With Epic Universe now officially open, the spotlight shifts across the globe to new shows, exciting water park additions, and the first cryptic clues of the haunting season ahead. There’s a lot happening in the world of theme parks—and summer hasn’t even hit full speed yet. Let’s dive into this week’s top five stories!
Universal Orlando gave fans something to scream about this week with a mysterious HHN teaser video. It featured TV static and a chilling phrase: “Live the Horror.” While speculation is flying online, we’re holding off on guessing just yet. What do you think it could mean? One thing’s for sure—Halloween Horror Nights hype is officially underway!
Kings Island’s Soak City just leveled up with the debut of RiverRacers, Ohio’s only dual-racing water coaster, plus seven new kid-friendly slides in the new Splash River Junction area. Meanwhile, CoasterStock 2025 is underway—if you’re there, tag us in your photos and share the fun. Looks like an awesome kickoff to summer at Kings Island!
Photo Courtesy of Disney
Disney fans got a double feature this week as “The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure” and “Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After” officially opened at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on May 27. Early reactions are mixed, but both shows bring bold staging and fan-favorite characters. Want to check them out for yourself? You can find full show videos in the article.
Universal’s Horror Unleashed Las Vegas just announced their third haunted house: Blumhouse’s The Exorcist: Believer. This terrifying walkthrough will be one of several opening when the new attraction debuts on August 14, 2025. Horror fans, the countdown begins now!
Big news in the theme park business world — Herschend, known for Dollywood and Silver Dollar City, has acquired Palace Entertainment’s U.S. attractions. This could mean exciting upgrades and changes at several regional parks. We’ll be watching closely to see how this plays out!
Theme Park Worldwide dropped a fresh POV of The Smiler at Alton Towers. Still one of the most bonkers coasters out there — with 14 inversions, this ride is a twisty, looping legend. Smile… Always.
@freizeitflo captured an incredible up-close view of F.L.Y. at Phantasialand—from a hotel window, no less! That blend of coaster and immersive theming is something special. This shot makes us want to hop on a plane to Germany right now.
It’s been a packed week! I’ve been deep in updates for our TV & Filming section — go check it out. And fun side note: I finally started watching Game of Thrones (yes, really!) and have been posting recaps for most of Season 1.
Thanks for joining us again this week. Summer is officially here, and you can bet we’ll be tracking all the Halloween Horror Nights updates heading into June. See you next week!
– CoasterMedia Team
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That’s it for this week’s Theme Park Spot Talk. What story are you most excited about? Let us know.
Jeff 