Road Runner Express is a steel family roller coaster tucked into the Bugs Bunny World section of Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California. Built by Dutch manufacturer Vekoma as one of its compact Junior Coaster models, the ride carries young guests through a gentle 44-second layout themed to the classic Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote cartoons, complete with rocket-shaped trains and an Arizona desert backdrop.
The coaster has a well-traveled history. It first opened in 2000 as Rex’s Rail Runner at Jazzland in New Orleans, later renamed Road Runner Express when Six Flags took over the park. After Hurricane Katrina forced the shuttered Six Flags New Orleans to close permanently in 2005, the ride was removed, refurbished by Larson International, and relocated to Magic Mountain, where it reopened on May 28, 2011.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Six Flags Magic Mountain
- Manufacturer: Vekoma
- Opened: May 28, 2011
- Height: 27.9 ft (8.5 m)
- Top speed: 21.7 mph (34.9 km/h)
- Length: 679.2 ft (207 m)
- Inversions: 0
- Height requirement: 36 in (91 cm)
The Ride Experience
As a Vekoma Junior Coaster, Road Runner Express is built for younger riders and families rather than thrill-seekers. Its single eight-car train carries riders two-across in a low-to-the-ground layout, winding through a short circuit of gentle curves and dips that top out around 21.7 mph. The whole trip lasts about 44 seconds, making it a quick, approachable introduction to coasters for kids who’ve just cleared the 36-inch height minimum.
The theming leans fully into the Looney Tunes source material, with train cars styled like rocket sleds chasing across a painted Southwestern desert, plus Acme-branded crates and rockwork scattered around the station queue in Bugs Bunny World.
From New Orleans to Valencia
Road Runner Express began life in 2000 as Rex’s Rail Runner at Jazzland, the New Orleans park that Six Flags acquired and rebranded the following year. When Hurricane Katrina flooded Six Flags New Orleans in 2005, the park closed for good and its rides sat idle for years. Vekoma’s compact, modular junior coasters are relatively easy to relocate, and this one was eventually shipped to manufacturer Larson International for refurbishment before finding a new home at Six Flags Magic Mountain, opening there in 2011.
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Road Runner Express FAQs
Who manufactured Road Runner Express?
It was built by Vekoma, the Dutch coaster manufacturer, as one of its Junior Coaster models designed for family and children’s areas.
How tall do you have to be to ride?
Riders must be at least 36 inches (91 cm) tall.
Is Road Runner Express a new ride?
No. It originally opened in 2000 as Rex’s Rail Runner at Jazzland in New Orleans, was later renamed Road Runner Express, and was relocated to Six Flags Magic Mountain in 2011 after Six Flags New Orleans closed following Hurricane Katrina.
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Photo: Freddo / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.