Launching into May
Welcome to the fastest month of the year, with Theme Park Insider's week in review and look at the week ahead to get things started.
Efteling provided the new attraction opening for the week, with the debut of its Hooghmoed junior drop tower. If you love theme parks creating their own IP with original characters, Efteling delivers with another attraction themed to its Baron Gustave Hooghmoed - the greedy mine owner who brought you the park’s Baron 1896 roller coaster. Efteling has dressed up what could have been a simple kiddie ride with well-detailed decoration and an extension of the Baron’s story. Check out our coverage and a POV video here: Efteling ‘drops’ its newest family ride.
This week also brought a new attraction announcement. SeaWorld San Diego will bring California’s largest theme park drone show to the park, starting May 22. Ocean of Dreams will fly 600 drones above the Mission Bay park for a 12-minute show, running nightly through August 9, then on weekends through September 7. Get the details here: California gets another theme park drone show.
Up the 5 in Santa Clarita, Six Flags Magic Mountain is celebrating America’s 250th birthday by reviving the original name of the world’s first steel looping coaster. The Great American Revolution celebrates its 50th anniversary next week, having opened just in time for the United States’ bicentennial in 1976.
The Legoland theme parks are preparing to celebrate the upcoming World Cup with a FIFA World Cup 2026 Experience at its three U.S. theme parks this summer.
“From June 11 through July 19, 2026, guests can step onto the Legoland pitch and immerse themselves in a high-energy celebration packed with interactive games, an epic Lego build and character experiences inspired by Lego FIFA heroes,” Legoland said in its press release. The event also will highlight the release of new Lego Editions sets, including Lego Soccer Ball Set and Lego FIFA World Cup Official Trophy Set.
On the topic of sports-themed attractions, Ferrari World Yas Island’s Formula Rossa is holding on to one of its world records. Formerly the world’s fastest roller coaster, Formula Rossa lost that honor to Six Flags Qiddiya City’s Falcons Flight when the Saudi park opened late last year. But Formula Rossa retains the record for the world’s fastest roller coaster launch, as just certified by Guinness. The Abu Dhabi coaster’s hydraulic launch reaches 149.1 mph in 4.9 seconds. Falcons Flight achieves its top speed of 155.3 mph after an LSM Boost on its hillside descent rather than launching from a stand-still, as Formula Rossa does.
(Hey, it’s an appropriate bit of news for the month of May, which is when my beloved Indianapolis 500 returns. As does Formula 1 racing to North America.)
On the flip side of the news, Enchanted Parks has been tightening its chaperone policy for this season, following an incident at Six Flags St. Louis. See Enchanted Parks Off to a Great Start.
Finally, we have a couple of very interesting discussions happening this week. First, for those of you who want a meta-discussion about Theme Park Insider itself, we have Fences up and demolition beginning at Lost Continent on the Discussion Forum.
And for a conversation about the comings and goings of theme park attractions over the years, check out Look back at the history of Universal’s ‘Theseus Paradox’ park.
The week ahead
The big news next week comes from the financial side of the theme park beat. Disney and Six Flags host their quarterly earnings investors call this week. Disney is up on Wednesday, with Six Flags on for Thursday.
This will be Josh D’Amaro’s first earnings call since taking over as Disney’s CEO. I wrote about the questions he might face as he takes over Disney’s top job in a challenging global economy: D’Amaro faces tough questions about Disney’s future.
It’s not like Six Flags is getting off easy, of course. The same economic headwinds that might push Disney threaten to topple less-well-capitalized competitors in the tourism business. Spirit Airlines might be done by the time you read this, for example, as travel businesses struggle to overcome rising fuel prices and resulting loss of consumer demand. We will see this week what Disney and Six Flags have planned for their responses.
In better news, Sunday is the day for the return of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom. Up the road, Mine-Cart Madness will be closed for the day at Epic Universe, in a planned short refurb. Disneyland’s Pirates also closes, starting Monday.
Next weekend, on May 9, Cedar Point, Lake Compounce and Valleyfair reopen for their 2026 seasons.
Finally, my new monthly, paid-subscribers-only column debuts Tuesday, May 5. If you would like to support my work here on Theme Park Insider and get an exclusive, bonus column in your email in-box each month, here is how to subscribe:
Attraction closings and openings
Here are the current refurbishment schedules from Disneyland, Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando.
February 23: Conservation Station and the Wildlife Express Train closed at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Reopens as Bluey’s Wild World at Conservation Station on May 26.
February 27: Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind closed at Disney California Adventure. No reopening date yet.
April 13: Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters closed at Disneyland. No reopening date yet.
April 27: Silly Symphony Swings closed at Disney California Adventure. No reopening date yet.
April 28 - May 7: Tom Sawyer Island closed at Disneyland.
May 3: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad reopens at Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom.
May 3: Mine-Cart Madness closes for the day at Epic Universe.
May 4: Pirates of the Caribbean closes at Disneyland. No reopening date yet.
May 4 - May 22: Viking Training Camp closes at Universal Epic Universe.
May 10: Impressions de France and Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along reopen at EPCOT.
May 14: Soarin’ Around the World closes at EPCOT. Soarin’ Across America opens May 26.
May 22: Pteranodon Flyers reopens at Universal Islands of Adventure.
May 26: Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets opens at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
May 26 - June 9: Me Ship, The Olive closes at Islands of Adventure.
June 1 - 16: Men in Black Alien Attack closes at Universal Studios Florida.
November 20: Jurassic Park River Adventure reopens at Islands of Adventure.
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Thank you for reading!
Robert Niles