Durban’s long-awaited new amusement park is starting to look less like a proposal on paper and more like a future reality.
The R980 million Durban Amusement Park has completed its design phase and secured approval for project development funding, with technical planning now under way.
And while construction has not yet started, concept renders released by the eThekwini Municipality give a colourful glimpse of what the new attraction could eventually look like.
The park is planned for the former Durban Funworld site along the Golden Mile and is expected to bring a permanent, ride-led attraction back to the beachfront after Funworld closed in 2023.
A colourful AMUSEMENT park right on the beachfront
Durban beachfront is getting their own amusement park valued at R1 billion – they are redeveloping the old Funworld Site🎪🎢🎡
— Ash Müller (@Askash) December 10, 2025
I have been waiting forever for this announcement. The eThekwini Municipality shared renders with me earlier today, and they look incredible.
•… pic.twitter.com/BBfmAK37Hq
If the renders are anything to go by, the new attraction will be a dramatic change from the largely empty former Funworld site.
The concept designs show a bright, colourful amusement park stretching along the beachfront, with large rollercoaster tracks weaving through the site, numerous rides, landscaped areas, pedestrian walkways and entertainment zones.
The park has been designed to make use of its beachfront location, with views towards the ocean and the Durban skyline forming part of the experience.
The designs also show extensive open areas, palm trees, seating spaces and brightly coloured pathways connecting the various attractions.
A giant rollercoaster will dominate the skyline
One of the most noticeable features in the renders is the large rollercoaster.
The previously released plans include a Lightning Roller Coaster, alongside other major rides including Disko 24 and a Vertical Swing.
The concept images show multiple sections of rollercoaster track, including dramatic loops and elevated sections running through the centre of the park.
This is a deliberate move away from a small-scale children’s funfair towards a larger amusement attraction designed to appeal to families, teenagers and adults.
There will be more than just rides
Despite the focus on rollercoasters and thrill rides, the planned development is not simply a collection of amusement rides.
The park is expected to include an extended-reality and digital entertainment zone, a curated retail offering and an upgraded amphitheatre designed for events.
Earlier plans also included a 1 500-square-metre Virtual Reality Theme Park featuring more than 160 interactive games and global e-sports activations.
That means visitors could potentially spend several hours at the attraction without necessarily going on a single traditional ride.
The aerial concept gives perhaps the clearest idea of the scale of the development.
The render shows the proposed attraction occupying a sizeable section of the beachfront, with rollercoaster tracks, large rides, landscaped areas and colourful activity zones arranged across the site.
The design also incorporates pedestrian areas and spaces where visitors can move between attractions rather than simply queueing for individual rides.
Viewing decks and beachfront walkways
The development is also intended to connect more closely with the surrounding Golden Mile.
Previous plans released by eThekwini included pedestrian walkways, panoramic viewing decks and themed food courts, as well as leisure areas.
The municipality has described the park as a family-oriented, alcohol-free environment, with different zones intended to cater for children, teenagers, adults and older visitors.
Another important part of the design is that the park isn’t intended to be a daytime-only attraction.
The combination of indoor and outdoor facilities is expected to allow it to operate throughout the year, including during wet weather and in the evenings. This could be particularly significant for Durban.
The city’s beachfront already attracts large numbers of visitors, but traditional outdoor attractions can be heavily affected by rain. Adding indoor digital entertainment and other covered facilities could help the development continue operating when the weather turns.
The concept plans also show a significant emphasis on lighting and colourful public spaces, supporting the city’s ambition to make the Golden Mile more of a day-and-night destination.
When will THE new amusement park be built?
The project has now completed its design stage, but construction has not yet started.
The latest update from eThekwini Municipality says technical planning is under way, while statutory development work is expected to continue until the end of the first quarter of 2027.
Construction is expected to follow those processes. The municipality has not yet announced a confirmed opening date.