Antarctica - Empire of the Penguin

[GAcoaster]

I'm guessing it's because of the process to get people into the ride area. That two step pre-show was designed to acclimate guests to the colder, drier air with drying and cooling rooms. There may be a reason why they can't just bring people in to the ride that way. Also, I'd guess that the ride system is costly to maintain and they're looking to save money everywhere they can. It's a ride few will miss as long as they can go in and see the penguins.

 

[P@n!K_Sw1tC#]

The ride requires a ton of staff to operate and I’m sure that’s been factored into their decision to close it. Also gives them an excuse to do some maintenance on it.

 

[Bobharlem]

Is SeaWorld going to reopen the ride, or have they just given up on it?

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Is SeaWorld going to reopen the ride, or have they just given up on it?

It’s been long enough so might as say what I was told:

SeaWorld never properly plugged in the vehicles during COVID shut down and it destroyed the batteries of the ride vehicles. If the ride comes back they’d need to replace all the batteries.

 

[Magic Feather]

It’s been long enough so might as say what I was told:

SeaWorld never properly plugged in the vehicles during COVID shut down and it destroyed the batteries of the ride vehicles. If the ride comes back they’d need to replace all the batteries.

Damn. Rough but SeaWorld gonna SeaWorld. Kind of wonder if they would use the opportunity to replace the ride portion with a cheaper bus at bark ride of some sorts. Could be an easy filler for an off year. Besides, I doubt that those vehicle batteries are at all cheap to replace.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Damn. Rough but SeaWorld gonna SeaWorld. Kind of wonder if they would use the opportunity to replace the ride portion with a cheaper bus at bark ride of some sorts. Could be an easy filler for an off year. Besides, I doubt that those vehicle batteries are at all cheap to replace.

Honestly? The ride is not that long, they could totally just remove it and add another angle to the penguin viewing and make a cool new lead up to the attraction.

 

[OhHaiInternet95]

Time for a Theme Park Tourist “Disaster Files” on this ride.

 

[shiekra38]

It’s been long enough so might as say what I was told:

SeaWorld never properly plugged in the vehicles during COVID shut down and it destroyed the batteries of the ride vehicles. If the ride comes back they’d need to replace all the batteries.

OMG lol

I feel like the ride length is too short to put a busbar or omnimover in

It will probably just be shuttered forever

 

[JoeCamel]

OMG lol

I feel like the ride length is too short to put a busbar or omnimover in

It will probably just be shuttered forever

Make it a walk through

 

[UNIrd]

Another defunct SeaWorld Parks ride? Yikes.

I stood in line for this one last time not even realizing the ride wasn't working. It was the same pre-show and queue but then.. they just led you to the viewing area. I was like.... ".... There must be some mistake."

 

[shiekra38]

Make it a walk through

That's honestly what I was thinking

Add some information plaques and informational videos and you have a solid walkthrough experience

 

[Bobharlem]

Sure they could turn it into a walkthrough, but with this and Wild Artic being down is dare I say... lame and uncreative. SeaWorld needs a ride the whole family can do together, and as short as it was, Antarctica was the only one they had like this.

SeaWorld gained Infinity Falls and (IceBreaker) almost, but lost Antartica and Pets Ahoy, and Wild Artic's sim part is idle too. These types of things bug me at the parks for some reason. This Universal having multiple empty theaters now too.

 

[shiekra38]

Sure they could turn it into a walkthrough, but with this and Wild Artic being down is dare I say... lame and uncreative. SeaWorld needs a ride the whole family can do together, and as short as it was, Antarctica was the only one they had like this.

SeaWorld gained Infinity Falls and (IceBreaker) almost, but lost Antartica and Pets Ahoy, and Wild Artic's sim part is idle too. These types of things bug me at the parks for some reason. This Universal having multiple empty theaters now too.

SeaWorld Parks have never been particularly forgiving with dark rides

I don't mind animal walkthroughs and encounters, I think that's something fun everyone can do

Although, I will say I agree that their needs to be a family friendly dark ride like the Sesame one at Port Adventura or whatever

 

[ThemeParks4Life]

On the two rare occasions I've been to SeaWorld in the past five years, I've never been on this ride due to breakdowns. Would I like to ride it someday? Sure. Will I ever ride it? At this rate, probably not!

SeaWorld should just continue capitalizing on the coaster market for a few more years before attempting another family ride.

 

[Skipper Justin]

Seems like it will disappear quietly like they did with the Submarine ride.

 

[Cheezbat]

Seems like it will disappear quietly like they did with the Submarine ride.

That would be a major mistake. While they’re good at coasters, there really needs to be more dark rides/indoor attractions seeing as how they’re in the middle of theme park Mecca/humid Florida.

 

[Tobias]

It’s been long enough so might as say what I was told:

SeaWorld never properly plugged in the vehicles during COVID shut down and it destroyed the batteries of the ride vehicles. If the ride comes back they’d need to replace all the batteries.

I...ju...wow. Just when you think you've heard it all, that is a spectacular botch if true.

That would be a major mistake. While they’re good at coasters, there really needs to be more dark rides/indoor attractions seeing as how they’re in the middle of theme park Mecca/humid Florida.

I don't know why anyone would be wanting another dark ride from SW with the recent track record they've had with them...

- Antarctica, easily one of the biggest whiffs of a darkride in a long while with the massive hype it had. There was a lot of excitement for this, so the disappointment was pretty stunning, to say the least. (I know someone wanna' say "But Supercharged..." that had warning signs from HW that it wasn't gonna' be pretty, it was less hype and more false hope Orlando's was somehow gonna' be "better".)

- Journey to Atlantis's refurb that was somehow gonna' be related to Kraken: Unleashed, but there's honestly no real sign of that and the actual K:U is gone now so it's perpetually unfinished?

- Submarine Quest, a "dark ride" so bad it didn't even last a year. (An it was later outshined by an actual submarine dark ride done by...Legoland.)

This is not a good recent track record, to the point where one can say dark rides just are not SW's forte. You're better off hoping for a new indoor habitat or something as they've done much better with those.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

The only saving grace this thing has is if it gets the IP treatment.

 

[shiekra38]

Fun fact

Antarctica Ride is closed
Turtle Trek's theater was on loop, now closed
San Diego's Submarine sh*t show is now closed

This all was an interesting era for them

Since then they've re-corrected course, we've gotten

Sesame Land, Infinity Falls, Texas Stingray Roadhouse Coaster, Ice Breaker (kinda), Mako, Emperor (kinda), Tidal Twister, and Electric Eel

Bottom line, we're better than we were and the investments in the last few years have been some of the strongest

Good riddance Antarctica

 

[SailwiththeTide]

Sorry but Tidal Twister is clearly in the Sh*t show category

Fun fact

Antarctica Ride is closed
Turtle Trek's theater was on loop, now closed
San Diego's Submarine sh*t show is now closed

This all was an interesting era for them

Since then they've re-corrected course, we've gotten

Sesame Land, Infinity Falls, Texas Stingray Roadhouse Coaster, Ice Breaker (kinda), Mako, Emperor (kinda), Tidal Twister, and Electric Eel

Bottom line, we're better than we were and the investments in the last few years have been some of the strongest

Good riddance Antarctica