SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, which will be launching 11 rides and attractions across 10 parks this year, has announced that California’s tallest, fastest and longest dive coaster, Emperor, will open to the public at SeaWorld San Diego on 12 March 2022. The news was released to mark Penguin Awareness Day.
Named after the Emperor penguin, the attraction will echo its namesake’s underwater diving skills. While riding the only floorless dive coaster in the state, guests will rise 153 feet with their feet dangling in the air. At the height of the coaster, they will be suspended at a 45-degree angle before experiencing a 143-foot facedown vertical drop at over 60 miles per hour.
The ride also features inversion, a barrel roll, an Immelmann loop, a hammerhead turn and a flat spin during their journey along the 2,500-foot long track. The ride cars hold 18 people in three rows of six.
More thrills coming to SeaWorld parks across the US
SeaWorld has also announced that Pass Members will receive an exclusive Emperor ride preview in March.
“Our fans are eager to ride Emperor and we’re grateful for their enthusiasm and excitement to jump on this adrenaline-pumping dive coaster,” said John Dunlap, SeaWorld San Diego park president in an earlier press release.
“Due to the unprecedented challenges of the last two years, the opening was delayed, we know this has been disappointing and we’d like to thank our guests for their patience for this long-awaited ride to open.
“Opening just in time for spring break, this free-falling, feet-dangling ride is going to provide even more thrills that our guests and coaster fanatics have been craving.”
Other new rides coming to SeaWorld parks in 2022 include SeaWorld Orlando’s Ice Breaker coaster, which features the steepest beyond vertical drop in Florida as well as four airtime-filled launches, both backwards and forwards, and Busch Gardens Williamsburg’s Pantheon roller coaster, the world’s fastest multi-launch coaster with top speeds of 73 miles per hour.
Meanwhile, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay’s Iron Gwazi coaster will be North America’s tallest hybrid coaster, as well as the world’s fastest and steepest hybrid coaster.
