After years of delays and construction, COTALAND finally has an opening date - with Austin's new amusement park set to welcome its first guests on Saturday 26 September 2026.
The 30-acre park is being developed alongside the Circuit of the Americas race track in Texas and will feature more than 30 rides and attractions, ranging from family rides and water attractions to several major roller coasters.
Its headline attraction is Circuit Breaker, Texas' only tilt coaster, which has already given some guests an early taste of what's coming during special events at COTA.
COTALAND opens on 26 September
Circuit of the Americas confirmed the opening date on 18 August, ending years of shifting timelines for the project.
COTALAND will officially open on Saturday 26 September 2026, with opening-day hours currently listed from 4pm to 10pm.
The park has been under development for several years, with plans first emerging back in 2021 before a series of delays pushed the full opening further into the future.
Now, the $105 million project is finally preparing to welcome guests.
More than 30 rides and attractions
COTALAND is promising more than 30 rides and attractions spread across its 30-acre site beside the Circuit of the Americas.
The line-up will include major thrill rides, family attractions, water rides, drop towers, swings, go-karts and more.
One of the biggest draws is undoubtedly Circuit Breaker, the park's Vekoma tilt coaster.
The coaster raises riders high above the park before the track itself tilts forward, positioning the train for a dramatic 90-degree drop.
It is currently the only tilt coaster in Texas and is expected to reach speeds of around 60mph.
The ride has already operated during selected Circuit of the Americas events, giving coaster fans a preview ahead of the park's full opening.
Palindrome adds another unusual coaster
Circuit Breaker isn't the only unusual roller coaster planned for COTALAND.
Palindrome is a Gerstlauer Infinity Coaster designed to send riders both forwards and backwards through its compact layout.
The coaster features a vertical lift, inversions and a distinctive spike element, with parts of the attraction positioned close to the wider Circuit of the Americas complex.
Together, Circuit Breaker and Palindrome give the new park a coaster line-up likely to attract enthusiasts well beyond Austin.
A theme park built alongside Formula One
COTALAND's location is perhaps just as interesting as its rides.
The park sits alongside Circuit of the Americas, the permanent home of Formula One's United States Grand Prix and one of the best-known motorsport venues in North America.
That gives the new attraction a very different setting from most traditional amusement parks.
COTALAND is being positioned as part of a broader entertainment destination around the circuit, giving visitors another reason to travel to the site even when there isn't a major race taking place.
The motorsport influence also runs through the park's identity, from its name to attractions such as Circuit Breaker.
Why COTALAND is worth watching
New amusement parks of this scale don't open particularly often in the United States, which immediately makes COTALAND an interesting addition to the theme park landscape.
But it's the attraction line-up that makes the project particularly notable.
Rather than opening with a collection of smaller family rides and expanding later, COTALAND is arriving with several enthusiast-focused attractions already forming part of its identity.
A tilt coaster, a Gerstlauer Infinity Coaster and a substantial mix of flat rides, water rides and family attractions gives the park a surprisingly varied opening line-up.
And with its location alongside one of the world's best-known racing circuits, COTALAND also has an opportunity to reach an audience far beyond traditional theme park fans.
When does COTALAND open?
COTALAND officially opens on Saturday 26 September 2026.
The opening comes less than a month before Formula One returns to Circuit of the Americas for the United States Grand Prix in October.
After years of construction and several delayed opening windows, Austin's newest amusement park is finally almost ready to cross the starting line.
