SeaWorld Orlando

Orlando, Florida, USA

“Spectacular roller coasters, controversial shows”

Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando Resort and SeaWorld form the holy trinity of theme parks in Central Florida. And although SeaWorld is the smallest member, it has a rich history. The park opened its gates in 1973, barely two years after Walt Disney World premiered. SeaWorld became a success and it claimed a place in the top 20 of the world’s busiest theme parks for many years. Since 2014, however, SeaWorld has disappeared from this list. That doesn’t seem to be a coincidence, as Blackfish (a documentary about orcas in captivity) was released one year before. SeaWorld played an important role in this film, but unfortunately that was the role of the bad guy. I won’t share opinions about the message of Blackfish in this article, but the film had important consequences for the American SeaWorld parks. Those consequences aren’t necessarily bad from a coaster enthusiast’s point of view, though. While SeaWorld before Blackfish primarily focused on shows and entertainment, the current SeaWorld could be described as a thrill park with a marine theme.

ROLLER COASTERS

SeaWorld first major thrill was Kraken, a floorless coaster that opened back in 2000. Kraken became famous thanks to its turquoise rails and sand-coloured supports, but it was repainted in late 2021. Nowadays, the colour scheme combines green and blue-green. Although I liked the old hues better, it’s nice to see that Kraken received some well-deserved TLC. And there’s more good news: Kraken is nothing less than an excellent ride. It contains all the elements you expect from a B&M floorless coaster. I’m especially in love with the vertical looping and the dive loop, but the other inversions also deliver B&M’s typical awesomeness. Thanks to its great layout and smoothness, Kraken remains an elite coaster.

SeaWorld’s largest B&M is Mako, a Hyper Coaster named after the mako shark. Mako opened in 2016 and it currently counts as Orlando’s tallest and fastest roller coaster. It’s approximately 1,500 metres long, 61 metres tall and its top speed is just under 120 km/h. Looking purely at statistics, Mako lags behind Silver Star, its sibling at Europa-Park. In terms of ride experience, however, the situation is totally different. While Silver Star has a slight rattle, Mako’s smoothness can hardly be described in words. Moreover, Mako’s airtime is fantastic and the final curves turn out to be very entertaining. One might say that Mako’s layout is not exactly innovative, but that doesn’t bother me. On the contrary: I consider it as one of the most enjoyable roller coasters in North America.

Next up is Manta, a roller coaster of superlatives. Firstly, this is the most beautiful B&M Flying Coaster on the planet: its splash effect is super photogenic and I absolutely adore Manta’s deep blue colour scheme. Secondly, Manta contains the most intense roller coaster element in the world. The famous pretzel loop treats us to an indescribable amount of g-forces. Consequently, this ride isn’t for everybody. Whereas Kraken and Mako are relatively friendly, Manta offers a super intense experience. Personally, I consider it as one of the best roller coasters in Florida. The trains run exceptionally smoothly and the ride simulates a nearly-perfect feeling of flying.

One of SeaWorld’s credits provides a way to cool down during a hot summer day. I’m talking about Journey to Atlantis, a Mack water coaster. This German manufacturer often tests its new ride concepts at Europa-Park, but in this case SeaWorld got the premiere. And despite being the prototype, Journey to Atlantis is a fantastic family attraction. They integrated the ride into a monumental palace and the coaster section comes as a total surprise. In addition, Journey to Atlantis contains a few nice dark ride scenes. By the way: if you don’t want to get soaking wet, definitely avoid the front seats. The ride contains a minuscule two-metre drop, where passengers on row one are treated to a giant tidal wave. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

You might notice that most of SeaWorld’s coasters are quite thrilling. Still, families with children aren’t forgotten. They can visit the southern corner of the park, where Sesame Street Land is located. The area contains a water playground, some standard kiddie rides and Super Grover’s Box Car Derby. This Zierer family coaster has a simple layout and there is hardly any theming, but the ride experience is smooth. As my latest visit to the park took place in early 2022, I haven’t ridden SeaWorld’s three most recent coaster additions yet. Interested in my opinions on Ice Breaker, Pipeline and Penguin Trek? Then please book plane tickets to MCO for me and I’ll gladly write about these brand-new rides.

OTHER EXPERIENCES

Although SeaWorld is increasingly shifting its focus to rides, animal habitats and shows are still an important part of the offerings. The dolphin show is quite popular and we’re able to spot Californian sea lions at Pacific Point. One of the most popular attractions in this segment is Antarctica – Empire of the Penguin. This icy themed area has been there since 2013 and it replaced the old Penguin Encounter. If you’re interested in an impressive collection of razor-sharp teeth, then be sure to check out Shark Encounter. In everyday life, I would recommend staying as far away from sharks as possible, but here at SeaWorld, you don’t necessarily have to. In fact, the shark enclosure is one of the most atmospheric walk-throughs in the entire park. The highlight is a long glass tunnel through the enormous basin.

While checking SeaWorld Orlando’s website, I notice the following question on the FAQ page: “does SeaWorld still have orcas?”. And despite all the Blackfish commotion, the answer is yes. SeaWorld is still inseparable from orcas for many visitors, so the giant stadium of Orca Encounter is packed several times today. Shamu and Tilikum used to be the stars of this theater, but some (distant) family members have taken over from them. Those orcas do everything you’d expect to see during the show. You can see them jumping in the air a few times and they obviously provide a soaking wet shower for the spectators in the front rows.

If Orca Encounter’s splash zone wasn’t wet enough, be sure to check out Infinity Falls. This rapid river opened in 2018 and it was a welcome addition to the park. After all, rapid rivers are the perfect rides to make Florida’s hot summer days more bearable. It’s no surprise that Disney World, Universal and SeaWorld all have their own version by now. Infinity Falls definitely rivals its peers in terms of wetness. We see riders getting totally drenched by super-tall waves and the 12-metre descent is very impressive. Besides, I adore the ride’s exotic, yet modern look and feel.

WORTH A VISIT?

Some theme park tourists consider SeaWorld als a half-day destination, but I don’t agree. The park is huge and it has a lot to offer. The animal enclosures are well-kept, the park boasts an extensive show program and the ride lineup is pretty extensive. Manta, Kraken and Mako are all world-class roller coasters and you’ll find two high-quality water rides here. SeaWorld is still missing one thing, though, and that’s a dark ride. With Empire of the Penguin closed indefinitely, there’s definitely a void in the offerings. In my opinion, a mid-sized dark ride like PortAventura‘s Street Mission would be a perfect addition to the Sesame Street area.

SeaWorld Orlando doesn’t play in the same league as its direct competitors, but that’s okay. I’m glad I got to experience the park again and I wish SeaWorld the best of luck with the direction it’s currently choosing. Will this become Florida’s version of Cedar Point? Or will SeaWorld primarily remain a marine animal park after all? Let’s find out in the future.