We’re on SeaWorld’s new surf coaster

In the format of a board, the trolleys reach 96km/h and are 33 meters high and simulate the sensation of sliding on a giant wave

“That ramp up there reminded me a bit of Nazaré,” said Lucas Chumbo between laughs. Considered one of the best big wave surfers in the world, he was part of the group invited to experience first-hand the new roller coaster at SeaWorld in Orlando, the Pipeline: the Surf Coaster – and the VT extension he was there too! The surf-themed attraction is set to open to the public on May 27, but was unveiled to press and influencers on Thursday (18).

The lead comparison makes perfect sense. The famous Portuguese giant waves can exceed 30 meters in height, and the highest point of tubing it is exactly 33 meters. The difference is that, while surfers have already exceeded 75 km/h in Nazaré, the carts of the new attraction reach 96 km/h in Orlando. It’s even faster, with the security of being securely attached to an upright backrest.

That’s exactly what you read: instead of benches there are vertical backrests so you can ride the roller coaster standing up. The concept is not new, as there are already other “standing coasters” at Six Flags parks in the US – I had already come across the The Riddler’s Revenge in the California unit. However, there is something that differentiates the tubing of the others, which is the fact that the seatbacks move about 15-20 centimeters up and down on the way.

The very few times I’ve stepped on a board on the north coast of São Paulo (to say I’ve surfed would be an exaggeration) have been enough for me to know that this movement makes the experience of riding a roller coaster much closer to the sensation of actually sliding on a wave. Right on the first descent, which surfer Lucas Chumbo thought was similar to Nazaré, my feet detached themselves from the surfboard-shaped trolley for a few seconds. Then they stuck together so much to the point that my knees bent slightly, like I was maintaining stability on a real board.

These literal ups and downs repeated themselves several times along the way, and I soon realized I could control them: I only had to jump slightly if I wanted more time in the air and lower my weight when I wanted to hit the ground again. In addition to providing excitement every time I seemed to float on the toy, this possibility made the movements of the trolley seem more fluid, almost organic. The result is that the tubing it turns out to be much more fun than other stand-up roller coasters, which leave you stuck with your legs outstretched the entire time.

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There is only one moment where the passengers are actually upside down. Additionally, the trails are made up of curves, side slopes, uphills and downhills, including one that comes very close to a water source. For all these reasons, I believe the tubing it’s more like a leisurely roller coaster than an extreme one, especially when we compare it to its neighbors in the park Mako, Cover AND Krakenbut without ceasing to surprise and provide adrenaline.

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Adventurous children must face the newest attraction of the Seaworld OK, but you must meet the minimum height requirement of 1.37m. Due to the particularity of the backrests, there is also a maximum height limit of 1.98m to be able to board.

Here, it is worth making a warning to men. The backrests have a bar that is positioned between the legs and acts as a support for the body when the feet are suspended. It turns out that she can sometimes end up “squeezing” her lower parts, which is why some fellow journalists have complained. The advice to prevent this from happening is to position yourself comfortably before the seatbacks are locked.

In my case, I felt the jacket holding my chest to the seat tighten a little, but it didn’t have time to become uncomfortable. The 880 meters long runway is covered in just 50 seconds, this is the only possible flaw of the tubing: I left there feeling like I wanted more.

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If possible, try to get to the front to see the nose of the board and experience the sensation of the surf even more. But, no matter where you are, note that the floor of the board appears to have sand glued to paraffin, a small but very nice detail.

With the Pipeline: the Surf Coasterthe menu of the great roller coaster of Seaworld becomes even more diverse. She joins the icebreakerwith reverse throw, a Makoknown for its very high and almost vertical waterfalls, Coverwhich leaves visitors on their stomachs as if they were flying, ea Kraken, with seven inversions. In the following video, I show each of these park attractions:

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Source: Terra

Rose

Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.