Manta

[peaches magee]

Our Six Flags is DC Comic mania! We have Batman, Riddler, and Superman. But now we're back on topic...

So lucky! I wish IOA had DC... and could have the Batman and Superman rides... Love DC :thumbs:

 

[RocknGuitar]

Yeah, Super Hero Island would be cool with DC characters. Instead of Spiderman, it would be Batman, and instead of Hulk it would be Superman, and Storm Force could be Flash!

 

[FGCUSabre]

its funny...cause probably about 50% of the people like DC and 50% like marvel. There really is no way for universal to win the argument about whom is a better comic.

 

[NickC]

There's a semi-announcement here:

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/business_tourism_aviation/2008/04/new-seaworld-or.html

 

[FGCUSabre]

The ride will be part thrill ride and part animal attraction — combining those elements for the pre-show queue line, the ride itself and the-post-show

The coaster is set to open some time in 2009. No cost estimates were announced.

"What it’s going to be is the next generation SeaWorld attraction," Couceiro said. "What we do well is connect the world with the sea, presenting marine life in totally different perspectives. Also what we do well is put the guest in the midst of that. This is the next generation of that."

He and other officials were reluctant to call the ride a roller coaster, though they said it would have roller coaster components. They said the attraction will combine entertainment with education about marine life.

"It’s going to have animal components, marine life components. It will have a very unique, state-of-the-art ride, a roller coaster if you will, that will provide a sensation of gliding," Couceiro said. "And the combination of the animals and the ride is what makes it special."

SeaWorld began clearing land for construction this winter. The ride will go into the area formerly occupied by a flamingo habitat exhibit, a backyard habitat exhibit, other small exhibits and a gift shop.

Just some interesting peices from the article. So it is Not a Coaster - is that like Not-a-Zoo??? lol. Hmm..maybe is is a slow moving coaster...kinda like a live action soain?

I am also intested to see how the que and exit are worked into this attraction. I am excited after seeing those details.

No clue how I missed that in my news search today! Thanks for posting!

PS - Remember the public conference is tomm at 10 am - so keep an ear out for news!

 

[Brian G.]

Was there twice this week, didn't see much construction work going on. Just dirt.

 

[FGCUSabre]

From Screamscape - a bit of a clarrification to previous reports saying - it was not a coaster....

Confirmed - (4/8/08) While I was in Orlando late last week the Orlando Sentinel confirmed the rumors we’ve been covering for months that the 2009 project under construction at the park would include “a very unique, state-of-the-art ride, a roller coaster if you will, that will provide a sensation of gliding,” according to SeaWorld’s Joseph Couceiro (BEC’s VP Sales & Marketing). While the other officials at SeaWorld were “reluctant to call the ride a roller coaster” I decided to ask Mark Rose, the VP of Design and Engineering at Busch Gardens Africa about it the very next morning at the Media event for Jungala during my interview time with him.
Since Mark Rose has been involved with the creation of all of Tampa’s beautiful B&M coasters I figured I’d mention the Sentinel article to see if he had anything else to add. Right off the bat he confirmed to Screamscape that it would be a B&M coaster and that it would be a “Flying” style design themed as a “Sting Ray” that would feature the experience of “gliding over the water”. When I asked if it might feature Dive Machine gauge track or extra wide (8 or 10 across) seating, he said that those design aspects had not yet been finalized. He also confirmed what was reported in the Sentinel, that the project would also include themed animal habitats not only in the surrounding area, but possibly in the ride’s queue as well. Meanwhile Dan Brown (VP of Aquatica) briefly mentioned the project at the opening of Aquatica on Friday morning and mentioned that the official press release with all the details would be coming in about a month so stay tuned!

 

[d a n n y]

I'm pretty excited for this. Flyers are great and there are no elaborately themed ones in the US yet (not sure about Borg, Patchman? PATCHMAN?)

 

[FGCUSabre]

patchman is busy with a pocketful of batteries...it is best to just not and not ask any questions...

 

[The Patchman]

Borg had some fantastic theming. The theme was that carowinds built a new coaster and the borg ball crashed by it, and assimilated the roller coaster. They had a borg ball, green lights and borg noises on the lift hill.

Unfortunately that has all been stripped this year, due to paramount leaving.

 

[kirby_is_kyaan]

but none were as bad as gwazi at BGA.

I STILL don't get why everyone finds the ride to be so bad. It seemed only a little rough to me. :shrug:

roughest coaster ever is the georgia cyclone.

AGREED 100%! That thing was crazy.

Our Six Flags is DC Comic mania!

What you mean to say is "Our Six Flags has exactly 9999999999 coasters, since that's the only way Magic Mountain can hope to keep up." Seriously, you have more than SFOG! :yikes:

Okay, to make this post at least partially useful, I seriously have no clue what to expect from this announcement. Part thrill ride, part animal attraction? Wha? If done right, this could be a huge thing to go in the wake of Universal's announcement, Busch Gardens creating Jungala, and the opening of Aquatica, but Disney has yet to make some massive announcement

 

[NickC]

There was some concept art posted here:

http://www.thedibb.co.uk/seaworld-manta.php

 

[d a n n y]

That looks great!:rep:

 

[FGCUSabre]

(4/21/08) The big news over the past 24 hours was the discovery of artwork for Manta on a UK Disney info site called TheDibb.co.uk. The artwork in question shows off a normal B&M Flying train design (4-across), with the addition of a lead zero-car themed to look like one of a few different Ray species. The layout really isn’t clear as each of the three pieces of artwork show off an area of track where the coaster pulls a tight sideways turn over the water, dipping a wing-tip down to create a very cool looking splash-wave.

However, it’s also clear that Busch wasn’t entirely sure what color they wanted to use on Manta either as each of the three pieces of artwork shows off the track in a different color. The first seems to use Apollo’s Chariot Purple, the second uses Kraken Teal and the third shows off an Alpengeist White track color.

As for the layout… while I said you couldn’t see much, I can see what appears to be the bottom of a large Pretzel Loop in the upper left corner and of course just after the splash effect you can see what looks like a B&M flat-spin (corkscrew). For those who have never seen a B&M Flyer in person, I’ve added a picture I stitched together from a few shots I took at Six Flags over Georgia showing off that park’s B&M Flyer and it’s Pretzel Loop. In Manta’s case, I think we’re viewing the Pretzel Loop from the backside.

Now - the website has already been removed - http://www.thedibb.co.uk/seaworld-manta.php so if you know where to find the pics - please feel free to share a link where to find them!

 

[FGCUSabre]

FYI Pics can be found over at http://ioacentral.com/other_parks/seaworld_orlando/manta_concept_art/index.htm

The concept art looks very very cool!!!

 

[FGCUSabre]

The pics at IOA are gone and sources tell us to expect the official announcement for Manta to take place sometime around May 30th.

 

[The Patchman]

2009 - Manta - Confirmed - (5/29/08) It’s official... SeaWorld has just announced Manta as the official name for their new B&M Flying Coaster and the anchor for a new animal exhibit. To quote the press release, Manta is “a new mega-attraction which will seamlessly transition guests from the awe of encountering rays in underwater flight. into the sensation of actually being one.”
The Manta flying coaster will create a new level of immersion into the animal world -- in a way only SeaWorld can do -- enveloping riders in a sensation of oneness with the ocean's most powerful and graceful creature as they soar, dive and plummet through the air.. and at times within inches of the sea.
The journey begins the second guests enter a mythical village filled with artisan-created engravings and artwork that celebrate ray legend and lore. No ordinary queue line - the attraction starts with the first step inside. Anticipation builds as guests wind through caverns adorned with ray-inspired art in marble, jewels, and mosaics, all hand-created and left behind by artists who were moved to pay tribute to the beauty, grace and intrigue of these animals.
Whether guests choose to ride or not, the attraction is a world unto itself. Floor-to-ceiling windows create mesmerizing face-to-fin encounters with 300 rays, as well as thousands of fish and mysterious creatures native to oceans all over the world. Shark rays, spotted eagles rays, leopard rays, cownose rays, and oscillate river rays float past guests with fluidity and grace in a view new to SeaWorld. Enhancing the feeling of awe, elaborate lighting, sound and rushing waterfalls further submerge guests into this underwater universe.
The experience then evolves from seeing ... to being.
Inspired by the underwater flight of these powerful creatures, guests will fly face-down, in a horizontal position, underneath the belly of a coaster train shaped as a giant manta. With a wing span of 12 feet, the giant manta will soar over sea and sky in the most graceful flying coaster ever created.
Gliding, swooping and diving up to nearly 60 mph, through four inversions on 3,359 feet of track, riders will feel as if they are a ray, taking flight effortlessly from sky to sea -- so close at times that the Manta's wings skim the waves.
The 4-acre, 140-ft tall attraction will be located inside the main entrance to SeaWorld, and become an icon in the park with its unique design. Towering over SeaWorld's 200-acres, the manta-themed coaster - cloaked in hues of dark purple, ultramarine blue, and cobalt - will lure guests into the world of the mysterious ray.

finally!

 

[tiredoldspook]

Yes Manta looks like Superman at SFOG. I like going over the water very cool. I wish it would have gone in the back near the other rides.

 

[RocknGuitar]

woah, that looks very very cool. I wish we had something like that. The closest thing we have to that is Tatsu.

 

[kirby_is_kyaan]

Wow, this looks really cool. Maybe a trip there will be necessary in the future....