ORLANDO, Fla. – SeaWorld Orlando offered a sneak peek of Ice Breaker, its long-awaited roller coaster, during a preview event Thursday.
The ride is SeaWorld’s first launch coaster and one of several new attractions SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment plans to open across its theme parks.
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“It is a quad-launch coaster,” Vice President of Rides and Engineering Jonathan Smith said. “What I mean by that, it has four separate launch experiences. Two launches in the forwards direction and two launches in the backwards direction.”
During the preview, riders were first thrust backward, then forward, culminating in a reverse launch into the steepest beyond vertical drop in Florida.
“It’s a 93-foot-tall reverse spike that you get to experience at a 100-degree angle,” Smith said. “So, you do feel slightly inverted when you’re on that transition piece.”
The quad-launch is only the beginning for the coaster designed to be SeaWorld’s first family thrill ride.
“It’s perfect for the whole family. It’s the first coaster at SeaWorld that features a 48-inch minimum tall height requirement,” Smith said.
While on the coaster, riders travel a total of 2,750 feet of track and experience 13 different elements, including an 80-foot tall, near-vertical top hat section.
The coaster is the centerpiece of the theme park’s revamped Wild Arctic area and will also highlight its conservation partner, Alaska SeaLife Center, a dedicated research, rescue, rehabilitation, and education facility.
The attraction was originally scheduled to open in 2020 but faced several delays, including the park’s closure due to the coronavirus pandemic.
SeaWorld pass member previews begin taking place on various days from Jan. 30 through Feb. 15.
Ice Breaker is scheduled to open to the public on Feb. 18.