Legoland Windsor plans spinning roller coaster on former Vikings River Splash site
Planning documents suggest the park is set to install a Mack family spinning roller coaster — a step up in thrill that signals genuine ambition for the resort’s ride lineup.
Legoland Windsor has submitted a planning application for a new roller coaster on the site of the former Vikings River Splash attraction, which is currently being demolished. The application — filed under reference 26/01050/CPD — seeks a certificate of lawfulness for the installation of plant and machinery, including the coaster itself, an operator’s cabin, loading platform, and perimeter fencing.
The proposal appears to mirror Masters of Spinjitzu, a Mack Rides family spinning coaster that opened recently at Legoland Korea. If confirmed, it would represent a meaningful addition to Windsor’s ride lineup — sitting above The Dragon in intensity but firmly within family territory. Spinning coasters of this type are well-regarded for reridability and broad age appeal, making them a strong fit for Legoland’s core audience. The speed of the replacement is notable: Vikings River Splash only recently began coming down, and plans for its successor are already in the system.
What remains unconfirmed is an opening timeline. Planning approval is the first step, and no construction start or launch date has been announced. The certificate of lawfulness process — rather than full planning permission — suggests confidence that the installation falls within permitted development parameters, which could accelerate the path to groundbreaking. Visitors will want a date. None exists yet.
THE TT TAKE: Merlin is moving quickly here — and that matters. Replacing a closed attraction with a credible, well-specified family coaster before the gap becomes a sore point is exactly the kind of operational discipline that builds park reputation over time. The Mack spinning coaster format is a proven one: high capacity, family-friendly, and genuinely reridable. It also raises a broader question worth noting — Legoland Windsor and Chessington are both receiving investment attention at a moment when Alton Towers, Merlin’s flagship, has been conspicuously quiet on major new additions. Whether that reflects strategic prioritisation of the southern parks ahead of Universal Bedford’s arrival is worth watching. The question that matters most right now, though, is simpler: when does it open?
