News 6 takes ride on SeaWorld Orlando's new Mako roller coaster

ORLANDO, Fla. – News 6 took a ride on Orlando's tallest, fastest and longest roller coaster, which officially opened Friday.

[EXTENDED VIDEO:  News 6 reporter Kirstin O'Connor rides Mako]

SeaWorld Orlando unleashed Mako, a so-called hypercoaster, which reaches a top speed of 73 mph.

The coaster anchors a 2-acre realm called Shark Wreck Reef, which also includes SeaWorld’s existing Shark Encounter attraction, interactive learning exhibits and dining and shopping options.

“Mako and Shark Wreck Reef rewrite the definition of ‘immersive’ entertainment,” said SeaWorld Orlando president Donnie Mills. “Our guests now have a whole new underwater world to explore -- and a thrilling new ride to conquer that’s literally breathtaking.”

Mako, the fifth coaster at SeaWorld Orlando, and offers a nearly mile-long track. Its design was inspired by its namesake: Mako sharks, also called “blue pointers," which are known for their speed and their ability to quickly change course as they pursue prey.

Mako is also one of the world’s few true hypercoasters, a group of roller coasters known for high speeds and steep drops and hills that create a feeling of weightlessness, or "air time."

“For almost 3 exhilarating minutes, you experience life as an apex predator,” said Brian Morrow, SeaWorld’s vice president of theme park experience and design.  “You surge through the water at top speeds, charge to the ocean depths and chase prey throughout a massive reef.”