SeaWorld Orlando gave the public its first glance at the lead car for its upcoming Penguin Trek roller coaster on Tuesday. The unveiling was held during IAAPA Expo, which is now underway at Orange County Convention Center.
The design, as previously announced, is snowmobile-inspired.
“This is the lead car. It’s a snowmobile. You’re in Antarctica. And it’s all in the details upfront. The ski with a spring has nothing to do with the ride; it’s just a detail,” Rob McNicholas, vice president of operations at SeaWorld Orlando, said Tuesday during the annual gathering of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions.
Penguin Trek’s car is an icy blue with tan, aqua and black accents. The rail for the ride will be white.
There will be a 42-inch height requirement for the ride, scheduled to open in the spring. The trains, which will seat 18 passengers apiece, will come with over-the-head lap restraints.
“The good thing is it’s very comfortable. You feel free up top, so you can kind of compare it to [fellow SeaWorld coaster] Mako in that regards,” McNicholas said.
“This is a grown-up coaster a kid can ride,” he said.
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Penguin Trek will be an indoor-outdoor coaster that repurposes the former Empire of the Penguin attraction at SeaWorld. It will top out at 43 mph and have a finale that includes actual penguins.
The car was on display at the booth for designer Bolliger & Mabillard, which was also responsible for the look of Pipeline, the surfboard-inspired coaster that debuted at SeaWorld Orlando earlier this year.
Other ride vehicles on display at IAAPA Expo include one that looks like a gravy boat for Good Gravy, a coaster opening at Holiday World in Indiana next year, and a Hot Wheels car for the Twin Mill Racer at Arizona’s upcoming Mattel Adventure Park.
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