Manta Roller CoasterSeaWorld Orlando's new Manta ride lets you fly like a bird!In the slideshow above, you're viewing pictures of the new Manta roller coaster at Sea World in Orlando, Florida. In fact, it's so new that it just opened last May! You'll also see pictures of the beautiful Manta aquarium, located beneath the ride. On this page, you'll discover some fun facts about this fascinating thrill ride. Manta is a "flying" style roller coaster!If you've ever wanted to fly like a bird, Manta will give you a similar feeling
Is it a bird?Is it a plane? No, it's YOU...if you choose to ride the new Manta roller coaster at Sea World Orlando! Why will you be soaring? Because Manta is a "flying" roller coaster! You'll ride in seats especially designed to keep you safe and secure---because the floor drops down and the cars tilt you into HEAD FIRST position! Before you even leave the station, you'll be lying on your tummy! You'll descend Manta's tall hills with your head towards the ground! And, at other times, you'll be lying on your back as Manta twists and turns. Is it fun? Yes! 
Why water? Why a lagoon?Because, as you already know, the graceful aquatic animals known as manta rays live in the water. The Manta roller coaster is named after manta rays...and the movements of this new thrill ride are planned to mimic the underwater "flying" movements that manta rays make! At times, the Manta coaster will soar into the skies... ...but at other times, this much-awaited ride will plunge towards earth---and fly so low that it nearly skims across the surface of the lagoon! Not only will you be able to enjoy a fun thrill ride when you board the Manta roller coaster, you'll also get to view beautiful manta rays. Great care has been taken to include fun and educational exhibits in and around the Manta ride building and lagoon. If you find yourself heading over to the Manta touch tank (not far from the ride) after leaving the roller coaster, you won't be the only one who wanted to spend more time with these animals after viewing the aquarium! 
What can you do at the manta ray touch tank?After riding the ride, you'll have great fun at the touch tank, if you like. The touch tank features several dozen rays in a short, open-topped tank that makes it easy for visitors to view these beautiful creatures close-up. You can gently pet the manta rays as they swim by. Or, for even more fun, you can purchase a tray of Manta food (which will be either fish, squid or shrimp.) Feeding the mantas is different from feeding Sea World's dolphins because you can't see the rays' mouths. The mouth is on the bottom side of the animal. When you hand a ray its food, you can't really see him eating it. It feels like the food is being sucked up out of your hand! It's really fun...and, in my opinion, it's well worth the $5 spent on a tray of food so that you can enjoy feeding them. What do the mantas in SeaWorld's touch tank eat? In your tray, you may find either raw fish, raw shrimp or raw squid. OK, so they're squishy to touch; it's STILL really fun feeding the manta rays! Manta Roller Coaster Fun Facts
How tall is the Manta roller coaster?The Manta coaster is 140 feet tall (with a 113 foot actual drop.) This height does not make it the tallest thrill ride at the park. That honor belongs to the Kraken roller coaster, another fun ride you won't want to miss. (If you'd like to see pictures of Kraken, please visit the Kraken Roller Coaster page of this website.) The fact that Manta isn't as tall as Kraken does not make it any less fun. It's a completely different type of roller coaster, so comparing it to Kraken would be like comparing an apple to an orange. Are they both good? YES--try them BOTH! The fun you'll have on the Manta "flying" coaster is being in an unusual riding position which makes you feel like you're soaring! 
How long is the Manta roller coaster ride?You'll be enjoying your voyage of flying through the skies for just over 2 1/2 minutes! You'll cover over 3,300 feet of track during your flight. How fast does the Manta coaster go? You'll be sailing along at speeds up to 56 MPH. This is not quite as fast as the Kraken coaster, which zooms at speeds up to 65 MPH. But...it may feel just as fast to you, since riding head-first will give you a greater sense of involvement with the ride's actions. Is the Manta roller coaster be smooth? Manta is a very smooth roller coaster (not at all jerky.) It is even smoother than Kraken. You still have to take precautions if you have neck and/or back trouble; but by comparison to other coasters, Manta is far less prone to sudden sharp movements.
|
The Manta Coaster also has an aquarium!
