SeaWorld Orlando has unveiled the ride vehicle for its upcoming attraction, Pipeline: The Surf Coaster. The vehicle features a surfboard-style platform that riders will stand on.
The theme park’s seventh roller coaster was on view at IAAPA Expo 2022. Pipeline’s unique surfboard ride vehicles will put riders in a standing position as the ‘seats’ rise and fall to mimic the sensation of riding on a wave.
Manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard, the coaster includes five airtime moments, an innovative ‘wave curl’ inversion, and speeds of up to 60 mph.
Guests will feel like they are “really riding the waves, thanks to an inventive harness that keeps you secure while giving you unparalleled freedom of movement”, said SeaWorld Orlando.
Pipeline is due to open in spring 2023. “We’ve started erecting the station building and erecting the ride,” said Jonathan Smith, vice president of rides and engineering for SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment (via Spectrum News).
Opened in 1973, SeaWorld Orlando is home to various rides and roller coasters, including its most recent addition, Ice Breaker, a multi-launch coaster boasting Florida’s steepest beyond-vertical drop.
Earlier this month, SeaWorld reported its sixth consecutive quarter of record financial results, despite staffing issues and adverse weather.
The company’s upcoming rides and attractions include Serengeti Flyer at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, DarKoaster at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Arctic Rescue at SeaWorld San Diego and Catapult Falls at SeaWorld San Antonio.
Surfboard ride vehicles revealed at IAAPA Expo
“2023 promises to be another exciting year for our SeaWorld parks as we introduce more new rides and experiences that cannot be found elsewhere,” said Marc Swanson, CEO of SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment.
Several ride vehicles for new coasters have been revealed at IAAPA Expo 2022, including the vehicles and trains for Dollywood’s Big Bear Mountain and Hersheypark’s Wildcat’s Revenge.
Big Bear Mountain features SUV-style ride vehicles, while the Wildcat’s Revenge trains are decorated with 3D wildcats in black, charcoal and silver.
Images: SeaWorld
