Specific Type: Inverted Coaster
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Over the past two decades, Busch Entertainment opened four Sea World parks, one in Orlando, San Diego, Ohio (now defunct) and Texas. Sea World San Antonio was the first Sea World park to open a roller coaster, and that roller coaster started a trend in other Sea World parks, specifically the one in Orlando. That coaster was Great White.
Great White opened to the public in 1997 near the back of the park. When it first opened, riders queued around a large shark tank. This was later removed because, unlike the B&M Flyer Manta at Sea World Orlando, it didn't have a line for people that wanted to see the sharks but not ride. The exhibit was later moved to the front of the park, near the dolphin exhibit Dolphin Cove. Great Whiteis a clone of Batman the Ride found at various Six Flags parks around the country. The ride stands at 100 feet tall above the midway, reaches speeds of 50 MPH, and inverts riders five times (two loops, a zero g roll, and two corkscrews) along its 2,562 foot course. It also pulls a very powerful 4 g's, more forceful than its’ Six Flags counterparts because of an added eighth car. Great White is colored in two shades of dark blue. The entrance to this sea monster is near the back of the park in its’ own little corner with Steel Eel and Texas Splashdown. Entering the attraction, you walk through the circular building that used to contain the Great White exhibit. Next is the loading platform. The trains are eight cars long with red harnesses and a white body. They are also seated below the track and have no floor, like a ski lift. After sitting down and attaching the restraint, the floor drops below you and the train slowly moves forward towards the lift. After climbing the 100 foot lift, you make a graceful diving turn to the left 180 degrees into the forceful first loop and weightless zero g roll. After the second loop, the trains spiral into a 135 degree counter-clockwise helix, only to turn again to the right into the first corkscrew-like inversion, which B&M calls a flat spin or wingover. The wingover is different than a regular corkscrew because of its snap over the top, similar to a pancake flipping. Then there is a small turn to the left that is banked to about 100 degrees, which leads into the final corkscrew over the exit to the second loop. One more turn to the left completes the journey into the deep and leaves you dangling below the track in the final brake run. After the train comes to a complete stop in the station, you exit to the left, grab your belongings, and head to the gift shop near the entrance to the Great White |
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