All the theme park ride vehicles unveiled at IAAPA Expo 2023
IAAPA (International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions) has kicked off IAAPA Expo 2023 in Orlando, Fla., providing the opportunity for theme parks to share the latest news and reveal upcoming rides and attractions.
We’ve got a team of reporters at the Expo this week to find out what’s coming soon to a theme park near you, and we’ll be updating this article with each reveal, so be sure to keep checking back.
Here are all the theme park vehicles unveiled at IAAPA Expo 2023:
Top Thrill 2
Cedar Point partnered with ride manufacturer Zamperla to unveil the train for Top Thrill 2 (the former Top Thrill Dragster), the world’s tallest and fastest triple-launch roller coaster, which is set to open Spring 2024 at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio.
When riders board Top Thrill 2’s high-performance racing vehicles, they’ll join the CP Racing Team and take off down a straightaway at speeds reaching 74 miles per hour, thanks to an all-new linear synchronous motor (LSM) launch system.
Comet
Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters unveiled the new custom train design for the historic Comet roller coaster coming Spring 2024 in to Hersheypark in Hershey, Penn.
SpongeBob’s Crazy Carnival Ride
Sally Dark Rides its new interactive Mr. Krabs animatronic for SpongeBob’s Crazy Carnival Ride, which will debut this year at Circus Circus Resort on the Las Vegas strip.
During the attraction, Mr. Krabs invites riders try their luck at his collection of ride-through carnival midway games, but their fun is interrupted when Plankton hatches a plan to steal the Krabby Patty secret formula once and for all.
Sally also had concept artwork of the ride on display.
Penguin Trek
SeaWorld and Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M) debuted the snowmobile-style ride vehicle for Penguin Trek, a new family-friendly launch coaster which will open in Spring 2024 at the Orlando park.
The new attraction takes riders on a penguin research mission in Antarctica and features two launches and a 3,020-foot track that traverses indoors and outside culminating in the heart of SeaWorld Orlando’s penguin habitat.
Good Gravy
Holiday World and Vekoma unveiled the whimsical gravy boat-shaped vehicles for Good Gravy, the new family boomerang ride opening in 2024 at the in Santa Claus, Ind. park.
Riders on the ten-million-dollar Thanksgiving-themed coaster will speed up to 37 miles per hour in the giant gravy boats on cranberry-colored tracks.
Fire in the Hole
RMC and Silver Dollar City revealed the new Pumper Wagon vehicle for the indoor Fire in the Hole coaster coming to the Ozark Mountains park this spring – it will be the largest indoor family coaster in the Midwest.
Inspired by Silver Dollar City’s original 1972 Fire in the Hole attraction, the new ride will join other fire-themed family-friendly rides in the park’s Fire District, and will include three drops, a splash landing, a custom soundtrack, lighting effects, and enhanced special effects.
Falcon’s Flight
Intamin and Six Flags Qiddiya unveiled the ride vehicle for Falcon’s Flight, the signature attraction at Saudi Arabia’s first family-oriented theme park, which will be the longest, tallest, and fastest roller coaster in the world.
Bobcat
Gravity Group revealed the ride vehicle for Bobcat, a completely new wooden roller coaster coming to Six Flags Great Escape in Queensbury, N.Y. in 2024.
Transformers Axis Coaster
S&S Worldwide and Seven (Saudi Entertainment Ventures) unveiled the vehicle for the world’s first Axis coaster themed to Transformers, which will debut in 2025 at Seven Family Entertainment Center in Saudi Arabia.
One particularly notable feature of this new roller coaster vehicle is that the seats spin, thanks to the S&S patented 4D rotating vehicle technology.
Keep checking back this week as we reveal more exciting new ride vehicles from IAAPA Expo 2023.
The expo is taking place Nov. 14-17, 2023, in Orlando, Fla. Click here for more information.
