Every summer families and friends venture out to amusement parks. It’s a great place for bonding, catching a summer breeze and experiencing a thrill like no other. Great food and delicious desserts also play a major key in the amusement park experience, but the most rewarding fun is the rides.
It’s not every year that amusement parks spend millions of dollars on new attractions, but when they do they attract a great crowd. 2016 is a huge year for roller coasters across the country, here are three of the most-anticipated to be released:
1) Lightening Rod: Dollywood Theme Park in Great Smokey Mountains, Tennessee
The Lightening Rod is the fastest wooden rollercoaster in the world, reaching speeds of 73 mph and heights of 165 feet. The coaster is the newest attraction to the Dollywood Theme Park located in Great Smokey Mountains, Tennessee, and has been causing quite a stir. Themed after the 1950s hot-rod era and having height requirements for patrons of only 48 inches, the 12-car train carrying a total of 24 passengers is quite the beauty.
2) Valravn: Cedar Point Theme Park in Sandusky, Ohio
The Valravn is the newest attraction to the legendary Cedar Point Amusement Park. Reaching speeds of roughly 75 mph and an intense 90-degree dive after a 4-second hold from 214 feet in the air, this coaster is definitely built for the thrill chasers. Featuring two loops and twists at top speeds, this coaster known as the “King of All Diving Rollercoasters” has definitely made a name for itself at Cedar Point.
3) The New Revolution Virtual Reality Coaster: Six Flags Magic Kingdom in Los Angeles
The New Revolution is North America’s first dedicated Virtual Reality Coaster located at Six Flags Magic Kingdom. Partnering with Samsung Gear VR and Oculus, the new coaster amps up the thrills. Allowing riders to enter a virtual world equipped with 360 views of high-resolution imagery while twisting and turning throughout this wild ride, it races up to 55 mph and contains the world’s first giant loop at 90 feet high and 45 feet in diameter. Check out this trendsetter only at Six Flags Magic Kingdom.
Of course there are other coasters that are debuting this summer, but they all have one thing in common, innovation. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter located in Universal Studios Hollywood, California; and The Joker at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey, are just two of the new rides to check out this summer. If you make it to any of these theme parks this summer, be sure to check these rides out.
