Fierce competition among theme park operators has led these companies to constantly develop the next best attraction.
The current theme park battle began more than a dozen years ago when Comcast (CMCSA) – Get a free report Universal Studios, owned by Universal Studios, introduced the Wizarding World of Harry Potter land at its Islands of Adventure park in Orlando in 2010, then added the Wizarding World attraction to Universal Studios Orlando in 2014. Universal Studios Hollywood in California opened its Wizarding World in 2016.
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The Walt Disney Company (DIS) – Get a free report Disney World theme parks felt the pressure and added new lands to their parks, including Pandora – The World of Avatar in Animal Kingdom in May 2017 and Toy Story Land in Hollywood Studios in June 2018. Then Disney took a big step and opened his Star Wars. : Galaxy’s Edge lands at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, in May 2019 and at Walt Disney World’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando in August 2019.
Disney added the Tron: Lightcycle Run roller coaster at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom in April 2023 and the Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind attraction at Epcot in May 2022.
Universal is building its new Epic Universe park
Universal countered Disney’s latest additions in February 2023 with the opening of a new Super Nintendo World land at Universal Studios Hollywood, while it is currently developing a third gate theme park at Universal Orlando Resort, Epic Universe, which is expected to open in the summer of 2025.
The new park’s themed lands will include Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, Super Nintendo World, Universal Classic Monsters and How to Train Your Dragon.
Universal Studios Florida also revealed in July that it will close the KidZone land at the park, which will be replaced in 2024 by a new land dedicated to some of the company’s DreamWorks characters in interactive play spaces and attractions including popular franchises like “Shrek , “Trolls” and “Kung Fu Panda”.
Disney World is also planning a new land for its Animal Kingdom, as it is closing DinoLand USA and bringing in The Tropical Americas land that will feature “Enchantment” and Indiana Jones-themed attractions.
The rivalry between Disney and Universal theme parks may have to make room for another major player after Six Flags Entertainment. (SIX) – Get a free report and Cedar Fair (FUN) – Get a free report on November 2 entered into a merger agreement to create a single combined $8 billion amusement park company comprised of 27 amusement parks, 15 water parks and nine resort properties in 17 states, Canada and Mexico.
The merged companies will combine licensed intellectual property from their amusement parks that include characters from Looney Tunes, DC Comics and Peanuts. The main attractions of the new company’s parks are its thrill rides, many of which are unparalleled in the world.
Looking back at the granddaddy of all theme parks, Disneyland, its tallest roller coaster attraction is the 147-foot Matterhorn bobsleds, which opened in 1959. Universal Studios Florida’s Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit tops the Matterhorn at 167 feet, but the one at Disney World Animal Kingdom. Expedition Everest towers over Rip Ride Rockit at 199.5 feet.
Roller coasters rising into the sky
However, Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California has Superman Escape From Krypton that is twice as tall at 413 feet and reaches a speed of 100 mph. But that’s not the tallest, fastest roller coaster out there. Six Flags’ new partner, Cedar Fair, in 2024 will launch Top Thrill 2 at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, which will measure 420 feet and 120 mph.
Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey, can beat Top Thrill 2 with its current Kingda Ka attraction that reaches 456 feet high and 128 mph.
However, Six Flags doesn’t think it’s high enough. That’s why the amusement park operator is building its new Six Flags Qiddiya park in Saudi Arabia that will include the Falcon’s Flight roller coaster, which towers over all the roller coasters in the world at 640 feet and speeds up to 155 mph. The park will open in October 2024.
