Southern California’s roller coaster lineup is getting another addition next year, and this one is designed to make riders feel like they’re flying. The new attraction is already under construction at the theme park, where it will occupy a section of the park that has sat empty since the former Golden Bear Theatre was removed. The new ride is called Thrill Glider, and it’s scheduled to open at Six Flags Magic Mountain in 2027.
There’s a lot packed into the new ride, from multiple launches and upside-down elements to a futuristic story built around a fictional energy source. But the most unusual part is how passengers will actually sit on the coaster.
You’ll ride it like a flying bike
Instead of sitting inside a traditional coaster train, passengers will board custom vehicles called “hovercycles” suspended underneath the track. Riders will be positioned face-forward and prone, giving them an unobstructed view ahead as they move through the course. The concept combines elements of flying, motorbike and suspended coasters into what the park is calling a new type of coaster: a Thrillglider.
The ride is being developed by Vekoma specifically for the park, with a terrain-following layout that winds through nearly 3.5 acres. And then things get fast. Thrill Glider will reach speeds of 50 mph and include two launches, 12 airtime moments and five inversions.
The track stretches more than half a mile
The coaster will have 3,380 feet of track, or more than half a mile, and rise 107 feet above the ground. Six Flags says that will make it the world’s longest, fastest and tallest Thrillglider when it opens. It will also be the world’s first multi-launch Thrillglider and will have the most inversions of any ride in the new category. There will be two trains, each carrying 16 passengers, according to the park.
An exact opening date has not been announced yet, but the park says Thrill Glider will debut during the 2027 season.
