Vekoma Rides, the Dutch roller coaster specialist, has had an unparalleled year in terms of projects completed worldwide.
The company has shared its highlights from the year, which include the installation of new and diverse rides which span from family-focused to high-thrill attractions, and takes a look at what’s to come in 2025 and beyond.
Major projects in 2024
This year, Vekoma has marked the launch of a selection of family coasters that were the first of their kind in the US. These included “Snoopy’s Soap Box Racers” at Kings Island, “Midnight Flyer” at Santa’s Village in Jefferson (NH), and “Good Gravy!” at Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari.
Energylandia in Poland has debuted a Mine Train, “Choco Chip Creek”, and a Kalypso Family Coaster named “Honey Harbour” in the new Sweet Valley area. Emerald Park in Ireland now offers the suspended thrill coaster “Na Fianna Force” and the family boomerang “The Quest”, which features an intertwined layout.
Two projects in Australia are set to open by the end of the year.
Warner Bros. Movie World Australia’s Wizard of Oz zone will debut with a suspended family coaster dubbed “Flight of the Wicked Witch” and “Kansas Twister”, a family boomerang racer. The combination of the Family Boomerang Racer and Suspended Family Coaster offers a world-first ride experience.
The ride blends two distinct experiences: a family thrill suspended coaster with unimpeded flying sensations and high speed, and a racing shuttle coaster with forward and backward runs, crossings, and duelling effects that appeal to both families and thrill seekers.
Dreamworld on Australia’s Gold Coast will unveil the world’s first switchback coaster, “Jungle Rush”, in the new Rivertown area. This family-thrill coaster is unique in that it supports several cycle tracks, has the world’s first inclined turntable, and provides an immersive experience for visitors of all ages. The ride will have 12 airtime features, dedicated show moments, and both forward and backward motion.
2025 and beyond
In 2025, Vekoma will open numerous projects worldwide, including the Tilt Coaster “Circuit Breaker” at Cotaland, and “Siren’s Curse’” at Cedar Point.
At Six Flags Qiddiya City in Saudi Arabia, the company is installing the highest Tilt Coaster in the world. “Iron Rattler” is a fast and thrilling Tilt Coaster that takes riders to the edge. Riders are raised to a height of almost 60 metres and angled 90 degrees from horizontal to vertical. This ride can reach speeds of 118 km/h and raises riders to a height of almost 60 metres at a 90 degree angle.
Iron Rattler is suitable for adrenaline lovers over 120 cm tall. Several cutting-edge thrill coaster features, such as camelbacks, full-speed double Zero-G roll, carousel turns, five inversions, and twelve airtime moments are included in the layout, which has a 1,240-metre track overall. This roller coaster offers unparalleled thrills and is one-of-a-kind.
Six Flags Great Adventure will unveil North America’s first Super Boomerang “The Flash: Vertical Velocity”, while Oasis at the Lake of Ozarks will debut a Family Boomerang Rebound “ShootOut”. Santa’s Village in Canada will launch a custom Family Coaster called “Yeti Trek”, and Aztlán Parque Urbano in Mexico will open a Suspended Family Coaster called “Serpentikha”.
In Europe, Bommelwereld theme park will introduce an indoor Family Coaster “Bulder Baan”, while Winnoland in France will open a Kalypso Family Coaster “Wild West Coaster”. Both rides provide thrills for riders of all ages, even those embarking on their first roller coaster ride.
Mandoria in Poland will introduce “Aquila”, an indoor Family Launch Coaster capable of reaching speeds of up to 70 km/h. The 450-metre ride will feature a second launch on the fly, resulting in a 900-metre experience suitable for the entire family. The Family Launch Coaster has the world’s lowest rider height restriction of 95cm and accelerates from zero to 70 km/h in three seconds.
BON Luxury Theme Park
VidantaWorld announced the new BON Luxury Theme Park, set to open in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico in 2026, during the IAAPA Expo in Orlando. The new premium attraction will feature five Vekoma rides.
Guests can experience family-friendly thrill coasters like Horus Family Coaster “Izari’s Flight”, Suspended Family Coaster “Speed of Light”, Switchback Coaster “Ashara – Goddess of Fire”, and the new Beat It water attraction “Toco Tambo Falls”.
BON Luxury Theme Park includes Latin America’s only Double Launch Coaster, “Tecuani Beast”. This thrilling ride features 20 distinctive track elements, including a world-first Double Roll-Over Tophat, over 16 seconds of airtime, and six inversions.
It is the fastest and longest launch coaster in Latin America, with a 1,200-metre track length and a high speed of 105 km/h, and is complemented by a high degree of theming and luscious scenery. The highly themed front coach of “Tecuani Beast,” together with the animation film, was unveiled during the press conference held at Vekoma’s IAAPA Expo stand.
Announcement of Cacau Park
On 2nd December it was time for the big premiere of the unveiling of Cacau Park – a brand-new chocolate-themed park opening in 2027 in Brazil.
Cacau Park is set to feature multiple, highly themed areas. It will offer a variety of Vekoma rides and attractions, ranging from family rides to a record-breaking, high-thrill coaster, designed to cater to all age groups and adrenaline preferences.
“We feel honored to partner with Cacau Show and deliver our contribution to a magnificent journey where the dream of the visionary owner and founder Alexandre Costa will become a reality,” says a representative from Vekoma.
“We are thrilled to work with the wonderful team of Cacau Show on this amazing project and we truly appreciate the partnership!”
Last month, Vekoma Rides shared details of its after-sales support, which lasts throughout the entire lifecycle of a ride. From the first run to ongoing maintenance, the company helps its clients maximise the longevity and return on investment of their Vekoma attraction.
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