The 10 Most Exciting Asian Rides in 2017

[Gutterflower]

Everyone has been sad about 2017 being a bit of a rubbish year for coasters. I disagree. 2017 outside of the USA and Europe looks pretty strong.

 

There a ton of rides I really am excited about. Including a real many i couldn't include here. The Griffon Clone going to Korea for example and Time Machine/Led Zeppelin opening in Vietnam were both missed off this list. Perhaps the ride I am most excited about and maybe you should be too at Warner Brother Australia wasn't included (its not in Asia).

 

Theres a number of rides I am even more excited about for 2018, The Shambhala inspired B&M hyper at Hotgo park in China and the worlds tallest Wing Coaster at Wanda Wuxi which look stunning. But 2017 means 2017.

 

I have tried to choose a varied list of rides here but there really are many more to look forwards to in 2017 time to get those air fares sorted.

 

10: Visionland in Liuzhou, China has built a brand new Mega-Lite. It may not be a custom design but a Mega-Lite is always a good reason to be excited.

 

9: Asia Park in Vietnam bought most of the rides from Hard Rock park in the USA. Maximum RPM was the most unique coaster at the park and it has found new life in Vietnam. Due to open in 2017 this is a ride I will be keeping an eye on.

 

8: Coney Island's Thunderbolt was not that well received by enthusiasts but Zamperla has managed to sell two more for 2017. One to OWA in the USA and the second to Discoveryland in Dalian China. This ride will ditch the linear layout and will be more triangular in shape. While the rides exact layout is unknown I am still interested in seeing how this ends up.

 

7: Golden Horse have really started to move forwards this last year. Their new in house track design is a massive step forwards and their new invert at Wanda City in Harbin china actually looks rather good. Sharing a layout (although mirrored) with the Beijing Shibaolai ride at Wanda Nanchang the design was provided by Wanda and executed by Golden Horse.

 

6: The Sun Tzu Park S&S launched coaster has been dead in the water for two years. Track has been on site for an age but it finally looks like the ride is moving forwards. Similar to the Happy Valley rides this launch coaster will be the first with inversions. Anyone who has ridden the other 3 will tell you how good these are. And why you should be excited. The park may be in the middle of nowhere China but it may well be worth the trip when it is finally open.

 

5: Not one coaster but two here - Happy Valley has been one of the brand leaders in China and they have begun to expand their existing parks. Happy Valley Chengdu is due to open both a B&M dive machine and a GCI wooden coaster this year. Both look rather good. The Dive machine has a similar layout to the bigger models like Griffon and Sheikra but will actually be of the smaller design like Krake.

 

4: B&M wing coasters aren't the best loved coasters out there but this design at Happy Valley Chongqing looks like it could be rather special. A huge airtime hill follows the rides starting dive drop and that's just to start. This ride seems to blend non inverting elements and the massive inversions B&M are famous for perfectly. I for one cannot wait to see how this turns out. Also that colour scheme pops like almost no other.

 

3: Vekoma have really come into their own these past few years and this new design heading to Fantawild in Wuhu, China carries on that trend. The ride shares most of its layout with Formula 1 and Energylandia in Poland but replaces the launch with a lift and extends the ending. Vekoma has even more coming soon. Keep an eye on Tema World in Istanbul for more soon.

 

2: Another coaster that's been on hold for an ages but is finally moving forwards. Intamins Fahrenheit ride at Hershey Park is finally getting a sister ride at Lingshui Marine Park in Hainan China. The ride will have a custom layout and stretch out over the parks shoreline. A massive Dive Loop starts the ride while six more inversions round off a great looking ride (this concept art is not that representative of the ride I'm afraid)

 

1: If you had told me last year that a Vekoma would be top of my list for rides in 2017 I would have laughed you out of the room but Vekoma's new firestorm coaster for the new Vin Pearl land in Thu Thiem, Vietnam looks incredible and certainly deserves to be top of this list.

 

There are a number of more rides to look forwards to i couldn't include here. The MVR rides for 2017 haven't been revealed yet but as they have been producing arguably the best traditional wooden coasters in the last few years the new Nanning and Handan rides have me excited too.

When I know more on any of these rides and the rides above. I'll keep you all updated

[thrillseeker4552]

Thank you so much for posting this and for keeping track of all these international additions. It's a great little summary and it caught me up a lot. Keep doing what you're doing... it makes learning about all this stuff coming to Asia much easier to understand.

[viking86]

Great post! While most of the rides were known to me, I had no idea they were building another Fahrenheit style ride. Will be interesting to see how that one turns out.

[Garet]

Those Thunderbolt's seem to be popular here in Asia, Another Thunderbolt was sold and should be coming to Korea although probably not for 2017.

[coasterer]

It is quite an exciting time for Asia. Thanks for putting this all together! Good to see a few new unique designs, and more B&Ms and GCIs is never a bad thing.

[Geauga Dog]

Good to see a few new unique designs, and more B&Ms and GCIs is never a bad thing.

 

Also more of these awesome looking Vekomas are never a bad thing either. I'm very impressed with each new design they come out with.

 

As others have said, thanks for keeping us abreast on the Asian coaster/theme park scene. A little part of me is jealous of all the great rides they are getting.

[boldikus]

Interesting post. I love to see Intamins being built no matter where they are, and no matter if I'll ever ride them.

 

When oh when will a U.S. park buy a megalite? I think I might have a heart attack when/if it actually happens. They just look perfect.

[TheJewelOfJool]

The ending on the new Fantawild Wuhu Vekoma looks awesome.

[DoinItForTheFame]

Thanks for the update on all the projects going on in Asia!!

 

Wow, Vekoma sure does seem to be coming a long way from where they use to be. Both of their new concepts look awesome. . . But the new Zamperla coaster?? No. Oh. No. Thunderbolt was awful, and I can't imagine that a new coaster from there will be much better. It's also nice to see Maximum RPM getting a new home!!

[Superbatboy]

Love the look of the new Vekomas, I guess I cant hate on them anymore

 

And that mega-lite

[cfc]

2: Another coaster that's been on hold for an ages but is finally moving forwards. Intamins Fahrenheit ride at Hershey Park is finally getting a sister ride at Lingshui Marine Park in Hainan China. The ride will have a custom layout and stretch out over the parks shoreline. A massive Dive Loop starts the ride while six more inversions round off a great looking ride (this concept art is not that representative of the ride I'm afraid)

 

I hope they keep the giant steampunk fish.

[canadianparkfan]

Thanks for the update on all the projects going on in Asia!!

 

Wow, Vekoma sure does seem to be coming a long way from where they use to be. Both of their new concepts look awesome. . . But the new Zamperla coaster?? No. Oh. No. Thunderbolt was awful, and I can't imagine that a new coaster from there will be much better. It's also nice to see Maximum RPM getting a new home!!

Looks like Zamperla is the new vekoma.

[XII]

Great List. I will admit that I didn't know about a lot of the rides on this list. But they definitely look great (Well, except for the Thunderbolt clone). I definitely hope to get out to Asia sometime and try these rides out.

[Masquerade]

 

Too bad that art ain't real.

 

It would be cool if something like that was dropped into DisneySea or Epcot.

Edited January 15, 2017 by Masquerade

[Masquerade]

[Accidental Post]

[Nrthwnd]

^^ That would be awesome with the new T-Rex track being developed, yes? No?

 

With the inversions too, I can wish and hope. And that fish looks awesome.

 

Reminds me of a "relative" from another park.

Tokyo Disney Sea - TPR 2013 Japan Tour.

[sfriday1998]

Lit

[ItsMe]

Always look at the bright side of life! Thanks for this oveview! Oh and yes, Vekoma does look good.

 

Robb, in your opinion, is China on its own worth one entire trip by now?

[yay101]

I had no idea about how good the Vekoma and Golden Horse coaster would be! I wish I could go to Asia to ride all of these...oh well at least I have a new S&S 4d Freespin clone coming to my home park...

[gerstlaueringvar]

^ All...of...them...Golden...Horse...? You might wanna check if your insurance covers the hospitals in China.

[Gutterflower]

 

Too bad that art ain't real.

 

It would be cool if something like that was dropped into DisneySea or Epcot.

 

One of the RCD guys made this. This is believed to be the actual layout for this ride.

 

[Gutterflower]

Heres a POV from a recreation of that Intamin beyond vertical coaster for Hainan Ocean Paradise created by docoaster

 

 

It is also confirmed the park will be getting an Intamin spinner similar to Tornado at Bakken.

[Rill'o'beily]

It is also confirmed the park will be getting an Intamin spinner similar to Tornado at Bakken.

 

It's really cool someone else finally caught on to it, after being on it I seriously questioned why no other park had one, so I'm hoping that after it's built other parks back here in the west will catch on.