Summer’s 6 Coolest New Theme Park Rides

Happy days are here again in the theme park industry, as business is booming after a long recession. More than 300 million people will visit U.S. theme parks this summer, according to the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA), and revenue for the parks should hit a record-breaking $13.4 billion, according to market researcher IBISWorld.

Families may feel a bigger pinch this summer when paying hiked-up admissions at some parks (such as Disneyland and Disney World, which now charge $92 and $95, respectively, for a single day adult ticket). But the upside is that parks all over the nation are also ratcheting up their ride offerings, offering more twists, heights and technological dazzlers, from a wooden roller coaster with steel-coaster-style loops to a whizzing swing ride that allows you to see two city skylines (assuming you keep your eyes open).

( MORE: Planning a trip to Disney World? Start planning here. )

Here are the six rides we’re most excited to try—including a few that cater nicely to kids who haven’t yet met the big coasters’ height requirements as well as their Dramamine-chewing parents.

Full Throttle

Hold onto your churro: This new coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain, which goes up to 70 mph, has a 160-foot loop that you’ll travel twice: first inside and then outside the loop, before capping it off with a backward launch. Six Flag is marketing it as “Sensory Overload.” Height requirement: 54 inches. Opens June 22.

The Gatekeeper

As the name suggests, the big new ride at Cedar Point in Sandusky meets you right at the entrance gates. Among winged coasters—where riders are perched on either side of the track—this one boasts of being the tallest, fastest and longest, as well as claiming the tallest inversion (a 170-foot loop) of any coaster in the world. Height requirement: 52 inches

( MORE: Read reviews of kid-friendly hotels and attractions in Sandusky. )