“Flying Fox” Suspended Coaster Opens at Kentucky Kingdom

(eap) The US-based Kentucky Kingdom Theme & Water Park in Louisville, Kentucky, yesterday celebrated the opening of its new major attraction, “Flying Fox”. The ride is a Suspended Family Coaster from Dutch manufacturer Vekoma. With the new addition, the park’s coaster line-up has grown to a total of six rides.

Flying Fox is aimed at families and invites riders to join the daring adventures of “Jeb Fox”, a character from a local legend. According to the storyline, passengers become pilots of crop-dusting aircraft and soar over Kentucky’s farmland, even diving underground and back again. The theming, which also extends into the queue area through elements such as hand-painted murals, is inspired by the state’s characteristic agricultural landscape.

Photo: Courtesy of Kentucky Kingdom Every detail of the attraction was designed by Herschend Creative Studios, the in-house creative team of park operator Herschend, according to the park. The coaster features 420 metres of track, reaches a top speed of almost 60 km/h and has a maximum height of 20 metres. It therefore offers family-friendly thrills for guests from 38 inches tall, equivalent to around one metre.

“Today is another exciting milestone in Kentucky Kingdom’s story and a reflection of what we believe at Herschend. When we became stewards of this park in 2021, we made a promise to invest in Kentucky Kingdom and in Louisville. Flying Fox is the latest example of that promise in action, as we continue to create new experiences that bring families from Louisville, Northern Kentucky, Southern Indiana, and beyond together,” said Herschend CEO Andrew Wexler at yesterday’s opening.

The new coaster represents the next chapter of a three-year, USD 33 million investment in the park. The journey began with the introduction of “Pumpkins at Kentucky Kingdom” in 2022 – an expansion of the Halloween event days – and continued in 2024 with the USD 8 million debut of “Christmas at Kentucky Kingdom”. The event turned the park into a sparkling Christmas destination featuring more than 1.5 million lights, more than 300 Christmas trees and, according to the park, the “state’s largest snow tubing hill”. In 2025, the park opened “Discovery Meadow”, an USD 11 million fully reimagined themed area featuring new rides, attractions and dining options. The latest USD 14 million investment, equivalent to around EUR 12 million, in “Flying Fox” is said to cement Kentucky Kingdom’s position as the region’s leading family destination.

“Flying Fox is everything we hoped it would be, bold and uniquely Kentucky. We’re so grateful for our guests, our hosts, and the community for the enthusiasm and support that made today possible. With Discovery Meadow, Pumpkins at Kentucky Kingdom, Christmas at Kentucky Kingdom, and now Flying Fox, we’ve built something this city can be proud of and where families can create memories worth repeating,” said Sarah Worrell, General Manager of Kentucky Kingdom.

In the current 2026 season, park visitors can also look forward to five new live entertainment shows running throughout the summer, as well as new dining options, cashless payment processes throughout the park and mobile ordering options at selected food and beverage outlets. ■