SeaWorld’s Biggest and Most Intense Coasters:
Kraken
Manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard, a Swiss design firm specializing in manufacturing some of the biggest rides around the World. B&M is like the Lexus of roller coaster design companies. Smooth, reliable, well-built. Kraken is an older model so it is intense and may be rougher compared to some newer rides.
Kraken is 20+ years old. The ride is comparable to HULK at Universal’s Islands of Adventure park if you are familiar with that attraction. Sit closer to the front or in a middle seat on the row for the most comfortable ride.
Statistically the most intense roller coaster at the Orlando theme park, Orlando’s only floorless roller coaster has seven inversions and travels at speeds up to 65 mph while passengers’ feet dangle freely above the track. G-Force will vary from +4.0G to -0.5G.
Height Requirement: To ride Kraken you must be 54″ in height.
Best Time to Ride: Kraken is too intense for many, and it also runs at a very high capacity, for this reason it always has the shortest wait in the park. The average wait is around 0-10 minutes, climbing up to a maximum 30 minutes mid-afternoon. You can ride Kraken at anytime throughout the day.
Mako
That massive purple coaster that runs alongside the road towards SeaWorld is Orlando’s tallest and fastest hypercoaster. Also built by the one and only Bolliger & Mabillard, this attraction offers one of the most-smooth experiences ever, so while it may be the most intimidating ride when staring at its huge lift hill from inside the park, it is, in fact, the least-intense G-force-wise out of the “Big Three B&M’s” at SeaWorld.
Mako is known for “Airtime,” or the sensation of being pulled down a hill and experiencing Negative G-Force. It’s widely considered as one of the best for this. In this image, Mako travels through its first straight Airhill, giving riders 4.3-seconds of non-stop Negative G’s!
Mako has a great fly-by over the main park pathway featuring a custom soundtrack that changes when the train soars above! The ride does not go upside down; most should be able to experience (and enjoy!) this coaster, if they can muster up the courage!
Do not miss this ride, it is a must-do and considered to be one of the best roller coasters in Florida. The video below shows off a front-row view of the attraction.
Mako reaches speeds up to 73 mph and heights of 200 feet. It features 22 seconds of weightlessness!
Height Requirement: To ride Mako you must be 54″ in height.
Best Time to Ride: Mako does gain a wait since it is one of the most popular attractions at SeaWorld. It is best to ride it early on or (if the park is open) late at night. The graph below shows the average wait time for Mako. During slower days at the park and/or the off-season, Mako will not have a wait through most of the day thanks to its high-capacity.
Manta
Glide like a Manta Ray when you ride the only flying roller coaster of its kind in Florida. A Bolliger & Mabillard-built roller coaster, the queue features exclusive aquariums and a custom soundtrack made just for the ride. The ride is located right at the main entrance at SeaWorld and will be the first roller coaster you see when entering the park.
Manta is known for the fly-by splash finale located right as you enter the park! It makes for a great photo opportunity and gives an great feeling while on-ride as well.
An intense experience, the flying coaster can pull off elements that no other coaster type in the World can, like the Pretzel Loop, an element riders traverse on both their back and stomach through, and can only be achieved on a flying coaster. Check out the POV video in the front row of this incredible roller coaster below!
Manta is 140 feet tall and hits a top speed of 56mph. It has a track length of 3,359 feet!
Height Requirement: To ride Manta you must be 54″ in height.
Best Time to Ride: Manta acquires a wait early on. It’s best to head to rides and attractions further back in the park if you aren’t the first one into the queue. Manta’s line will calm down throughout the day. A graph of average wait times for Manta can be seen below. Manta has a good capacity with a double-load station, but it is not always used to its full potential, causing long waits.
Looking for 10 tips to having the best day at SeaWorld? Check out our Top 10 SeaWorld Orlando Tips & Tricks list so you don’t miss any of the fun!
Be sure to check out our full guide to SeaWorld Orlando, featuring attraction reviews, tips, money-saving opportunities, and more.
