🎢 Rollercoaster Day – August 16th: A Celebration of Thrills Around the World
Every year on August 16th, adrenaline enthusiasts unite for Rollercoaster Day — a time to celebrate the loops, drops, twists, and turns that have thrilled generations. From the tallest steel giants to charming wooden classics, the world’s theme parks offer an incredible variety of rollercoaster experiences for every kind of rider.
Why August 16th?
While the exact origins of Rollercoaster Day are debated, many link it to the opening of the first modern-style rollercoaster in the late 19th century. What’s certain is that it’s the perfect excuse to plan a theme park visit, share your favorite ride photos, or simply reminisce about your most memorable drops.
A World of Coasters
Rollercoasters aren’t just an amusement park staple — they’re an art form of engineering and imagination. On this day, fans honor a massive variety of designs: towering giga coasters, heart-racing launch coasters, nostalgic wooden tracks, and even spinning coasters that add a dizzying twist.
So, whether you’re a front-row daredevil or a back-row airtime seeker, August 16th is your day to celebrate. Strap in, hold tight, and get ready for the ride of your life!
National Roller Coaster Day: Actions and events
At this special day a lot of parks will host events or have commemorative goodies or other merchandise. Below a selective list:
Seaworld Orlando, FL.
SeaWorld Orlando is celebrating National Roller Coaster Day like never before—with eight incredible coasters and one epic challenge. Whether you're a thrill veteran or just coaster-curious, this is your moment to take on the tracks, conquer the curves, and claim your glory. Complete The Ultimate Challenge—riding all eight coasters in one day—and you'll earn a limited-edition commemorative poster and exclusive lanyard, available only to the first 2,000 finishers.
For more information, check the Seaworld National Rollercoaster Day webpage.
Busch Gardens® Williamsburg, VA, US
Saturday, August 16 marks National Roller Coaster Day and there’s no better place to be than Busch Gardens® Williamsburg. Enjoy 11 world class roller coasters, shows and kid-friendly fun all day long, then stay late for a Member exclusive after-hours event!
Start your day on Busch Gardens’ all-new family-friendly inverted roller coaster, The Big Bad Wolf: The Wolf’s Revenge. Then dive right into the next big thrill on Griffon® with a 205-foot drop and race through airtime hills on InvadR® . Hurtle through six staggering inversions on Alpengeist® , one of the tallest and fastest coasters in the world and brave the Black Forest on Verbolten®. Soar on the wings of the fan-favorite hypercoaster, Apollo’s Chariot® , then harness the speed and strength of the Roman gods on Pantheon™ . Commemorate the day with a ride photo at each of the coasters above for only $5*!
*Discounted ride photo only valid during park operating hours on Aug. 16, 2025. Not valid during Member-Exclusive Ride Night.
For more information, check the Busch Gardens National Rollercoaster Day webpage.
Hansa Park, Germany
The world has some rather odd commemorative days. One of them is National Roller Coaster Day that will be celebrated for the first time on August 16th this year! Just how it came about is anyone’s guess. And it’s also not clear how, exactly, it is meant to be celebrated. So we took matters into our own hands and came up with a HANSA-PARK day of the different kind for 16 August 2025. Don’t miss our prize game! If you get on all the Park’s rides and collect stamps for each one on a stamp card, you can win one of seven 2026 season tickets. If you want to join in the fun, approach our staff at the Service Centre. They will be happy to give you a stamp card. And last but not least, each roller coaster on-ride photo will get a Roller Coasters’ Day stamp. We are looking forward to celebrating this special day together with you at Germany’s only event and family theme park by the sea! On that day the Park will be open until 6 pm. For more information, check the Hansa Park National Rollercoaster Day webpage.
