An Italian amusement park will introduce a unique wooden roller coaster for thrill-seeking families next year.
Revealed during this week’s IAAPA Expo Europe 2026 event, the new attraction aims to blend traditional ride elements with modern engineering techniques, offering an experience that pushes the boundaries of classic track layouts and promises constant surprises.
MagicLand has officially announced Durango, a new wooden roller coaster scheduled to open in spring 2027. Representing an investment of €15 million, the attraction is a joint project developed alongside ride manufacturers The Gravity Group and Martin & Vleminckx. The park presented the ride’s front car and conceptual designs to industry professionals at The Gravity Group stand. MagicLand’s cat mascot, Gattobaleno, appeared alongside MagicLand CEO Guido Zucchi, Martin & Vleminckx President and Partner Nathan A. Jones, and The Gravity Group engineers Jonathan Wocher and Korey Kiepert to introduce the project.
Themed around the historic mining heritage of the Mexican state of Durango, the roller coaster places guests into an Old West Gold Rush setting. Riders will navigate towering wooden structures before the train plunges into complete darkness. The layout features an underground gold mine sequence where the vehicle bursts into daylight to execute a zero-G roll, immediately followed by a dive back beneath the surface. This unique tunnel, inversion and tunnel sequence makes Durango the only wooden coaster in Europe to feature an inversion.
Pushing the boundaries of ‘woodies’
Spanning almost one kilometre in length and standing approximately 30 metres tall, the coaster promises a highly dynamic ride profile. The track layout incorporates 13 distinct airtime moments to lift passengers out of their seats. Furthermore, it includes six near misses where the train passes extremely close to surrounding structures to heighten the perception of speed. The ride also features two underground tunnels, with one confirmed to be the longest underground section ever built on a European wooden roller coaster.
To achieve these ride dynamics, the construction utilises The Gravity Group’s Pre-Cut Track technology. This marks the first application of the system on a newly built coaster in Europe. Paired with Timberliner Trains and a laminated wooden track, the technology ensures high construction precision and a smooth experience. Additionally, the project addresses environmental sourcing by using timber harvested from Southern Yellow Pine forests in the United States, managed through continuous reforestation cycles.
An industry collaboration
Attractions Daily was present at the announcement and unveiling of Durango’s front car, as an official trade media partner of IAAPA Expo Europe 2026.
“DURANGO represents a key milestone in MagicLand’s growth,” said Guido Zucchi, CEO of MagicLand. “Thanks to our collaboration with Martin & Vleminckx and The Gravity Group, we will bring a one-of-a-kind attraction to Italy, combining the timeless appeal of wooden coasters with state-of-the-art technology. It will be one of Europe’s standout attractions in 2027, as well as a symbol and major draw for the MagicLand of the future.”
“We are proud of our collaboration on the delivery of this roller coaster,” said Nathan A. Jones, President and Partner at Martin & Vleminckx. “This project reflects our long-term partnership and demonstrates how innovation, advanced engineering, and a strong focus on the guest experience can come together to usher in a new era for traditional wooden coasters.”
“We have reimagined the authentic character of wooden roller coasters through next-generation solutions,” said Chad Miller, Engineer & Principal at The Gravity Group. “Together with MagicLand and Martin & Vleminckx, we have developed a smooth, dynamic coaster packed with thrills. Once people experience it, every park will want one of its own.”
