originally posted on 10/14/2022 1:27:00 AM
Image: Courtesy of SeaWorld. View full-sized image.
SeaWorld San Diego (California) recently announced that it is building a cool new addition to its roller coaster collection for 2023. After opening Emperor in 2022, the park is expanding with Arctic Rescue, a family adventure launched straddle coaster by Intamin.
Guests will board the two-across snowmobile-themed vehicles and make a 180-degree turn leading to the first of three launches. The first launch will propel the 16-passenger trains out of the building that housed the Wild Arctic flight simulator into a series of twists and turns, reaching a height of 30 feet. After the initial launch of 34 mph, two more boosts will follow, one accelerating the train to 38 mph and then a third boost resulting in the ride’s top speed of 40 mph.
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The entire adventure along the 2,800 feet of blue track will take about two minutes to complete. Similar in style, but with a completely different track layout from Wave Breaker: The Rescue Coaster at SeaWorld San Antonio (Texas), Arctic Rescue will be about 200 feet longer but only half the height. To add to the excitement, the feeling of riding on a speeding snowmobile will be accentuated by the coaster’s low-lying trackage and twisting layout.
Arctic Rescue has the same height requirement as Manta and Tidal Twister, so SeaWorld San Diego visitors who are 48 inches or taller will now have even more of a challenge deciding which adventure to take on first. On the other side of the country, Busch Gardens Williamsburg also recently announced an Intamin straddle coaster with snowmobile trains named DarKoaster. Besides Arctic Rescue having a longer track layout, the themes for these two attractions will be very different. Keeping SeaWorld’s important conservation and rescue priorities front and center, Arctic Rescue will invite those brave enough to join the team on a rescue mission to save the Arctic animals who are in peril. In addition to the ice melting and homes disappearing because of global warming, poachers are lurking and it’s up to thrill seekers to save the day.
Track was brought in for the media announcement.
Photo: Derek Perry. View full-sized image.
After feeling the rush of excitement and dismounting the snowmobile, the animals of the Wild Arctic await. Once disembarked, SeaWorld guests will be able to continue their experience, having a sense of accomplishment of bringing awareness to animals in need and experiencing SeaWorld San Diego’s newest roller coaster as they encounter beluga whales, walruses and harbor seals. With SeaWorld San Diego’s commitment to animal rescue and providing roller coaster enthusiasts with multiple reasons to visit, nobody should be giving the park and its new Arctic Rescue the cold shoulder.
— Derek Perry, ACE Communications Director and ACE Pacific Southwest Assistant Regional Representative
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