Long before we started a front-page blog and even before we had a discussion forum, Theme Park Insider got started as a place for people to submit ratings and reviews for major theme park attractions. Unlike a lot of consumer ratings sites that have come online since we first started collecting reviews back in 1999 (darn, I feel old!), we wipe our ratings every year or so, so the current ratings reflect a fresh view of peoples' opinion of a location at that moment.
The downside to keeping things fresh is that we have to hustle to keep reminding readers to submit ratings in order to avoid having a bunch of unreviewed attraction in our listings. You can find links to our park, ride, restaurant, and hotel reviews on our pages for Disney, Universal, and other theme parks around the United States and the world.
If you've had to good fortune to experience any of the new attractions that have opened at the world's top theme parks since last summer, please help your fellow theme park fans by submitting a rating and review. Anyone can submit an attraction rating on Theme Park Insider, but you must complete a quick, free registration in order to submit reviews. But, please, rate and review only those attractions you've experienced in person! Ballot stuffing helps no one.
Here are the new attractions that will be eligible for this year's Theme Park Insider Awards, which we will reveal on July 4 this summer. Eligible attractions for the Best New Attraction awards open officially between July 1 and June 30 the next year and have not closed permanently within that time. Upcharge and cloned attractions are not eligible. The winner(s) will have the highest average rating with a minimum number of ratings.
Symbolica
Efteling's trackless dark ride opened to the public one day too late to be eligible for last year's awards. Ben Mills posted a review from its media preview.
Capitol Bullet Train
Panem Aerial Tour
This Mack Rides launched coaster and this flying theater ride anchor the new Hunger Games miniland at Motiongate Dubai.
Time Traveler
Silver Dollar City's new coaster is the world's fastest, tallest, and steepest spinning coaster. Here is James Rao's review and more on-ride video.
Wicker Man
Alton Towers' GCI production is the first wooden coaster in Great Britain in 20 years. Here's what our Ben Mills had to say.
Twisted Timbers
Kings Dominion's Rocky Mountain Construction I-Box coaster features a 109-foot barrel roll drop and a top speed of 54 mph on 3,351 feet of track, including 20 airtime moments. Russell Meyer covered its media preview for us.
Battle for Eire
Busch Gardens Williamsburg brings virtual reality to a motion simulator show with this new production. Russell Meyer also covered the opening of this one.
Together Forever
Disneyland's new fireworks show for Pixar Fest celebrates great moments from Pixar films with projections on four locations around the park, including Main Street and Sleeping Beauty Castle. Here's the show, though just watching a video can't begin to do it justice.
Fast & Furious - Supercharged
This stand-alone, plussed version of the final encounter on Universal Studios Hollywood's Studio Tour is in soft-open "technical rehearsal" now, in advance of its May 2 opening at Universal Studios Florida.
UP! A Great Bird Adventure
Likewise, this Pixar-themed revamp of the old Flights of Wonder show at Disney's Animal Kingdom has previewed in advance of its official opening tomorrow for the park's 20th anniversary.
In addition, these upcoming attractions are scheduled to open in time to be eligible for this year's Theme Park Insider Awards:
Steel Vengeance
Cedar Point's RMC makeover of Mean Streak will be the first "hyper-hybrid" coaster. James Koehl and I will be there for the media preview on Wednesday. It opens officially May 5.
Rex's Racer
Slinky Dog Spin
Woody's Round-Up
Shanghai Disneyland's Toy Story Land opens officially April 26.
Electric Eel
SeaWorld San Diego's Premier Sky Rocket coaster will be the tallest and fastest ride in the park. It opens May 10.
HangTime
The west coast gets its first dive coaster with this Gerstlauer Infinity coaster, which opens May 17.
Incredicoaster
The Incredibles-themed revamp of Disney California Adventure's California Screamin' opens with Pixar Pier on June 23.
Alien Swirling Saucers
Slinky Dog Dash
And Disney Hollywood Studios' Toy Story Land slips in just under the wire with a June 30 opening.
What do you think about this year's crop of new theme park attractions?
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Excluding 'Secrets of the Empire' (The VOID) located at DSTP was an oversight.
No upcharges, as I wrote. That said, I have yet to hear from anyone who’s done it who has said the Star Wars VR experience wasn’t worth the upcharge.
But... DSTP? We’re gonna start that again? Hoo boy! ;-)
Symbolica looks amazing
robert. I think, the time has come to start having reviews and ratings for seperate entrance attractions, that are of high quality and really close to a theme park. this would include, a small number of high quality escape rooms, as well as the star wars VR
(Chuckle)
I like how there's nothing from six flags, but doesn't the Wonder Woman Golden Lasso coaster at Fiesta Texas open in time?
At 73.72.162.102 Wonder Woman at Fiesta Texas is way behind schedule.
Only one of these I've ridden thus far is Twisted Timbers but will be riding Time Traveler and Wicker Man in the next month so can rate those before the deadline. I see that Adrenaline Peak, a Gerstlauer euro-fighter that recently opened at Oaks Park, is missing from the list.
actually Wonder Woman opens on May 12th.
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Great new fireworks/projections show at DL!