Following the path it's sister park Aquatica took with combining rides and sea life, SeaWorld's latest attraction made it's official splash on the theme park industry today. Manta, the intense combination roller coaster and aquarium is now open.
Offering rides since earlier this month, Manta is actually a flying coaster and the park's best attraction- by far. The coaster, a giant purple manta shaped train with a 12 foot wingspan, is very fast offering breathtaking loops, turns and stunning aquatic displays. Raising the bar on the competition, the attraction is much more than just a ride. It's an experience that completely immerses riders in the life of a manta ray.
Getting on
The rider queue line begins with guests entering a cave inside the rock formation at the entrance of the attraction. Spray from Manta's waterfall hits riders as they walk through the cave inside the waterfall. The attraction features hidden sea life carved into the rock formations in the cave. Try to find mantas, Shamu, dolphin and others as you wait. When you leave the cave, you cross a small wooden bridge over the lagoon that immediately leads to the aquarium building.
Once in the air-conditioned show building, riders walk through a display of various sea life housed in floor to ceiling aquariums and mosaic tile walkways until it seems they are no longer in a cave but under water where the line then splits in two to each of the ride's stations- Quick Queue and regular riders. Blue and black lighting enhance the underwater facade by casting wave images on surrounding walls.
Riders board the coaster portion of the attraction in a horizontal, seated position but experience the ride from a much different vantage point thanks to their harnesses. Strapped to the manta's belly, riders lay prone and face-down for the nearly 3500 feet of tracks and 4 inversions that await them as the train's coaster twists and spins like a flying manta.
The coaster's first drop is a breathtaking 104ft fall which allows for unbelievable negative G's on the first the loop. 4 total inversions and incredibly quick views of the park fill the two and a half minute coaster. The ride's final dip leaves riders staring at the crowd below. The attraction's splashdown features a spectacular drop and turn over water with perfectly synchronized jets which give riders the impression that the manta's rays are touching the water.
Certain locations on the ride offer additional benefits:
Front Seat: You are forward facing so you can see the Manta flying in front of you.
Back Seat: Most pull
Left Side(back): Riders can get wet (waterfall).
Right Side: Rider can get wet (Splashdown).
The attraction's aquariums are populated by local residents; many of the ray's are from the Tampa, Florida area. Over 200 species of fish join Shark, Spotted Eagle, Leopard and Cownose rays as the beautiful creatures as they swim in a coral habitat.
Manta, which is located at the entrance of SeaWorld has an average wait time of 30 to 45 minutes when all three cars are running it's 32 passenger maximum. The coaster concludes with riders exiting on the opposite side from which they entered.
Can't ride?
The attraction also offers a non-rider line. Unique features like the overhead viewing area of the rays offer equally stunning activities for those not able to ride the attraction. Instead of the tube in the shark exhibit, this is a whole room with mantas flying overhead in the 220 square foot aquarium. There is also a large octopus which swims between two tanks by passing through a narrow tube. Guests can also enjoy the pop-up window where they enter a tube and are surrounded by 360 degree views of sea life.
It blows everything else out of the water.
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