Asian and Australian theme parks set to open new rides

January 12, 2024

Karen Sweaney

A number of announcements have been made over the past couple of years suggesting the completion and opening of new theme park rides across Australia and Asia.

A selection of parks have already begun construction on 2024 projects, while others have launched teaser campaigns.

Tokyo DisneySea: Fantasy Springs
Tokyo DisneySea has announced last year that its Fantasy Springs expansion will open on 6th June 2024.

Park operator Oriental Land Company advised that the eighth section of Tokyo DisneySea, being built at a cost of approximately ¥320 billion (US$21.5 billion), will re-create the worlds of Disney movies including ‘Frozen’, ‘Tangled’ and ‘Peter Pan’.

The new attractions include Anna and Elsa’s Frozen Journey, Rapunzel’s Lantern Festival, Peter Pan’s Never Land and Fairy Tinker Bell’s Busy Buggies.

The massive investment also includes new F&B and retail areas as well as the Tokyo DisneySea Fantasy Springs Hotel.

To enter the new area and use its attractions, visitors will need to obtain - in addition to their DisneySea admission tickets - a free Standby Pass or premium Disney Premier Access, which allow access to specific attractions at designated times.

Universal Studios Japan: Mine-Cart Madness
Announced in December 2023, the Donkey Kong expansion to Super Nintendo World will open in spring 2024 at Universal Studios Japan, with the new Mine-Cart Madness boom coaster serving as the centrepiece of the expansion.

The first-of-its-kind family boom coaster will appear to jump across gaps in the roller coaster track and perform other stunts related to Donkey Kong video games.

The Donkey Kong Country expansion will include video game-style interactive experiences along with Nintendo-themed food and merchandise.

The new area will be called "Donkey Kong Country" and Universal released the new teaser video (above) as part of its pre-launch press event last year.

With Donkey Kong Country and Mine-Cart Madness scheduled to open in spring 2024, Universal Creative Chief Creative Officer Brian Robinson shared "we are delivering the ultimate wish fulfillment by transporting fans to places they only dreamed and in doing so igniting the thrill of feeling alive.

"Just as we brought a first-of-its-kind augmented reality attraction, Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge to Super Nintendo World, we are bringing that same level of innovation to Donkey Kong Country with a first-of-its-kind thrilling family coaster. A new vision of coaster design that isn’t visually or viscerally bound to a traditional coaster track. This innovative design allows us to present the mine cart ride experiences of the Donkey Kong games, like jumping broken tracks. It is a coaster innovation that could only be born out of Donkey Kong Country and I cannot wait for fans to experience it."

Dreamworld Australia: Jungle Rush
With little information shared on its progress by the attraction since 2022, the anticipated opening for The Jungle Rush roller coaster at Dreamworld in Australia is late 2024.

Ardent Leisure revealed in 2022 the latest phase of its future growth plan, including area upgrades and ride investments of over $60 million.

Following the launch of its Steel Taipan rollercoaster and the celebration of the Gold Coast theme park’s 40th anniversary in 2021, Dreamworld shared that it would be adding ther Jungle Rush rollercoaster and a flyer ride along with a new jungle adventure theme land called Rivertown.

The $35 million Jungle Rush rollercoaster to be built by Dutch ride specialist Vekoma will feature a 'world-first inclined turntable', which can be used to rotate the individual cars in the ride.

Jungle Rush, which has been compared to Disney's much-praised Indiana Jones adventure, will be the Dreamworld’s most expensive ride ever.

Set to open by the end of 2024, Jungle Rush will have 12 'airtime elements' and can run backwards and forwards.

Dreamworld opened its Wiggles-themed Big Red Boat Coaster ride just in time for Christmas 2023 and the Gold Coast's peak summer 2024 holiday season,.

Inspired by the beloved children's entertainment group, The Wiggles, the exciting new family rollercoaster is now the centrepiece in Dreamworld's new family precinct, Kenny and Belinda's Dreamland.

Warner Bros. Movie World Australia:The Flash: Speed Force
Village Roadshow revealed in July 2023 that a new attraction would be opening in April 2024 at Warner Bros. Movie World noting it would be the southern hemisphere’s first rollercoaster to be sited within another thrill ride.

The 30-metre-high The Flash Speed Force will be located inside the track of the Superman Escape Coaster to provide a unique ride-within-a-ride experience.

The new surfboard-style half-pipe shuttle coaster is themed around the DC Super Hero, The Flash, and will take guests on a thrilling ride experience where they accelerate and spin in their quest with the Scarlet Speedster as he takes on one of his greatest villains, Reverse-Flash.

Advising that The Flash Speed Force will bring all new levels of thrills to Movie World guests and complement the existing Superman Escape Coaster, Village Roadshow Chief Executive, Clark Kirby stated “this is the first time a ride has been placed within a ride in the Southern Hemisphere and we are excited to create this amazing and unique new experience for our guests.

“The Flash Speed Force is a wonderful addition to our line-up of rides at Warner Bros. Movie World and will take guests on a thrilling journey where they twist, spin and speed along the 67-metre-long half-pipe track.

“We are working closely with our partners at Warner Bros. Discovery Global Themed Entertainment to integrate the ride theming with Superman Escape to encompass both rides and tell an incredible story around two integral members of the Justice League.”

The half-pipe shuttle coaster is currently scheduled to open in April next year while Movie World's new $40 million Wizard of Oz precinct is also scheduled to open in 2024.

Haichang Ocean Park
Amid a climate of growing political and economic links between China and Saudi Arabia, Haichang Ocean Park is to develop theme parks, waterparks and social entertainment centres in Saudi Arabia.

Announced in 2023, the Shanghai-based Haichang Ocean Park will collaborate with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Investment to develop attractions and other location-based entertainment (LBE) experiences across the Kingdom with the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Asian theme park operator to explore investment opportunities in the nation.

According to the MOU, Haichang Ocean Park has plans to develop theme parks, waterparks, wildlife parks and social entertainment centres in the country - aiming to attract global and local visitors and drive the long term, sustainable growth of the tourism sector.

Brad Loxley move to Parques Reunidos
Former Luna Park Sydney executive Brad Loxley hwas moved from his role as Chief Operating Officer for the Vietnam-based Sun World Group to become Regional Director for global attractions operator Parques Reunidos. Theme Parks and Attractions Management, Strategist, DesignerRegional Director, Parques Reunidos.

About the author

Karen Sweaney

Co-founder and Editor, Australasian Leisure Management

Artist, geoscientist and specialist writer on the leisure industry, Karen Sweaney is Editor and co-founder of Australasian Leisure Management.

Based in Sydney, Australia, her specific areas of interest include the arts, entertainment, the environment, fitness, tourism and wellness.

She has degrees in Fine Arts from the University of Sydney and Geological Oceanography from UNSW.

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