Summer is high season at California theme parks, with longer hours, more festivals, and the eagerly anticipated debuts of new rides, shows, and attractions. While Memorial Day tends to be the unofficial kickoff for summer fun, many parks have started debuting their new rides and attractions early this spring. One theme park, meanwhile, is bringing back a festival that hasn’t happened since 2018 and a few more are celebrating milestone anniversaries with summer-long parties. Plan your next theme park trip around these new experiences, events, and some excellent deals.
Dino Valley, LEGOLAND California
The Carlsbad theme park started celebrating its 25th birthday in March with this new area, dotted with colorful, LEGO-constructed dinosaur models. Enjoy the longtime favorite Coastersaurus ride, then experience the two neighboring rides that now have dinosaur themes: the jeeps of DUPLO Little Dino Trail and the boats of Explorer River Quest (formerly known as Fairy Tale Brook). Dig for fossils in the Dino Outpost zone, play dinosaur-themed carnival games, and pose for pics with strolling characters T-Rex Costume Fan and Paleontologist.
Starting May 24, you can catch North America’s first-ever LEGO World Parade, featuring live performers and floats inspired by NINJAGO, LEGO Friends, and more, as well as a LEGO City Firetruck. Characters include Fire Chief Freya, Lloyd the Green Ninja, and Hopsy the bright red bunny.
Now open: Shipwreck Cove, Belmont Park
San Diego’s beachfront amusement park turns 100 in 2025, but is starting to celebrate now with new additions like Shipwreck Cove, a pirate-themed rope-and-pulley ride with views of Mission Beach and its boardwalk. The park recently opened branches of two local favorite restaurants: the ice creams of MooTime Creamery and the craft beer and pies of Pizza Port. Coming soon: a large pirate-ship-themed play area with a slide and telescopes.
Now open: 60th Anniversary of the Studio Tour, Universal Studios Hollywood
The Los Angeles theme park is celebrating its 60th birthday this summer with some limited-time perks for its famous Studio Tour. You now get to step off the ride, for instance, to explore a few famous movie sets on foot, and even pose in front of a replica of the Hollywood Sign. The tour will also include some revived features, such as the vintage-style Glamor Tram and cinematic sights such as the parting of the Red Sea.
Around the park, enjoy retro drinks and food: at Hollywood and Dine, for example, you can order Chilly Willy Funnel Cakes or burgers and sandwiches with Woody Woodpecker–emblazoned buns. And keep an eye out for blue signs with QR codes marked as “Here Back Then” to learn about the retired attractions or shows that used to be in that same spot of this ever-evolving park. Runs through August 11.
Now open: Pixar Fest, Disneyland Resort
The Anaheim resort will be saluting movies such as Inside Out, The Incredibles, and the Toy Story franchise for much of the spring and summer. The daily festivities will include character meet-and-greets around the parks and entertainment like the Pixar Pals Playtime Party—where kids can join characters on the dance floor at Fantasyland Theatre—and the DJ-led Club Pixar at the Hollywood Backlot in Disney California Adventure Park, which includes a small “drive-in” theater where you can watch Pixar shorts.
The limited-time evening shows include the “Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration” parade in Disney California Adventure Park, and the fireworks show, Together Forever, over Disneyland Park (which also includes animated projections on walls, like those along Main Street, USA).
The celebration also features plenty of special merch and cuisine—like the colorful Pixar Cake or special fried-bologna sandwiches from Up. Starting May 10, six Pixar-themed food-and-beverage marketplaces will debut inside at Disney California Adventure Park, each one inspired by a different Pixar film—like a ratatouille pizzetta at Gusteau’s To-Go, which pays homage to Ratatouille. Runs through August 4.
On June 18 and 20, the parks will celebrate Pride month at its Disneyland After Dark: Pride Nite, a separate-ticket event with special fireworks, themed food and drink, and fun photo ops.
Begins May 4: ¡Viva La Fiesta!, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
The Vallejo theme park celebrates Hispanic and Latinx culture this spring through special cuisine options as well live music, entertainment, and dance parties, including baile folklorico and a Looney Tunes Dance Party. Runs on select dates, including Memorial Day, through June 2.
Be sure to check out the latest additions to the wildlife area of the park this summer, including the new resident cubs at both Cheetah Creek and Cougar Rocks.
Begins May 18: Boardwalk Centennial Celebration, Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
How old-school is this Santa Cruz amusement park? Its Giant Dipper roller coaster—the fourth-oldest coaster in the nation—turns 100 this year. The seaside park is throwing a birthday party on May 18, featuring evening fireworks, and will debut two rides by early summer: the 360-degree spin ride Surge and the 65-foot Dream Wheel, which replaces the park’s Ferris wheel that was retired in 2017.
Another old-fashioned perk: Admission is free to the park—you just pay for rides. This summer, you can ride the Giant Dipper for just one point ($1) every Wednesday from May 29–August 7.
Opens May 25: South Bay Shores Waterpark, California’s Great America
The Santa Clara park opens its seasonal water park on May 25, and summer events include the parades, Cajun cuisine, and fireworks of Carnivale at Orleans Place (July 12 to August 4).
You can also buy a new kind of Great America Gold Pass—the upgraded All Park pass ($100 extra, for a total of $205), which grants you free admission to a whopping 12 other Cedar Fair parks around the U.S. and Canada—including Knott’s Berry Farm.
Opens May 25: Lakeside Splash, Gilroy Gardens
The Gilroy theme park’s new water play area will open just in time for Memorial Day Weekend. Kids can splash in water features and the whole family can relax in cabanas that come equipped with lounge seating, personal refrigerators, and 32-inch TVs (additional reservations are required for cabanas). For more swimsuit-style fun, the park still has the Water Oasis too—it opens May 11.
On both Memorial Day and July 4th weekends, active and retired military members can get in free, along with up to six guests. Anyone, meanwhile, can enjoy the new Value+ pass, a fantastic bargain that includes free parking and discounts on food and drinks.
Begins June 15: DC Heroes & Villains Fest, Six Flags Magic Mountain
The six-acre DC Universe area is already a peak-interest zone at the Santa Clarita park, housing rides such as Batman: The Ride, SUPERMAN: Escape from Krypton, and Wonder Woman: Flight of Courage. This summer, you can see more strolling characters and watch them face off during this evening event that will take place on Saturdays and Sundays through August 4. Hurricane Harbor, Six Flag’s water park, kicks off its summer season May 25.
Be sure to scope out the deals before you arrive: Passes like the Six Flags Plus and Diamond Pass, typically pay for themselves after two visits, and include free parking as well as free admission to any Six Flags theme park in the U.S.
June 29–20: Pier 360 Beach Festival, Pacific Park
This classic amusement park on the Santa Monica Pier celebrates summer with this weekend festival of ocean-sports competitions, live music, games, and food and drink. Come back for the July 4 weekend to see the famous Pacific Wheel turn red, white, and blue.
Opens this summer: Dine with Elmo & Friends Experience, Sesame Place San Diego
Chula Vista theme park has already opened for the summer, and you can soon plan your day around a dining experience with serious star appeal: Enjoy a meal at the new Sunny Day Café while mingling with Elmo and various other Sesame Street characters. The hour-long experience, separate from park admission, features a buffet-style family meal and starts at $44.99 for ages 10 and up, and $24.99 for ages 3 to 9. Just try to reserve your spot at least a week in in advance.
Opens this summer: Jewels of the Sea: Jellyfish Experience, SeaWorld San Diego
Behold these fascinating creatures at this new area at SeaWorld San Diego. The three photo-op-ready galleries will feature such species as moon jellyfish, upside-down jellyfish, and Pacific sea nettles, all swimming in a huge habitat that can be seen through an enormous viewing wall, a walk-through arch, and one of the largest “jelly cylinders” in the U.S. Staffers will be there to educate guests about the behaviors of this translucent species and share how these survivors are able to adapt in extreme environments.
SeaWorld San Diego is also celebrating its 60th anniversary this year with the theme “So Much More to Sea,” which will include a new character-based parade and show, special fireworks, a pirate show, and the stunt show called BMX Blast.
Opens this summer: New Camp Snoopy Rides, Knott’s Berry Farm
The Camp Snoopy area at the Buena Park theme park is getting some new family-friendly rides: Snoopy’s Tenderpaw Twister Coaster, the jeeps of Camp Snoopy’s Off-Road Rally, and the giant porch swing of Sally’s Swing Along. There will also be a new free-play area with a waterfall, bridges, and a cave.
Otherwise, Summer at Knott’s begins on June 14 with two annual events. In the park’s Old West–themed area, Ghost Town Alive! invites guests to interact with a storyline involving bandits, cowboys, and robberies. Join the activities during the mornings then enjoy its culmination at a hoedown later in the day. Then, on select evenings, the Summer Nights series offers evening dance parties with live music and DJs along the park’s midway. Both events run through September 2.
