What's coming to a theme park near you? Round-up of 2012 new attraction openings
Let's recap where we're at with new attraction openings this spring, shall we?
Our early leader for Best New Ride of the year: Transformers The Ride 3D at Universal Studios Hollywood
Here's what is open already:
- Wild Eagle at Dollywood
- Turtle Trek at SeaWorld
San DiegoOrlando - Universal's Superstar Parade and Universal's Cinematic Spectacular at Universal Studios Florida
- X Flight at Six Flags Great America
I've also heard that these two have opened, though we didn't have anyone assigned to cover them. Trip reports welcomed!
So now here's what's still to come (at least, officially):
May 18
- Verbolten at Busch Gardens Williamsburg (has been in soft open)
May 25
- Transformers: The Ride 3D at Universal Studios Hollywood (has been in soft open)
- Manta at SeaWorld San Diego
- Pirate Reef at Legoland California
- Skyrush at Hersheypark (Need someone to cover?)
June pretty much belongs to Disneyland Resort, with the reopening of Disney California Adventure on June 15 headlining a slew of openings mid-month. (DCA will be closed to the public on June 14.)
June 5
- Ghirardelli Cafe opens at California Adventure
June 13
- Carnation Cafe reopens at Disneyland
June 15
- Matterhorn Bobsleds reopens at Disneyland
- Voices of Liberty debut at Main Street Opera House in Disneyland
- Buena Vista Street opens at California Adventure (including Red Car Trolley)
- Cars Land opens at California Adventure (including Radiator Springs Racers, Luigi's Flying Tires, and Mater's Junkyard Jamboree)
- Most lands' renaming takes effect at California Adventure
- World of Color adds Brave sequence at California Adventure
We have a couple of other openings elsewhere that we're expecting sometime next month:
TBA
- Lex Luthor: Drop of Doom at Six Flags Magic Mountain
- Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem at Universal Studios Florida
And looking ahead, later this year:
July 9
- Toy Story Midway Mania at Tokyo DisneySea
"Holidays 2012"
- Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid and Be Our Guest restaurant at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom
So, what are you planning to see this year?
Replies (17)
Wow. A busy year for theme parks. I will be there, but slowly.
In addition to Buena Vista Street and Cars Land joining the line-up:
- Hollywood Pictures Backlot becomes Hollywood Land
- Golden State officially splits into Condor Flats, Grizzly Peak, and Pacific Wharf
- A Bug's Land and Paradise Pier remain the same
That gives us eight lands in California Adventure.
This year I'll be seeing whatever is open in Fantasyland and Despicable Me. Carsland and Transformers will have to wait a year for me.
I plan to see Buena Vista Street, Cars Land, and Transformers.
I just wonder how many hours will I have to wait for RSR and Transformers; I hope its 90 mins. max. The front of the line at Universal is too expensive, and since I will get a Fastpass for World of Color first thing in the morning, I won't be able to get one for RSR.
I'm excited about the major work being done at Cedar Point for "Luminosity- Ignite the Night", their new big-budget end-of-day show that will fill Celebration Plaza and the entire midway.
I believe the "Mad T Party" at California Adventure is scheduled to begin June 15 as well.
And, Daniel, you can hold another Fastpass while you have a World of Color Fastpass. It does not "count against you."
I plan to get to everything in Southern California except Pirate Reef (just visited the park last year and don't feel the need to return just for a Splash Boat ride), plus Leviathan at Canada's Wonderland (I've been part of a group trip here since November). I was also planning to get to the new coaster at SFDK in Northern California as well, but since CGA and SCBB (also in Nor Cal) are getting new ones next year that trip got delayed until 2013.
I don't think there will be any trips to the US for me this year now. I'll probably wait until the Snow White Mine Train opens to visit Florida. Would love to visit Cedar Point (and a lot of other parks near that region) but I probably won't ba able to now for a while.
Thank you Wendy for the info.
Turtle Trek opened at Seaworld Orlando not San Diego. Unless it's at both?
Fixed. (Cmd-C/Cmd-V strikes again.)
Fighting alien robots!
Looking at this list I am very glad I decided to go to California in August instead of Orlando or Paris. South California dominates the openings this year!
My family wants to go to l.a in a month and i definitely want to go to ush and finally ride transformers . Being new to ush and the west coast : since transformers will have been open for only a month do any of u guys have tips on how to get around the crowds?
^^^^^^^^
Transformers does have a single rider line, that may be a good option.
I plan to do Carsland & the DLR stuff in Sep. when I renew my annual pass. I want to try Manta at Seaworld & I'm riding transformers as much as I can before the official opening & the crowds, lol.
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What lands in DCA are being renamed? I know Hollywood Studios Backlot or whatever it's called will now be Hollywoodland, but is anything else changing?