Six Flags Magic Mountain Announces World’s First Thrillglider

(eap) Six Flags Magic Mountain has made it official: In 2027, “Thrill Glider” is set to make its debut at the California theme park as the world’s first installation of Vekoma’s new “Thrillglider” coaster type. The concept by the Dutch manufacturer combines elements of a flying, motorbike and suspended coaster and will feature multiple launch sections.

Riders will take a forward-leaning seating position aboard so-called “hovercycles”, similar to that found on Vekoma’s Motorbike Coasters. Unlike a Motorbike Coaster, however, the vehicles will not travel above the track but will be suspended beneath it. This configuration is designed to create a particularly pronounced sensation of flight.

Visualisation: Courtesy of Six Flags Magic Mountain Over the course of the 3,380 feet (more than one-kilometer-long) track, Thrill Glider will reach a top speed of 50 mph (around 80 km/h) and a maximum height of 107 feet (approx. 33 meters). The ride experience, lasting more than one minute, will feature a total of 20 track elements, including five inversions and twelve airtime moments. The coaster will also be equipped with onboard audio and lighting effects.

The storyline will immerse guests in the fictional world of “QuantumPulse Propulsion Systems”, a visionary technology company led by inventor and entrepreneur “Rebecca Silva”. The story begins in the queue inside “The Futurist Pavilion”, where displays, holographic presentations and scientific exhibits introduce the discovery of “PSR B417”, a powerful new energy source. Once aboard the hovercycles, riders will experience the power of this technology first-hand.

Visualisation: Courtesy Six Flags Magic Mountain “Thrill Glider is more than a new attraction. It is the latest milestone in Six Flags Magic Mountain’s renaissance and a reflection of the park’s enduring role as an industry innovator,” said Brian Oerding, park president of Six Flags Magic Mountain. “With a decades-long reputation for introducing record-breaking attractions and genre-defining rides, Magic Mountain is uniquely positioned to pioneer an entirely new coaster category and bring Thrill Glider to life.”

The attraction, which is already under construction, is being built on the site of the former “Golden Bear Theatre”, between the “Full Throttle” roller coaster and the “LEX LUTHOR™: Drop of Doom” freefall tower, and adjacent to the recently redesigned “Looney Tunes™ Land”. Thrill Glider is supposed to have a minimum rider height requirement of 48 inches (1.20 meters). ■