From new and enhanced rides to special programming and amenities, theme parks across the United States are making sure that visitors have amazing experiences right now—and 2026 should be no different.
In the new year, these theme parks are welcoming in new thrill rides and popular characters and even taking visitors to new heights.
Dollywood
In spring 2026, Dolly Parton’s famous theme park will open the largest attraction investment in its history. The Pigeon Forge, Tennessee park will usher in NightFlight Expedition, a more than $50 million attraction that will combine four unique features into one groundbreaking thrill ride.
Described as the world’s first indoor family hybrid coaster and whitewater river raft ride—quite a mouthful—NightFlight Expedition passengers will adventure through the Smoky Mountains to search for bioluminescence in the nation’s most-visited national park. During the five-and-a-half-minute experience, guests soar on a nighttime flight over the Smokies, enjoy a thrilling whitewater rafting excursion through more than 500,000 gallons of surging water, traverse a mountain ridge on a roller coaster and navigate a mysterious shimmering lake by boat.
Walt Disney World and Disneyland Park
For 2026, Disney’s Orlando and Anaheim theme parks are introducing new and reinvigorated attractions, with some of them overlapping at both locations. In addition, the Disneyland Resort 70th Celebration continues through summer 2026 with a host of limited-time entertainment and food.
To start, Frozen fans will delight in learning that the Anna, Elsa and Kristoff characters at EPCOT’s Frozen Ever After will receive new updates. Their glow-up takes inspiration from advancements seen in figures at World of Frozen in Hong Kong Disneyland and ditches projected faces for fully animated features.
At Magic Kingdom, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad reopens this spring with new magical touches and what’s said to be a crevasse-deep–to–mountain-top refurbishment. It’s the same for Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, with updated ride vehicles, new handheld blasters and interactive targets. The attraction is scheduled to reopen in spring 2026.
In May, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge takes off with Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, a new adventure centering on the Mandalorian and Grogu.
The Australian animated character Bluey is joining in on the fun. Beginning next summer, visitors at Conservation Station in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park can play games and dance with Bluey and Bingo. Beginning on March 22, the Fantasyland Theatre at Disneyland Park will present “Bluey’s Best Day Ever!”—which turns the space into Bluey’s school, with live appearances from Bluey and her sister Bingo among a troupe of comedic actors and musicians.
At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith is ending its operation on March 1 and later transforming into Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets. This theme park will also welcome “Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live!”, a new stage production, this summer.
Also this summer, both coasts will introduce “Soarin’ Across America,” an immersive flight experience taking riders off on an airborne adventure. And finally, one of the potentially most incredible new offerings is “The Magic of Disney Animation” at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, which delves into the process of how Disney animated films were brought to the screen.
Universal Kids Resort
In 2026, Universal Destinations & Experiences is opening Universal Kids Resort, a regional theme park in Frisco, Texas designed for families with young children. Universal Kids Resort will feature seven themed lands including DreamWorks’ Shrek’s Swamp, Jurassic World Adventure Camp, Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob SquarePants Bikini Bottom, Illumination’s Minions vs. Minions: Bello Bay Club, DreamWorks’ TrollsFest, DreamWorks’ Puss in Boots Del Mar and the Isle of Curiosity.
Just steps away from the park, Universal Kids Resort Hotel was designed with families in mind. Rooms will sleep up to five or six guests, from standard queen rooms up to family suites. Curiosity Café is a quick service restaurant offering hotel guests meals throughout the day. A full-service bar, outdoor pool, fitness room and a game room will round out the hotel amenities.
LEGOLAND
This chain of theme parks and attractions associated with LEGO is welcoming something big in 2026. Galacticoaster will make its debut at both LEGOLAND Florida Resort (February 27) and LEGOLAND California Resort (March 6). Expect the core ride experience to be consistent across both locations: and indoor coaster system with interactive customization elements allows guests to design their own spacecraft before launch.
At LEGOLAND California Resort, Galacticoaster is anchored within LEGO Galaxy, a brand-new, fully immersive themed land featuring additional rides, interactive zones, dining, retail and large-scale LEGO models that expand the space narrative beyond the coaster itself. In Florida, Galacticoaster will also be part of a broader space-themed expansion, with additional details to be shared closer to its opening.
Universal Studios Hollywood
Universal Studios Hollywood is unveiling the park’s first high-speed outdoor roller coaster, Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift. The heart-pounding coaster reaches up to 72mph and features a groundbreaking 360-degree rotation, simulating drifting cars just like in the movie franchise.
Silver Dollar City Resort
The Branson, Missouri–based Silver Dollar City Parks & Resorts is welcoming in a hotel that’s slated to open in late 2026. A six-story property, the Silver Dollar City Resort will consist of 262 rooms, including family suites with bunk beds for kids, and offer 17,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space.
Guests will cross a small bridge over a stream before entering a lobby inspired by the park’s Marvel Cave, complete with lanterns lighting the way. On the inside, a nearly four-story window will frame panoramic views of the Ozark Mountains and Table Rock Lake. Outdoors, there will be a sprawling backyard with firepits, hidden grottos, meandering trails, an outdoor pool and a bridge reminiscent of the one inside Silver Dollar City.
Premium amenities will include door-to-door transportation to Silver Dollar City. A full-service restaurant nods to the park’s award-winning food heritage, and you can even get Silver Dollar City’s popular fresh-baked cinnamon bread sent straight to your guest room.
Six Flags Over Texas
In 2026, this Arlington Six Flags location will open Tormenta Rampaging Run, a record-breaking, adrenaline-pumping roller coaster that’s looking to redefine the thrill-seeker experience; it’ll give riders a heart-stopping view of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex area before plunging them into a high-speed descent.
This new addition is touted as the tallest, fastest, longest and first-ever giga (300-plus-foot-tall) dive coaster in the world. Riders will climb to a height of 309 feet before barreling down a 95-degree beyond vertical drop—that then transitions into sharp turns and drops meant to replicate the thrill of Spain’s running of the bulls.
Accordingly the new attraction will tower over a brand-new Spanish-themed village called Rancho de la Tormenta and a new restaurant, Cocina Abuela. The roller coaster’s 2026 debut ties in with the Texas park’s 65th anniversary, which will feature exclusive previews, special events, giveaways and surprises.
SeaWorld
SeaWorld San Antonio will debut Barracuda Strike, Texas’ first inverted family roller coaster, in spring 2026. The ride suspends guests beneath the track as they glide over the park’s water ski lake, combining speed, tight turns and a family-friendly height requirement. Barracuda Strike features 1,800 feet of track, speeds up to 44 miles per hour, a 90-foot lift hill and a 42-inch height requirement.
Meanwhile, SeaWorld Orlando is ushering in SEAQuest: Legends of the Deep, which is touted as a first-of-its-kind suspended dark ride. The new ride teases that it’ll take families on an awe-inspiring voyage into the ocean’s most extraordinary realms; they’ll step aboard a state-of-the-art submersible and come across ecosystems, sea life and stories of resilience and wonder.
Kentucky Kingdom
Louisville’s premier theme and water park, with a collection of family-friendly thrills and coasters, will welcome Flying Fox in 2026. The park’s first new roller coaster since 2019, Flying Fox is a family-friendly ride that invites guests to join the adventures of local legend and crop-dusting pilot Jeb Fox as he soars over a vibrant Kentucky farmland setting inspired by the state’s agricultural roots.
The experience begins in a red barn–inspired queue, where hand-painted murals and playful audio featuring Jeb set the tone. Riders then take flight, enjoying sweeping views evocative of the Louisville skyline before plunging into an unexpected underground tunnel.