been Top Thrill Dragster’s 20th anniversary.
We will be sure to keep you up to date on all the details of these coasters and any others that are announced in the coming months. What coaster are you most excited to ride next year?
