Six Flags Magic Mountain in California announced an interesting new roller coaster for 2027 today, “Thrill Glider.” Built by Vekoma, it is an inverted ride that puts riders in motorcycle-like seats, using a multi-launch system to reach up to fifty-eight miles per hour in the location of the old Golden Bear Theater.
Six Flags and Vekoma are calling it an entirely new category of roller coaster, even if inverted coasters are not new, given the unique positioning provided by the “hoverbikes,” which sit somewhere between a traditional inverted coaster and a flying coaster, where your feet are fully behind you. Furthermore, restraints will be more focused around the legs and torso, quite unlike the over-the-shoulder restraints common in inverted coasters.
The ride seems to be more ambitious than most with theming and lore, promising to take riders into the world of “QuantumPulse Propulsion Systems,” where they have to test the work of inventor Rebecca Silver, including her revolutionary energy source “PSR B417.” Six Flags has often not placed the same value on this sort of production values outside of rides like Monster Mansion — which isn’t even a coaster — so it will be interesting to see how much riders experience of this lore, and whether that side of it can compete with parks like Universal or Disney.
A lot of older Vekoma rides have a reputation for being quite rough and headbangy, though some of them have gotten new life with upgraded train cars that have more comfortable restraints. However, many of their new rides have proven smoother, given the standards set in the industry in recent decades by companies like B&M, Mack Rides, and Rocky Mountain Construction, so hopefully this trend will continue.
They also promise this will be a proper terrain coaster, which will hopefully heighten the thrills of the ride. Often, when a ride like this proves popular, it gets replicated on a budget on concrete lots, and there is something special about when it is thoughtfully integrated into the park.
The ride is already under construction and should be an interesting new addition to the park next season with the potential to be a ride that both draws in families looking for interesting fun and enthusiasts eager to try the latest innovations in the industry. Can’t wait for it to open!
(Embedded images are 3D renders from Six Flags' press release.)