It was a relatively quiet week for major UK theme park announcements, but there was considerably more movement across Europe and further afield.
Europa-Park revealed three additions for 2027, while Stockholm's Gröna Lund unveiled an interactive dark ride built around a new trackless system from Vekoma. At Efteling, Ravenring also reached an important stage ahead of its December opening.
Internationally, Zamperla's first Double Heart rollercoaster opened in South Korea, while Kalahari completed an enormous indoor water park expansion in Wisconsin Dells.
Europa-Park reveals three family attractions for 2027
Europa-Park has outlined its first new attractions for 2027, with additions planned for the Portuguese, Icelandic and Italian themed areas.
A Wild Swing XL standing more than 14 metres tall will be installed above the lake in Portugal. The Icelandic area will receive a steerable tower attraction between WODAN - Timburcoaster and blue fire Megacoaster, allowing riders to control their movement while taking in views across the harbour.
The third project is the return of Enzo's Piccolo Mondo. Europa-Park's long-running Italian gondola ride will be refreshed with scenes inspired by the country's art, theatre and music. None of the projects is a headline rollercoaster, but together they continue the park's habit of strengthening older areas rather than concentrating investment in one corner of the resort.
Gröna Lund unveils SCORE! trackless dark ride
Gröna Lund has revealed SCORE!, a SEK 205 million interactive dark ride scheduled to open in spring 2027.
The attraction will be the first to use Vekoma's new DRX trackless platform, which uses radar-based positioning rather than a physical track. Eight vehicles carrying six passengers each will rotate, change direction and move through a series of indoor environments, with Jora Vision leading the creative design, theming and construction.
The storyline sends guests beneath Gröna Lund into an archive filled with inventions and artefacts from the park's 140-year history. Riders will use laser blasters to collect points during the experience. At approximately 700 square metres, SCORE! is also a good example of how a tightly packed city park can introduce a substantial new attraction without requiring a vast development site.
Ravenring begins testing at Efteling
Efteling's Ravenring moved into on-site testing this week, with the first rotations observed on 6 October as work continues across the renewed Raveleijn themed area.
The Vekoma family ride features 18 raven-inspired winged vehicles carrying a total of 36 guests. Riders will be able to use a lever to increase the tilt of their vehicle as the main wheel rotates, producing a flight lasting around 90 seconds and reaching a maximum height of five metres.
Ravenring will open on 1 December alongside the transformed Raveleijn area and its completely rewritten arena show, created in collaboration with Puy du Fou. Testing is an important milestone, but considerable programming, commissioning and decorative work may still be required before guests can take flight.
Giant Revolution opens at Lotte World Adventure Busan
Lotte World Adventure Busan opened Giant Revolution on 8 October, introducing the first installation of Zamperla's Double Heart rollercoaster design.
The compact coaster stands 50 metres tall and uses three launches, with the final acceleration reaching 110 kilometres per hour. Its 323 metres of linear track include a near-vertical dive and two inversions, packed into a footprint measuring approximately 70 metres by 21 metres.
That combination of height and limited land use is the real selling point. Double Heart has been designed to give parks a visually dominant launch coaster where space is at a premium, something that could make the model particularly attractive to urban resorts and established parks with little room left to expand.
Kalahari opens US$85 million Aquadome expansion
Kalahari Resorts opened its new Aquadome at Wisconsin Dells on 10 October, completing a US$85 million expansion of its indoor water park.
The 75,000 square foot addition is covered by a retractable glass roof and introduces several new attractions. These include Zambezi Rapids, billed as the world's first enclosed Boomerango ride, and Viper Venom, described by Kalahari as North America's first six-person indoor water coaster.
A four-lane mat racer, children's play area, indoor and outdoor hot tubs, relaxation spaces and an adults-only swim-up bar complete the development. Indoor water parks have become increasingly ambitious resort anchors, and Aquadome combines major slides with the pool and leisure facilities needed to encourage longer stays beyond the rides themselves.
What we're watching next
Attention now turns to Efteling, where Ravenring will need to progress through further testing before the renewed Raveleijn area opens on 1 December. With a new ride, arena production, shop and expanded restaurant involved, it is one of Europe's most substantial late-season projects.
We will also be watching for further details from Europa-Park about its unnamed Icelandic tower ride and the stories surrounding its 2027 additions. In the water park sector, early reactions to Kalahari's Aquadome should provide a clearer picture of how its retractable roof and high-capacity attractions perform in daily operation.
