In theme parks, "rope drop" is the moment when guests are allowed full access into the park for the day. Dedicated fans make sure that they are up front and ready when the rope drops (literally or figuratively), so that they can get to their favorite attractions without wait or delay.
Here at Theme Park Insider, starting this week, "At the rope drop" is a weekly post, on Sundays, that looks ahead to news we are anticipating in the global theme park industry in the week ahead. It also will include planning resources for fans working on putting together their next theme park visits.
The big news this week looks to be the official opening of Six Flags Qiddiya City on Wednesday, December 31. New Year's Eve might seem an unusual date to open a theme park, but when you have promised stakeholders a premiere by the end of the year, well, a deadline is a deadline, isn't it? And the extra energy of NYE should help amplify the excitement.
Like many new parks, Six Flags Qiddiya City will hold an opening ceremony in advance of the park's official debut. Qiddiya City is livestreaming the Saudi broadcast of the park's opening ceremony, which happens at 9pm local time on Monday. That's 1pm Eastern Time in the United States, or 10am Pacific. You can watch the ceremony here:
Will we get our first official POV of the recording setting Falcons Flight roller coaster during the ceremony? The park seems to be teasing it.
Beyond reviews of Falcons Flight and the rest of the park, the opening of Six Flags Qiddiya City surely will inspire countless think pieces about the meaning of a western theme park opening in Saudi Arabia. Clearly, the intent behind the park involves much more than opening a new place for people to have fun. That is, in itself, a change in policy for the Saudi government, which is backing the multi-billion-dollar Qiddiya City development.
Six Flags is just one part of that development, which is planned to expand with a "studio themed" park, widely tipped now to be licensed from Universal Studios. Clearly, this week is far from the last we will be hearing about Qiddiya City.
The other news this week is all New Year's Eve. Expect crowds to fill all open theme parks early, as fans claim space to watch the midnight fireworks and celebrations.
And, oh yeah, it's supposed to rain again for the holiday in Southern California.
Looking ahead, here are planned attraction closures at major theme parks:
January 5: Incredicoaster, Grizzly River Run, Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind close at Disney California Adventure. No reopening date yet.
January 5 - November 19: Jurassic Park River Adventure closed at Islands of Adventure.
January 12-15: Mark Twain Riverboat closed at Disneyland.
January 12-22: Haunted Mansion closed at Disneyland to remove holiday overlay.
January 15-21: Revenge of the Mummy closed at Universal Studios Florida.
January 20: Star Wars Rise of the Resistance closes at Disneyland. No opening date yet.
January 26: It's a Small World closes at Disneyland to remove holiday overlay.
January 26: Frozen Ever After closes at EPCOT for replacement of Audio Animatronics. Reopens next month.
February 2: Dinosaur closes at Disney's Animal Kingdom for retheme to Indiana Jones. Reopens 2027.
February 9-23: Hogwarts Express closed at Universal Orlando.
March 1: Last day for Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith at Disney's Hollywood Studios.
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