The Best Rides & Attractions Coming to Theme Parks Across the U.S. in 2019

By Anna Wayne
Posted Apr 15, 2019 News Things to Do

Get ready to strap-in to some of the most exciting rides coming to theme parks across the U.S. this summer! After months of new ride announcements, the green light of opening dates for these rides are finally here. For those who love the Wizarding World and Star Wars, there are some new rides to add to your next visit to Orlando.  And for our adrenaline junkies, Six Flags' new ride will have your heart racing!

New Ride at Universal's Islands of Adventures ©2018 Universal Orlando. All Rights Reserved.

1. Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure (Orlando, FL)
Board your broomsticks, or should we say motorbikes, and head to Universal Orlando for the newest Harry Potter ride at Universal's Islands of Adventures. Your young wizards will barely be able to hang onto their wizard hats while riding on this new roller coaster ride opening on June 13, 2019.

2. Steelers Country at Kennywood (West Mifflin, PA)
Whip out your terrible towel and brace yourself for a whole lot of black and yellow! Kennywood Park is opening a brand new section dedicated to the history and greatness of the Steelers football team. This park experience puts the spotlight on the fans and allows them to take center playing field. It will include a unique tailgating experience, skills games, and exclusive merchandise bringing you back to your favorite stadium experience. But this isn't all a football fan dream, Steelers Country will include a record-breaking roller coaster called The Steel Curtain. This exciting new installment opens in 2019! Save 28% on a Kennywood Regular Funday Admission Ticket with this CertifiKID Deal!

3. Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Disneyland and Disney's Hollywood Studios (Buena Vista, FL & Anaheim, CA)
Are you ready to use the force this summer at Disneyland and Disney's Hollywood Studios? The two new attractions Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance will be opening in the brand new Galaxy's Edge section of the park, bringing your Star Wars dreams to life! On the Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, steer the Millenium Falcon through an unforgettable flight on a dangerous mission. Millennium Falcon is set to open August 29, 2019, and  Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance will be opening later in 2019 - with many details still kept at Disney vaults lightspeeds away.

Rendering of Reese's Cupfusion Ride Photo Courtesy of Hersheypark

4. Reese’s Cupfusion, Hersheypark (Hershey, PA)
Our treasured chocolate amusement park, Hersheypark, has added another delicious ride centering around everyone's favorite chocolate-and-peanut butter treat. On the Reese's Cupfusion ride your mission is to make sure the world is never deprived of Reese's peanut butter cups, a fight we can all get behind. This exciting ride opens summer 2019. Are you up for the challenge?

5. Meow Wolf’s Kaleidoscope at Denver’s Elitch Gardens (Denver, CO)
A ride unlike any other, Meow Wolf's Kaleidoscope at Elitch Gardens will take you through an immersive art installation that doubles as an amusement park ride. When riding through Meow Wolf’s Kaleidoscope you will be transported into a world of deep sound, wild color and interactive moments merging the ride and art installation experience. This brand-new attraction is the first artist-driven ride in the world and will be open in April 2019!

6. Jurassic World: The Ride, Universal Studios Hollywood (Universal City, CA)
For fans of dinosaurs and Jurassic Park, Universal Studios Hollywood has a ride for you! Jurassic World: The Ride will open summer 2019 with an original storyline that takes place in the theme park of Jurrasic World. It will feature brand new technology as well as new dinosaurs from the film. For the ride experience, you will board specially-designed rafts and navigate the dinosaur dense vegetation. Once you meet the Tyrannosaurus Rex the battle begins as you are forced to flee, your raft will fall down an 84-foot waterfall as you escape the dinosaur's wrath.

7. Wildwood Grove, Dollywood (Pigeon Forge, TN)
This family-friendly Tennessee amusement park is about to get even bigger. Explore Dollywood's largest expansion, Wildwood Grove, by entering through an ancient hollow log. This new attraction brings a sense of discovery around every turn with each ride and detail inspired by Dolly Parton's memories of childhood fun. Ride the Dragon flier roller coaster or watch the Wildwood tree come to life each evening with a light show. This new section of the park offers a charming village where curiosity and child-like wonder guide you through to your next adventure. Wildwood Grove is set to open in May 2019.

Rendering of FIREBIRD Roller Coaster Photo Courtesy of Six Flags America

8. FIREBIRD, Six Flags America (Bowie, MD)
This ride will have some serious 'fire' ratings! FIREBIRD will be the only floorless roller coaster at Six Flags America in Maryland. This ride will take you through twists, nine-story drops, and inversions while seated on floorless trains. The floorless trains will provide the experience of being airborne with the wind racing beneath your feet! The 56 mph ride will come to a close with an incredible figure-eight finale. This brand new ride opens in May 2019! Save 41% on a Six Flags America 'Any Day Admission' ticket with this CertifiKID Deal!

9. Cutback Water Coaster, Water Country USA (Williamsburg, VA)
Get ready to ride the ultimate water slide this summer! The Cutback Water Coaster ride at Water Country USA combines water jet propulsion and exhilarating saucer feature to create the smoothest and steepest water slide! Board a four-person raft and travel through the 850-feet slide with twists and turns and steep angles. This heart-stopping water ride will have you soaking wet and ready to board again! Get ready to board your own four-person raft this Spring 2019.

10. The LEGO Movie World, Legoland Florida (Winter Haven, FL)
Everything is gonna be EVEN MORE awesome now that Legoland Florida announced the opening of The Lego Movie World ride! This ride and other rides following the Lego Movie theme will be located in a brand new section of the Legoland park called Bricksburg. The Lego Movie Master's of Flight ride will feature a flying theatre attraction where guests will ride on a triple-decker couch and fly over The Lego Movie Universe. Get ready to join the Master Builders for the mission of a lifetime this exciting new attraction opened March 2019!

Sesame Street Attraction at SeaWorld Orlando Photo Courtesy of SeaWorld Parks & Resorts Orlando

11. Sesame Street, SeaWorld Orlando (Orlando, FL)
Visit your favorite characters from the New York neighborhood you know best at SeaWorld Orlando! Stop by Big Bird's nest and play with Elmo and Cookie Monster. Sesame Street at SeaWorld will feature attractions and parades. This new park addition opened in March 2019, and will be open all year long!

Rendering of Maxx Force Photo Courtesy of Six Flags Great America

12. Maxx Force, Six Flags Great America (Gurnee, IL)
Are you ready to board a triple record breaking roller coaster at Six Flags Great America this summer? Maxx Force is now the fastest launch coaster reaching speeds of 78 miles per hour, the fastest inversion coaster and tallest double inversion coaster in North America. This incredible roller coaster is coming to the Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois in summer 2019.

Rendering of Sea Swinger and Turtle Reef Photo Courtesy of SeaWorld San Antonio

13. Sea Swinger, SeaWorld San Antonio (San Antonio, TX)
SeaWorld San Antonio is opening a new realm in their amusement park called Turtle Reef on May 3, 2019. This new section will include several new rides, including the Sea Swinger, a pendulum ride that swings riders 180 degrees. Get ready to swing farther than ever before on this new exciting ride!

Rendering of the Calico River Rapids Ride Photo Courtesy of Knott's Berry Farm

14. Calico River Rapids, Knott’s Berry Farm (Buena Park, CA)
California's first theme park, Knott's Berry Farm, is renovating their Bigfoot Rapids white water raft ride and re-opening the updated version summer 2019. The updated ride, Calico River Rapids, will seat six guests on a raft as they journey through new sets and storylines while traveling through twists and turns. The ride will leave you soaking wet and ready to board the raft for a second round!

The Copperhead Strike Roller Coaster in Action Photo Courtesy of Carowinds

15. Copperhead Strike, Carowinds (Charlotte, NC)
Watch out Carowinds enthusiasts, Copperhead Strike is the new roller coaster addition in the new section open at Carowinds park called Blue Ridge Junction. This is the first "double launch" coaster, meaning the first coaster with several launch points, at the North Carolina amusement park. Prepare to launch into double the fun this summer while strapped in for Copperhead Strike! 

16. Sesame Street Neighborhood at Sesame Place (Langhorne, PA)
Head on down to Sesame Place, the first theme park based off the hit show Sesame Street and the first theme park in the world to become a Certified Autism Center. Sesame Place has transformed its Sesame Street Neighborhood to reflect the new set as seen on the show opening May 4, 2019. Visit Big Bird at his nest or peruse through Abby Cadabby's Garden, plus there will be several new interactive elements as well as the debut of the new live show, Our Street is Sesame Street! Save 34% on a Sesame Place Two Day Ticket + One Meal Ticket with this CertifiKID Deal!

No matter where you find yourself this summer, we hope it's on one of these incredible rides!

For more exciting news check out Disney Announces Tip Off Date for New NBA Experience at Walt Disney World Resort.

Tags: Waterparks Amusement Parks DisneyWorld Six Flags Hershey Park New Rides

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