SeaWorld Orlando (SWO) Discussion Thread

[KrakenKing]

Try going around 5pm or so. That's when the construction crews start to leave and the SeaWorld management/heads of construction run the tests.

[gatorchomp83]

That's around the times I've been going. Tuesday I was there from 5-7pm and nothing. Yesterday I was there from about 4:00-5:30 also.

 

Guess I just have bad luck.

[triggernel]

Could one say that this will be one of the best non-disney themed thrill rides?

[Wes]

One could say that, but they'd be wrong.

[gatorchomp83]

Was out at the park today and caught 5 cycles...Three from the parking lot as I was leaving (and then re-parked and went back in) and two cycles while in the park. Here are a few pictures of the train.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aaaaand, the shot I'm sure everyone has wanted to see. How close does it come to the water??

 

 

And an overall shot of the site.

 

[silvercrew1]

That is going to look amazing when you are on that going over the water. Great pics!

[Guest]

Thanks for stealing my camera, now go re-charge my batteries.

 

 

Now do you believe me that they have been testing?

[gatorchomp83]

I know they've been testing. I just also knew that you didn't see it while we were at Aquatica.

 

Here are a couple more from today showing off work on the waterfall area, rock work on the station and the "ocean" filled in.

 

 

 

[sam06pr]

The theme is coming pretty nicely!

[justint87]

Those are some great pictures of the ride and the ocean filled in.

 

I think I saw you took those pictures of the ocean. I saw someone with a camera sticking it through the opening in the fence.

[gatorchomp83]

Probably was LOL. Tall dude, red/white shirt.

 

My pictures in my avatar.

 

The ride looks really nice running. The train flies thru the pretzel loop and kinda crawls through the zero-g roll. The first corkscrew is taken pretty quick, and the second half was kinda sluggish. They weren't running with water dummies, either.

[timberskara]

Tall dude

LIES!

 

The testing shots look amazing-- I can't believe you finally caught it cycling! Looks like the area is really coming along, too. I admire SW for doing it right and staying true to their image no matter the cost.

[chauncey]

i'm so jealous — it wasn't running at all when i went, and i spent the whole day hoping to see it run just once! great pictures, too…

[gatorchomp83]

Don't feel too bad...That was the 5th time I've been since the trains were put on, and only the first time that I've actually seen it run. Glad I finally got to see it go!

[jjune4991]

and if you look at the photo with the train close to the water, you can see the pipes which will shoot the water!

[sam06pr]

I saw it testing a couple of times...it kinda seem slow...but that's how it always seems. I also realize this ride is very short. Nonetheless the ride looks good

[Bolliger&Mabillard]

^In Manta's defense...ALL flyers are short.

[KrakenKing]

Longer than Superman Clones and Air.

[sam06pr]

^In Manta's defense...ALL flyers are short.

 

Yeah i know.

[jjune4991]

^well when you see coasters over 5000 ft then all look short.

[delirium_guy]

Yeah, I'm still not buying the short argument either. I found a YouTube POV of Tatsu. It was around 1 minute of ride time from the top of the lift to that first set of brakes. Manta gives you about 50 seconds or so of ride time. If ya wanna complain about 10 more seconds, by all means I guess. With that said, they were cycling more frequently yesterday. I caught about 7 cycles in about 45 minutes....so things are picking up. They seemed to be checking blocks.....stopped the train at the top of lift several times, I also watched it stop on the mid-course. Much to my surprise, it regains its speed more than what I thought it would from a complete stand still.

[Bolliger&Mabillard]

^Negative-from apex to main brake Tatsu cycles for 41 seconds.

 

Manta is short...but it could be worse, Sea World could have bought a Dark Knight coaster

[themeparkman25]

Could someone snap a picture from the sky tower? It has been great seeing this ride progress and i am excited to see this ride approach the final stages of construction. Thanks for all the updates!

[delirium_guy]

^Negative-from apex to main brake Tatsu cycles for 41 seconds.

 

Manta is short...but it could be worse, Sea World could have bought a Dark Knight coaster

 

By all means, you would know and I take your word for it.....I had just watched a few videos of it. From my own personal account though, having seen Manta cycle multiple times, the ride time is actually around the same. I just keep reading people talking about how short Manta is but by their accounts of "short", then Tatsu would also fall in this category. You are right, they could have bought a Dark Knight Should be getting some new views of the ride pretty soon, as the pathway between Gullivers and the former Smokey Creek is set to open soon from what I hear.

[Bolliger&Mabillard]

^In no way was my post intended to be derogitory in any way, so apologies if it did. I agree with you that Manta is not much shorter than Tatsu...and that it being short shouldn't mean it won't deliver. A prime example is the popularity of the Batman clone. Are there any BAD ones out there? Rough? Maybe. Too forceful? I'll give you that, but people who say they all out suck are few and far between. And who can deny that at 2700 feet this compact ride doesn't pack quite the punch. I look for Mant to be no different. Besides, it's only 300ft shorter than Tatsu, that's pretty much just the overbank turn, which that element doesn't do it for me anyway.

 

But if it does indeed turn out to suck, I say blame the layout, not necessarily the length.