10 new roller coasters and rides opening this summer outside of Orlando (with POVs)
New roller coasters and thrill rides welcome theme park guests at Six Flags, Busch Gardens, Carowinds, Cedar Point, Hersheypark, and other parks beyond Orlando for summer 2025.
Universal Epic Universe is indisputably the headline of the summer within the theme park industry. It’s hard to compete with a brand-new theme park (not to mention its rides and attractions themed to Nintendo, Universal Classic Monsters, “Harry Potter,” and “How to Train Your Dragon”). (And we’re glad to help you in your Epic Universe planning efforts.)
Far beyond Orlando, Fla., though, there’s plenty to celebrate at other parks. Among the excitement about Epic Universe, you may have missed the news of some of these roller coasters and various rides opening in summer 2025 at parks in the Six Flags, Busch Gardens, and Hersheypark families.
The Big Bad Wolf: The Wolf’s Revenge
Now open
Park: Busch Gardens Williamsburg
Location: Williamsburg, Va.
In the video below, ride along with Richard Smith, the architect and art director of The Big Bad Wolf: The Wolf’s Revenge, as he talks about the ride:
Charlie Brown’s River Raft Blast
Opening TBD summer 2025
Park: Carowinds
Location: Charlotte, N.C.
Riders and non-riders alike will engage in a water battle in this new addition to Carowinds’ Camp Snoopy area.
The Flash: Vertical Velocity
Now open
Park: Six Flags Great Adventure
Location: Jackson Township, N.J.
Quantum Accelerator
Opening “soon”
Park: Six Flags New England
Location: Springfield, Mass.
On this launch straddle coaster, built by Intamin, riders will reach speeds of 45 mph, according to Six Flags.
RiverRacers (water coaster)
Now open
Park: King Island’s Soak City Water Park
Location: Mason, Ohio
In this water coaster, riders race in side-by-side paths that eventually diverge.
Siren’s Curse
Opening June 28, 2025
Park: Cedar Point
Location: Sandusky, Ohio
Snoopy’s Racing Railway
Now open
Park: Carowinds
Location: Charlotte, N.C.
This video is from the Canada’s Wonderland version of Snoopy’s Racing Railway, which opened there in 2023. The new 2025 version at Carowinds is largely the same ride.
Top Thrill 2
Now open
Park: Cedar Point
Location: Sandusky, Ohio
After a brief, one-week opening in May 2024, Top Thrill 2 officially returned in May 2025. The video below was recorded in 2024.
Twizzlers Twisted Gravity
Now open
Park: Hersheypark
Location: Hershey, Penn.
Riders swing on a pendulum-like ride system onboard this new Hershypark thrill ride.
Wrath of Rakshasa
Now open
Park: Six Flags Great America
Location: near Chicago, Ill.
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