Fierce competition between theme park operators has led these companies to constantly develop the next best ride or attraction.
The current battle of the theme parks began over a dozen years ago when Comcast (CMCSA) -) -owned Universal Studios introduced the Wizarding World of Harry Potter land at its Islands of Adventure park in Orlando in 2010, then added the Wizarding World attraction to Universal Studios Orlando in 2014. Universal Studios Hollywood in California opened its Wizarding World in 2016.
Related: Beloved Disney park attraction reopens after long hiatus
Walt Disney Company's (DIS) -) Disney World theme parks felt the pressure and added new lands to its parks, including Pandora – The World of Avatar at Animal Kingdom in May 2017 and Toy Story Land to Hollywood Studios in June 2018. Disney next took a huge step and opened its Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge lands at Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., in May 2019 and at Walt Disney World's Hollywood Studios in Orlando in August 2019.
Disney added the Tron: Lightcycle Run roller coaster at Disney World's Magic Kingdom in April 2023 and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind ride at Epcot in May 2022.
Universal is building its new Epic Universe park
Universal countered Disney's latest additions in February 2023 with the opening of new land Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood, while it is currently developing a third gate theme park at the Universal Orlando Resort, Epic Universe, which is expected to open in summer 2025.
Themed lands at the new park will include Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Ministry of Magic, Super Nintendo World, Universal Classic Monsters and How to Train Your Dragon.
Universal Studios Florida also in July revealed that it will close the KidZone land at the park, which will be replaced in 2024 by a new land devoted to some of the company's DreamWorks characters in interactive play spaces and attractions that include popular franchises like "Shrek," "Trolls," and "Kung Fu Panda."
Disney World also is planning a new land for its Animal Kingdom as it will close DinoLand U.S.A. and bring in The Tropical Americas land that will feature attractions in the "Encanto" and Indiana Jones themes.
The Disney/Universal theme park rivalry may have to make room for another major player after Six Flags Entertainment (SIX) -) and Cedar Fair (FUN) -) on Nov. 2 entered into a merger agreement to create a single, combined $8 billion amusement park company comprised of 27 amusement parks, 15 water parks and nine resort properties across 17 states, Canada and Mexico.
The merged companies will combine their licensed intellectual property of their amusement parks that include Looney Tunes, DC Comics and Peanuts characters. The major attractions to the new company's parks is their thrill rides, many of which are unmatched in the world.
Looking back at the grandaddy of all theme parks, Disneyland, its tallest coaster-type ride is the 147-foot Matterhorn bobsleds, which opened in 1959. Universal Studios Florida's Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit surpasses the Matterhorn at 167 feet, but Disney World Animal Kingdom's Expedition Everest towers over Rip Ride Rockit at 199.5 feet.
Roller coasters towering into the sky
However, Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, Calif., has Superman Escape From Krypton that's twice as high at 413 feet and reaches 100 mph in speed. But that's not the tallest and fastest coaster around. Six Flags' new partner Cedar Fair in 2024 will launch Top Thrill 2 at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, measuring 420 feet and 120 mph.
Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, N.J., can beat Top Thrill 2 with its current Kingda Ka ride that reaches 456 feet high and 128 mph.
Six Flags doesn't think that's high enough, though. So, the amusement park operator is building its new Six Flags Qiddiya park in Saudi Arabia that will include the Falcon's Flight roller coaster that towers over all coasters in the world at 640 feet with a speed of up to 155 mph. The park is set to open in October 2024.
