USA TODAY 10Best
10 best new theme park attractions that will blow your mind
Best New Theme Park Attraction (2024)
Each year, theme parks across the United States introduce parkgoers to a new lineup of attractions, from extreme thrill rides that push our adrenaline-pumping limits to themed experiences that awaken our imaginations. And the past year has been no exception.
To find the best new theme park attractions, we asked a panel of experts to nominate their favorites, then readers voted for their top picks. Here are the 10 best new theme park attractions.
- TRON Lightcycle / Run at Magic Kingdom Park - Lake Buena Vista, Florida
- Serengeti Flyer at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay - Tampa, Florida
- Spinvasion at Kennywood - West Mifflin, Pennsylvania
- Big Bear Mountain at Dollywood - Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
- Whispering Pines Haunted Hotel - Saco, Maine
- Zambezi Zinger at Worlds of Fun - Kansas City, Missouri
- ArieForce One at Fun Spot America Atlanta - Fayetteville, Georgia
- Pipeline: The Surf Coaster at Seaworld Orlando - Orlando, Florida
- Wildcat's Revenge at Hersheypark - Hershey, Pennsylvania
- Primordial at Lagoon Amusement Park - Farmington, Utah
Photo courtesy of Walt Disney World Resort
No. 10:
While "TRON" made its big screen debut in 1982, Magic Kingdom's TRON Lightcycle / Run brings a dazzling contemporary spin to the sci-fi franchise, allowing guests to speed across more than 3,000 feet of track illuminated by brilliant colored lights.
Photo courtesy of Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
No. 9:
While Busch Gardens Tampa Bay’s Serengeti Plain is already home to all sorts of wildlife, the space offers ample opportunity for thrill seekers in the form of the Serengeti Flyer. Maxing out at 135 feet in the air, this soaring ride allows guests to experience negative Gs as they hit speeds of up to 68 mph.
Photo courtesy of Kennywood
No. 8:
Kennywood's Spinvasion made its debut in May 2023, inviting guests to participate in a mock battle against space invaders to decide the fate of Pittsburgh. Speeds in your brightly colored spaceship top out at 30 mph.
Photo courtesy of Dollywood Parks & Resorts
No. 7:
Dollywood is no stranger to incredible roller coasters, but when it comes to true excitement, it's tough to beat Big Bear Mountain. Measuring in at 3,990 feet of track, this massive structure serves as the longest roller coaster in the entire park, coming complete with sharp turns and top speeds of 48 mph.
Photo courtesy of Funtown Splashtown USA
No. 6:
Visitors to Maine's Funtown Splashtown USA can find a particularly hair-raising experience in the form of Whispering Pines Haunted Hotel, with lively animatronics, strobe lights, and synthetic fog all accentuating a haunted hotel setting.
Photo courtesy of Worlds of Fun
No. 5:
Inspired by one of the longest rivers in all of Africa, the Zambezi Zinger offers a new take on one of Worlds of Fun's most famous attractions, offering 2,428 feet of steel and wooden track and speeds that top out at 45 miles per hour.
Photo courtesy of Jack Lathrop
No. 4:
Maxing out at 64 mph, the ArieForce One serves as one of Fun Spot America Atlanta's most thrilling new installations. In addition to exhilarating speeds, the ride also comes equipped with heart-pounding flourishes ranging from 16 distinct airtime moments to a jaw-dropping raven-truss dive.
Photo courtesy of SeaWorld Orlando
No. 3:
An innovative new addition to Seaworld Orlando's roster of rides, Pipeline: The Surf Coaster mimics a typical surfing session with stand-up seats that shift up and down throughout the course, with participants reaching top speeds of 60 mph and heights of 110 feet during each ride.
Photo courtesy of Hersheypark
No. 2:
Hersheypark has been a legendary Pennsylvania amusement park for well over a century, with The Wild Cat serving as its very first roller coaster back in 1923. In the modern era, Wildcat's Revenge offers a contemporary take on the iconic structure with an 82-degree drop and multiple inversions during each ride.
Photo courtesy of Lagoon
No. 1:
The largest theme park in Utah unveiled an entirely new attraction in September 2023, with Lagoon Amusement Park's Primordial coaster. The experience features sudden drops, a shooting game, and top speeds of 40 mph.
About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.
The Experts
Jamie Davis Smith
Jamie is a travel writer who has visited over 50... Read More
Jamie is a travel writer who has visited over 50 countries, many of them with her children in tow. She loves visiting everything from theme parks to ancient ruins and packs strictly carry-on-only. Jamie can be reached at jamiesmithwrites@gmail.com.
Jamie Davis Smith
Jamie is a travel writer who has visited over 50 countries, many of them with her children in tow. She loves visiting everything from theme parks to ancient ruins and packs strictly carry-on-only. Jamie can be reached at jamiesmithwrites@gmail.com.
Meg St-Esprit
Meg St-Esprit is a journalist based in Pittsburgh... Read More
Meg St-Esprit is a journalist based in Pittsburgh who covers family travel, lifestyle, education, and parenting. With their four kids in tow, she and her husband love to travel anywhere and everywhere — but have a soft spot for camping and outdoor adventures. In fact, her kids are well on their way to achieving their goal of visiting all 124 state parks in Pennsylvania. Meg believes travel doesn’t need to be luxurious or costly to be valuable, and aims to share that with her audience. Meg’s work has appeared in publications such as The New York Times, Thrillist, The Washington Post, Fodor’s, Yahoo, Good Housekeeping, Romper, and more. Follow Meg on Instagram and Twitter at @megstesprit or check out her work on https://megstesprit.com/
Meg St-Esprit
Meg St-Esprit is a journalist based in Pittsburgh who covers family travel, lifestyle, education, and parenting. With their four kids in tow, she and her husband love to travel anywhere and everywhere — but have a soft spot for camping and outdoor adventures. In fact, her kids are well on their way to achieving their goal of visiting all 124 state parks in Pennsylvania. Meg believes travel doesn’t need to be luxurious or costly to be valuable, and aims to share that with her audience. Meg’s work has appeared in publications such as The New York Times, Thrillist, The Washington Post, Fodor’s, Yahoo, Good Housekeeping, Romper, and more. Follow Meg on Instagram and Twitter at @megstesprit or check out her work on https://megstesprit.com/
Nikky J
NikkyJ is a theme park super fan, Author of The... Read More
NikkyJ is a theme park super fan, Author of The Solo Theme Park Traveler’s Guide, the founder and owner of ThemeParkHipster.com, a wishful Food Critic, coffee enthusiast, and a lover of life! She currently resides in Orlando, Florida where she enjoys spending time with her husband and two little girls while discovering the beautiful attractions of Florida. You can watch her on YouTube or listen to her podcast.
Nikky J
NikkyJ is a theme park super fan, Author of The Solo Theme Park Traveler’s Guide, the founder and owner of ThemeParkHipster.com, a wishful Food Critic, coffee enthusiast, and a lover of life! She currently resides in Orlando, Florida where she enjoys spending time with her husband and two little girls while discovering the beautiful attractions of Florida. You can watch her on YouTube or listen to her podcast.
Robert Niles
Robert Niles is the founder and editor of Read More
Robert Niles is the founder and editor of ThemeParkInsider.com, an online consumers' guide to the world's leading theme and amusement parks, read by more than 400,000 people each month. It has been named the top theme park site on the Internet by Forbes and Travel + Leisure magazines and was a Webby Award finalist and winner of the Online Journalism Award, presented by the Online News Association and the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism. Robert is a former Walt Disney World cast member and has worked as a reporter, editorial writer, columnist and website editor for several newspapers, including the Los Angeles Times and the Orange County Register.
Robert Niles
Robert Niles is the founder and editor of ThemeParkInsider.com, an online consumers' guide to the world's leading theme and amusement parks, read by more than 400,000 people each month. It has been named the top theme park site on the Internet by Forbes and Travel + Leisure magazines and was a Webby Award finalist and winner of the Online Journalism Award, presented by the Online News Association and the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism. Robert is a former Walt Disney World cast member and has worked as a reporter, editorial writer, columnist and website editor for several newspapers, including the Los Angeles Times and the Orange County Register.
Catherine Smith
Catherine Smith, Expert and Award Eligibility... Read More
Catherine Smith, Expert and Award Eligibility Coordinator for the USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards, has a special interest in health and wellness, family travel, women's solo travel and off-the-beaten-path adventures. Catherine is the founder of Her Bags Were Packed where she focuses on helping women release emotional baggage through solo travel and self-discovery.
Catherine Smith
Catherine Smith, Expert and Award Eligibility Coordinator for the USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards, has a special interest in health and wellness, family travel, women's solo travel and off-the-beaten-path adventures. Catherine is the founder of Her Bags Were Packed where she focuses on helping women release emotional baggage through solo travel and self-discovery.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,... Read More
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
