Theme Parks Keep Rolling Out the Thrill Rides

More than 35 new coasters are making their debut this year at U.S. theme parks, according to the International Assn. of Amusement Parks and Attractions. They range from the Lego Technic Coaster at Legoland in Carlsbad, a ride for junior coaster lovers between 6 and 12, to the $12-million Titan Hypercoaster at Six Flags in Arlington, Texas, a 245-foot-tall behemoth that can reach 85 mph.

Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia has the most roller coasters (15), and Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, has the most rides (68, including 14 coasters). Cedar Point’s latest addition to its coaster family is the Millennium Force, which has a top speed of 93 mph. (Visit Six Flags Magic Mountain at https://www.sixflags.com/parks/magicmountain/home.asp. Visit Cedar Point at https://www.cedarpoint.com.)

The other good news for theme park visitors is that parks are working to reduce waiting time. Walt Disney World and Disneyland continue to add Fastpass to more attractions. This feature gives visitors a reservation ticket that lists a one-hour window when they can get on the ride without having to wait. The catch: You can’t stockpile Fastpasses; you can get and use only one at a time. Eighteen Six Flags parks are offering a similar “Fast Lane” program this season, while Kennywood (near Pittsburgh) and Cedar Point offer paper reservations for their most popular roller coasters. If you stay at one of the two Universal Studios hotels in Orlando, Fla., your room key will allow you to bypass the lines all day. (Call [800] 224-3838 or visit https://www.uescape.com.)

Whichever theme park you visit, ask about ways to skip the lines when you book your reservations or enter the park.

Don’t eat a big burger just before you ride the park’s hottest new coaster. And no matter how long you’ve waited, don’t force anyone in the family--that includes moms and frightened 6-year-olds--to ride any coaster. Psychologists say that you run the risk of turning kids off to thrills forever. You also run the risk of spending the rest of the day with a crabby mom.

Pack plenty of sunscreen at Schlitterbahn Waterpark on South Padre Island, at the southern tip of Texas, facing the Gulf of Mexico. It’s the nation’s newest stand-alone water park. A “Transportainment River” nearly a mile long carries guests from the beaches to inner-tube chutes and water coasters, linking rides and pools so that visitors spend less time walking and waiting. There are more than a dozen attractions, including the first triple-wave surfing ride and a five-story sandcastle with plenty of hands-on activities for younger kids. Admission is $28.69 for adults and $23.76 for kids 3 to 11 (including tax). Ask about lower midday admissions. (Call [956] 772-SURF [772-7873] or visit https://www.schlitterbahn.com.)

It seems particularly easy to get separated from kids at water parks. Make sure you’ve arranged a time and place to meet with kids old enough to wander on their own. Don’t take your eyes off the younger ones. Still, as careful as you are, kids do get lost. Make sure they know that if they suddenly can’t find Mom or Dad, they should immediately tell a park worker who is wearing a uniform and park identification badge, who will call security.

Taking the Kids appears twice a month.