SeaWorld Orlando has recently announced that it is building a new hypercoaster that will be the tallest, fastest and longest ever in Florida.
Named Mako, the new attraction is inspired by mako sharks, also called “blue pointers”, the fastest of all species of sharks in the world and known for making extreme jumps and the ability of quickly change course when they are hunting for food.
The new hypercoaster will feature a 4,760-foot of steel track with a drop from 200 feet and top speed of 73 mph and the ride vehicles will hold 28 people in rows of four, riding backstage. According to SeaWorld, there will be no upside down elements and the ride has been engineered to create a feeling of weightlessness or “air time”. ‘It will be a wild mix of fear, thrills and fun’, the company says.
The new ride will be the centerpiece of a new shipwreck-themed two-acre area within the park to be called Sharks Realm that will also include Shark Encounter, Sharks Underwater Grill, gift shops and educational experiences featuring sharks. Guests will learn about the impact humans are having on sharks and why these animals are important to the environment.
A unique sound system will be used to enhance the experience. Custom surround effects and music will fill the realm, changing as the coaster dives through the area.
At night, special colored light effects will even further boost the customer experience, simulating fish being scattered by a mako on the hunt.
The new ride is being manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard, a company that has built multiple scream machines at Cedar Point in Sandusky, as well as SeaWorld’s Kraken and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay’s SheiKra.
Mako is set to debut in the summer of 2016. However, its reign as the tallest ride in Orlando could be brief as Skyscraper, designed to be 500 feet tall, is scheduled to open at International Drive in 2017.