Kraken Unleashed

[MakoMania]

Mako's queue builds up massively after a show ends at Shamu Stadium.

 

[cwgator]

Um..yeah...not happening today as expected...lol Mind you everything outdoors has been shut down at least the last 30 minutes with storms in the area.

 

[anihilnation]

Did Kraken again yesterday, two times. First time was right at park opening, experience was odd since the VR was off-center and it got worse during the right, as at the end the center was completely to left, and in the VR I was thus sitting facing the right of the submarine. It is quite odd riding it like this, though of course I like freaky experiences lol.
After riding it, I got a VQ ticket for later, wait at the board said 90 minutes. Went back when it was my time and there was no actually queue, walked straight up the gates, they were just loading the train and so I just had to wait for it to return. VR was perfect this time.
They were just running one train again, but since there was no actual wait (at least for me) I think they deliberately over-exaggerate the VQ waits.
This time I strapped my headset very tight and there was no trouble with it flying off, it is much more enjoyable when you don't have to hold onto your goggles.

 

[Brian G.]

Finally got our video!

 

[Kraken&Manta]

If it wasn't obvious, I quite liked Kraken prior to this renovation . So now that I've been on both this and Fallon, to have a base comparison of the who virtual queue silliness, I'd thought I'd give my thoughts:

Viewing the ride as just an entity in a void, it's done well. The entrance is nice, the queue is fine (Not Like it was anything to write home about before...), the VR is surprisingly good, and the ride felt great. The problem, which I guess we all knew would be a problem, is the whole system surrounding the ride. Spot saver was horrible compared to Fallon's virtual queuing system, which I didn't particularly love either. They shouldn't have spot saver active in the early morning or just give the option to save a spot before the ride opens at 10. It would be awesome if you could use the SeaWorld app instead of a website, Fallon got that right. Loading is slow, as expected, but not as bad as I thought it would be... And while the VR is done very well, I just don't care to try it a second time because it felt more like a simulator than an actual coaster.

Overall, the whole thing just feels like a hassle now that I really can't be bothered to deal with. :shrug: So a staple of any SeaWorld trip is now something I'll only venture to in dead seasons.

But how about that Dolphin Nursery? Loved it! 10/10!

 

[UNIrd]

Thanks for the review! When did you reserve vs when did you get to ride?

 

[Kraken&Manta]

Thanks for the review! When did you reserve vs when did you get to ride?

Only about fifteen or twenty minutes. I was on one of the first trains out.

 

[WAJAS]

Dispatches are now under 4 minutes, which is a great improvement from the original 8 minutes. Cred: Midway Mayhem on YouTube

 

[anihilnation]

Are they running two trains again?

 

[UNIrd]

Can they? Wouldn't the other train just be baking in the sun for 4-5 minutes while the other one dispatches?

 

[WAJAS]

Can they? Wouldn't the other train just be baking in the sun for 4-5 minutes while the other one dispatches?

It'd be baking for about 1 to 1.5 minutes, which isn't that bad. It is more efficient to have that train wait than only have one train because then there is always a train loading/unloading.

 

[anihilnation]

On opening day they were running two, though due to some technical difficulties the one train ran empty for quite a while, then they suddenly started using it again.

 

[UNIrd]

I got so nauseous on this, I thought I was going to barf. I literally was like heavy breathing for 5 straight minutes after it was over before I got my cool back.

VR coasters are not for me.

 

[Alicia]

I got so nauseous on this, I thought I was going to barf. I literally was like heavy breathing for 5 straight minutes after it was over before I got my cool back.

VR coasters are not for me.

Right there with ya. And I once rode Forbidden Journey 8 times back to back through the single rider line no problem.

 

[UNIrd]

Right there with ya. And I once rode Forbidden Journey 8 times back to back through the single rider line no problem.

You're better than me. Most I've done FJ was 3 times back to back before the cold sweats started.

 

[Alicia]

You're better than me. Most I've done FJ was 3 times back to back before the cold sweats started.

I was trying to figure out how it all worked the first month it opened. Was so fascinating.

 

[anihilnation]

I got so nauseous on this, I thought I was going to barf. I literally was like heavy breathing for 5 straight minutes after it was over before I got my cool back.

VR coasters are not for me.

I love it, though fully understand many might not like it, as the experience is quite different from rides using screens. I think the absolute lack of real world visual reference makes it very intense.

Anyway, went Saturday and they were running two trains without problems. VQ was perfect, and there was no wait once inside the actual queue. First ride of the day, my helmet was not working, I thought the image would come on but nope, train left and nothing, so I took the headset off, I was on the front row anyway, so it was nice to be without it. I was allowed to re-ride, again, as I put the headset on there was no image, I asked my daughter if she had image (first time, she had no image either, and I think the two guys on the front row with us had no image either) and she did, so I awkwardly say: "hello, I have no image", and an attendant got it working. It is awkward when something does not work, as you can't see anything and you don't know where anything is.

On a side-note, some of the headsets look a tad weathered already. The one I had first did not hug the face properly and you could see light from the outside peeping through.

 

[cwgator]

They are currently running Kraken without the VR attached with one train ops. Hopefully this is a sign they are giving up on the VR and reverting back to normal operations. I'm assuming they removed VR off one recently and are in the process of removing it from the others. This way at least the ride is open. Of course there is the chance they may be reworking some things and will be some time before it comes back while they work the kinks out. I hope it's just gone personally.

This was reported by In The Loop. Here is a screenshot:

 

[shiekra38]

They are currently running Kraken without the VR attached with one train ops. Hopefully this is a sign they are giving up on the VR and reverting back to normal operations. I'm assuming they removed VR off one recently and are in the process of removing it from the others. This way at least the ride is open. Of course there is the chance they may be reworking some things and will be some time before it comes back while they work the kinks out. I hope it's just gone personally.

This was reported by In The Loop. Here is a screenshot:
View attachment 5963

Even Six Flags was successful at VR....They just can't win can they?

 

[Tobias]

Even Six Flags was successful at VR....They just can't win can they?

I don't know, considering how VR on coasters/pre-existing attractions comes off nothing more then just a gimmick that hinders operations, I'd say it's more of a benefit if they remove it.

Unless a park does something like the Void (which is bar none the best use of the technology so far), they're just wasting time, money and resources to force it onto something where quite honestly you're not getting the most out of the tech. (Fancy that, not getting the most out of the tech at SWO...)