Top 10 Expensive Theme Park Attractions That Fell From Grace

#10: Son of Beast

Kings Island

Looking for a successor to their 1979 smash-hit ride, The Beast, Kings Island in Mason, Ohio, commissioned the creation of its offspring, Son of Beast. However, the wooden roller coaster got a rough start when its opening was delayed in 2000, followed by $110,000 worth of fines by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for violations. Then, when it was opened, there were several design flaws, leading to Kings Island issuing a lawsuit against the Beast’s creators. After a string of suspected connected injuries to riders, including major ones in 2006 and 2009 with the former involving multiple lawsuits, management had enough. In 2009, the Son of Beast was closed. Throughout its lifetime, nearly $30 million was spent on it.

#9: Submarine Quest

SeaWorld San Diego

Due to the 2013 documentary “Blackfish” and the fallout, SeaWorld needed to repair its image. So, in 2017, it launched the Ocean Explorer at its SeaWorld San Diego park, costing the company millions in construction. This area was designed for children and was composed of several attractions. This included the Submarine Quest, a ride that mimicked a deep-sea explorer with digital effects. However, the reception towards it wasn’t great. The ride was soon closed every so often, with SeaWorld claiming it was having maintenance, despite park-goers seeing no work happening. In 2019, Submarine Quest was officially closed. The negative reaction to the Ocean Explorer caused multiple company higher-ups to resign due to not making back the investment.

#8: The Smiler

Alton Towers

Armed with a terrifying commercial that haunts anyone who sees it, the UK’s Alton Towers opened the doors to The Smiler in 2013. Costing £18 million, around $27.4 million at the time, the opening had to be delayed due to construction issues and riders being stranded during a preview event. Not a great start. Yet, it got worse. In 2015, an empty test train stalled on the tracks. Sadly, an occupied one then crashed into it, causing serious injuries to riders, including losing limbs. Within months, Alton Towers’ owners, Merlin Entertainments, made 190 workers redundant after the accident caused a fall in revenue. In 2016, after pleading guilty, the company was fined £5 million, around $6.5 million.

#7: Expedition Everest

Walt Disney World

In 2006, Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, cut the ribbon on their brand-new roller coaster, Expedition Everest. Reportedly costing the House of Mouse over $100 million, the ride was the most expensive in the world at one point. One of its standout features was the animatronic Yeti figure. However, only a few months into its opening, the Yeti’s structure split. As such, it couldn’t be operated in its primary mode. So, it went to its secondary, which involved a lot of light effects and no movement, giving it the nickname Disco Yeti. But still, riders hated it. The lead Imagineer, Joe Rohde, promised in 2013 that it would be fixed. However, he retired in 2021 with the Yeti still broken.

#6: Fujin Raijin II

Expoland

In 1970, Expoland opened its doors in Suita, Japan. Between 1972 and 2007, the park reportedly brought in 83 million visitors. In 1992, Expoland opened its newest attraction, the standing roller coaster, Fujin Raijin II. Costing a reported 1.8 billion yen, around $13.4 million at the time, the ride continued along nicely. However, maintenance standards slipping and management ignoring a broken axle led to disaster. In 2007, the ride derailed. 19 people were injured, with one other person sadly losing their life. While the park later reopened, Expoland struggled to find sponsorship due to its broken reputation and multiple employees being criminally charged. In 2009, Expoland was liquidated.

#5: Rocket Rods

Disneyland

In 1998, Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, opened its new attraction in Tomorrowland, Rocket Rods. The futuristic drag race-esque ride excited fans, but those emotions were quickly doused in disappointment. Even for one of the ride’s first trips, race legend Mario Andretti struggled with the seat belt, leading to delays. It only got worse from there as Rocket Rods was closed multiple times for repairs. In 2000, Disney announced the ride would close for a major refurbishment, which they stated would last nearly a year. Instead, in 2001, it was officially closed. Reportedly, the construction cost over $20 million. In 2018, one of the original Rocket Rod vehicles was sold at auction for $22,500.

#4: Discovery Island

Walt Disney World

In Bay Lake, Florida, sits the disused Walt Disney World attraction, Discovery Island. The island was once owned by radio host Delmar Nicholson, who bought it for $800 in 1937, around $17,700 in 2025. First opened in 1974 under the name Treasure Island, the site was used as a zoological attraction, allowing guests to see a range of animals. However, it hasn’t always been great for the creatures. In 1990, Disney paid $95,000, around $232,000 today, to settle 16 cases of animal cruelty. Reportedly, due to the opening of Disney's Animal Kingdom, high maintenance costs, and lack of guest interest, the animals were moved to the Kingdom in 1999 as Discovery Island was closed.

#3: Kingda Ka

Six Flags Great Adventure

When Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey, announced their plans to build “the tallest and fastest roller coaster on earth,” expectations were understandably high when Kingda Ka was opened in 2005. After plowing $25 million into its creation, Six Flags succeeded for a bit. After early structural issues hindered the launch and other roller coasters took its fastest spot, in 2014, Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom was attached to the ride to try to at least make it memorable. However, Kingda Ka continued dropping down the Golden Ticket Awards leaderboards for Top Steel Roller Coasters, eventually being unplaced. In 2024, the ride was officially closed. In 2025, Kingda Ka and the attached Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom were demolished.

#2: X2

Six Flags Magic Mountain

In 2002, Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California, officially opened the doors for their newest attraction, the X. Labeled as the world's first fourth-dimension roller coaster, the ride was meant to open a year prior, but maintenance issues hindered that. The problems seemingly came about from Six Flags changing the plans for manufacturer Arrow Dynamics. The increasing costs, which reportedly came to $45 million, forced the manufacturers into bankruptcy. Due to the issues, in 2007, X was refurbished and rebranded into X2, costing Six Flags a further $10 million. A host of effects were added, including flamethrowers. While it gave the ride a much-needed boost, over the years, it's fallen down the ranks for the Golden Ticket Awards’s Top Steel Roller Coasters list.


Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Light Magic, Disneyland

Opening in May 1997, This Over $20 Million Parade Closed Within 10 Days

Horizons, Walt Disney World

Costing Millions, the Dark Ride About the Future Wasn’t Able to See 2000 Before It Closed

Volcano: The Blast Coaster, Kings Dominion

After 20 Years of Decline, the $20 Million Coaster Was Dropped in 2018 With Little Fanfare

WindSeeker, Knott's Berry Farm

After Stalling Multiple Times, the $5 Million Ride Was Sent to Worlds of Fun in 2013

#1: Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser

Walt Disney World

In 2022, fans of George Lucas’ universe were delirious as Walt Disney World opened up Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, a unique live-action role-playing and choose-your-own-adventure attraction. Taking place over two days at a themed hotel, it was the stuff of nerdy dreams. Then, the price of tickets was noticed, as well as the lackluster design and technical glitches. For two people, the ticket cost came to $4,800! Disney was likely desperate to recoup the cash they spent on the facility, with estimates varying from $250 million to as high as $1 billion! With only 100 rooms, Disney needed to make a lot of money fast. However, it didn’t catch on. A year and a half later, in 2023, the hotel took its final flight.


Have you experienced any of the attractions we’ve mentioned in the video in person? Let us know your experience below!