It has been an unusual week in the theme park industry, with one famous roller coaster disappearing permanently, another creating problems beyond the park boundary and a major toy company revealing a surprisingly ambitious move into water parks.
Six Flags confirmed that X2 will never reopen at Magic Mountain, Universal Studios Hollywood is introducing further measures to reduce noise from Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift and Mattel has offered the first proper look at its upcoming indoor water park concept.
Disney also shared new details from its next Walt Disney World hotel, while Universal Orlando quietly adjusted the reopening window for Volcano Bay.
Here are some of the biggest stories from the past week.
Six Flags permanently retires X2
The biggest story of the week came from Six Flags Magic Mountain, which confirmed that X2 has permanently closed.
The famous 4D coaster had already been unavailable since July, but Six Flags has now decided that it will not return.
X2 originally opened as X in 2002 before undergoing a substantial transformation and reopening under its current name in 2008.
Its independently rotating seats made it one of the most distinctive roller coasters ever built, with riders rotating forwards and backwards independently of the direction of the train.
More than 16 million guests rode X2 following its 2008 relaunch.
Six Flags said the attraction continued to pass safety testing, but the company decided retirement was the right decision following declining guest confidence. The announcement came amid ongoing lawsuits alleging serious injuries associated with the attraction.
The closure marks the end of one of Magic Mountain's signature rides and leaves a substantial area of the park available for future redevelopment.
Read our full X2 closure story here.
Universal takes further action over Hollywood Drift noise
Universal Studios Hollywood is continuing efforts to reduce the impact of its newest roller coaster on neighbouring communities.
Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift opened in September, but nearby residents in Toluca Lake have complained about the repeated sound of riders screaming as trains travel around the outdoor coaster.
More than 350 residents reportedly attended a recent meeting with Universal to discuss the issue.
Universal has now committed to further sound-reduction measures, including another barrier, while the coaster will not operate between 8am and 9am for the remainder of 2026.
The park is also exploring operational changes, including altering the direction riders face at certain points to direct screams away from surrounding homes.
The unusual dispute highlights one of the challenges of introducing a large outdoor roller coaster at a park surrounded by residential areas.
Mattel reveals first Wonder Indoor Waterpark
One of the more unexpected attraction announcements this week came from Mattel.
The company has revealed the first detailed look at Mattel Wonder Indoor Waterpark, a new year-round indoor water park concept based around some of its biggest brands.
The first location is now planned to open in Bellevue, Nebraska, at the end of 2027.
The approximately 100,000-square-foot attraction will feature Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, UNO and other Mattel properties.
Planned experiences include a Barbie-themed FlowRider surf simulator, a Hot Wheels multi-slide tower and a lazy river themed around Mattel games including UNO, Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots and Magic 8 Ball.
A Fisher-Price water play area will cater to younger visitors, while the building itself will feature a retractable roof allowing the attraction to operate year-round while still bringing natural light and fresh air into the venue.
Mattel previously announced plans for several Wonder Indoor Waterparks across North America, including an Orlando location, but Bellevue is now expected to become the first to open.
Disney shares another look at Lakeshore Lodge
Disney has revealed more from Lakeshore Lodge, the new resort currently being built on the shores of Bay Lake at Walt Disney World.
The latest update includes a new look at the resort's main lobby and introduces Branch & Brush, a cocktail lounge overlooking Bay Lake.
The nature-inspired resort is scheduled to open in summer 2027.
Disney says reservations will open to all guests on 8 October, with eligible Disney Vacation Club members and Annual Passholders receiving earlier booking access.
Lakeshore Lodge is being developed between Disney's Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness Resort and forms part of Disney's continuing expansion of its Florida accommodation offering.
The update came as Walt Disney World celebrated its 55th anniversary on 1 October.
Volcano Bay closure extended into April
There was also a notable planning update for anyone heading to Universal Orlando over the winter.
Volcano Bay is scheduled to close for seasonal maintenance from 26 October, with Universal now saying that the water park will reopen on or before 1 April 2027.
The previous reopening window had listed 24 March, meaning the potential closure has been extended by just over a week.
The wording still allows Universal to reopen the park earlier, but guests visiting during March should currently plan on Volcano Bay remaining unavailable.
You can read our full Volcano Bay update here.
Walt Disney World turns 55
Walt Disney World marked its 55th anniversary this week, having originally opened on 1 October 1971.
What began with Magic Kingdom has since grown into one of the largest leisure destinations in the world, incorporating four theme parks, water parks, dozens of hotels and a huge entertainment district.
Disney says more than 70 experiences have either opened or been refreshed across Walt Disney World since its 50th anniversary five years ago.
The milestone arrives during another major period of development at the resort, with new attractions and lands currently planned across Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom.
What we're watching next
This week felt less dominated by major new ride announcements than the previous IAAPA-heavy period, but there were still some important developments.
X2's closure removes one of the industry's most famous thrill rides, while the Hollywood Drift situation will be interesting to follow as Universal tries to balance park operations with concerns from its neighbours.
Mattel's move into indoor water parks is also worth watching. The Bellevue project might not be a traditional theme park, but the combination of major brands, large-scale slides and year-round operation could turn the Wonder concept into an interesting new player in the attractions industry.
Meanwhile, with Halloween season now fully underway across parks in the UK, Europe and the United States, attention will increasingly begin shifting towards the final major announcements for 2027.
