Pipeline: The Surf Coaster

Pipeline: The Surf Coaster
Pipeline's overbanked turn
SeaWorld Orlando
LocationSeaWorld Orlando
Park sectionSea of Power/Port of Entry
Coordinates28°24′39″N 81°27′50″W / 28.4109°N 81.4639°W / 28.4109; -81.4639
StatusOperating
Soft opening date
May 12, 2023 (2023-05-12)
Opening dateMay 27, 2023 (2023-05-27)
General statistics
TypeSteel – Launched – Stand-up
ManufacturerBolliger & Mabillard
ModelSurf Coaster
Lift/launch system
LSM launch
Height110 ft (34 m)
Length2,950 ft (900 m)
Speed60 mph (97 km/h)
Inversions1
Duration1:50
Height restriction
54–78 in (137–198 cm)
Trains2 trains with 6 cars; riders arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 24 riders per train
ThemeSurfing
WebsiteOfficial website
Quick Queue available[1]
Pipeline: The Surf Coaster at RCDB

Pipeline: The Surf Coaster, or simply Pipeline, is a steel launched stand-up roller coaster at SeaWorld Orlando in Orlando, Florida. Manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M), the roller coaster opened on May 27, 2023. Pipeline is a Surf Coaster model and is themed to surfing, featuring surfboard-shaped trains. Pipeline is the first stand up roller coaster built since Georgia Scorcher debuted at Six Flags Over Georgia in 1999.

The roller coaster is a prototype, where the seats of riders shift up and down along the course of the ride. It reaches a height of 110 feet (34 m) and maximum speeds of 60 mph (97 km/h), and features a track length of 2,950 feet (900 m). The ride is located in the Sea of Power and Port of Entry sections of the park.

History

The roller coaster manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard filed a patent trademark for "Surf Coaster" on May 28, 2019.[2] A project at SeaWorld Orlando codenamed "Project Penguin" was revealed in January 2020 after site-work plans were filed with Orange County officials for a new attraction in 2021.[3][4] The new project was planned to be built toward the front of the park near a pathway that runs along Bayside Stadium.[5] The area had been used in the past for festivals in the park.[5][6] Subsequent plans were announced in June and September 2020, which also confirmed the new project to be a "custom launch coaster" featuring a stand-up restraint design. Early reports speculated that the Surf Coaster model would be built at SeaWorld Orlando.[2][7]

Teasers for SeaWorld Orlando's new roller coaster began in April 2022. A picture of trees with roller coaster track in the background was depicted in the first teaser. Construction fencing began appearing along the surrounding area.[3] In June 2022, the park teased the warning "High surf advisory".[8] The teaser warning would later be used as a hashtag to promote the roller coaster on social media.[9] Due to the fallout from Hurricane Ian in September 2022, the official unveiling of the new coaster was delayed.[10]

The final teaser video was released in early October 2022. In the video, the attraction's construction progress was on display.[11][12] On October 18, 2022, the park officially unveiled Pipeline: The Surf Coaster in an announcement.[13][14] The scheduled opening was stated to be spring of 2023.[15] It was marketed as the first Surf Coaster in the world.[16] Track construction went vertical in late October 2022.[17] Pipeline's trains were put on display at the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) Expo on November 15, 2022.[18]

Construction of the track was completed a month later on December 19, 2022,[19][20] and testing began in March 2023.[6] The official opening date was announced to be May 27, 2023, with a soft opening preview period for passholders starting on May 12, 2023.[21]

Ride experience

After exiting the station, the surfboard-themed train launches 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) into a 110 feet (34 m) overbanked turn to the right. Following the overbanked turn, the train turns left into an inversion billed as a "wave curl", before the train goes up and turns right into one of two helix elements. After traversing the 360° helix, the train immediately turns into a second overbanked turn. Traveling into a banked airtime hill, the train turns right and then whips to the left into a second 270° helix. Upon exiting the helix, the train turns left before making a final right turn into the brake run.[22][23] A ride cycle is approximately one minute and 50 seconds.[24]

Characteristics

Pipeline: The Surf Coaster is a Surf Coaster model manufactured by Bolliger and Mabillard. It was described by American Coaster Enthusiasts (ACE) as a "new breed of standup coaster", which was a form of coaster that had been dormant since Georgia Scorcher opened in 1999.[25] ACE also noted that it was the first launched coaster from B&M to feature more than one rider per row.[25] At the IAAPA Expo on November 15, 2022, SeaWorld Orlando executive Jonathan Smith mentioned that that the restraints on Surf Coasters have movement, which differ from older stand-up coasters, where riders stand "erect" and do not move.[26]

Track

The steel box track for Pipeline: The Surf Coaster is approximately 2,950 feet (900 m) long. and the height of the highest peak (the first overbanked turn) is 110 feet (34 m).[27][28] The color of the track is teal and the supports are white.[29][30]

Theme

Pipeline: The Surf Coaster is themed to surfing,[31] especially surfing cultures in California and Australia.[17] The park bills the launch section of the roller coaster as a "surfing launch" featuring "wave jumping motions", which shift rider's seats up and down to resemble the feeling of surfing.[32][24][33] Additionally, the roller coaster's trains are designed to mimic surfboards.[13] The roller coaster's only inversion is nicknamed the "wave curl" inversion, inspired by the "cork alley oop" surfing maneuver.[34]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Tuttle, Shannon (October 19, 2022). "Pipeline: The Surf Coaster Coming to SeaWorld Orlando". Pirates & Princesses. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
  2. 1 2 Zachary (December 6, 2021). "BGWFans Leaks SeaWorld Orlando's Project Penguin". BGWFans. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
  3. 1 2 Carter, Ashley (February 10, 2022). "SeaWorld Orlando Plans Hint at Possible New Attraction". Spectrum News 13. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
  4. ↑ Lehman, Mark (January 27, 2022). "Take a ride on Ice Breaker, SeaWorld's first launch roller coaster". WKMG. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
  5. 1 2 Carter, Ashley (March 18, 2022). "SeaWorld Orlando drops hints that new attraction is another coaster". Spectrum News 13. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
  6. 1 2 McReynolds, Landon (March 21, 2023). "SeaWorld: 'Pipeline' surf coaster testing underway". WKMG. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
  7. ↑ Stevenson, John (September 28, 2020). "Bolliger & Mabillard Files Patent for Stand-Up Coaster Restraint". Coaster101. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
  8. ↑ Stilwell, Andrew (June 3, 2022). "Surf's Up: SeaWorld Orlando Begins Teasing 2023 Roller Coaster". Coaster101. Retrieved October 28, 2022.
  9. ↑ Whitworth, David (July 7, 2022). "SeaWorld progress with new "Surf Coaster"". InterPark. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
  10. ↑ Sim, Natalie (October 17, 2022). "SeaWorld Orlando New Coaster Announcement Has Been Rescheduled". Theme Park Tourist. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
  11. ↑ SeaWorld [@SeaWorld] (October 14, 2022). "Get ready for the 🌊..... 10.18.22 #HighSurfAdvisory" (Tweet). Retrieved October 18, 2022 – via Twitter.
  12. ↑ Shane & Emma (October 14, 2022). "High Surf Advisory! SeaWorld Orlando To Officially Announce Their New Surf Coaster On October 18". Gotta Go Orlando!. Retrieved October 29, 2022.
  13. 1 2 Carter, Ashley (October 18, 2022). "SeaWorld Orlando reveals more details about new "Pipeline" coaster". Spectrum News 13. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
  14. ↑ Bevil, Dewayne (October 18, 2022). "SeaWorld: New coaster will be named Pipeline, feature surfing action". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
  15. ↑ "SeaWorld Orlando's new roller coaster: What we know about Pipeline, and when it's planned to open". FOX 35 Orlando. October 18, 2022. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
  16. ↑ White, Tharin (October 18, 2022). "Pipeline – World's first surf coaster, coming to SeaWorld Orlando". Attractions Magazine. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
  17. 1 2 Shane & Emma (October 24, 2022). "PIPELINE: The Surf Coaster Goes Vertical At SeaWorld Orlando". Gotta Go Orlando!. Retrieved October 26, 2022.
  18. ↑ Bevil, Dewayne (November 15, 2022). "SeaWorld Orlando unveils Pipeline roller coaster car at IAAPA Expo". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  19. ↑ SeaWorld Orlando [@seaworldorlando]; (December 19, 2022). "In case you missed it - the track for Pipeline: The Surf Coaster is now complete! 🤩 Tag your 2023 surf buddy below 🏄 #PipelineSWO". Retrieved December 20, 2022 – via Instagram.
  20. ↑ White, Tharin (December 20, 2022). "SeaWorld's Pipeline Surf Coaster completes track installation". Attractions Magazine. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
  21. ↑ Zizo, Christie (April 30, 2023). "SeaWorld surf coaster gets May 27 open date, passholder period". WKMG. Retrieved April 30, 2023.
  22. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Pipeline the Surf Coaster (SeaWorld Orlando)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved October 28, 2022.
  23. ↑ "Pipeline: The Surf Coaster - Opening Spring 2023 | SeaWorld Orlando". SeaWorld Orlando (Video). October 18, 2022. Retrieved October 28, 2022 – via YouTube.
  24. 1 2 Glenn, Brian. "SeaWorld Orlando shares more details on Pipeline - The Surf Coaster; opening Spring 2023". Inside Universal. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
  25. 1 2 Ascough, Rob (May 26, 2023). "Pipeline: The Surf Coaster Debuts at SeaWorld Orlando". ACE News. Archived from the original on June 24, 2026. Retrieved June 24, 2026.
  26. ↑ Gregory, John (November 15, 2022). "SeaWorld unveils trains for first "surf coaster"". Theme Park Tribune. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  27. ↑ "Surf's up: SeaWorld unveils new stand-up roller coaster "Pipeline"". WFTV. October 18, 2022. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
  28. ↑ "SeaWorld Orlando Announces New Coaster For 2023 – Pipeline: The Surf Coaster". Laughing Place. October 18, 2022. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
  29. ↑ Poulisse, Adam (March 19, 2022). "SeaWorld hints at new roller coaster". WFTV. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
  30. ↑ Hart, Lance (June 4, 2022). "SeaWorld Florida". Screamscape. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
  31. ↑ Galbraith, Alex (October 18, 2022). "SeaWorld Orlando is building a standing, surf-themed roller coaster". Orlando Weekly. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
  32. ↑ Burrus, Emily (October 18, 2022). "NEWS: Opening Timeline for Brand New SeaWorld Orlando Ride - Pipeline: The Surf Coaster". AllEars. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
  33. ↑ Otto, Isabella Otto (October 25, 2022). "Conheça a Pipeline, primeira montanha-russa "em pé" de surf de Orlando". Capricho (in Portuguese). Retrieved October 30, 2022.
  34. ↑ Chen, Eve (October 18, 2022). "SeaWorld makes waves with 3 groundbreaking new roller coasters". USA TODAY. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
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