Credit: Thorpe ParkLess than a month after it first opened, Hyperia – one of the world’s newest and tallest roller coasters – has closed down yet again.
When it comes to building a roller coaster, safety is always the number one priority. All the loops, drops, and zero-g moments in the world can’t make up for an attraction that isn’t safe for its riders.
The good news is that whether it’s Disney, Six Flags, or an independent theme park, operators and manufacturers go to great lengths to ensure the well-being of all who board their rides. Every attraction undergoes rigorous safety testing, and the majority are closed regularly for refurbishment and maintenance.
Sometimes, these closures aren’t even planned. Recently, Top Thrill 2 – the replacement for Top Thrill Dragster at the Ohio theme park Cedar Point – closed down indefinitely just over a week after it debuted with its new, second 420-foot spike tower and two additional launch cycles.
According to Cedar Point, this “extended closure” is due to the need to modify the ride’s trains. While the ride is currently being tested, there’s still no reopening date in sight.
Similarly, another major new roller coaster made headlines at the end of May when it closed down unexpectedly just 24 hours after opening.
Hyperia debuted on May 24, 2024, at Thorpe Park in the UK. The hypercoaster is the tallest and fastest in the UK, with a maximum height of 236 feet (72 meters) and a maximum speed of over 80 mph (130 km/h). It’s a massive (quite literally) addition to the UK’s theme park scene – but may have bitten off more than it can chew, judging by the problems that have ensued since it opened.
Its first close kicked off on May 25, one day after it first opened. The park claimed that this was “due to unforeseen circumstances” and delayed its reopening fate, originally slated for May 29, several times.
On June 12, Hyperia finally reopened to all Thorpe Park guests. However, just three days later, it seems that it’s been struck by more bad luck as the BBC reports that guests spent one hour stranded on the roller coaster today.
Thorpe Park issued a statement explaining that “Hyperia experienced a short delay in operation today. Guests were held on the lift hill for approximately one hour before the ride was restarted and the train was brought back into the ride station.”
The park added that “stoppages are perfectly normal and commonly experienced in theme parks everywhere” and that “at no stage was there any safety concerns for guests.”
Once again, Hyperia spent the rest of the day closed as Thorpe Park carried out further checks. When operational, the roller coaster spans over 995 meters of track and is “inspired by the legendary daughter of an ancient River God who confronted her fears.”
Although these closures may be frustrating, they’re a testimony to how seriously theme parks take the safety and efficiency of their attractions. New attractions routinely undergo growing pains – especially when they’re this ambitious.
Over the years, Inside the Magic has reported on several incidents where riding a roller coaster hasn’t proved quite so safe for theme park guests. Last year, Sweden’s Gröna Lund theme park experienced a horrifying accident in which its Jetline roller coaster derailed, injuring several guests and killing one. This week, the park announced that the ride would not reopen.
In 2022, a guest died after falling 26 feet from a roller coaster at Klotti Park in Klotten, Germany. An investigation later suggested that this was at least partially due to the guest’s “high body weight.”
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