Lagoon unveils new ‘Nutcracker’ Screamin’ Swing ride opening in 2026

FARMINGTON, Utah (ABC4) — Lagoon Amusement Park has unveiled plans for a new thrill ride called “Nutcracker,” set to open in 2026.

Lagoon promises that Nutcracker will be one of the park’s “most innovative and daring rides.” It’s a “Screamin’ Swing” ride, a type of pendulum ride created

by S&S Worldwide.

Nutcracker will feature a 50-foot-tall statue of its namesake, but that will be “dwarfed by the sheer size of the ride itself.” The static ride height will be 105 feet, with the dynamic ride height (swings) reaching up to 135 feet, almost the height of the Statue of Liberty from heel to crown.

A maximum speed of 68 mph is promised on the new thrill ride, and those who dare to board Nutcracker will experience forces between -0.42G airtime to 4.67G, which Lagoon says is greater than an astronaut’s launch.

Nutcracker will fit 1,200 passengers per hour, and 40 per cycle. Each ride cycle will last around 108 seconds, with an extra 60 seconds for loading time. All riders must be at least 48″ tall to ride Nutcracker. With passengers, the thrill ride weighs roughly 201,300 pounds.

“We want to thank our partners at S&S Worldwide for their innovation and fabrication of this ride, as well as Big D Construction, who is constructing the foundations and support structure for the ride,” Julie Freed, Director of Special Events at Lagoon. “Last, but not least, we have partnered with 3DX Scenic, who is already fabricating our 50-foot Nutcracker icon.”

Lagoon calls Nutcracker a “true engineering achievement,” and says that it has a massive air supply tank that holds 7,500 gallons of air to power “a ride experience unlike any other in Lagoon’s history.”

“We’ll see you on the swing,” Freed concluded.