Niles: California’s coaster fans say, ‘Wait ’til next year’

It’s going to be another lean summer for roller coaster fans in Southern California this year. But 2026 is shaping up to be the best year for coaster fans in more than two decades.

None of the top seven theme parks in Southern California are planning to open new roller coasters in 2025. That follows a single opening last year — and that one was a kiddie coaster, the Snoopy’s Tenderpaw Twister Coaster from Zamperla at Knott’s Berry Farm. Knott’s also has announced a reopening for a rebuilt Montezooma’s Revenge shuttle loop coaster this year, but many fans have grown skeptical after two years of delays for that project.

Next year is a different story. Three top local parks have plans for new coasters next year — the most in a single year since four parks opened coasters in 2004.

The latest announcement came from Legoland California, which has confirmed plans for a new indoor roller coaster. Legoland has not announced a name for the new thrill ride, but planning documents filed with the City of Carlsbad suggest that it will have a space theme.

Legoland has not had an indoor roller coaster before. The Carlsbad park has not added a coaster of any type since 2004, when it opened its Gerstlauer junior coaster, Coastersaurus. That year also saw the debuts of Silver Bullet at Knott’s Berry Farm, Revenge of the Mummy at Universal Studios Hollywood and Journey to Atlantis at SeaWorld San Diego.

Universal is one of the other parks adding a new coaster for 2026. Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift is now well under construction at the park, taking over the hillside between the park’s Upper and Lower Lots. This Intamin spinning coaster promises to be the first of its kind and a strong contender for the best new theme park attraction of the year.

However, Six Flags Magic Mountain also is stepping up with something new in 2026. The Valencia park has announced a “first-of-its-kind coaster in North America” for next year. Planning documents filed with Los Angeles County reveal a “thrill glide” coaster from Vekoma, to be built on the hillside site of the old Showcase Theater.

Southern California coaster fans are blessed with the opportunity to enjoy the deepest collection of roller coasters in the world. Six Flags Magic Mountain continues to have the most coasters of any amusement park in the world. Southern California is the birthplace of the modern roller coaster industry thanks to Disneyland’s Matterhorn Bobsleds, the world’s first tubular steel track coaster.

But while the region’s lead in roller coaster history and quantity remains unchallenged, Southern California has fallen behind other areas in coaster quality. In Theme Park Insider’s most recent annual reader survey, the best that a local coaster ranked was 20th in the world, for Six Flags’ Twisted Colossus. Central Florida claimed three of the top five spots, including the top two for Universal Orlando’s Jurassic World and Harry Potter coasters.

It is time for Southern California to be the leader for roller coaster innovation again. That’s why I am looking forward to seeing what these three creative new coasters can deliver next year.