SeaWorld Orlando announces Mako, the tallest and fastest roller coaster in Orlando

FL is going to be *flooded* with new coasters in 2016. Mako, Son of Starliner, and the new Mack spinner at BGT.

Can't wait.... (H/T Bart Scott).

Looks awesome! Interesting that B&M has gone back to the old trains for this height of ride.

I thought Sea World would have been all over a splashdown!

Oh, this looks great. And I guess 200 feet will have to do for Orlando, well, until that other monstrosity gets built. This ride will be a nice billboard for the park, visible from 1-4, enticing potential visitors to check out the park. As we've discussed, SWO could really use another E-ticket and this fits the bill.

And in true Sea World/Busch style, it's setting is beautiful and it will be immersive. Makes me wonder what they were thinking over there in Williamsburg...

Yeah, that International Drive sure is beautiful. :) Seriously though, I assume they're going to stick the entrance next to the Shark Encounter, and then run it east out to I-Drive and plant it in the retention basin.

Ha!
Well, you know, I meant the plaza area, the themeing, decor, and what-not.

And I love me some I-Drive. I'd live there if I could just get my car up the street...

It looks like a nice enough B&M, but something seems missing. Is it shorter than other rides of its kind? Does it have less hills than other coasters like it? It doesn't look like it will be as amazing as Diamondback or Apollo's Chariot. It looks like a roller coaster for the sake of having a roller coaster. "Just so we can say we have a new coaster..."

But I bet it will be fun nonetheless.

I think it looks a little Nitro-ish. Which isn't a bad thing.

Is that first turnaround a...<wait for it>....hammerhead?

RCDB lists it at 4,760' which is the second shortest B&M hyper and the shortest with an MCBR (Goliath oG is 4,480'). This is, of course, not counting Goliath LaRonde.

Uh oh! Better get MAAAAAco!

LostKause said:

It looks like a nice enough B&M, but something seems missing. Is it shorter than other rides of its kind? Does it have less hills than other coasters like it? It doesn't look like it will be as amazing as Diamondback or Apollo's Chariot. It looks like a roller coaster for the sake of having a roller coaster. "Just so we can say we have a new coaster..."

But I bet it will be fun nonetheless.

Being that Diamondback and Apollo are around 1,000 miles away, I don't think it matters. I think it fills a void in the area. Orlando doesn't have anything tall and fast.

I agree that it will be fun nonetheless, though.

Any good images of the layout in its entirety? Clearly they've got the 3d model made in order to produce that video...

Or, seeing the video in real time/real speed would be nice, too.

I'm loving this announcement. A B&M hypercoaster right in my backyard? Sold!

When I went in early April, I thought if only Sea World had a Hyper coaster, and now they have it. Size wise, it looks like Goliath at SFOG. This seems to also have some decent banked curves. I'm not sure it'll keep up with some bigger ones like Diamondback, Nitro, or Intimidator, but it is excactly what Florida needs.

Obviously I make the disclaimer that I haven't ridden it, etc. etc. but just to speculate because otherwise we wouldn't have anything to talk about:
Why have an MCBR at all? If my memory of Sea World serves me, their operations are not that great and with a relatively short track, wouldn't it make more sense to go with 2 trains and no MCBR? I also happen to think that B&M MCBR's tend to kill the pacing of their respective rides but even just in terms of maintenance, running 2 trains is better than running 3. What's the upside to having an MCBR?

B&M probably doesn't assume that their operations suck. And yes, they're pretty terrible at that park. I'm hoping the Manby influence changes that.

CarolinaNick15 said:
I'm not sure it'll keep up with some bigger ones like Diamondback, Nitro, or Intimidator,

You won't be able to fill a train with the people who will know that and anyone who steps off of Mako claiming they missed the extra 20 or 30 seconds those other rides offer deserves to be thrown off of the lift hill without a parachute.

I've had hernia checks during physicals that were more thrilling than Diamondback. ;)

It seems like B&M's speed coasters have gone through phases in terms of the way they're designed. Considering this ride is being built in the era of Leviathan and Fury 325, I'd say momentum is on their side, even if this ride tops out a hundred feet closer to the ground. B&M seems like they're feeling more adventurous in terms of the aggressiveness of their designs these days, so here's hoping this ride keeps the streak alive.