It's January, it's cold, it's bleak, we're locked down YET AGAIN and Blackpool opening weekend has been cancelled. This calls for drastic action. OK, who's ready for some blind optimism? I know the middle of a nationwide national emergency with no light at the end of the tunnel isn't the best time to be trip planning for the year ahead, but also it is the BEST time to be trip planning for the year ahead. Mostly because being in trip planning mode is when my powers are strongest and it provides me a glimpse of escapism and a reminder that this is all temporary. Also it's a Cupcakes & Coasters staple new year blog post and I'm not going to let a little thing like a killer global pandemic throw me off my stride. So yes, we're doing it, we're talking about things I'm excited to ride this year. Even if I know most of them probably won't happen but hey, we can dream.
Side note, this post won't include any of the coasters listed in last year's most anticipated list that I wasn't able to ride because of Miss Rona. That doesn't mean I'm not excited to ride them, or not planning on getting out to ride them this year, it's purely for the simple fact that I really don't want to repeat myself as I only actually managed to tick two off of my 2020 list so it would end up largely the same and that's no fun for y'all to read nor me to write.
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Kicking things off with the first cred on this list that I have actually booked and paid to go ride (not that that guarantees anything!) Hyper Coaster at Land of Legends Theme Park in Turkey is one of two Mack Flash coasters and to put it bluntly, looks absolutely nuts. I make no attempt at hiding that I'm not the hugest Mack fan, but come on, look at this thing! I was obsessed when the original Flash at Lewa Adventure in China opened in 2016 so I'm pretty stoked there's a version a little closer to home for me to get my claws into.
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Come on, did you expect this list NOT to include this coaster? Opening at Walibi Belgium in 2021, Kondaa is the latest in Intamin madness coming to Europe as part of some really major theme park developments across Belgium putting this usually unassuming country firmly back on enthusiast theme park maps. I absolutely adored Energylandia's Hyperion and this looks to be a step up from that. Combined with some excellent station and entrance theming, gorgeous trains and some seriously WTF elements (hello non-inverting cobra roll) I'm sure I'm not alone in having Kondaa at the top of my 2021 bucket list.
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After four years of construction I felt for sure that 2020 would be the year I'd finally get my butt on the fabled Vekoma flying coaster at my favourite theme park in the world, Phantasialand, but alas F.L.Y. eluded me for another year, so here it is on yet another (and hopefully final) most anticipated list! Need I really go into detail as to why I want to ride this thing so much? Ignoring the fact that I'm a bit of a nu_school Vekoma fangirl, this coaster just oozes creativity and once again demonstrates how Phantasialand seem to be masters of marrying the concept of a high-thrill coaster with gorgeous, immersive scenery and unbridled world-building and storytelling. I want to immerse myself in the Steampunky goodness and I want it NOW.
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When it opened back in 2018, Time Traveler at Silver Dollar City had my trip planning senses twitching and itching to book myself a ticket on the first plane into the Ozarks, so imagine my delight that another of the same type has popped up just across the English Channel! Look, I know this mostly likely won't have the fabulous wild west charm of that American family theme park in the mountains, but I've long been a fan of the Plopsa parks and think they do a pretty sterling job theming-wise. So whilst it won't have the thrill and natural beauty of its cousin across the pond, I've no doubt EuroTime Traveler will be gorgeous in its own right. Plus, it looks absolutely wild?! I'm a little nervous that this coaster has the very real potential to leave me feeling a little nauseous but hopefully it's not too terrible that I can't enjoy it.
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When making my initial 2021 travel plans, Energylandia wasn't a park that initially cropped up, but thinking about how easy it was to pop over and visit multiple times in 2019 I've decided to add it to the list. Granted between COVID-19 and Brexit things might not be as straightforward this time around, but I think Abyssus is worth making the effort for if only for a fleeting weekend visit. Did I mention I'm a nu_school Vekma fangirl? And what bigger nu_school Vekoma project to get my knickers in a twist over than the glorious-looking Vekoma Shockwave model Abyssus. Just when I was starting to get jealous of oh so many Asian theme parks getting all the new Vekoma goodness and up pops Energylandia with their 17th(?) coaster. I'm wary of Energylandia - their theming is a little...rough around the edges shall we say? But that doesn't mean the coaster won't be world class and with Jora Vision involved with the project I'm reserving judgement until I see it in person for myself.
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Another Belgian beauty on my most anticipated comes in the form of new for 2019 Gerstlauer Infinity coaster Fury at Bobbejaanland. Gimmicks aside, I've thought this coaster looked absolutely fierce from day dot and I absolutely adored Gold Rush at Slagharen when we rode it back in 2018. I've found that Gerstlauer are good, actually, and Fury is yet another exciting Gerstlauer addition that I'd love to try out for myself. Also very intrigued to get back to the dumpster fire that was Bobbejaanland. When I visited back in 2011 I really didn't enjoy the park, but it seems they've had a bit of TLC in recent years so I'm very interested to see how it has changed recently with the addition of a major new coaster including some pretty great looking theming.
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Finally, Monster at Grona Lund in Stockholm. As somebody who just last year complete the full set of operating B&Ms would you expect me to give up the set that easily? This project has interested me greatly for years and years, ever since we first heard whispers of it happening years ago. Why the park fancied a B&M invert of all things I'll never know, but as a fan of this particular coaster type and as somebody fascinated with theme park design I just can't wait to see how this fits into the already stacked Grona Lund landscape. Also I haven't been to the park since summer 2016 so it's definitely high time I got my butt back to Stockholm for a long weekend!
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So there you have it, my extremely optimistic list of coasters I'm looking forward to riding this year. Will I get on all of these trips this year? Who the fuck knows. Will I get to ride any of these coasters at all? Probably not. But that doesn't mean we can't live in an alternative land of make believe during lockdown where these things are a possibility to make the whole thing a little more bearable.
What about you, what are your plans for 2021? Which coasters are you most looking forward to riding for the first time this season? Let me know in the comments, I'd love to have a chat!
Talk later xoxo,
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