A Look at the Opening Dates for 2016's New Rides and Shows

We are less than a month away from the first debuts of the Theme Park Class of 2016. Within the next few weeks, we will be getting our first official look at the year's new theme park attractions, which will include an entire new park from Disney.

Here is the latest schedule of major attraction openings at top parks around the world. Many parks have yet to announce specific opening dates for their new rides and show, so we've gone with the most specific date that the parks have released, or ones that have been widely rumored from credible sources. (Updated based on comments.)

March 7 — Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters, Disney California Adventure

The revamp of Luigi's Flying Tires, with new ride vehicles and a new ride system.

March 18 — Jurassic Park: The Flying Dinosaur, Universal Studios Japan

This will be the world's longest Bolliger & Mabillard Flying Coaster.

March 24 — Galactica, Alton Towers

AIR becomes Galactica, a virtual reality outer-space adventure where visitors wear VR headsets as they ride.

March 26 Season passholders only — The New Revolution, Six Flags Magic Mountain

The California park is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the world's first looping steel coaster with new trains... and VR headsets.

April 7 — The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Universal Studios Hollywood

The west coast version of Hogsmeade soft-opened earlier this month, and features a 3D version of Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.

May 5 — Ninjago - The Ride, Legoland California

An interactive dark ride where your hands, not guns, are the weapons of choice.

May 7 — Valravn, Cedar Point

This will be Bolliger & Mabillard's tallest, fastest and longest dive coaster, with a 214-foot vertical drop and top speed of 75 miles per hour.

May 27 — Frozen – Live at the Hyperion, Disney California Adventure

Aladdin's replacement takes over the Hyperion Theater stage.

June 10 — Mako, SeaWorld Orlando

The 200-foot, 73-mph Bolliger & Mabillard hyper coaster will be the fastest and tallest coaster in the Orlando area.

June 11 — GhostRider, Knott's Berry Farm

Knott's signature wooden coaster is getting a retrack from Great Coasters International and new Millennium Flyer trains.

June 13 — Lightning Rod, Dollywood

Built by Rocky Mountain Construction, Lightning Rod is the world's first launched wooden roller coaster.

June 16 — Shanghai Disneyland

Disney's 12th theme park might be its most ambitious to date. One of its attractions will be a new version of the Soarin' movie, which also will debut at Epcot and Disney California Adventure the next day.

June 17 — Cobra's Curse, Busch Gardens Tampa

This new Mack spinning family coaster will feature a vertical lift.

June 17 — Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular, Disney's Hollywood Studios

This new fireworks show will add projection mapping of scenes, characters and locations from the Star Wars films.

June 21 — Frozen Ever After, Epcot

The Norway pavilion's Maelstrom gets its Anna-and-Elsa-and-friends overlay.

June 23 (Media preview) — Skull Island: Reign of Kong, Universal's Islands of Adventure

Universal Orlando is plussing Hollywood's King Kong 360 3-D with an elaborate setting and an encounter with an animatronic Kong.

July 2 — Mickey and the Magician, Walt Disney Studios Park

This new musical production replaces Animagique.

July 9 — Out of the Shadow Land, Tokyo DisneySea

This original musical will play in a new theater in the Lost River Delta.

Summer — Iron Man Experience, Hong Kong Disneyland

Disney's first Marvel-themed ride will be a 3D simulator-driven adventure.

Summer — Incredible Hulk Coaster, Universal's Islands of Adventure

Universal is rebuilding its iconic launch coaster.

October — motiongate Dubai

the flagship of the new Dubai Parks and Resorts, motiongate Dubai will be a movie-themed park with franchises from DreamWorks, Lionsgate, and Sony, including The Hunger Games, Underworld, Ghostbusters, Zombieland, The Green Hornet, Hotel Transylvania, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, The Smurfs, Shrek, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda, and How to Train Your Dragon.

Unknown — Rivers of Light, Disney's Animal Kingdom

Animal Kingdom's new nighttime spectacular will play on the Discovery River, between Discovery Island and Expedition Everest.

Which new attractions are you most looking forward to experiencing in person?

Replies (28)

This article has been archived and is no longer accepting comments.