This was published 10 years ago
Sea World opens new rollercoaster and flume ride: the $20m Stormcoaster
Fire, water and explosive effects greet adventurous rides in Sea World's new Stormcoaster attraction.
With a top speed of 70km/h and pulling 3Gs of force at its fiercest, Sea World claims its new blockbuster ride will be the hit of the summer.
At a cost of $20 million to build, Stormcoaster is billed as the most expensive theme park ride in Australia and described as the first in the country to combine a rollercoaster with a flume ride.
"You do get a little bit wet," Seaworld spokeswoman Renee Coutar said ahead of the ride's public launch on Friday.
"Bring a towel!"
The ride has taken 10 months to build on the site of the old Bermuda Triangle experience.
The sophisticated superstructure, weighing 330 tonnes, was constructed by German company Mack Coasters, then shipped to Australia in 13x12 metre containers.
Sea World's new Stormcoaster ride is 30m high, with a plunge reaching 70km/hr.
Ms Soutar said the Stormcoaster's set up was a shipping port that's hit by a category five cyclone.
Patrons are put into life boats, eight at a time, and sent around 472 metres of track to brave the waves.
"You go on the down a huge splashdown drop at about 70km/h, then you enter the hull of an upturned ship," Ms Soutar said.
"There are some really amazing special effects in there – fire, water and explosions."
Ms Soutar said a height restriction of 110 centimetres meant kids as young as five could experience the ride along with the rest of their family.
And she said getting soaked was part of the fun.
"It's so warm here at the moment, you get off the ride and you dry off pretty quickly – and then you go on it again," she said.
Ms Soutar said the theme park was expecting a good summer with the new ride, as well as popular resident Henry, the six-month-old polar bear.
"He's super playful, really active, really inquisitive, and he's really cheeky," she said.
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