Theme park news this week was as packed as a holiday weekend queue — a brand-new universal resort for young kids opened in Texas, a record-shattering giga dive coaster entered passholder previews in Arlington, Disney flipped a beloved flying-theater film into a patriotic Fourth of July experience, and a 375-foot Jersey coaster capped its steel at the top. This is your essential theme park news roundup for the week ending July 5, 2026.
New Rides & Coaster Openings
Universal Kids Resort Officially Opens in Frisco, Texas
Universal’s first theme park built exclusively for families with young children opened July 1 in Frisco, Texas, in the heart of the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area. The 32-acre resort spans seven themed lands drawn from franchises including Shrek, Jurassic World, SpongeBob SquarePants, Trolls, Minions, Puss in Boots, and Gabby’s Dollhouse, with a connected 300-room on-site hotel. The DFW corridor is quickly becoming one of the country’s top family-fun destination clusters — alongside regional gems like the Epic Waters Indoor Waterpark in nearby Grand Prairie. One-day tickets start at $54.99, and the park soft-previewed for select guests beginning June 24 before the full public opening.
Tormenta Rampaging Run Enters Passholder Previews at Six Flags Over Texas
Six Flags Over Texas’s colossal new Tormenta Rampaging Run opened for passholder rehearsals on July 3, days ahead of its scheduled public debut on July 9. According to Attractions Magazine, the B&M-built giga dive coaster towers at 309 feet, hits 87 mph, and stakes claims on six world records — including tallest, fastest, and longest dive coaster, the tallest vertical loop at 179 feet, and the highest Immelmann inversion at 218 feet. It is the world’s first “giga dive coaster,” fusing the 300-foot-plus height class with the classic over-the-edge mechanics of the dive coaster format.
Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift Launches at Universal Studios Hollywood
Universal Studios Hollywood debuted Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift on June 26, giving the park its first-ever high-speed outdoor roller coaster. The Intamin-built ride spans 4,100 feet of track, reaches 72 mph, and uses 360-degree independently spinning vehicles styled after iconic film cars — including Dom Toretto’s 1970 Dodge Charger and Brian O’Conner’s Toyota Supra. A Florida version is under construction at Universal Studios Florida, and its 170-foot vertical spike element — an element absent from the Hollywood layout — was topped off this week.
Soarin’ Across America Debuts at Disney California Adventure
Disney California Adventure opened Soarin’ Across America on July 2, swapping out the Soarin’ Over California anniversary encore just in time for the nation’s 250th birthday celebration. As WDWNT reports, the updated flying-theater film sweeps guests over more than a dozen American landmarks — from New York Harbor to the Grand Canyon to the New England coastline — set to a new musical arrangement by composer Bruce Broughton. The experience launched at EPCOT in late May and is a limited-time offering on both coasts.
Holiday World Announces Cannonball! — America’s Fastest Water Coaster
Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari in Santa Claus, Indiana dropped a major announcement this week: Cannonball!, a $22 million MACK Rides water roller coaster set to open May 2027. At 45 mph, it will be the fastest water coaster in the United States, cresting 90 feet and dropping 75 along 1,700-plus feet of track, with seven themed eight-passenger boats. It will be only the third water roller coaster ever constructed in the U.S. and the first in the Midwest, adding a landmark attraction to one of the country’s most beloved family parks.
Park News & Expansions
Project Purple Tops Out at 375 Feet at Six Flags Great Adventure
Six Flags Great Adventure installed the final track section on Project Purple on July 1, completing a steel structure that now stands at 375 feet and ranks among the tallest roller coasters currently under construction anywhere in the world. The unnamed 2027 multi-launch coaster has not yet had its full specs, trains, or official name revealed, but the park calls it a “record-breaking” experience. This theme park news hits at a moment of significant change across the Six Flags network — a contrast with the now-shuttered Six Flags America in Maryland, which closed in 2025 — and signals how the chain is concentrating its investment in flagship parks.
Shoreline Pier Opens at Six Flags Great Adventure’s The Boardwalk
Also on July 1, Six Flags Great Adventure held a grand opening for Shoreline Pier at The Boardwalk, its Jersey Shore-themed new land, with New Jersey Lt. Governor Dr. Dale G. Caldwell officiating. The land features five attractions, rides, and boardwalk-style food and games, all included with regular park admission. Park President Mike Fehnel called it part of “one of the largest periods of investment” in the park’s 52-year history — a fitting milestone to mark on the park’s anniversary.
Disney’s Carousel of Progress Closes July 6 for Major 2027 Overhaul
Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress at Magic Kingdom closed July 6 for a sweeping reimagination targeting a 2027 reopening. The overhaul shifts the entire attraction timeline forward 60 years, adds an Audio-Animatronic figure of Walt Disney in the first scene, and replaces aging hydraulic show systems with modern electric actuators. The beloved “There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow” theme song will be retained. In its final days, the attraction experienced near-continuous breakdowns while drawing massive farewell crowds — a characteristically Disney send-off.
Walibi Belgium’s Loup Garou RMC Conversion Advances
Walibi Belgium’s classic wooden coaster Loup Garou continued its transformation into a Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC) hybrid this week, with Screamscape reporting new steel track sections being installed on-site as of July 4. The finished coaster will stand 49 meters (161 feet) tall, reach 106 km/h (66 mph), and feature 1,231 meters of track — setting a new Benelux record. Belgium’s first wooden coaster is targeting a 2028 reopening after its conversion.
Knott’s Berry Farm MonteZOOMa Theming Installation Underway
Screamscape reported this week that Knott’s Berry Farm’s long-awaited MonteZOOMa: The Forbidden Fortress re-theme is deep into its final installation phase, with immersive theming elements and special effects actively being installed and tested. The redesigned attraction transforms the classic coaster into a Mayan stone temple experience, with a new train designed to resemble a mythical fanged stone creature with glowing red eyes, plus smoke and lighting effects built into a dramatic entry portal. A 2026 opening is still anticipated.
Park Tech & Events
Universal Epic Universe Launches Celestial Goodnight Nighttime Spectacular
Universal Epic Universe is debuting “Universal Celestial Goodnight” starting July 7, transforming Celestial Park’s hub into a nightly fireworks and light show that ties together the park’s five themed worlds. The production deploys nearly 600 synchronized light fixtures, more than 350 fountains, seven million embedded LEDs, and a live fireworks finale set to a full original musical score. It is the resort’s most ambitious nighttime offering to date, and the timing for a summer Fourth of July weekend rollout could not be more apt.
SeaWorld Orlando Opens FIFA World Cup Fan Zone for Summer
SeaWorld Orlando launched a Coca-Cola FIFA World Cup 2026 Fan Zone on July 4, running through July 19, with large-screen match viewing at the Beer Garden near Expedition Odyssey — included with park admission. The park simultaneously kicked off Red, White & BBQ Weekends, a patriotic food festival running July 4 through August 23 with regional barbecue flavors celebrating America’s 250th. United Parks’ water park properties are also in full summer swing, with sister parks like Aquatica San Antonio drawing strong attendance through the holiday weekend.
Six Flags Great Adventure Celebrates 52nd Anniversary with Back-to-Back Milestones
July 1 was a banner day for Six Flags Great Adventure: Project Purple topped out, Shoreline Pier held its grand opening, and the park officially marked its 52nd birthday — all in a single afternoon. Park leadership used the occasion to tease that a formal name reveal for Project Purple is coming later in 2026, and that the current expansion wave is just the beginning of a multi-year investment strategy. It may be the most eventful anniversary in the park’s history.
Carousel of Progress Final Days Draw Farewell Crowds to Magic Kingdom
The days leading up to the Carousel of Progress’s July 6 closure became an unofficial farewell celebration, with Magic Kingdom guests lining up for hours to ride the 1964 World’s Fair-era attraction one last time. Disney confirmed that the reimagined 2027 version will retain the classic theme song while delivering a substantially modernized experience. The closure joins Splash Mountain’s 2023 farewell as one of the most emotionally resonant theme park news events of the decade.
Sources
- Attractions Magazine — Tormenta Rampaging Run: Six Records, 309 Feet at Six Flags Over Texas
- Amusement Today — Six Flags Great Adventure’s Project Purple Tops Out at 375 Feet
- Coaster101 — Holiday World Announces Cannonball! Water Roller Coaster for 2027
- WDWNT — Soarin’ Across America Opens at Disney California Adventure
- Universal Destinations & Experiences — Universal Kids Resort Opens July 1, 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Tormenta Rampaging Run and why is it historic?
Tormenta Rampaging Run is a new B&M roller coaster at Six Flags Over Texas that stands 309 feet tall and reaches 87 mph. It is the world’s first “giga dive coaster” — a coaster that combines the 300-foot-plus giga height class with traditional dive coaster mechanics — and holds six world records including tallest, fastest, and longest dive coaster, the tallest vertical loop at 179 feet, and the highest Immelmann inversion at 218 feet. Passholder previews began July 3, with the public opening scheduled for July 9, 2026.
What is Universal Kids Resort and where is it located?
Universal Kids Resort is Universal’s first theme park designed exclusively for families with young children. It opened July 1, 2026 in Frisco, Texas, in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area. The 32-acre park features seven themed lands built around Shrek, SpongeBob SquarePants, Jurassic World, Trolls, Minions, Puss in Boots, and Gabby’s Dollhouse, with a connected 300-room hotel and one-day tickets starting at $54.99.
What is Project Purple at Six Flags Great Adventure?
Project Purple is a roller coaster under construction at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey, targeting a 2027 opening. It topped out at 375 feet this week, placing it among the world’s tallest coasters. Full specs, trains, and an official name have not yet been announced, but the park describes it as a record-breaking multi-launch experience.
What happened to Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress?
Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress at Magic Kingdom closed July 6, 2026 for a major reimagination set to reopen in 2027. The updated version will advance the storyline by 60 years, add an Audio-Animatronic figure of Walt Disney, and replace aging hydraulic systems with modern electric actuators, while keeping the beloved “There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow” theme song intact.
What is Cannonball! at Holiday World?
Cannonball! is a $22 million MACK Rides water roller coaster being built at Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari in Santa Claus, Indiana, opening in May 2027. At 45 mph, it will be the fastest water coaster in the United States, standing 90 feet tall and spanning over 1,700 feet of track. It will be only the third water roller coaster ever built in the U.S. and the first in the Midwest.