It's been a surprisingly big week in the theme park world, with major announcements spanning everything from Harry Potter and record-breaking roller coasters to accessibility and the future of one of America's most talked-about RMCs.
The biggest reveal came from Abu Dhabi, where we finally learned just how ambitious Warner Bros. World's Harry Potter expansion will be. Meanwhile, Six Flags Magic Mountain unveiled an entirely new type of roller coaster for 2027, and Six Flags also stepped in to save ArieForce One following its closure in Atlanta.
Closer to home, Efteling launched an important new accessibility innovation and the winners of the 2026 UK Theme Park Awards were revealed.
Here's what you might have missed in the theme park world this week.
Harry Potter Abu Dhabi will feature three huge themed lands
After weeks of teasing, Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi finally revealed the scale of its upcoming Harry Potter expansion this week.
And this isn't going to be a single land.
The expansion will consist of three distinct themed lands: Diagon Alley, Hogwarts and the Forbidden Forest, spanning approximately 63,000 square metres in total.
That means visitors will be able to travel from the streets of Diagon Alley into the grounds of Hogwarts before venturing into a permanent Forbidden Forest themed land.
The latter is particularly significant, becoming the first permanent Harry Potter theme park land dedicated to the Forbidden Forest.
Miral and Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences have also confirmed that the expansion will include world-exclusive Harry Potter rides developed specifically for Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi.
Exactly what those attractions will be remains under wraps, so we'd treat any current ride rumours with caution.
Construction work is targeted for completion in 2029, although an official opening date has not yet been announced.
The reveal makes this considerably more ambitious than many initially expected and establishes Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi as a major new destination for Harry Potter fans outside Universal's existing Wizarding World locations.
ThrillSense: This could become one of the most significant new theme park developments of the decade. Three separate lands gives Warner Bros. considerably more room to explore the Wizarding World than a single conventional expansion.
Six Flags reveals a completely new type of roller coaster
Six Flags Magic Mountain delivered arguably the week's most interesting roller coaster announcement with the reveal of Thrill Glider.
Opening in 2027, the Vekoma attraction is being described as the world's first multi-launch suspended "Thrillglider".
Riders will travel beneath the track aboard unusual hovercycle-style vehicles, adopting a face-forward position as they race through a terrain-following layout.
The numbers include:
- 107 feet tall
- 50 mph top speed
- 3,380 feet of track
- Two launches
- Five inversions
- 12 airtime moments
Six Flags is claiming five world records for Thrill Glider, including the tallest, fastest and longest Thrillglider.
There is an obvious technicality there. As this is the first coaster within a newly created category, it naturally establishes the initial records.
But we'd argue being the first installation of a genuinely new coaster concept is considerably more interesting than the records anyway.
The combination of a suspended face-forward riding position, launches, inversions and Magic Mountain's hillside could make this feel very different from a conventional coaster when it opens in 2027.
Six Flags steps in to save ArieForce One
There was more Six Flags news this week, and this one will be particularly welcome for roller coaster enthusiasts.
ArieForce One has been saved.
Six Flags has acquired the Rocky Mountain Construction coaster following the closure of Fun Spot America Atlanta.
The coaster opened in 2023 and quickly developed a strong reputation among enthusiasts thanks to its aggressive airtime, four inversions and enormous zero-g stall.
Its future had been uncertain following the closure of its former home, but Six Flags has now confirmed that the attraction will be relocated into its park portfolio.
The big question is where.
Six Flags hasn't announced the coaster's new home yet, although it has indicated that ArieForce One is expected to reopen during the 2028 or 2029 season.
Until Six Flags makes that announcement, any specific park being linked to the coaster remains speculation.
ThrillSense: This is a great outcome. ArieForce One is far too significant a coaster to disappear after only a few years of operation, and its relatively young age makes relocation considerably more appealing than simply scrapping it.
Efteling launches SafeStrap for guests with leg prostheses
Not every important theme park development needs to involve a new roller coaster.
Efteling this week officially launched SafeStrap, an innovative restraint designed to allow some guests with leg prostheses to experience attractions without having to remove their prosthesis first.
The system has been developed by Efteling alongside Delft University of Technology and De Hoogstraat Rehabilitation and Orthopaedic Technology.
SafeStrap secures the prosthesis during attractions where riders' legs are otherwise able to move freely.
At Efteling, the system is being introduced for attractions including Baron 1898, with further applications planned.
Perhaps more importantly, the technology isn't intended to remain exclusive to Efteling. SafeStrap is being made available internationally, potentially allowing other theme parks and attractions to adopt the system.
ThrillSense: This may be one of the less flashy stories of the week, but potentially one of the most important. Accessibility improvements that can eventually be adopted across the wider industry deserve attention.
Paultons Park and Pleasurewood Hills win big at UK Theme Park Awards
Back in the UK, the winners of the UK Theme Park Awards 2026 were revealed this week.
Paultons Park was named Theme Park of the Year in the category for parks attracting more than one million visitors, while Pleasurewood Hills claimed the corresponding award for parks below the one million visitor mark.
Paultons had an especially successful year, collecting multiple awards across the categories.
Its new roller coaster Drakon was recognised among the year's new attractions, while Alton Towers and Pleasure Beach Resort were also among the parks picking up awards.
The results were determined using a combination of public voting and scores from an expert judging panel.
Disneyland Paris reveals Disney Wonders opening date
Disneyland Paris also had a smaller but noteworthy update this week as the transformation of Disney Village continues.
The resort has confirmed that the new Disney Wonders boutique will open on 22 September 2026.
The new store will feature themed areas inspired by Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars, replacing the traditional approach of simply dividing merchandise into conventional retail sections.
Its interior will include two large chandeliers incorporating more than 40 illustrations of Disney characters and locations, while original artwork will also feature across the exterior.
It isn't a new attraction, but it represents another visible step in the ongoing overhaul of Disney Village.
Halloween season is taking over the parks
We're also firmly into Halloween season now.
Universal Orlando's Halloween Horror Nights 35 is underway, while parks across the UK and Europe are preparing for their own autumn events.
Disneyland Paris has confirmed that its Halloween Festival begins on 26 September, while Alton Towers Scarefest begins on the same weekend.
With Fright Nights, Scarefest and other European Halloween events approaching, expect the next few weeks to become increasingly dominated by Halloween news.
What we're watching next
The biggest unanswered question from this week's announcements is undoubtedly where Six Flags plans to relocate ArieForce One.
We're also watching for the next round of Harry Potter Abu Dhabi details. The three-land reveal established the scale of the project, but Warner Bros. has deliberately kept the actual ride line-up under wraps.
And with Scarefest only a couple of weeks away, the UK Halloween season is about to properly begin.
That's it for this week's biggest theme park stories. We'll be back next Sunday with another This Week in Theme Parks.
