We recently visited SeaWorld Orlando for the first time in a few years. The last time we were there, our daredevil son was eyeing their roller coasters, hoping he was tall enough to ride, but he wasn’t.
This time, he met the height requirement for all of them – barely. So, we rode all of SeaWorld Orlando’s roller coasters multiple times, much to his delight. Here’s our thoughts and tips for riding SeaWorld Orlando’s roller coasters, for both adults and kids.
Know Before You Go
There currently are four coasters in operation at SeaWorld Orlando. Three – Kraken, Mako, and Manta – are large steel roller coasters. One, Journey to Atlantis, is a water coaster with darker sections. You will likely get wet on it.
When we visited, the children’s coaster, Shamu Express, was closed. The kids’ area around the coaster is being refurbished and is set to reopen sometime in 2019. The children’s coaster will likely stay, but will be rethemed. So, we’ll update this page with details once it reopens.
The three steel roller coasters are pretty intense. So, even if your child meets the height requirement, it still may not be a good idea for them to ride.
Near the entrance, you can measure your child to see if he or she is tall enough to ride. But, be aware that they will likely be measured again each and every time they go through the line of a roller coaster if they don’t look tall enough.
You cannot carry bags or any loose articles like hats or cameras on Mako, Manta, or Kraken. All three of these have a bank of single-use lockers nearby for storing your gear. Be aware that these lockers are NOT free. There is a small charge to use them, currently $1.00 for a small locker and $1.50 for a large locker. We had a single backpack and were able to cram it into the small locker.
If you need an all-day locker, these are located near the park entrance. I believe they cost around $13.00-$15.00 per day. We travel light, so we found it more convenient to just use the single-use lockers as needed.
Journey to Atlantis
Journey to Atlantis is a hybrid coaster/flume ride that takes you through the lost, sunken city of Atlantis. The beginning is a boat ride inside. Then, it becomes more of a coaster for the big outside drop and the final section after that (there is more to the ride after the big drop)!
Guests must be 42 inches (107 cm) or taller to ride. Children between 42 inches and 48 inches must be accompanied by a supervising companion who is at least 14 years old.
Hubby and I found Journey to Atlantis to be a relatively mild ride, while our Little Dude found it more thrilling than we did. The outside drop is the biggest. There are a few other smaller drops, too. You will likely get wet, especially your lower half, more so from the smaller drops than the large one.
There are some darker areas during the inside portion of the ride. There are a couple of creepy-looking themed elements. Younger children may find it scary, but most should be fine.
Because you will likely get quite wet from this ride, I highly recommend getting a locker even if you’re just carrying stuff in your pockets. Don’t keep your cell phone in your pocket unless you’ve put it in a plastic bag for protection. If you don’t want to get soaked, you can wear a poncho.
Kraken Unleashed
Kraken is a floorless steel roller coaster themed after the mythical underwater beast. The harness goes over your head and your feet dangle, as the coaster’s car rides on a pedestal above the track. It goes up to 65 miles an hour and there are 7 inversions.
In 2017, Seaworld Orlando upgraded Kraken with virtual reality headsets and began marketing the coaster as Kraken Unleashed. The new VR overlay got mixed reviews from guests. The load time for the ride was extremely long because employees had to help guests put on and remove the headsets, as well as sanitize them in between each ride. In mid-August 2018, Seaworld Orlando finally decided to ditch the virtual reality headsets and convert Kraken back to a regular coaster.
Guests must be 54 inches (137 cm) or taller to ride.
If you or your kids are wearing loose-fitting shoes like flip-flops or sandals, you will have to remove them and leave them on the loading platform. All other loose articles should be placed in a locker before you ride. There are single-use lockers located on the right hand side, just before the entrance to the ride, that you may rent.
If your kids like loops and rolls, Kraken has plenty of them. It really has it all – fast speeds, big drops, and lots of upside-down time. It’s an intense ride, though, so make sure your kids are ready for all its twists and turns before they ride. If you or anyone in your family occasionally suffers from dizziness or vertigo (like me), Kraken may be a bit too much. I am only able to ride it once in a day, or I end up feeling too wonky.
Manta
Manta is a steel flying roller coaster that lets you find out what it’s like to “fly” through the water like a manta ray. When you first board your car, you are sitting upright. Once strapped in with an over-the-head harness and foot harness, the seats are moved so that you and the other riders are parallel to the track, facing the ground. There are 4 inversions.
Guests must be 54 inches (137 cm) or taller to ride.
If you or your kids are wearing loose-fitting shoes like sandals or flip-flops, you will have to remove them and leave them on the loading platform. All other loose articles should be placed in a locker before you ride. There are single-use lockers to rent, located on the left hand side of the ride entrance.
In my opinion, Manta is the most intense roller coaster at SeaWorld Orlando. I think part of it is the very different sensation of facing the ground and having the full weight of your body pressing against the harnesses. Also, you aren’t able to see much of the coaster track as you ride, so every twist and turn is a surprise. But, mostly, it is the extreme g-force pressure you feel on Manta’s inversions, in particular the very first “pretzel loop”. It’s very forceful and literally took my breath away.
I only rode Manta twice, but Little Dude and Hubby rode it a couple more times while I watched from below. Manta is fantastic for enjoying the sensation of flying. However, if you’re like me and don’t like being tightly restrained and experiencing extreme g-forces, then this ride may not be for you. If your child likes to push the limit like mine does, and doesn’t mind being strapped in tight with no room to wiggle, then he or she will likely enjoy Manta.
If you do decide to ride, be sure to pay attention to Manta’s themed queue line, the best one out of SeaWorld Orlando’s roller coasters. There are tanks filled with fish and other sea creatures, including lots and lots of manta rays, gliding through the water.
If you’re not riding Manta, you can still see portions of the aquarium exhibit. The entrance is to the left of Manta’s entrance, next to a waterfall.
Mako
Mako is the newest of SeaWorld Orlando’s roller coasters. It’s a steel hyper coaster, currently the tallest, fastest, longest roller coaster in Orlando. It’s a seated coaster that uses only a lap bar restraint. There are no inversions.
Guests must be 54 inches (137 cm) or taller to ride.
Loose articles should be stored in a locker before you ride. There are single-use lockers located on the left hand side, just before the entrance to Mako, that you may rent.
Mako is my favorite roller coaster at SeaWorld Orlando. Little Dude and I rode it about 7 times. If your child wants to try one of the big 3 steel roller coasters, but is unsure about loops, then Mako is the one to try. It does not go upside-down at all.
Even though Mako has no loops, it is definitely NOT boring. Its claim to fame is its speed and airtime. After the first 200-foot drop, the coaster car reaches 73 miles per hour and starts the first of several hills that give riders airtime – a feeling of momentary weightlessness. Your whole body lifts off the seat and floats for a second or two. It’s a very cool feeling and thrilling for both kids and adults.
It’s also a very fast-loading coaster, which keeps wait times to a minimum. That’s helpful if you have impatient kids (like mine).
If you and your family are visiting Orlando and want some major roller coaster thrills, SeaWorld Orlando is worth a visit. Be sure to buy your tickets from SeaWorld’s website one day in advance to save up to $20.00 off the cost of each ticket. You can also sign up for their emails to hear about special ticket and dining promotions.
If you’re planning to visit SeaWorld Orlando, consider also spending a day at Aquatica, SeaWorld’s fantastic water park. It has a variety of attractions – something for everyone in the family. Check out our 10 Tips for Visiting Aquatica Orlando, a guide that will save you money and help you make the most of your day at Aquatica.
Posts on this site may contain affiliate links that provide us a small commission, but they cost you nothing extra to use.
Leave a Reply