Theme park news today is led by Apple’s surprise move into live music venues, with the company announcing Apple Music Hall, a 600-capacity concert space built inside London’s Battersea Power Station. On the coaster side, Sweden’s Gröna Lund unveiled SCORE!, a radar-guided trackless dark ride from Vekoma and Jora Vision set to open in 2027.
The rest of today’s theme park news spans three beats: parks and coasters (a Morey’s Piers executive’s election to IAAPA’s global board, a new ranking of North America’s ‘most dangerous’ attractions, Magic Kingdom’s dock construction, and a new Halloween Horror Nights upcharge at Universal Studios Hollywood), stadiums (MLB’s quiet private-equity rule change and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman on expansion), and live music (Calvin Harris’s newly certified world record and Live Nation’s comments on international growth and the DOJ settlement fight).
The TLDR
- Theme Parks & Roller Coasters: Gröna Lund unveiled a radar-guided dark ride for 2027, and Universal Studios Hollywood added a nightly upcharge for its new coaster during Halloween Horror Nights.
- Stadiums & Arenas: MLB quietly raised its private-equity ownership cap to 20%, and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman says a Texas expansion decision isn’t close.
- Live Music & Venues: Apple opened a London concert venue, Calvin Harris’s São Paulo set became a certified world record, and Live Nation talked global growth amid DOJ settlement pushback.
Theme Parks & Roller Coasters
Gröna Lund unveils SCORE!, a radar-guided trackless dark ride for 2027
Sweden’s Gröna Lund has revealed SCORE!, a new interactive dark ride opening in 2027 that turns riders into the main character of a gaming-style adventure. The attraction is being built by Jora Vision, with a ride system from Vekoma that uses radar-based positioning to let trackless vehicles spin and change direction through the sets, a first for the industry according to Amusement Today.
Morey’s Piers executive elected to IAAPA’s global leadership track
Denise Beckson, Morey’s Piers’ Vice President and Chief Administrative & External Affairs Officer, was elected this month as Second Vice Chair of the IAAPA Global Board of Directors, according to Amusement Today. The role puts her on track to become First Vice Chair in 2028 and Chair of the global attractions trade association in 2029.
Boards now cover Magic Kingdom’s expanding ferryboat dock
Construction crews have installed decking across the framework of Magic Kingdom’s ferryboat dock expansion, giving the structure a visible surface for the first time, according to WDWNT. Disney filed the permit for the project in February, and the expansion’s support pilings were in place by late August ahead of this month’s decking work.
Universal Studios Hollywood adds a $19.95 late-night coaster charge during Halloween Horror Nights
Universal Studios Hollywood is now charging $19.95 for guests to ride the new Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift coaster — see our Universal Studios Hollywood height requirements guide before you go — during select nighttime hours from 7 to 10 p.m. amid Halloween Horror Nights, according to Inside the Magic. The add-on does not include admission to Halloween Horror Nights itself, which is sold separately. The coaster opened at the park on September 16.
Why Orlando parks dominate a new ‘most dangerous attractions’ list
A new ranking from Toronto-based insurance marketplace PolicyAdvisor places SeaWorld Orlando (check our SeaWorld Orlando height requirements guide) at #11, Walt Disney World at #13, and Universal Studios Florida at #20 on a list of North America’s ‘most dangerous’ attractions, according to Attractions Magazine. The ranking isn’t based on documented accidents or injuries — it simply counts how often Tripadvisor reviewers use hazard-related words like ‘dangerous’ or ‘unsafe.’ The article notes Orlando’s parks likely rank prominently in part because they’re among the most visited and most reviewed attractions in the world.
Stadiums & Arenas
MLB quietly raised its private-equity ownership cap to 20%
MLB owners voted this summer to raise the league’s private-equity ownership limit for teams from 15% to 20% per firm, a change that was never publicly announced and only came to light this week, according to Front Office Sports. A team’s controlling owner must still hold at least 15% and cannot own less than the private-equity firm’s stake, bringing MLB’s rule in line with the NBA’s existing 20% cap.
Bettman: NHL still has ‘a lot of work to do’ before deciding on expansion
Speaking after a Board of Governors meeting in New York, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said the league isn’t close to a decision on further expansion, including a possible second team in Texas, according to Front Office Sports. Bettman said any expansion would need approval from three-quarters of the league’s governors and described the process as ‘grassroots-oriented’ rather than following a fixed timetable.
Live Music & Venues
Apple opens a 600-capacity concert venue inside London’s Battersea Power Station
Apple has announced Apple Music Hall, a new 600-capacity live music venue located inside London’s Battersea Power Station, according to Pollstar. The venue includes a 38-foot reconfigurable stage, a 48-speaker sound system, and two recording studios, and will also serve as the broadcast home for Apple Music Radio’s London-based shows.
Calvin Harris’s 1.6 million-strong São Paulo set is now a certified world record
Guinness World Records has officially confirmed Calvin Harris’s free pre-Carnival performance in São Paulo, Brazil, as the largest-ever attendance for a DJ set by a single artist, according to IQ Magazine. An estimated 1.6 million fans attended the free show, which Harris played from a float during the Bloco Skol street party on February 8.
Live Nation’s Berchtold touts international growth as rivals fight the DOJ settlement
At the Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference, Live Nation President and CFO Joe Berchtold said international growth remains a major opportunity for the company, noting non-English-speaking artists now make up 30% of its top 50 tours, up from 8% before the pandemic, according to Pollstar. His comments came as competitors including AEG and the National Independent Venue Association have formally objected to the Department of Justice’s proposed settlement with Live Nation, arguing it doesn’t go far enough to curb Ticketmaster’s market power.
Explore more: Universal Studios Hollywood height requirements guide, SeaWorld Orlando height requirements guide.
Theme Park News FAQs
When does Gröna Lund’s SCORE! dark ride open?
SCORE! is scheduled to open at Gröna Lund in 2027. It’s built by Jora Vision with a radar-guided trackless ride system supplied by Vekoma.
How much does Universal Studios Hollywood charge for late-night access to Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift?
Universal Studios Hollywood now charges $19.95 for access to the coaster during select nighttime hours (7-10 p.m.) during Halloween Horror Nights. Separate Halloween Horror Nights event admission is still required.
Is Calvin Harris’s 1.6 million-person crowd an official world record?
Yes. Guinness World Records has confirmed Harris’s free pre-Carnival performance in São Paulo, played on February 8, as the largest-ever attendance for a DJ set by a single artist.
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