MagicLand Announces Wooden Coaster for 2027

(eap) The leisure park MagicLand in Valmontone, near Rome, has announced a partnership with the Canadian wooden roller coaster company Martin & Vleminckx (MV Rides) to open – according to its own statement – the “first wooden roller coaster in the country”, scheduled for March 2027. A wooden coaster last operated in Italy until 2007 at Mirabilandia near Ravenna. The new ride is a cornerstone of a multi-year investment programme by MagicLand and its owner company Pillarstone Italy aimed at further developing the park’s visitor offering.

The wooden coaster will be designed and built by the US-based The Gravity Group, LLC/Gravitykraft Corporation and delivered by MV Rides as the park’s official project partner. The ride experience is intended to incorporate the elements of a classic wooden roller coaster while at the same time delivering dynamic and smooth ride movements. Further details on the planned track layout and theming are to be announced by the park – which offers around 40 attractions for a broad age range as well as seasonal entertainment formats in particular – over the course of the year.

“This collaboration marks a pivotal moment in the evolution of MagicLand. Working with Martin & Vleminckx allows us to introduce an attraction that is truly unique for Italy and highly distinctive on a European scale. This project underscores our commitment to continuous innovation and our ambition to offer memorable, high-quality experiences to guests of all ages. It is a cornerstone of a broader strategy that also includes significant investments scheduled for 2026 and beyond,” explains Guido Zucchi, CEO of MagicLand.

Chuck Bingham, Senior Executive VP and Sales Director at Martin & Vleminckx, expresses his pride in the European project: “Bringing Europe’s most exhilarating wooden coaster to life is a milestone for us. Partnering with MagicLand has allowed us to fuse bold design, precision engineering, and beautiful theming to create an experience that will redefine thrills for guests.”

Until the new coaster launches next year, guests can already look forward to new attractions this season: the associated water park MagicSplash, which opened in 2023, will impress with new large-scale slides and optimised offerings. Details on what other European leisure and amusement parks will be presenting this year can be found in the major EAP Park Report, to be published in the upcoming March/April magazine issue. ■