Mako Pass Member Event At SeaWorld Orlando

Orlando Gets Its First Hyper Coaster

Known as the “Theme Park Capital of the World”, Central Florida has its pick of world class coasters, from loopers, to launched coasters, to flying coasters. However, as an avid coaster enthusiast having been on coasters across the country, one thing that I’ve noticed is that there was a serious lack of airtime offered on the rides throughout the region. The ride in the area with the most airtime actually wasn’t even a coaster: The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror over at Disney Hollywood Studios. Notice I am purposely using past tense as with Mako opening at SeaWorld Orlando, Central Florida officially has its new king of airtime.

Driving down south I-Drive and seeing the 200-ft Mako rise up and tower over its older sibling, Kraken, has had to have been an exciting (and perhaps even unnerving, for some) sight for park goers. Many I have talked to had no idea what to expect for the ride as they’d never been on a coaster of its type. I even have had to explain a few times why there were no loops on Mako, and why they would be quite unnecessary. On this past Wednesday, SeaWorld Orlando finally let pass members preview the ride during an exclusive after-hours Mako Pass Member Event. Only 1000 pass holders were allowed to register for the events. I think its safe to say that they were in for the time of their lives.

mako preview 1

Pass members attending the event were required to check-in at Nautilus Theater during park hours, between 4:00 and 6:30 PM. Those who registered were welcomed with a Mako splash screen and SeaWorld promotional videos. With the event not actually starting until around 7:00 PM, the theater actually served as a place for event guests to cool off and escape from the Florida heat in June. Guests were encouraged to feel free and enjoy the rest of the park, and to just be back by 7:00 for queuing. I decided to use the time to take a few photos of the new Shark Wreck Reef area.

Shark Wreck Reef 1

Shark Wreck Reef is the new name and theme of the area around Mako, which includes the Shark Encounter attraction and Sharks Underwater Grill restaurant. While I was secretly hoping that Sea World’s new hyper coaster would be orca-themed, especially with all the recent negative publicity surrounding Blackfish, I think the park did an awesome job theming the ride around sharks and revitalizing the area around Shark Encounter.

Shark Wreck Reef 2

The park also added a bunch of shops, games, and food and snacks to the area. With the area now including Mako, Shark Encounter, Sharks Underwater Grill, and Nautilus Theater right next door, one could easily spend hours just in this section of the park.

Shark Wreck Reef 3

Of course, one can’t help but notice Mako’s tracks gliding past overhead, giving guests a closeup view of the ride’s post-brake run banking and diving action. Overall, SeaWorld did an incredible job immersing guests into the shark-theme and building up their hype and anticipation for the coaster.

Shark Wreck Reef 4

There was also this mural along the walls heading towards the nearby bathroom. The mural was painted by renowned artist and marine biologist, Guy Harvey. His work can actually be seen throughout the area. There’s a ton of Guy Harvey-inspired artwork and merchandise strewn throughout the area and in the shop. Harvey was even on hand in person at the event, taking interviews and giving out autographs.

Mako Test Run 1

As the Mako preview event start time neared, the park started doing test runs, to the delight of guests waiting in the area.

Mako Test Run 2

The ride runs amazingly smooth and hardly makes a sound as it races overhead through the area.

Mako Preview Queue

After walking around the park for a bit to take some pictures of Kraken and Manta for my collection, I headed back over to the Shark Wreck Reef area, where the queue for the Mako Pass Member Event had already started to form. Apparently, there was no “event” actually being held in Nautilus Theater (the park had previously been running a short Mako preview and teaser video at the theater during prior weeks). The queue for the event actually just ran through theater and out into the actual Mako ride queue. As the queue began to move forward, guests responded with a round of applause.

Mako First Train

As I waited in line, I was able to catch the first train of the event zooming by over our heads. Mako was officially open! Riders screamed and cheered in delight while the waiting crowd applauded. The riders themselves responded with claps of their own as they came back around into the ending brake run.

Mako Queue

In true SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment fashion, the Mako ride queue is incredibly well-themed. There are shark-related facts strewn about, and, in true SeaWorld fashion, ominous music plays overhead to lend to the excitement and anticipation. Towards the end of the queue, there is a large display with a “live feed” from the “Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation”, showing guests footage of sharks, displaying information about Mako sharks, and lending into the ride’s theme of “becoming the shark”!

Mako Ride Station 1

The ride’s station is just up the steps past the display. From the steps you can get a glimpse of Mako’s towering 200-ft lift hill. The ride’s train is the typical B&M hyper coaster train that we’ve all come to expect and love, with large comfortable seats, and a restraint which fits snugly over the riders’ laps. The complete freedom of torso and legs may be a bit unnerving for those that have never ridden a B&M hyper coaster before. But trust me, the restraints are completely safe. Once you have ridden Mako I can practically guarantee that you would not have them designed any other way. The trains has 7 rows with each row holding 4 riders. SeaWorld was only running two trains instead of the typical three. Even so, the line still moved fairly quickly. Once they are running all trains, I’m sure the ride queues will flow seamlessly.

Mako Ride Station 2

On the roof of the station, directly above the train, SeaWorld has placed an underwater display with silhouettes of sharks swimming by overhead.

Mako Ride Station 3

SeaWorld decided to add one last awesome touch. As the train leaves the station, a storm brews in the underwater display above. The sharks begin to race hurriedly across the display as if in anticipation for the feeding frenzy that will ensue. Well done SeaWorld!

Orlando, Welcome to Airtime

The ride usher directed me to the last row, which is usually my favorite riding spot on most coasters due to the added feel during the drops. Below, I’ve posted a previously recorded POV of Mako if you want to follow along with my review.

 

The ride hurries up the 200-ft lift hill surprisingly quickly. Riders can look down to their left at Kraken, SeaWorld Orlando’s previous coaster height champion. As Mako plunged over its first drop (which I believe is at around 72 degrees), I was lifted out of my seat for the entire drop! Orlando park goers surely will be getting a nice introduction to hyper coasters!

The ride turns into its next element, which I believe they call a “hammerhead turn”. Note that this is a different element from the “hammerhead turn” of Intimidator at Carowinds (which is actually shaped more like a hammerhead, unlike this similarly named element on Mako). Mako’s hammerhead turn is actually more of an overbanked turn to the left. It kind of reminded me of Millennium Force’s overbanked turns at Cedar Point. I think a better name for this element would be “Shark Fin Dive” or something, but who am I to judge? At any rate, the element is absolutely incredible. Dare I say that it is the best first turn on any hyper coaster I’ve been on!

The ride swoops back right into its first airtime hill. Orlando, I would like to formally introduce you to airtime bliss. As the ride crests over the hill, riders are lifted out of their seats with nothing but the restraints over their laps holding them in. It’s truly one of my favorite feelings on coasters.

After the first airtime hill, the ride swoops up into a turn around and back down to the second airtime hill. There is a nice headchopper effect from one of the support pillars while coming down this second airtime hill. Following this is another airtime hill, with the ride swooping down to the right out of this element into another short airtime hill. After this, the ride swoops up to the mid-course brake run, giving a quick pop of airtime.

The ride glides across the mid-course brake run, barely slowing down as it passes by. It then swoops down to the left into yet another airtime hill, this time diving back down past the ride station. Now comes the part of the ride that gives its crazy banking and diving action. The ride swoops up and banks to the right, almost 90 degrees, over the end brake run and around the line queue. It then swoops up and banks to the left over the main park path. The ride then dives down into its signature turn over the lake. This is supposed to represent the mako shark diving and feeding through a school of fish. The ride completes its diving turn and up into the end brake run and back into the station.

Overall, I would have to say that Mako is definitely one of the best hyper coasters I have been on, and one of the best coasters overall. While it doesn’t have much helix action going for it like Goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia, or Nitro at Six Flags Great Adventure, it definitely makes up for that with all of the banking and diving action during the second part of the ride. In fact, those elements give a sense of uniqueness to the ride that definitely makes it one of a kind.

Riders are led into the Mako gift shop where they can look at their on-ride photos. There is a ton of great merchandise to choose from, including limited edition merchandise, artwork, and clothing inspired by Guy Harvey. I ended up buying a Mako coffee mug to add to my personal collection.

Mako Front Row

While shopping around the gift shop, I overheard some fellow riders saying that the remaining queue wasn’t that long. I decided to hop back over for another ride. This time I managed to snag a front row seat! Plus it was already nightfall, so I got to score a coveted nighttime front seat ride! I have to say that while I was certainly impressed with all the airtime and forces the ride offered in the back row, the experience from the front seat was even more incredible. There was so much airtime that my legs actually started to hurt (granted that was mostly from playing basketball the day before). For a few of the airtime hills, I was lifted out of my seat from before the hill crests all the way through to the bottom of the hill. I’m talking extended air time for a good chunk of the ride. I’d have to say that while any seat on Mako offers an awesome ride experience, I’d definitely recommend riders to ride at the front of the train at least once. You won’t regret it.

Shark Wreck Reef Nighttime

It was starting to get late, and my feet were starting to hurt from being on my feet all day, so I decided to call it a night. As I left, I saw other media members doing interviews. Guy Harvey was still around signing autographs. And most of all, guests were smiling and absolutely buzzing about SeaWorld’s newest coaster, Mako.

Mako opens to the public today, June 10! Have you ridden Mako yet, or do you plan on riding it sometime this summer? Feel free to join in on the discussion on SeaWorld Orlando’s newest coaster!  Please follow us on Twitter, Like us on Facebook, or join the new Coaster101 Readers Group on Facebook!

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