Latest ride closures, new lands, openings and theme park moments,
all in one fast feed. Tap a park to filter it, then open the story
without leaving the page.
Disneyland Paris
Crush's Coaster Is Closing for Nearly a Year, Here's What's Happening
Crush's Coaster is heading into its biggest ever refurb, so if it is on your must do list, September is the big date to know.
Crush's Coaster at Disney Adventure World is closing on 7 September 2026 for the biggest refurbishment it has had since opening in 2007. It is expected to stay shut until summer 2027, which is a long one, so if I was planning a Disneyland Paris trip and Crush's was my number one ride, I would be trying to get there before September.
The work is not just a quick tidy up. Teams from Walt Disney Imagineering Paris, Design and Delivery, Maintenance and the Central Workshops have been getting ready for months. The first phase is a major technical overhaul, with control systems, sensors, communication kit and some sections of track being replaced. After that comes loads of testing before guests can ride again.
The show side is getting attention too. Scenic pieces are being cleaned, repainted and repaired throughout the ride, which is good because Crush's Coaster is not just about the spinning, it is the whole Finding Nemo feeling. The last big closure was around six months in 2015, so this nearly ten month job is the biggest in the ride's history. Annoying if you miss it, but when it comes back it should be properly better.
Paultons Park
Paultons Park Opens Valgard and Has Already Announced What's Coming in 2027
Valgard is now open, Drakon is finally here, and Paultons has already gone straight into teasing the next massive ride.
Paultons Park has officially opened Valgard: Realm of the Vikings, and it is the park's biggest ever single investment at £12 million. That is a serious step up. Paultons already has Peppa Pig World for younger kids, but Valgard feels like it is aiming more at families with older children and teenagers who want something with a bit more force.
The headline rides are Drakon, the park's first ever inverting coaster from Gerstlauer, and Vild Swing from ART Engineering, which is the first Wild Swing in the UK. The land was themed by Themics with masterplanning from the Dutch Leisure Expert Group, and you can tell Paultons wanted this to feel like a proper world, not just a ride dropped onto some concrete.
And they have not even stopped there. In 2027 Valgard is getting bigger with Serpent's Curse, a 471 metre water coaster from Mack Rides. Deputy managing director James Mancey has called it potentially their most exciting reveal yet, and because it will be the first Mack Rides water coaster in the UK, that is a pretty big claim, but also fair enough actually.
Drayton Manor
Drayton Manor Is Letting Anyone Called Thomas in for Free This Month
If your name is Thomas, this is probably your most useful theme park news of the year.
Drayton Manor is offering free entry throughout May to anyone whose name is Thomas, which is both very random and very perfect. It is to celebrate 80 years since Thomas the Tank Engine first appeared in print.
Thomas first arrived in the Railway Series books by the Reverend W. Awdry in 1946, then made it onto TV in 1984. Since then he has become a huge part of Drayton Manor because Thomas Land is the only Thomas the Tank Engine themed area in Europe.
The area has more than 25 rides and attractions, including the Sodor Railway and rides based on Percy, James, Rosie, Harold and Jeremy. Anyone called Thomas just needs to show valid ID at the ticket office. Drayton Manor Resort also has more than 50 rides and attractions plus a 15 acre zoo, so it is not a bad freebie at all.
Chessington
Minecraft World Is Coming to Chessington in 2027 and It Sounds Massive
A world first Minecraft land is coming to the UK, with a coaster, interactive adventures and blocky everything.
Merlin Entertainments and Mojang Studios have announced Minecraft World, the world's first fully immersive Minecraft theme park land, and it is coming to Chessington World of Adventures in 2027. That is massive for UK theme parks, genuinely.
The project is a £50 million investment and will be inspired by the game's most famous biomes, mobs and items. Attractions are set to include a world first Minecraft coaster, interactive adventures, block built playscapes, themed food and themed shops. Basically, if you have ever wanted to walk into Minecraft without loading a server, this is the closest thing.
Chessington is only around 35 minutes direct from London Waterloo, which makes this even bigger because it will be easy for loads of families to get to. Minecraft is the best selling video game of all time with about 350 million copies sold, so yep, this is not a little side thing. Fans can follow updates at chessington.com/minecraft.
Thorpe Park
Thorpe Park Visitors Were Stuck 200ft Up on Hyperia for 30 Minutes in 33 Degree Heat
Hyperia is meant to be intense, but getting stuck at the top during a heatwave is a different kind of intense.
Visitors at Thorpe Park were left stranded at the top of Hyperia, around 200ft in the air, for about 30 minutes during a heatwave on 25 May 2026. The UK recorded its hottest ever spring temperature that day, 34.8 degrees at Kew Gardens, so that is not exactly ideal ride weather.
Reports said two rides broke down on the same day. Hyperia is the UK's tallest and fastest rollercoaster, taking that title from Stealth when it opened in 2024, so being stopped right at the top is going to feel a lot more dramatic than getting stuck on a tiny family ride.
Thorpe Park had warned ahead of the heatwave that some rides might close temporarily for safety reasons. That makes sense, because rides and heat do not always mix nicely. Still, being stuck 200ft up in that heat is definitely not what you imagine when you book a theme park day out.
Alton Towers
Alton Towers Is Running a Minecraft Meet the Mobs Event This Summer
Minecraft is turning up at Alton Towers this summer with mobs, stamp cards, food and an in game reward.
From 18 July to 28 August 2026, Alton Towers is hosting Minecraft Meet the Mobs, the first event of its kind in the UK. Guests can meet baby Mob characters across six Minecraft themed scenes around the park, which sounds like one of those trails where you mean to do one bit and then end up doing all of it.
There is a trail and stamp card to complete, and if you finish it you unlock an exclusive in game digital reward. Costume characters include Iron Golem, Chicken Jockey and Creeper, with puppet characters like yellow axolotls, baby pandas and wolf pups too.
There will also be Minecraft themed food, including TNT popcorn and ice lollies, plus exclusive merch. The whole event is included with standard park admission. A similar event opens in Italy on the same day, but the in game reward is exclusive to UK visitors at Alton Towers.
Legoland
Throwback: When Legoland Windsor Opened Heartlake City
A warm throwback to 2015, when Lego Friends took over a new zone at Legoland Windsor.
Back in 2015, Legoland Windsor opened Heartlake City, a new area based on the Lego Friends range. Lego Friends had launched in 2012 around five characters, Olivia, Mia, Andrea, Stephanie and Emma, each with their own interests and a fictional hometown called Heartlake City.
The Windsor version included the Friends to the Rescue live show and the Heartlake City Express train. The Legoland hotel also added ten themed Heartlake City bedrooms, joining the existing Kingdom, Pirate and Adventure rooms. It feels very 2015 now, but in a nice way.
The same year, Lego City Driving School got an upgrade with more child sized Fiat cars and a new lane, and Boating School added more boats. Merlin also announced a 4D Lego Movie experience for Legoland sites, using wind, water, smoke and lighting effects. Proper throwback stuff.
Quick answers
Theme Park News FAQs
When is Crush's Coaster closing at Disneyland Paris?
Crush's Coaster is closing on 7 September 2026 and is expected to reopen in summer 2027.
What is Valgard at Paultons Park?
Valgard is the Viking themed area at Paultons Park with Drakon and Vild Swing, opened in 2026.
Is Minecraft World coming to the UK?
Yes, Minecraft World is coming to Chessington World of Adventures in 2027.
What happened at Thorpe Park in May 2026?
Hyperia reportedly broke down, leaving riders stuck 200ft up during a heatwave.
What is Minecraft Meet the Mobs at Alton Towers?
It is a summer 2026 event running from 18 July to 28 August, included with standard park admission.
