originally posted on 11/17/2025
Photo: courtesy SeaWorld San Antonio. View full-sized image.
It is unmistakable that Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M) and United Parks and Resorts have become close partners. The chain includes both Busch Gardens parks and the three SeaWorlds in the U.S.
Things began in 1993 with the arrival of Kumba at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (Florida). Since then, B&M has provided the major coaster installations at those parks: SheiKra, Montu and Kumba — Busch Gardens Tampa Bay; Alpengeist, Apollo’s Chariot and Griffon — Busch Gardens Williamsburg (Virginia); Kraken, Mako, Manta and Pipeline — SeaWorld Orlando (Florida); Emperor — SeaWorld San Diego (California); and Great White — SeaWorld San Antonio (Texas). For high-profile attractions, B&M had a reputation for operational reliability.
In recent years, United Parks has turned to the Swiss manufacturer for a different genre of rides: family coasters. The Tampa theme park opened Phoenix Rising (family inverted) last year, and SeaWorld Orlando opened Penguin Trek (family sit-down). For 2025, the Virginia park debuted Big Bad Wolf: The Wolf’s Revenge (family inverted). Now, a third family inverted coaster has been purchased for the Texas park. It is called Barracuda Strike.
The coaster is a more thrilling follow-up to the park’s new-for-2025 Beach Rescue, also a family coaster (Zierer). Of the three family inverted installations in the chain, Barracuda Strike will be the tallest (90 feet). Its track length is similar to that of Phoenix Rising in Tampa, here at 1,800 feet. With two lifts, the Wolf can claim rights to the tallest of the three.
Photos: Xander Lee. View full-sized image.
View full-sized image.
Photo: Xander Lee. View full-sized image.
The ride is custom for the park, although an exact layout hasn’t been provided. Barracuda Strike will take advantage of its topical site by soaring riders into a tight turn over the water of the park’s ski lake. Although it won’t sprawl over the water’s surface as the neighboring Wave Breaker (Intamin) does, the strong forces and nothing under the rider’s feet should make for solid thrills.
A portion of the park's ski lake has been drained so that concrete footers can be poured, allowing riders to soar over the water.
Photo: Xander Lee. View full-sized image.
Another attribute is its spectator appeal as it flies over the pathway and intersects with the towering supports of Steel Eel (Morgan).
Barracuda Strike’s top speed is engineered to be 44 mph. There are no inversions, just like its cousins.
SeaWorld San Antonio has put in three notable rides in as many years, intentionally aimed at families. This mindset continues to be a successful trend in the industry, and the ride manufacturers have provided the goods for parks globally.
This will be SeaWorld San Antonio’s seventh coaster and second inverted from B&M.
Of note: Barracuda Strike is the sixth coaster expected to debut in Texas next year, joining Tormenta Rampaging Run (B&M giga-dive) at Six Flags Over Texas (Arlington); two family coasters at Universal Kids (Frisco), Jurassic World: Cretaceous Coaster (Mack) and Rhonda’s Trollfest Express (Zierer); and two thrill coasters at COTALand (Austin), Circuit Breaker (Vekoma tilt coaster, now in previews) and Palindrome (Gerstlauer shuttle).
— Tim Baldwin, ACE News
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