May 31, 2025, 4:45 PM ·
So who won May? This was the wildest month in the theme park business in the past five years. I just wrapped up four trips in four weeks, covering theme park news and events around the world. But that was just part of what happened in the industry this month. It’s time for a recap.The month started with a new flying theater ride at SeaWorld Orlando. SeaWorld commissioned a live-action film for its Mack Rides flying theater attraction, and MyHandsDontScan covered the Expedition Odyssey press preview for us – The stars are waiting after the show on Expedition Odyssey.But things got spicy almost immediately after the most redundantly named attraction in years opened for passholder previews. Six Flags – which would make plenty of news this month – upped the intensity with its May 1 announcement that it would close Six Flags America in Maryland at the end of the 2025 season – Six Flags to close one of its parks after this year. Corporate leaders denied that they had immediate plans to close any other parks, but more cuts were still to come from Six Flags. The company announced plans to cut 10% of its full-time workforce, including the leaders of each of its 27 theme parks – Six Flags dumps all of its park presidents. The cost cutting may have been intended to impress Wall Street investors, but the company’s stock ended the month down from its price on May 1.So, in that spirit, the one new attraction that Six Flags did open this month would have to be a dive coaster, right? Thank you to Jeff Elliott for stepping up and covering that debut for us – Six Flags drops something fun with Wrath of Rakshasa.Rival United Parks kicked off the month with a dismal financial report, noting declining attendance, revenue and earnings in the first three months of 2025 – Attendance, revenue down at United Parks to open 2025. Granted, that’s not a big quarter for theme parks, especially with Easter falling in the second quarter this year. But United continued its practice of spending millions of dollars each quarter buying back its stock. That might have helped United’s stock price to end the month flat, but I suspect that many fans still angered by the company’s ubiquitous in-park surcharges are wishing that United would divert that $4.6 million last quarter to new attractions and better operations, instead.United did open a new coaster this month, however. Russell Meyer covered the debut of Big Bad Wolf: The Wolf’s Revenge at Busch Gardens Williamsburg – Busch Gardens puts a fresh twist on nostalgia with new coaster. But all of that were just warm-ups for the main events this month. News broke on May 1 that Universal Studios may be in talks to open an indoor theme park near the Delhi airport – Report: Universal eying expansion in India. Much bigger news broke from that part of the world the next week.On May 5, I flew to the UAE to report the stunning news that The Walt Disney Company would partner with Miral to develop Disney’s seventh theme park resort on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi – Miral is bringing a Disney theme park to Abu Dhabi and Why did Disney choose Abu Dhabi for its next theme park?The next week, I returned to Southern California to head down to Anaheim as Disney’s first theme park, Disneyland, kicked off its 70th anniversary celebration – Disneyland gets ready to celebrate its 70th birthday and A fan favorite parade returns for Disneyland’s birthday party.At the end of the month, Walt Disney World kicked off its own summer promotion, Cool Kid Summer, with two new show premieres – ‘The Little Mermaid’ returns on stage at Walt Disney World and Magic Mirror reveals true villains in Walt Disney World’s new show. Walt Disney World also announced that the Magic Kingdom’s first new nighttime parade in a generation would debut on July 20 – Disney announces new nighttime parade debut date.My run out to Orlando for those premieres was my fourth trip of the month. But it was my third, also to Orlando, that might have been the biggest news of May 2025. Epic Universe is now open officially at the Universal Orlando Resort. You can read my reviews of the park’s five lands, starting with its hub – Exploring Universal Epic Universe: Celestial Park. I offered Some thoughts on the opening of Universal Epic Universe, too.By month’s end, Universal seemed to have abandoned its plans to limit attendance at Epic Universe, opening ticket sales as uptime for its Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry ride increased. That led to longer wait times across the park as the summer vacation season kicks off across the country.Which story did you find most interesting this month?* * *
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