Six Flags Magic Mountain announced on Thursday (September 10) that they will be introducing a new roller coaster attraction in 2027. Meanwhile, the popular “X2” roller coaster at the park remains closed after two serious injury incidents, with one passenger claiming injury and filing a lawsuit.
According to reports from the city news agency, Six Flags stated that the new amusement ride, named “Thrill Glider,” combines flying, motorcycle-style, and suspended roller coaster technologies. Passengers will ride on flying motorcycle vehicles called “hovercycles,” facing downwards and suspended below the track.
Developed by Vekoma, this roller coaster can reach speeds of up to 50 miles per hour, with a track length of 3,380 feet (about 1,030 meters), a height of 107 feet (32.6 meters), featuring 5 inversions, and 12 moments of weightlessness.
The park stated that the roller coaster covers nearly 3.5 acres, including multiple acceleration launches and 20 track elements, with the ride lasting approximately 80 seconds.
Called the world’s first “Thrill Glider” roller coaster, it will be the longest, fastest, and highest roller coaster of its kind once opened. The company also mentioned that it will be the first “Thrill Glider” roller coaster with multiple acceleration launches and the most number of inversions among similar roller coasters.
Brian Oerding, President of the park, said, “The ‘Thrill Glider’ is not just a new amusement ride but also the latest milestone in the revival of Six Flags Magic Mountain, showcasing the park’s long-standing innovative role in the industry. Magic Mountain has been renowned for decades for introducing record-breaking attractions and pioneering new types of amusement experiences, making it the perfect candidate to launch a new roller coaster category like the Thrill Glider.”
The attraction will feature synchronized onboard audio and lighting effects, with a theme centered around the fictional company “QuantumPulse Propulsion Systems.” In the story framework, the company’s fictional energy powers the hovercycles.
The “Thrill Glider” will be constructed on the site of the former Golden Bear Theatre, located between “Full Throttle” and “Lex Luthor: Drop of Doom,” adjacent to Looney Tunes Land. Currently under construction, Six Flags has not yet announced a specific opening date for the project.
The minimum height requirement for passengers is 48 inches (1.22 meters).
At the time of the announcement, the park’s X2 roller coaster remains closed since two serious injury incidents occurred in July this year.
According to CNN, Pamela Guillen, a 40-year-old, suffered a severe subdural hematoma after riding X2 on July 5. Her family stated that she underwent emergency surgery, during which part of her skull had to be removed.
Six days later, Naomi Greer-Wilkinson, a 25-year-old resident of Los Angeles, lost consciousness after riding X2. She subsequently underwent emergency brain surgery. As of the end of August, she remains in a comatose state.
The park declined to comment on these incidents. X2 was closed following Greer-Wilkinson’s injury.
Another lawsuit involving X2 is scheduled for trial on August 16, 2027. Yucaipa residents Sheila and Ari Katerelos, aged 56, allege that Sheila suffered traumatic brain injuries and medical complications during her ride on X2 in February 2020.
Magic Mountain and Six Flags were dismissed from the lawsuit in 2024. The appellate court reinstated S&S Worldwide Inc. as a defendant in February this year, and the case is still ongoing against the company. S&S Worldwide is responsible for manufacturing and designing the roller coaster passenger vehicles for X2.
Magic Mountain and S&S Worldwide previously reached a settlement with the parents of Christopher Hawley. Hawley, a 22-year-old graduate of San Diego State University, died in June 2022 after riding X2.
For more information on Thrill Glider, visit the Six Flags website.