Roller Coaster Ride Guide 2009

A Guide to and Overview of 2009's New Rollercoasters

Parks developed their budgets to build 2009's coaster crop long before the current economic downturn (which, ironically, is often compared to a roller coaster). Still, they could have put the kibosh on projects and hoarded their capital dollars. In fact, some parks have postponed attractions due to economic woes. Those parks that decided to move forward with their new roller coasters--and there are a decent number of them--are hopeful that the rides will encourage guests to plan visits and part with their dwindling dollars.

The guide is arranged alphabetically by U.S. state. Select coasters at parks beyond the U.S. follow at the end of the guide.

CALIFORNIA

Six Flags Magic Mountain
Valencia, CA
Terminator: The Coaster

It's a bit curious to have a wooden coaster themed to the Terminator sci-fi film franchise. But the coaster ride itself, which is being designed by the acclaimed Great Coasters International, should be wonderful. Read more about Terminator: The Coaster.

FLORIDA

SeaWorld Orlando
Orlando, FL
Manta
SeaWorld will up the thrill quotient with Manta, a themed flying coaster. What's a flying coaster, you ask? Passengers will be harnessed in a prone position under the coaster train as they soar through the air and skim along the water. Read more about Manta.

• Manta Preview Mini Photo Gallery
• Manta Point-of-View Video

Universal Studios Florida
Orlando, FL
Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit
Universal takes ride interactivity to new heights with its newest coaster. HRRR will give passengers the ability to control the attraction's soundtrack, and will allow them to "rip" a take-home video of their coaster experience. Read more about Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit.

• Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit Preview Video
• April 2009 Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit Update

Florida Ride Guide 2009- Discover what other new goodies are on the way to Florida theme parks.

MAINE

Funtown Splashtown U.S.A.
Saco (near Old Orchard Beach), ME
Wild Mouse
As its (unimaginative) name implies, this will be a standard Wild Mouse ride. The 50-foot-tall "re-purposed" ride used to be at Maryland's Jolly Roger Amusement Park.

MASSACHUSETTS

Six Flags New England
Agawam, MA (near Springfield, MA and Hartford, CT)
Bizarro- Makeover of Superman: Ride of Steel

The restyled hypercoaster will offer onboard audio, fire burst effects, a new color scheme, and rehabbed trains.

• Bizarro Photo Gallery

MISSOURI

Worlds of Fun
Kansas City,MI
Prowler
Two years ago, Worlds of Fun celebrated mom, apple pie, and thrills with its all-American inverted coaster, Patriot. For 2009, the Kansas, City, Missouri amusement park looks to something more sinister to inspire its new wooden coaster. Tell mom she'd better hide the apple pies and lock the doors; there'll be a Prowler on the loose. Read more about Prowler.

• Prowler Preview Photo Gallery
• Prowler Videos

NEW JERSEY

Six Flags Great Adventure
Jackson, NJ
Bizarro coaster makeover of Medusa. (See Six Flags New England above.)

NORTH CAROLINA

Carowinds
Charlotte, NC
Carolina Cobra
Lots of parks have boomerang shuttle coasters. In fact, the one Carowinds will be getting for 2009 used to be at (the now shuttered) Geauga Lake in Ohio where it was known as Head Spin. The transplanted coaster, however, will feature new, sleek trains that will feature wider over-the-shoulder restraints and more open cars for a smoother, more exposed ride. See the ride in the Carolina Cobra Preview Photo Mini-Gallery.

Ghost Town in the Sky
Maggie Valley, NC
Cliff Hanger
The steel coaster that used to be know as Red Devil is getting a facelift and a second chance at the park, which itself closed in 2002 and reopened in 2007.

OHIO

Kings Island
Mason (near Cincinnati), OH
Diamondback
Kings Island has a lot of wonderful coasters, and is especially regarded for its legendary woodie, Beast. For its 14th thrill machine, however, the park will be filling a void in its ride arsenal by uncoiling Diamondback, a steel hypercoaster in 2009. Read more about Diamondback.

• Diamondback Preview Photo Gallery
• Diamondback Point-of-View Preview Video
• Diamondback Fly-Around Preview Video
• Diamondback Off-Ride Preview Video
• Diamondback Overview Video

PENNSYLVANIA

Knoebels
Elysburg, PA
Flying Turns
The Flying Turns will re-create the bobsled-like wooden coasters that were popular decades ago. The delayed ride was supposed to have opened two seasons ago. The park says that the third time should be the charm and it really will open in 2009.

TEXAS

Wonderland Amusement Park
Amarillo, TX
Hornet
This is a transplanted coaster from Texas' defunct Six Flags Astroworld, where it was known as the Mayan Mindbender, a mild indoor coaster.

VIRGINIA

Busch Gardens Europe
Williamsburg, VA
Grover's Alpine Express
The kid-sized ride will be one of the highlights of the park's new Sesame Street Forest of Fun.

SELECTS COASTERS AT PARKS BEYOND THE U.S.

Nurburgring
Nurburg, Germany
ring racer
When it opens in 2009 at the Nurburgring Race Track, ring racer, an F1 Thrust Air coaster, will take the record for the world's fastest roller coaster. However, it will not be a traditional thrill machnie. Using the compressed-air launch system it pioneered, manufacturer S&S Worldwide, Inc. will design the ride to accelerate from 0 to 135 mph in 2.5 seconds. Ring racer will reportedly not include any inversions, banked turns, or any other elements. Created exclusively for speed, the ride will run parallel to the famous German raceway on a mostly straight track, and then turn around to head back to the loading station. See a preview video of the F1 Thrust Air coaster.

Thorpe Park
Chertsey, Surrey, England
Saw- The Ride
The steel coaster will use the popular "Saw" film series as its inspiration. In addition to a beyond-vertical, 100-degree, 100-foot drop and three inversions, Thrope is promising that the ride will include themed horror elements.

Six Flags Mexico
Mexico City, Mexico
The Dark Knight
The chain is moving the Batman-themed indoor family coaster that was supposed to open at Six Flags New England in Massachusetts last year. That park never got the proper building permits, however. Clones of the ride did open at Six Flags parks in Illinois and New Jersey. Read more about The Dark Knight coaster.