Manta (SeaWorld Orlando)
| Industry | Amusement park |
|---|---|
| Founded | December 15, 1973 in Orlando, Florida, United States |
| Headquarters | Orlando , United States |
Area served | Orlando, Florida, United States |
| Products | Amusement park attractions including Manta roller coaster |
| Website | seaworld |
Manta is a steel flying roller coaster located at SeaWorld Orlando in Orlando, Florida, USA. This attraction boasts a track engineered by Swiss firm Bolliger & Mabillard, reaching speeds up to . Riders are positioned in the prone position aboard manta ray-inspired trains and encounter four inversions throughout the ride. Since its debut on May 22, 2009, Manta has incorporated oceanic themes by displaying various ray species prior to boarding. Its tagline reads "Dive deep, fly high...".
History
After extensive development, SeaWorld Orlando unveiled the Manta concept to industry professionals and local leaders on April 2, 2008. The park revealed that this would represent their most significant single attraction investment, merging a roller coaster experience with interactive marine life exhibits. Joseph Couceiro, vice president of sales and marketing, characterized it as "the next generation SeaWorld attraction."
In April 2008, conceptual artwork surfaced online depicting a coaster designed to evoke the sensation of gliding; however, SeaWorld did not officially verify these images. Construction had already commenced on a sizable area within the park. On May 29, 2008, the ride was formally named Manta and additional information was shared.
Track and building construction started in September 2008, with Superior Rigging & Erection handling the installation of supports and track sections. By December 2008, the coaster’s layout was finalized, and work proceeded into early 2009. SeaWorld offered an early preview of Manta in May 2009 ahead of its grand opening on May 22.
Theme and surrounding experience
Manta features a themed queue area paired with a flying roller coaster experience. The queue simulates a coastal village adorned with mosaics and artwork inspired by rays. The surrounding site contains ten aquariums holding about of water, housing nearly 3,000 creatures from over 60 species. Among these are more than 300 rays such as cownose rays and spotted eagle rays, alongside sea horses, leafy seadragons, and various tropical fish.
Visitors who do not wish to ride can enter certain aquarium sections through an alternate entrance. Within the ride queue, guests encounter distinctive exhibit features including a Plexiglas "pop-up" window offering views into the aquarium tanks. To improve guest comfort, the coaster’s rails and supports are filled with sand to minimize noise levels.
Trains and loading procedure
Designed to emulate the feeling of flying much like mantas glide underwater, Manta is a flying coaster where riders sit upright in trains consisting of eight rows with four seats each, allowing for 32 passengers per train. The attraction runs three trains simultaneously. Prior to dispatch, station equipment tilts the cars so that riders lie flat parallel to the track. Safety is ensured through a combination of locking lap bars, vest-style harnesses, and ankle restraints.
The lead car resembles a manta ray with an expansive wingspan. Initially intended to skim water during the ride, this feature was replaced by synchronized water jets that create splash effects matching the train’s velocity. SeaWorld has control over splash intensity and duration for operational adaptability. The coaster’s color palette includes shades of deep purple, ultramarine blue, and cobalt.
Track
The steel track of Manta extends over 4,400 feet and includes a lift hill standing 30 meters tall. This coaster incorporates four distinct inversions: a pretzel loop, two inline twist elements, and a corkscrew. The track is painted dark blue, supported by light blue structural elements. To minimize noise levels, sand is placed inside certain sections of the track, while friction brakes regulate the speed of the trains. The track was produced by Clermont Steel Fabricators, a company based in Ohio. In 2015, an identical version called Acrobat was introduced at Nagashima Spa Land.
Ride experience
Manta utilizes a dual station layout that enables two trains to board passengers simultaneously, thereby enhancing throughput. Once departing the station, the train climbs the chain lift hill before plunging into a 104-foot pretzel loop. The ride proceeds through the initial inline twist, followed by a right-hand turn and an upward left corkscrew before entering the mid-course brake run. The train then swoops down near a water feature, executing a 270-degree right turn accompanied by water jets that create a splash effect. After passing beneath a waterfall, it navigates the second inline twist and concludes with the final brake run prior to returning to the station for unloading and boarding.
Reception
Since its launch in May 2009, Manta has garnered widespread praise from both mainstream media outlets and industry publications. The parent company of SeaWorld Orlando, Busch Entertainment Corporation, attributed increased park attendance to the addition of Manta. In July 2009, ThemeParkInsider.com honored it as the "best new attraction." By September of that year, it secured third place in Amusement Today magazine’s poll for the Best New Ride of 2009.