Scorpion Express

During the resort's annual February Half-Term event - African Adventures - advertising for the ride was placed on large billboards at the zoo entrance and on the back of the gate maps. At the same time a mini site for the ride was launched on the parks website, which showed the concept art for the attraction among other details. During this time it was also announced that the ride would feature fire, water and smoke effects, as well as an animated scorpion.

Days after the ride's soft opening, adverts for the attraction were broadcast across British television. Several other media stunts including newspaper articles about the ride appeared at this time. None of the footage used in the Scorpion Express TV adverts was from the actual ride, instead shots of a bigger (but similarly themed) family coaster at Heide Park, and computer generated clips, were used to advertise the ride.[3]

Scorpion Express received mixed response since its launch in 2014, largely to do with its minimal theme featured compared to how the ride was originally designed. However it remained a popular family attraction as it had since opening in 1987.

In late July 2022, an incident happened on Scorpion Express, that lead to the closure of the ride and surrounding area. Its reopening date had been pushed back 2 times, and after a year the ride still remains SBNO.

Vinyl posters in the queue for Scorpion Express display the ride's backstory.

The new ride in Mexicana starts with a long winding queue. At the start of the queue, a radio station can be heard playing in the background, notices from the Governor of Scorpion Valley are pinned up in the queue, which reveal the ride's backstory. Riders then enter and queue in a dark, mine-themed building where live scorpions feature. Upon exiting, riders go over a bridge, before arriving at the station.

The ride takes guests on a train journey through an abandoned mining town, across deserts and near to the mine itself. It features animatronic scenery, smoke, fire and water effects. The height minimum is 90 cm, while guests with a torso +51 inches are not able to ride. Riders under 110 cm must be accompanied by a person aged 16 or over.[4] The layout is a basic figure of 8 loop with a straight piece of track at the back and consists of several helixes, some of which go over and under the queue line, which itself snakes around the ride. The ride makes at least two laps of the circuit, and more on off peak days. An on-ride photo is taken immediately before the train returns to enter the station for the first time.