This Popular Texas Theme Park Is Getting A 'First-Of-Its-Kind' Family Roller Coaster In 2027

It's quickly becoming apparent that the boundary between "pint-sized" and "high-thrill" is blurring in San Antonio, which bills itself as the "Theme Park Capital of Texas." While SeaWorld San Antonio may have fired the opening salvo in the race to build the best family roller coaster on the market, its competitor to the north, Six Flags Fiesta Texas, will raise the stakes in 2027 when it opens Werewolf Gorge, a highly immersive, "first-of-its-kind" family coaster that could become one of the park's signature attractions.

Announced on June 1, 2026, Werewolf Gorge will join a roster of impressive roller coasters that have set their own records. This includes Dr. Diabolical's Cliffhanger, which once held the record for the steepest drop on a dive coaster, and Batman: The Ride, which, upon opening in 2015, was the world's first 4-D Free Spinning coaster. While those coasters were designed to deliver maximum thrills, Werewolf Gorge is being promoted as an experience the entire family can enjoy, offering excitement on par with the park's larger coasters. "This is a defining addition to Six Flags Fiesta Texas," Robert Bustle, the park's manager, told San Antonio ABC affiliate KSAT during the ride's unveiling. "It delivers an experience that is approachable for families, yet unmatched anywhere in the world."

After years of building roller coasters meant to thrill enthusiasts, theme parks are now starting to create coasters that the entire family can enjoy, and San Antonio's parks have joined the trend. In 2026, SeaWorld opened Barracuda Strike, the tallest inverted family coaster in North America. However, Fiesta Texas' Werewolf Gorge will stand apart from its SeaWorld counterpart. Not only will it be a launch coaster, but it will also feature far more extensive theming than Barracuda Strike. 

Werewolf Gorge will take riders through an abandoned quarry at 45 miles per hour, sending them careening through twists and turns through the forested landscape. The ride will also feature 32 airtime moments and four launch points along the ride's 4,120 feet of track, making it the longest family launch coaster in the world. Immersive theming will set the scene, with the landscape resembling a quarry complete with abandoned buildings, water towers, and werewolves, according to a POV animation of the ride. When Werewolf Gorge opens to the public, the minimum height requirement will be only 39 inches, the lowest limit of any Fiesta Texas roller coaster. In fact, it will be a full eight inches lower than Tormenta Rampaging Run, another highly anticipated roller coaster at Six Flags Over Texas, which is set to break six world records.

While the public waits for the opening of Werewolf Gorge (and Tormenta Rampaging Run), there are other theme parks in Texas that also have unique appeal. If you're still in the San Antonio area and want to visit a one-of-a-kind theme park, head to Morgan's Wonderland, the world's first all-abilities amusement park. Alternatively, if you're in the Dallas-Fort Worth region, visit Frisco, where Universal Kids Resort is set to open in 2026 and will be an entire theme park built and themed specifically for children.