A lot of the attention in the theme park work is focused on Universal Orlando and the new Epic Universe park set to open next summer. However, there’s another brand-new theme park that will (probably) be opening between now and then. The Mattel Adventure Park in Glendale Arizona is almost here, and it will bring the worlds of Barbie, He-Man and Hot Wheels together for the first time in a theme park environment.
Barbie was a massive box office hit, of course, and there have been repeated efforts to make a new He-Man movie, as well as a Hot Wheels film. But while these IPs have had mixed results in entertainment, they are going to come to life in a different way thanks to new theme park attractions.
I recently had the chance to speak with Cindy Emerick, the lead designer of Mattel Adventure Park. Before taking on the challenge of designing an entire park, Emerick’s specialty was roller coasters, so she’s especially proud of the two Hot Wheels-themed coasters the park will include, and she thinks that anybody who is, or ever was, a Hot Wheels fan is going to love them.
The Twin Mill Roller Coaster Will Feel Like You’re Inside A Classic Hot Wheels Play Set
In her time as a roller coaster designer, Cindy Emerick has worked on her share of record-breaking coasters, i.e. the ones that get celebrated as the “tallest” or “fastest” in the world. While she could have done that with the two Hot Wheels coasters, Boneshaker and Twin Mill, that wasn't really the goal.
Mattel Adventure Park’s most thrilling attraction will be the Twin Mill coaster. This one will include classic roller coaster elements, like inversions, but the real focus of the design was to evoke the fun of playing with Hot Wheels. Not only will the coaster feel like being inside a classic toy set, but that will start with the coaster’s very beginning, with a Hot Wheels-style launch. Emerick explained…
The Twin Mill is the next step above that, so as soon as you know you can handle the Boneshaker the Twin Mill has a couple of inversions. We’re staying true to the Hot Wheels toy sets. We wanted to bring the launch system to the first Hot Wheels Coasters. I know the enthusiasts out there, what screams Hot Wheels to our riders? For me that was launch.
Anybody who has played with Hot Wheels toys will know what she’s talking about here. Virtually every Hot Wheel track included a way to launch your car down the track to get the fun started. While a launch start isn't revolutionary for roller coasters, the concept seems tailor-made for a Hot Wheels coaster.
One Hot Wheels Coaster Is Designed To Get Kids Excited For Roller Coasters
Because the demographic of people with fond memories of Hot Wheels cars can cover anybody who has been alive in the last six decades, the coasters needed to be more accessible to a wider audience. Mattel Adventure Park's other coaster, Boneshaker, was specifically designed so that if it was a young kid’s first “real” roller coaster, they would fall in love with it. She explained…
Boneshaker is really meant for the youth that is riding their coasters for the very first time. They don’t want a kiddie coaster, they want a real coaster. And it's meant so they can face their fears.
As a dad of two young girls, one who is too young for roller coasters, and another who is just getting big enough to ride the more thrilling ones, I can appreciate this. Emerick understands that sometimes the first roller coaster is the one that determines if people like roller coasters for the rest of their lives.
These parks are often seen as places for children, but when done right, they are actually places for whole families to enjoy a wide variety of experiences. I can have lots of fun spending money on a fine dining experience at Universal Orlando's Mythos, but I also love to spend time with my kids at Dollywood.
While the Hot Wheels coasters may not break any records, they sound like a lot of fun for anybody who loves roller coasters or Hot Wheels. The only question is when will we actually get to ride them. Mattel Adventure Park had been scheduled to open in 2024, but this year is running out of months.
