ARLINGTON, Texas — Six Flags Over Texas has closed two roller coasters to make way for a "record-breaking dive roller coaster" that will open in 2026, the Arlington theme park announced Thursday.
The new coaster – more details of which have not been released yet – will be added in the Spain section of the park, where the La Vibora and El Diablo coasters were recently retired, according to a release from Six Flags.
La Vibora, the longtime bobsled-style coaster, opened in 1986. El Diablo, a giga loop coaster, was in operation since 2019.
"The rides’ retirement enables the park to make way for a new generation of thrill machines in the Spain section of the park," the release said. "To usher in this new beginning, a jaw-dropping, record-breaking dive coaster is set to debut in 2026."
Rumors had swirled over the last week that La Vibora and El Diablo had closed.
'We understand that saying goodbye to beloved rides can be difficult, and we appreciate our guests' passion," Six Flags Over Texas president Richard Douaihy said in the release. "These changes are an important part of our growth and dedication to delivering exceptional new experiences."
Douaihy said more details about the new coaster should be released by next summer. The park last opened a new roller coaster in 2023, when AQUAMAN: Power Wave made its debut.
The park also in 2023 announced plans to revamp and extend its log flume ride into "El Rio Lento," but updates on the project haven't been released.
The changes at Six Flags Over Texas come as the company is also making big additions across the highway, at Hurricane Harbor, where a new kids splash area is being constructed.
The investments in the Arlington parks come as the Six Flags Corporation recently said it will conduct a "comprehensive review" of its 42 parks across the country, following its merger with theme park operator Cedar Fair.
Part of the review could be selling some of the company's parks, though there's been no indication that either of the Arlington parks could be included in that.
After the merger, Six Flags operates 27 amusement parks, 15 water parks and nine resorts in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, including Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington and Six Flags Fiesta Texas in San Antonio.
“Since completing the Merger, we have been finding ways to operate more efficiently and reducing unnecessary costs while still delivering a high level of guest service,” Six Flags President and CEO Richard Zimmerman said in a statement. “Four months ago we launched Project Accelerate, a transformational initiative to harmonize our operations and unlock the full potential of the new Six Flags. We have only scratched the surface of what we can accomplish, and we are moving with a sense of urgency to optimize performance and execute our new long-term initiatives.”
