Vote of the week: Which new ride are you looking forward to most?

That's our vote of the week this week.

That's me, outside Universal's new Transformers ride, in Singapore. Which new ride are you looking forward to this spring?

Here are our top candidates:

Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem - Opening date TBA at Universal Studios Florida.

Radiator Springs Racers - Opens June 15 at Disney California Adventure, as part of the new Cars Land addition to the park.

Transformers: The Ride 3D - Opens sometime in May at Universal Studios Hollywood. (We saw the ride when it opened in Singapore in December, and talked with designer Thierry Coup about ride - Warning: multiple spoilers in that link!)

Verbolten - Opens May 18 at Busch Gardens Williamsburg.

We're listing those four in the vote today, but if you prefer another, just select "Other" and tell us about it in the comments. Other new rides and shows this spring include Manta at SeaWorld San Diego, Turtle Trek at SeaWorld Orlando, X-Flight at Six Flags Great America, Lex Luthor Drop of Doom at Six Flags Magic Mountain, Skyrush at Hersheypark, and Wild Eagle at Dollywood - which has opened already but most readers haven't yet had the chance to ride.

Thanks for reading Theme Park Insider, and have a great weekend!

Replies (43)

99.100.86.3

April 6, 2012 at 12:34 PM · X-Flight at SFGAm.

Rod Whitenack

April 6, 2012 at 12:40 PM · Pretty weird results so far. I expected Disney's Cars attraction to be so far in the lead that no one could possibly compete, with Universal's big boy ride about robots in second. Instead, my interest in Verbolten seems to be shared by others. Wow.

Jack Curley

April 6, 2012 at 12:41 PM · I'm tied between Verbolten and Skyrush, although I'm much more likely to actually get to ride Skyrush this summer.

Duncan Henny

April 6, 2012 at 12:52 PM · i'm looking forward to turtle trek

N B

April 6, 2012 at 1:59 PM · I had to go with other. The recently updated Spiderman is what I want to ride the day we arrive. Although it doesn't fall under the category of "new".

173.227.205.1

April 6, 2012 at 1:20 PM · Manta at SeaWorld San Diego. Very different from the one in Orlando but this one will have an interactive queue and beautiful new aquiariums and touch/feeding areas.

68.227.202.112

April 6, 2012 at 1:27 PM · Wild Eagle

Dave Stroem

April 6, 2012 at 1:44 PM · Leviathan at Canada's Wonderland & X-Flight at SFGAm. I have already ridden Wild Eagle and thought it was fun but short. I think X-Flight will be a little better.

Mike Gallagher

April 6, 2012 at 1:49 PM · Thank you, Jack Curley, for reading my mind. Hope you enjoyed it :)

It's unlikely I'll get to Williamsburg, but Hershey's a definite.

Giovanny Cruz

April 6, 2012 at 2:07 PM · The one that I really want to ride is transformers but the one I think I'll ride first is despiceble me but my vote goes to transformers

Andy Milito

April 6, 2012 at 2:19 PM · I vote for the Gringotts coaster at the HP expansion :P

David L.

April 6, 2012 at 2:20 PM · Why didn't you list SkyScreamer at Six Flags Great Adventure?!?!?!?!?!

David L.

April 6, 2012 at 2:25 PM · Now, in reality, I'd say Radiator Springs Racers. A $200 million ride in a massive themed environment with memorable characters and a good ride system does it for me. Transformers would be second, and Verbolten close behind it. Then there would be a jump followed by Wild Eagle. All others look skip-able.

Mark Fairleigh

April 6, 2012 at 3:01 PM · Though it'll be a couple of years at the earliest before I ever get over to Cali, looking forward to Radiator the most. Despicable will probably be fun, but I'm not expecting much from it beyond being a reskinned Hannah Barbara/Jimmy Neutron.

James Trexen

April 6, 2012 at 3:35 PM · Seeing as I'm only going to Orlando this summer, I chose Despicable Me.

Giovanny Cruz

April 6, 2012 at 3:37 PM · If I could vote for two my second choice would be radiator springs racers

Jorge Arnoldson

April 6, 2012 at 4:31 PM · Just missed Verbolten by seven weeks! At least I had a great time on all their other coasters.

AJ Hummel

April 6, 2012 at 4:38 PM · Although I won't be riding it until July, I'm most looking forward to Leviathan at Canada's Wonderland. B&M has yet to build a disappointing coaster (except a couple of their very early designs), and this one looks outstanding. From that list, it would be Radiator Springs Racers, but I'm more looking forward to Cars Land in general and won't be doing that until September.

Additionally, I'm looking forward to Manta at SWSD and Lex Luthor at SFMM. Transformers...not so much, but I'll still give it a try next time I visit USH. I'm not a huge fan of the movies, but the ride might surprise me.

James Rao

April 6, 2012 at 4:51 PM · I am going to ride Wild Eagle in May, the refurbed Voyage (with Millennium Flyer trains) in June, and Verbolten in July / August. But if everything works out (and Indiana Jones is not down for a refurb) I will be visiting Radiator Springs in late September. It is my most coveted destination.

Mark Kausch

April 6, 2012 at 9:46 PM · I voted for other. Although I'm greatly tempted by Radiator Springs, I think I'm more excited about Lex Luther's Giant Drop thingy off the sides of Supes. Who is now flying backwards.

Randall Peek

April 7, 2012 at 1:43 AM · Radiator Springs Racers looks like it will be a lot of fun, although I am worried that the speed portion of the ride is going to be too short. I'd have loved to ride one of the cars on a ledge overlooking the Cars Land site before dropping back down to complete the ride below. The show scenes inside are going to be fun.

The other ride that has piqued my interest is Luigi's Flying Tires. When I was a kid, I wanted desperately to go on the Flying Saucers at Disneyland, but by the time I was old enough to ride them, they had been removed. Now Disney reintroduces the basic ride concept, and I no longer live in Southern California. Darn my luck!

Nick Orlando

April 7, 2012 at 6:53 AM · Manta!

24.92.210.111

April 7, 2012 at 8:34 AM · As far as new attractions go, I am excited about the new Little Mermaid attraction to open in the new fantasyland at Magic Kingdom. I think Turtle Trek at SeaWorld will be a unique experience and I agree with what someone said earlier about Dispicable Me being simply a re-themed version of the 2 attractions that were there before it so i'm not that thrilled about Dispicable Me. I am excited to see how Test Track will look after its long refurbishment this year. Also very excited about what Big Thunder Mountain will be like after its refurb as well since I hear the queue will become an interactive queue. All in all a very exciting year for theme parks this year.

75.6.216.63

April 7, 2012 at 12:01 PM · I voted Transformers with Radiator Springs Racers 2nd. Manta at Sea World San Diego should have been worthy to have been included in the survey as well...thats number 3 for me. Despicable Me is 4th and Turtle Trek is 5th.

98.149.121.182

April 7, 2012 at 4:50 PM · I'm definitely most interested to try out Luigi's Flying Tires. Where else can you pilot your own personal hovercraft? It almost seems inevitable that something will go wrong and the attraction won't be around for long.

Daniel Etcheberry

April 7, 2012 at 7:43 PM · I voted for Radiator Springs Racers. Transformers looks great, but I already have a similar ride an hour from home (Spidey). On the other hand, RSR is a much better version than Test Track; it has a great setting + more outdoor drive + animatronics of cars! + the magic of Pixar. Test Track will end up looking like a car dealer. And who cares if its max. speed is 40 mph vs. the 65 mph of TT. When I go to Disney I want theme, I don't care much about speed. For that get on I-5 and speed to 65 mph.

Anthony Murphy

April 7, 2012 at 8:16 PM · I picked other for X Flight at SFGA

Mark Kausch

April 7, 2012 at 10:47 PM · Wait...I-5 is themed?

209.134.69.240

April 8, 2012 at 12:16 AM · Manta!

Brandon Townsend

April 8, 2012 at 7:31 AM · My vote goes to Wild Eagle at Dollywood. If you haven't seen it go to the Dollywood website and check it out. It looks awesome.

Curtis Young

April 8, 2012 at 10:20 AM · Wild Eagle FTW

Mike Seary

April 8, 2012 at 3:28 PM · I am most excited to see what will become of the former Jaws area at USO. I know the rumors and whatnot, I'm just excited to learn what the official plans are.

Joe Schwartz

April 8, 2012 at 3:56 PM · Wild Eagle at Dollywood. A new B&M coaster (winged) in a mountain setting. Looking forward to it.

71.85.14.24

April 8, 2012 at 5:50 PM · Wild Eagle

Dominick D

April 8, 2012 at 7:14 PM · Radiator Springs Racers looks promising, so that got my vote.

63.118.157.201

April 9, 2012 at 9:50 AM · My 13 year old son loves the movie Despicable Me so we will ride it this fall when we visit Orlando. Although, as many others said, I too believe it will be the same as former two attractions. My vote was for Transformers. I am a fan of the first movie, didn't care for the last two but I grew up watching the cartoons so I have to ride this! Summer of 2013 I'm visiting L.A. for the first time for a family vacation and to visit with extended relatives. I will definitely make time to ride Transformers and Radiator Springs Racers. I love the movie Cars too!

Brandon Mendoza

April 9, 2012 at 12:30 PM · Radiator Springs for sure, but I'll wait until the crowds die down a little bit!

Dionne Oliver

April 9, 2012 at 1:55 PM · I voted for Despicable me,as universal orlando will be the only place i will be going,2 ride a ride. But would love 2 ride Transformers..

174.101.232.52

April 9, 2012 at 3:19 PM · Jaws Ride!

66.87.67.8

April 9, 2012 at 4:16 PM · I'm looking forward to less Luther drop of doom at six flags magic mountain which opens soon!!

BehindTheTheme Disney-Universal

April 9, 2012 at 9:53 PM · TRANSFORMERS THE RIDE 3D which will also get attraction of the year!

71.105.76.144

April 9, 2012 at 11:57 PM · Lex Luthor ride coming out in Six Flags

46.115.18.232

April 11, 2012 at 11:54 AM · Transformers

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