SeaWorld Orlando Announces Plans for New Roller Coaster Dubbed Mako

Donald Wood
by Donald Wood
Last updated: 3:51 PM ET, Wed May 27, 2015

Image via YouTube

Orlando, Florida, is already known for its amusement parks and attractions, but SeaWorld Orlando has changed the game by announcing plans to build the tallest, fastest and longest roller coaster in the area.

According to SeaWorld Orlando, the new roller coaster will be called "Mako" and it will be 4,760 feet long, feature a drop of 200 feet and will reach a speed of an astounding 73 miles per hour.

The new roller coaster is expected to be completed in 2016.

Mako will be unseating the other top coasters in three major categories. It will be taller than Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit at Universal Orlando (current tallest at 167 feet,) faster than Incredible Hulk at Islands of Adventure (current fastest at 67 mph) and longer than Expedition Everest at Disney's Animal Kingdom (current longest at 4,427 feet.)

SeaWorld Orlando's attraction creative director, Brian Morrow, released a statement about the new attraction and how the ride got its name:

"It's this blend of education and thrills, immersing guests in an underwater world, that sets a SeaWorld ride apart from others. Our fans will love how Mako complements our other rides. Kraken is big, monstrous and twisty. Manta is massive and glides smoothly, taking you on a flight like a huge ray. Mako is entirely different. It's streamlined and fast, just like a mako shark. There's no wasted motion, it's all speed and dives.

The park's official YouTube page shared an animated design of the coaster and a preview of it in action:

First and foremost, SeaWorld is a place dedicated to the animals, and naming the ride after one of the fastest and sleekest sharks in the ocean was a natural choice. Now thrill-seekers will have the chance to tame a different kind of Mako.

Classified as a hypercoaster-tall roller coasters known for high speeds, steep drops and the feeling of weightlessness-the ride will be one of the top new attractions in the world when it is finally opened to the public during the 2016 season.

As if the new roller coaster wasn't enough, Mako will be the centerpiece of the newly themed area around the ride. With the shark theme running throughout the rides, food choices and educational experiences, the area of SeaWorld will be completely immersive.


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