Ed
04-22-2008, 07:50 AM
From OrlandoSentinel.com 4/21/08
SeaWorld Orlando is trying to hold back details of its next big coaster until a big announcement, but the name appears to be Manta -- a moniker which the park sought to trademark last month -- and artist's renderings appear to be leaking all over the Internet.
On March 12 Sea World Inc. filed an application to trademark the name "Manta" with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The application says the name is for use in "entertainment in the nature of an amusement park ride." Earlier this month Busch Entertainment Corp., SeaWorld's parent co., announced they are building a new, high-tech coaster in the northeast corner of the park. Few details have been revealed, pending a big, formal announcement.
Manta is the name attached to artist's renderings of a new coaster that appeared this morning on at least two independent theme park fan websites -- IOACentral (which mostly focuses on Universal Orlando's Islands of Adventure) and TheDibb (a British site that bills itself as "Disney With a British Accent.")
The renderings show a manta ray-shaped, four-rider-across vehicle, in which riders lay face down. The track is built over a lagoon and the vehicle splashes through it.
A third independent theme park site, ScreamScape, which has been following the coaster closely for many months, pointed out TheDibb art, and posted an assessment of how the track depicted in those renderings would compare with other B&W Flying-built roller coasters.
If the name Manta sounds familiar it might be because SeaWorld's sister park, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, has a coaster called Montu.
The SeaWorld ride is set to open sometime in 2009, in the area formerly occupied by a flamingo-habitat exhibit, a backyard-habitat exhibit, other small exhibits and a gift shop. In that location visitors will encounter the ride almost at the SeaWorld gate, giving the park a new iconic element at the entrance.
Joseph Couceiro, vice president of sales and marketing for SeaWorld's parent company, Busch Entertainment Corp., said the coaster would be part thrill ride and part animal attraction, a theme that visitors will experience from the time they take their place in line until the time they leave the post-ride area.
"It's going to have animal components, marine-life components. It will have a very unique, state-of-the-art ride, a roller coaster if you will, that will provide a sensation of gliding," Couceiro said. "The combination of the animals and the ride is what makes it special."
:coaster:
SeaWorld Orlando is trying to hold back details of its next big coaster until a big announcement, but the name appears to be Manta -- a moniker which the park sought to trademark last month -- and artist's renderings appear to be leaking all over the Internet.
On March 12 Sea World Inc. filed an application to trademark the name "Manta" with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The application says the name is for use in "entertainment in the nature of an amusement park ride." Earlier this month Busch Entertainment Corp., SeaWorld's parent co., announced they are building a new, high-tech coaster in the northeast corner of the park. Few details have been revealed, pending a big, formal announcement.
Manta is the name attached to artist's renderings of a new coaster that appeared this morning on at least two independent theme park fan websites -- IOACentral (which mostly focuses on Universal Orlando's Islands of Adventure) and TheDibb (a British site that bills itself as "Disney With a British Accent.")
The renderings show a manta ray-shaped, four-rider-across vehicle, in which riders lay face down. The track is built over a lagoon and the vehicle splashes through it.
A third independent theme park site, ScreamScape, which has been following the coaster closely for many months, pointed out TheDibb art, and posted an assessment of how the track depicted in those renderings would compare with other B&W Flying-built roller coasters.
If the name Manta sounds familiar it might be because SeaWorld's sister park, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, has a coaster called Montu.
The SeaWorld ride is set to open sometime in 2009, in the area formerly occupied by a flamingo-habitat exhibit, a backyard-habitat exhibit, other small exhibits and a gift shop. In that location visitors will encounter the ride almost at the SeaWorld gate, giving the park a new iconic element at the entrance.
Joseph Couceiro, vice president of sales and marketing for SeaWorld's parent company, Busch Entertainment Corp., said the coaster would be part thrill ride and part animal attraction, a theme that visitors will experience from the time they take their place in line until the time they leave the post-ride area.
"It's going to have animal components, marine-life components. It will have a very unique, state-of-the-art ride, a roller coaster if you will, that will provide a sensation of gliding," Couceiro said. "The combination of the animals and the ride is what makes it special."
:coaster: