Sensational SeaWorld Orlando Water Rides: Are You Team Infinity Falls Or Team Journey To Atlantis?
One thing most of us can agree on is that water rides are awesome. But no two are exactly alike, and that includes SeaWorld‘s Infinity Falls and Journey To Atlantis. Which one will make the biggest splash? Let’s dive in and see!
Infinity Falls: Over The Edge
The first thing worth noting about Infinity Falls is that, at 40 feet, it has the tallest ride drop of any river raft ride in the world.1 In comparison, the remaining drops are only three feet. You’ll remember this ride for its unique vertical elevator, which takes the rafts to the top of the drop before releasing them.
This ride is designed to make you feel like you’re in the world’s most perfect rainforest. It’s meant to put you in the position of a conservationist embarking on an epic journey. During the ride, you’ll be immersed in stories and interactive games that illustrate all the reasons why it’s important to conserve the world’s supply of freshwater.
When you get off the ride, you should take some time to explore its surroundings, too! There are even more interactive activities in the village around the ride, including access to rainforest-dwelling animals.
The look of Infinity Falls was inspired by the rainforests of South America. To make the ride look and feel as realistic as possible, it’s home to over 700 trees, all lining the route of the ride in forest-y glory. By far, the biggest tree you’ll see while on this ride is a 22,000-pound ficus. In addition to trees, when you first board the ride you’ll be on your way to floating right past a habitat populated with pretty pink flamingos!
By the time you get off you may be wet, but you’re not likely to be completely soaked to the skin. Infinity Falls was designed with this in mind. On most water rides—which tend to include waterfalls—passengers often disembark at the end of the ride waterlogged and upset.
However, on Infinity Falls, the main thing getting you wet is the splashing of the rapids. (Fun fact: the rapids are powered by pump stations that expend 135,000 gallons of water every minute!) While you will pass through a waterfall during the ride, for that brief moment the water is actually shut off! That means you can ride Infinity Falls without feeling soggy and uncomfortable during the rest of your time at SeaWorld.
For these reasons, Infinity Falls has become one of the most popular water rides at SeaWorld Orlando. Just note that anyone watching Infinity Falls from the sidelines wields the power to blast water at the people on the ride! (You can always counteract this possibility by wearing a poncho on the ride.)
Before you head to SeaWorld, you should know the ride height requirements of Infinity Falls: each passenger must be at least 42 inches tall (the equivalent of being 3 1/2 feet tall).
Wait times gradually grow longer as the day goes on as more folks are using the splishes and splashes to fight the heat. If you want to avoid the long lines, you can get there at the rope drop, or at least shoot for a mid-morning ride (then you can have the rest of the day to dry off)!
Journey To Atlantis: Solving an Ancient Mystery
Journey To Atlantis first opened in SeaWorld Orlando in 1998 and was later updated with refurbishments. It was the park’s first roller coaster and remained the lone thrill ride for two years until SeaWorld opened its second thrill ride, Kraken.
This ride is meant to give you a chance to explore Atlantis for yourself. Throughout your time on Journey, you’ll go through tunnels illuminated by sparkling lights and even travel through some underwater reefs. (Note that, unlike Infinity, you aren’t in a raft—you’re a boat with wheels!)
The surprising part about this ride is that the first drop is major (60 feet) while the second drop is smaller, but those who have ridden this ride will tell you the smaller one gets you wetter than the bigger one. The ride supports the theory that the city of Atlantis is lost because the city doesn’t want be found. So when you experience that huge drop, it’s the city’s way of getting rid of you. (Good riddance!)
You may find an extra appreciation for this ride if you’ve seen the movie It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World because you’ll recognize the music played during the ride! If you haven’t seen It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, World, then you should stop reading this article and go watch it! Trust me, you’ll get a kick out of it. (Just don’t forget to come back and finish reading this!)
Keep in mind that you can only get on this ride by yourself if you are at least 48 inches tall (the equivalent of being four feet tall). Riders under 42 inches tall aren’t allowed, and if your height falls between 42 and 48 inches you’ll need a companion who has to be 14 or older.
If you aren’t visiting at a time when a rope drop takes place, your best bet is to start or end your day by riding Journey To Atlantis. Aside from the first hour the park is open and the last two hours before it closes, the line for this ride often stretches into roughly a two-hour wait.
The Smack Down (Or Should I Say Splash Down?)
Finally, the moment you’ve been waiting for: the comparison of the rides where we’ll see which one is the splashiest of all!
There’s no doubt both rides are great for water ride enthusiasts, but most folks will probably agree that Journey To Atlantis is tamer than Infinity Falls. The physical setup of the rides is probably the greatest difference between them—while they both have large drops, the way you approach those drops is pretty different! And the ride vehicles also change the feel of the drop, giving Infinity the edge on the intensity scale with its rafts.
However, if you want to ride with a group, Journey of Atlantis is a better choice than Infinity Falls, as Journey can hold eight people in each boat.
In terms of the length of the ride, Journey To Atlantis is a little shorter than Infinity Falls, which is something to keep in mind when you are planning your day in the park. Experienced riders will tell you to hold off on Journey to Atlantis until dusk for the best possible views.
It’s safe to say that both Infinity Falls and Journey to Atlantis are attractions worth trying. We invite you to do just that, then decide for yourself if you’re Team Infinity or Team Journey—and don’t forget to tell us which one you joined in the comments below!
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