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Penguin Trek (2024)

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They have been doing small updates and changes to animal exhibits and habitats over the past year or two that have been positive moves to reinforce their original sea life focus. Things like the introduction of the hammerhead sharks to the shark encounter:

Overall they are trying to diversify, but they understand that the animals are still a big part of the draw to the parks.

I think this particular addition will bring life back to the penguin exhibit that has been missing since the old ride closed, and I think it's a positive addition to the park.

I saw a lot of complaints about how passholders with little kids don't think a 42" height requirement is "family friendly" but there is an array of rides in Sesame that are already filling that roll. I still think the next addition will be at the Wild Arctic building and (hopefully) be a Sesame dark ride, assuming that any exclusivity contract for Port Aventura has lapsed (it will be 5 years in 2024). We'll see...
Honestly the 42" is what they need. There is plenty for the under 42" crowd in sesame street, but when you outgrow that there is only water rides. My poor son complains every single time we don't take him on infinity because it is the only "ride" for him. But I do not want to get wet every single trip to SW. So I think 42" gives thrills, but hits that middle crowd. Getting ice breaker finally lowered to 48" also was a big win because when you are 48" you need more than water rides. Personally I feel they need this more than a dark ride.
 
Honestly the 42" is what they need. There is plenty for the under 42" crowd in sesame street, but when you outgrow that there is only water rides. My poor son complains every single time we don't take him on infinity because it is the only "ride" for him. But I do not want to get wet every single trip to SW. So I think 42" gives thrills, but hits that middle crowd. Getting ice breaker finally lowered to 48" also was a big win because when you are 48" you need more than water rides. Personally I feel they need this more than a dark ride.
Agreed, 42" is pretty noteworthy when it comes to family coasters as there's plenty of places like the Cedar Fair parks which'll have their family coasters at 48". Best example is Jaguar!, which is the same height requirement as almost all the other big coasters in Knott's.
 
Agreed, 42" is pretty noteworthy when it comes to family coasters as there's plenty of places like the Cedar Fair parks which'll have their family coasters at 48". Best example is Jaguar!, which is the same height requirement as almost all the other big coasters in Knott's.
Agreed. One of the reasons we go back to Dollywood year after year is there is something for all my kids. Eagle is an amazing coaster and only 50" so my kids can experience a huge steel coaster 4" before they can do anything major at sea world. They also have 39" coasters that are perfect for my son, but keep our interest as they are decent coasters. Other parks are one and done because they don't have the range of coasters needed for a family with a range of aged kids. It is either too childish and the oldest gets bored or to extreme and the youngest gets bored. So I think Sea World is on the right track with the 42". I get as adults we want a good dark ride, but this was a need that needed filled much more than a dark ride. One of the reasons we are dropping Sea World is my son just gets bored there when I don't want to get wet.
 
Here's a couple from ground level I took today:


I didn't realize until I saw it in person that it will actually go onto the hillside of Sealion & Otter Stadium. It's nice to see they really got something custom to fit the location like they did under Busch ownership instead of cheaping out like Six Flags.
 
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Here's a couple from ground level I took today:


I didn't realize until I saw it in person that it will actually go onto the hillside of Sealion & Otter Stadium. It's nice to see they really got something custom to fit the location like they did under Busch ownership instead of cheaping out like Six Flags.


I just hope they bring back some decent landscaping back there. Pipeline and Ice Breaker did nothing for the park from an aesthetics-perspective unfortunately.

Though I'd imagine all we're getting is white gravel.
 
It’s good to see them adding something over nothing, and putting the trackless debacle behind them, but I’m pretty underwhelmed by the parade of family (aka cheap) B&Ms that are getting added to all of the Busch parks. It feels like it’s going to be 2026-27 before any of them add a substantive that a coasterphile would want.
 
It’s good to see them adding something over nothing, and putting the trackless debacle behind them, but I’m pretty underwhelmed by the parade of family (aka cheap) B&Ms that are getting added to all of the Busch parks. It feels like it’s going to be 2026-27 before any of them add a substantive that a coasterphile would want.
Well, a family coaster has been needed for a very long time that didn't invert and has a 54" height requirement.
 
It’s good to see them adding something over nothing, and putting the trackless debacle behind them, but I’m pretty underwhelmed by the parade of family (aka cheap) B&Ms that are getting added to all of the Busch parks. It feels like it’s going to be 2026-27 before any of them add a substantive that a coasterphile would want.
I am not sure why you can say this. SW has ZERO family coasters right now. One is a Kiddie on (Grover), Ice Breaker is 48" which honestly is the closest to family, but 48" isn't normally considered family. All other coasters are 54". The only family rides they have are water rides. So if you do not want to get wet you are out of luck. This fills a HUGE need at SW.

They have added Pipeline just this season, so it isn't like we haven't gotten a non-family coaster in forever.
 
SeaWorld has a solid base of thrill rides (same with Busch), they just need to work on family experiences now... especially indoor ones.
I am hoping for an indoor one next. Hopefully replacing Arctic now that they don't use that ride anymore and the polar bears are gone. I think they could re-do while still keeping some of the animals in there and make a good dark ride of some sort.
 
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