Which new roller coaster will lead America's class of 2026?
The line-up for new roller coasters in the United States next year is now closer to being set. Let's look at 10 coasters that we expect to see opening at major U.S. theme parks in 2026.
COTAland - The amusement park at Austin's Circuit of the America's race track opened its Circuit Breaker coaster during the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix earlier this month. But the park's official opening will come next year, along with the debut of Palindrome, the park's Gerstlauer Infinity coaster.
Kentucky Kingdom - Just announced this week, the Louisville theme park is adding the farm-themed Flying Fox, a Vekoma suspended family coaster.
Legoland California and Legoland Florida - These parks are adding new Lego Galaxy-themed lands for 2026, anchored by separate installations of Galacticoaster, an ART Engineering indoor family coaster.
SeaWorld San Antonio - The Texas theme park will open Barracuda Strike, United Parks' third installation of a Bolliger & Mabillard family inverted coaster.
Six Flags New England First announced for this year and then delayed, Quantum Accelerator, a Intamin family launch coaster, is now set to open next year at the Massachusetts theme park.
Six Flags Over Texas Six Flags' original theme park next year will open Tormenta Rampaging Run, the world's tallest, longest and fastest Bolliger & Mabillard dive coaster.
Universal Kids Resort - Just up the road in the Dallas area, Universal Kids Resort will open in 2026. The new family-focused theme park will include two roller coasters: Jurassic World Cretaceous Coaster, a Mack Rides Youngstar, and Trollfest Express, a Zierer Force.
Universal Studios Hollywood - Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift, an Intamin launched spinning coaster, will open early in the year.
I have not included on this list Six Flags Magic Mountain's proposed Vekoma thrill glider, since the park has not yet announced that ride officially, and the progress of work on the site suggests a 2027 opening, at best. Also off the list - for now - are the two coasters at the yet-to-be-completed Mattel Adventure Park in Glendale, Arizona - Hot Wheels Boneshaker: The Ultimate Ride and Hot Wheels Twin Mill Racer. We continue to wait for a specific and confirmed opening date for that park, which first was announced as opening in 2024.
You can find our running list of new attractions in development at theme parks around the world on our new theme park attractions page.
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Replies (5)
USF's replacement for RRR should be on this list - assuming it's opening in 2026.
What if Montezooma opens? That could go on this list too.
I'm personally considering this to be a two horse race between Hollywood Drift and Tormenta, with everything else so far behind in interest I feel confident ruling out even an outside chance. Odds on favorite is definitely Hollywood Drift, but I do feel there may be enough divisiveness with that ride due to the rotating cars to allow Tormenta to squeak out a win.
@HHNForever - I think the odds of USF's new coaster opening in 2026 are extremely remote. If Universal was planning to have it ready for 2026, they probably would have announced the name/theme and provided a "coming in 2026" in a marketing campaign. Perhaps there's an outside chance they're able to get it open after HHN-26, but even then I'd think the Universal advertising machine would be giving some hints to drive interest, especially given the resort has NOTHING else to market for next year. It's true that they've dismantled RRR at an extremely rapid pace, but if we're to assume that the coaster is similar to Hollywood's F&F coaster, that installation officially installed its final piece of track just over 2 months ago and isn't planning to open to guests until March at the very earliest. So, even if they were to finish erecting the coaster by say next March/April, you'd be looking at another 7-12 months of finish work and testing before it could open, which puts completion in December at the earliest. Certainly, the completion of HHN will see some acceleration in the work on the project, but there's still a TON of site prep to do before they can start going vertical on the attraction. Everything is pointing to this new attraction not being ready until 2026. The real question is whether the Lost Continent replacement will also be ready in 2026 or will drag into 2027.
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F&F is the clear head of this class, though I think it's worth including NightFlight Expedition since it is also technically a roller coaster as well. Tormenta has a chance to maybe put a scare into USH's coaster, but I don't think it will be that close of a conest.