Newsletter: In the Loop: 32 best new theme park rides of 2016

Welcome to another edition of In the Loop, the L.A. Times' theme park newsletter. I'm Funland theme park blogger Brady MacDonald, and this week we check out the challenges theme park designers face, run down the best new attractions of 2016, and take a look at the new rides coming to Six Flags parks next year.

Under pressure

Times Business writer Hugo Martin takes a deep dive on the challenges theme parks face when they take on massive projects such as the new Star Wars Land coming to Disneyland. Says one attraction designer: "Even if you get it right, you will get haters."

Disneyland’s now-closed Luigi’s Flying Tires ride lofted visitors in tire-shaped bumper cars floating on a cushion of air — like an air-hockey game with humans. But the Cars Land feature was plagued by poor reviews and numerous injuries.

(Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

(Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Best of 2016

With the summer season coming to an end, I take a look ahead at 2016 with my picks for best new rides and attractions at theme parks in the United States and around the world.

Dollywood’s newest ride is being billed as both the world’s first launched wooden coaster and the world’s fastest wooden coaster.

(Dollywood)

(Dollywood)

Six Flags

Six Flags announces new roller coasters, thrill rides and water slides at each of the amusement park chain's 13 locations.

The Total Mayhem 4-D coaster is coming to New Jersey’s Six Flags Great Adventure in 2016.

(Six Flags)

(Six Flags)

Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia will remove the universally despised over-the-shoulder restraints on the Revolution roller coaster and replace them with modern snug-fitting lap bars in 2016.

Six Flags Magic Mountain will renovate Revolution in honor of the roller coaster’s 40th anniversary.

(Six Flags)

(Six Flags Magic Mountain)

Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo, Calif., plans to transform the existing Roar wooden coaster into a taller, faster and steeper wood-steel hybrid dubbed the Joker that looks like a contender for best new ride of 2016.

The Joker wood-steel hybrid coaster is set to debut in 2016 at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom.

(Six Flags)

(Six Flags Discovery Kingdom)

And finally

Video game maker Ubisoft, the publisher behind "Assassin’s Creed," announces plans for an indoor theme park in Malaysia for 2020.

Still need more theme park news? Check out the Los Angeles Times Funland theme park blog on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and Instagram. Also feel free to email me with any feedback on the newsletter.