Paultons Park is well underway with construction of Drakon, a new looping roller coaster that will headline the park’s upcoming Viking-themed area, Valgard: Realm of the Vikings. The ride is scheduled to open together with the new land on 16 May 2026.
Announced in spring 2025 as part of a £12 million investment, Drakon will be Paultons Park’s first inverting roller coaster and is being marketed as the park’s most thrilling ride to date.
Design and Manufacturer
Drakon is a custom Gerstlauer Euro-Fighter roller coaster, featuring a vertical lift hill and a beyond-vertical first drop. The layout will include two inversions, one of which is expected to be a zero-g stall, making it a notable element for UK coaster fans.
The ride’s track is designed to intertwine with Raven, a re-themed version of the existing Cobra coaster, enhancing the sense of near-miss moments within the compact Valgard area. Height restrictions are set to make Drakon accessible to older children and teens while still fitting Paultons Park’s family-focused profile.
Construction Progress
Construction of Valgard and Drakon began in 2025, with groundwork and coaster footers appearing shortly after the area’s announcement. Track delivery started in August 2025, and the park confirmed that all track pieces would be installed later in the year.
By early November 2025, the final section of Drakon’s track had been lifted into place, marking the completion of the main coaster structure. Work on theming, landscaping and surrounding buildings is now the primary focus as the park prepares the land for its 2026 debut.
Part of Valgard: Realm of the Vikings
Drakon will anchor Valgard: Realm of the Vikings, a new land themed around Norse legends. Alongside Drakon, the area will feature:
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Raven – a reimagining of the former Cobra coaster with new theming and a refreshed identity.
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Vild Swing – the UK’s first ART Engineering “Wild Swing”, sending riders up to around 12 metres in the air.
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A Viking-themed playground and a Nordic-inspired dining location to complete the immersive setting.
Anticipated Impact
With Valgard and Drakon, Paultons Park is clearly targeting families with older children and thrill-seekers, expanding beyond its already strong line-up of family attractions such as Peppa Pig World, Tornado Springs and Lost Kingdom. As the park’s first coaster with inversions and a more intense ride profile, Drakon is expected to become a new headline attraction and a key draw for repeat visits once it opens in May 2026.
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