UK theme park reveals launch date for brand new ‘world’s first’ rollercoaster

THEME park fans in the UK will have a new rollercoaster to ride this summer.

Drayton Manor has announced that its latest addition will be up and running before the end of this month, having previously teased its arrival.

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Earlier this year the park revealed that Gold Rush would be opening as part of Frontier Falls, its new wild west-themed land.

And now it has been announced that the public will get their first chance to ride the coaster on Friday, July 26.

The theme park has told its fans to prepare to be taken on “an unforgettable journey” when the ride launches in just two weeks. 

It has been described as the world’s first-ever rollercoaster “with two unique multi-directional experiences”.

That means that riders won’t know which route they’ll take once they’re in their seats, adding an element of surprise with each ride. 

It’s the first rollercoaster in the UK to feature a backward launch into an outdoor gravity track.

It also has a two-minute ride time, with Drayton Manor claiming it to be the longest track length for a family coaster in the country.

What’s more, younger family members can have a ride too, with the seat and bar lap restraints suitable for children and the minimum height requirement set at one metre.

Victoria Lynn, Managing Director at Drayton Manor Resort said: “We’ve been so excited to share the full extent of our new Wild West-themed land since the opening of Frontier Falls this spring.

“The arrival of Gold Rush plays a key part in our biggest year yet, promising a unique experience unlike anything our guests have experienced before.

“We can’t wait to see what our visitors think of it this summer.”

Some of the park’s fans have already let them know what they think about the ride, responding to the park on social media after the new name was announced earlier this summer.

One wrote: “Extremely excited to get back to this park. Finally it looks like Gold Rush is nearly complete.”

Another said: “Super excited for this.”

Use these tips on your next theme park trip

Next time you visit a theme park, you may want to use our top tips to make the most of your adrenaline-inducing day out.

1. Go to the back of the theme park first. Rides at the front will have the longest queues as soon as it opens.
2. Go on water rides in the middle of the day in the summer – this will cool you off when the sun is at its hottest.
3. Download the park’s app to track which rides have the shortest queues.
4. Visit on your birthday, as some parks give out “birthday badges” that can get you freebies.
5. If it rains, contact the park. Depending on how much it rained, you may get a free ticket to return.

A third added: “Can’t wait for this, fantastic name. I saw it testing, it looks fab.”

It isn’t the only new arrival at Drayton Manor this year either, with The Wave opening earlier this year.

It replaced the park’s popular ride Shockwave, with its new track consisting of four inversions, a unique zero-gravity roll, and a double corkscrew structure.

The coaster was updated to suit younger audiences, with a reduced height restriction of 1.2m.

However, it has maintained a lot of Shockwave’s original features and still offers high speeds of up to 53 mph, with riders experiencing level four G-Force at 12 feet high.

Gold Rush has already been nominated for an award too – along with several others in the UK.

And these five coastal theme parks have also launched brand new rides and attractions this year.

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