Antarctica - Empire of the Penguin

[shiekra38]

I have always said Seaworld should just become Orlando's thrill park. I know people often say but that's just six flags or regional etc. ... but for us who live here, we can really use this and they will still drawn in tourists regardless. Focus on coasters and thrills, set a lower price point and tourists will still come, if anything if Seaworld seriously becomes Orlando's coaster capital it might even bring in more visitors, only thing is it will take some tourist visitors to BGT away. Since I don't drive, whenever I go to BGT I take the free shuttle, and well, those busses tend to be all full.

Universal is getting better and better at dark rides and seems to be interested in building more coasters

SeaWorld/Busch need to stay competitive by building one of kind coaster concepts and providing coasters Universal wont

Like I never see Universal working with RMC or building a Giga B&M

There is plenty of room in the coaster world

It does seem they are wanting to make Busch the "Thrill Capital" of Florida and SeaWorld the "Coaster Capital" of Orlando

 

[anihilnation]

Universal is getting better and better at dark rides and seems to be interested in building more coasters

SeaWorld/Busch need to stay competitive by building one of kind coaster concepts and providing coasters Universal wont

Like I never see Universal working with RMC or building a Giga B&M

As it stands Universal has the best coaster in Orlando with Velocicoaster, doubt Project Penguin will change this, so here's hoping that Seaworld's next project will be something that can outshine it.

 

[shiekra38]

As it stands Universal has the best coaster in Orlando with Velocicoaster, doubt Project Penguin will change this, so here's hoping that Seaworld's next project will be something that can outshine it.

If I were SeaWorld and Busch, I would push forward with concepts that Universal would more than likely never attempt

ahem, Giga

Penguin will be one of a kind which is its only interesting element atm...but we'll see how she rides

 

[OhHaiInternet95]

This is probably an unpopular opinion, but I've always felt a B&M hyper (not counting dive) and giga at the same park are a tad redundant.

 

[shiekra38]

This is probably an unpopular opinion, but I've always felt a hyper and giga at the same park done by the same company are somewhat redundant.

Agreed, I would like to see the Giga at BGT

 

[anihilnation]

This is probably an unpopular opinion, but I've always felt a B&M hyper (not counting dive) and giga at the same park are a tad redundant.

I'd love for SWO to get the tallest and fastest dive coaster!

 

[shiekra38]

I'd love for SWO to get the tallest and fastest dive coaster!

I like how you didn't say "B&M Dive Coaster"

 

[UNIrd]

It does seem they are wanting to make Busch the "Thrill Capital" of Florida and SeaWorld the "Coaster Capital" of Orlando

I've already seen marketing touting SeaWorld as just that. Interesting to see them go in that direction but it jives with what they're building.

 

[shiekra38]

I've already seen marketing touting SeaWorld as just that. Interesting to see them go in that direction but it jives with what they're building.

I still cling to the "From Wild Life to Wild Rides" days where animal encounters were integrated into the ride experiences

But then some clever documentarians discovered that SeaWorld tanks are indeed not the size of the Pacific Ocean...and everything broke

No we get more coasters without all the learning and appreciation of nature

On second thought, maybe the film wasn't so bad afterall

 

[Freak]

Sea World has finally been able to find its identity post-Blackfish era: thrills. This is perfect for SW in San Diego and San Antonio. The thing about SWO is that they are in a unique situation where they have two major parks within an hour of each other. If they go too hard in the thrill department, they may cannibalize BGT.

It seems like they are going to have to find that balance of being thrilling enough to be "the coaster capital of Orlando" but not too far on that spectrum to where BGT will go out of their way to visit SWO over BGT. In other words, I would bank on a giga coming to BGT moreso than SWO.

I do think the park could benefit from a decent family coaster such as Wave Breaker at SWSA and one more major coaster. Like sheikra38 said, I think SWO would do best to build coasters that UO would never build.

 

[shiekra38]

Sea World has finally been able to find its identity post-Blackfish era: thrills. This is perfect for SW in San Diego and San Antonio. The thing about SWO is that they are in a unique situation where they have two major parks within an hour of each other. If they go too hard in the thrill department, they may cannibalize BGT.

It seems like they are going to have to find that balance of being thrilling enough to be "the coaster capital of Orlando" but not too far on that spectrum to where BGT will go out of their way to visit SWO over BGT. In other words, I would bank on a giga coming to BGT moreso than SWO.

I do think the park could benefit from a decent family coaster such as Wave Breaker at SWSA and one more major coaster. Like sheikra38 said, I think SWO would do best to build coasters that UO would never build.

I agree, for years they've basically offered different experiences from each other and I don't see that changing really

For instance, SW won't get a B&M Dive or Invert, BGT wont get a B&M Hyper, etc

The closest is probably Kraken and Kumba, but even that is still different

In SeaWorld's case it's going from a marine animal park that happens to have coasters to a coaster park that happens to have marine animals

BGT on the other hand is continuing to build major coasters while just avoiding the animal enclosure aspect


And then there's BGW that has barely any animals and has been chugging along the whole time lol

 

[Thatguyoverwhere]

Some movement happening on Empire of the Penguin. Not sure if the park just has a cruel sense of humor and likes to tease us or if they're actually planning to bring the ride back online.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

I want to say I'm happy to see they're putting money into it and coming back... maybe I'm happy it's fixed?

 

[Disneyhead]

What was the project name for Infinity Falls?

 

[shiekra38]

Some movement happening on Empire of the Penguin. Not sure if the park just has a cruel sense of humor and likes to tease us or if they're actually planning to bring the ride back online.

There was a 50 minute line last week for the walking tour...where as with Shark Encounter you basically just walk in

You're basically queuing up to see a pre-show and an exhibit...I get that the pre-show is necessary for the temperature, but still

I have to imagine that some people are pissed thinking they were getting on the ride

Although not the best ride in the world, it's still a ride, and people remember it

The confusing wording outside the exhibit, plus the ride signage still being there is kind of a trick...and for what gain?

 

[Freak]

I really hope they get this ride up and running. Of course it's not the greatest ride ever by any means, but it's something the park DESPERATELY needs at this point: an indoor ride.

 

[shiekra38]

I really hope they get this ride up and running. Of course it's not the greatest ride ever by any means, but it's something the park DESPERATELY needs at this point: an indoor ride.

Having the ride and walking tour open greatly reduces both lines

People are back out on the midway faster

Also, Antarctica wins simply based on the fact that it's so dagum cold

 

[Thatguyoverwhere]

There was a 50 minute line last week for the walking tour...where as with Shark Encounter you basically just walk in

You're basically queuing up to see a pre-show and an exhibit...I get that the pre-show is necessary for the temperature, but still

I have to imagine that some people are pissed thinking they were getting on the ride

Although not the best ride in the world, it's still a ride, and people remember it

The confusing wording outside the exhibit, plus the ride signage still being there is kind of a trick...and for what gain?

Very true. From what I've seen, people remember this ride and still expect it to be there regardless of the fact that SeaWorld has tried to remove mentions of a ride existing. And people are annoyed that there isn't enough to do anymore with so many rides and shows closed post-covid. Even if it's not as good as something like Rise of the Resistance it's still a ride to keep people busy, not to mention it's a ride that people can ride when it rains and something for families and people who don't like coasters, all of which the park is sorely missing right now.

 

[shiekra38]

Very true. From what I've seen, people remember this ride and still expect it to be there regardless of the fact that SeaWorld has tried to remove mentions of a ride existing. And people are annoyed that there isn't enough to do anymore with so many rides and shows closed post-covid. Even if it's not as good as something like Rise of the Resistance it's still a ride to keep people busy, not to mention it's a ride that people can ride when it rains and something for families and people who don't like coasters, all of which the park is sorely missing right now.

An interesting concept with the wrong ride vehicle

I will say the beginning part where you're spinning around with the other cars is kind of entertaining

I wish they would have just taken the "Living Seas" approach with an omni

But whatevs, that team has largely been dismantled so something like Antarctica is likely to never happen again

 

[Thatguyoverwhere]

An interesting concept with the wrong ride vehicle

I will say the beginning part where you're spinning around with the other cars is kind of entertaining

I wish they would have just taken the "Living Seas" approach with an omni

But whatevs, that team has largely been dismantled so something like Antarctica is likely to never happen again

Oh interesting... like the whole creative design team at the company simply doesn't exist anymore? That would certainly explain the lack of... well, creative design in every new project after Brian Morrow's exit from the company, though it also throws some cold water on my hopes of oneday being on that team lol.

I do agree either the space on this ride could've better utilized the trackless vehicles or it could've fit in more show scenes with a traditional vehicle like those used in the Sally dark rides. But, like I said, I'll take this over no dark ride every day of the week and twice on Sunday. Until the company has its eventual epiphany that it needs to put actual effort and creativity into new projects I don't know if I even trust them to build a replacement for this, as it'd probably just end up being another unthemed roller coaster.