Inside The Box: Galaxyland’s Challenging New Coaster Project

West Edmonton Mall’s famous Mindbender roller coaster was recently removed after nearly 40 years of service. They now face the daunting task of replacing it.

Two years ago, management made the difficult decision to retire their Schwarzkopf looping coaster. Since opening in 1985, they’d achieved global recognition for boasting the world’s longest, tallest and fastest indoor roller coaster. But amidst a reimagining of Galaxyland to Hasbro and signs of physical deterioration, it appeared time to move on.

Flash forward to 2025, and Mindbender has since been demolished alongside the Galaxy Quest theatre. The mall received construction permits in December and recently began teasing a new attraction on social media. Work has so far sprinkled telltale footer markings across the site. A roller coaster is on the way.

The opportunity is Galaxyland’s largest since its inception to build a major new attraction. Replacing indoor roller coasters is also a rare occurrence at best and unprecedented on this scale, especially given that the predecessor packed an enormous 4,200 feet of track into a relatively tight footprint. Novelty aside, the project faces unique challenges and constraints, as work is confined within the existing enclosure.

The Box

Barring unforeseen modifications to the building, West Edmonton Mall has a tight sandbox to play in.

The building has a slanted roof, with the far edge standing around 150 feet tall, while the shorter side is closer to 40 feet. Mindbender stood 145 feet tall and used a lack of rafters in one specific area to rise as close as possible to the ceiling. In order to match this height, the replacement would need to utilize the space; it’s possible to do so with similar train clearance and a lift hill alongside the wall at a 45-degree angle or steeper.

The available footprint itself measures less than 367 feet by 118 feet across. The space is shared by walls, perimeter pathways, a bridge accessing Mall Entrance 12 and an elevated pad supporting part of Galaxy Orbiter’s track, all of which are easy to build around.

The Manufacturer

The theme park industry offers a diverse range of products, but only a handful of names would A) accept such a contract and B) have the capabilities to deliver a larger coaster. The obvious name is Gerstlauer, who’s collaborated with mall owner Triple Five Group on four indoor roller coasters across their properties to date. Another is Intamin, known not only for some of the world’s largest attractions but also their ability to meet unique requests with niche solutions. Arguments can of course be made for other manufacturers.

A clue, however, may rest in the marker codes designated to each support: Capital letter F, three digits and a final A or B to represent the primary and secondary columns. The code structure was seen in the recently published plans for Six Flags Magic Mountain’s upcoming coaster project, which is being developed by none other than Dutch manufacturer Vekoma.

Vekoma has made a resurgence in recent years, winning back the North American market with rock-solid hardware, high manufacturing output, affordable prices, and an above-average reputation for customer service. Although their business model relies primarily on smaller copy-paste layouts, they also frequently push the envelope for groundbreaking experiences.

Construction

Vekoma or not, installation will be more difficult compared to when Mindbender was originally built, as that coaster constructed outdoors before the building was enclosed around it. The first hard step is already done, where crews spent months carefully demolishing the structure while working within space constraints and park operations.

Construction has necessitated the installation of a temporary ramp, allowing machinery to access the ground level. Building a small ride here would already require strong logistical planning; a coaster, however, is a three-dimensional puzzle between concrete works and assembly. It will surely be a complicated process.

Mindbender was key in creating a legacy for itself and West Edmonton Mall, attracting tourism to a peripheral region of North America. The novelty of year-round destinations isn’t quite what it was in the eighties, but instead of enduring as a time capsule, the mall has continued to evolve throughout the years. Change is best when it exceeds what came before; this new coaster could very well be all the more worthwhile.

Have you visited or plan on visiting Galaxyland? Let us know in the comments below!

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