When you think about SeaWorld Orlando, your first thought is probably related to their aquatic life exhibits and shows, so, you might be surprised to discover something that roller coaster enthusiasts across the country already know – SeaWorld is home to some of the best roller coasters out there. Strange? Well, not really! 

In the last decade, SeaWorld has added everything from water rides, dark rides, river rapids, and a lot of other fun attractions to bring guests into the park. Most importantly for this list – they’ve got roller coasters! Great roller coasters.

Currently, SeaWorld operates four roller coasters in the Orlando theme park: Mako, Manta, Kraken, and Ice Breaker. (Please note that while we love Journey to Atlantis, we consider it more of a fusion-style long flume with coaster elements, so you won’t see it here.)

But which one of these rocketing rides is the best? Let’s take the plunge and see how these coasters stack up – by counting down to our top pick of the most exciting coaster at SeaWorld!

SeaWorld Orlando’s Coasters: The Definitive Ranking

Three of SeaWorld’s four coasters are consistently ranked in “Top 10” lists for roller coaster enthusiasts and are among the tallest and fastest in all of Orlando – an especially impressive feat considering SeaWorld is vying for such rankings against both Walt Disney World and Universal Studios!

As we pit SeaWorld’s coasters against each other in a fierce coaster face-off, we’ll be looking at everything from thrill-factor to theming to queue experience to find the best of the best.

Starting in fourth place is…

4. Manta

While all of the park’s coasters give a great ride experience, Manta ranks fourth on our list mostly because it’s starting to show its age.

This flying roller coaster was introduced into the park in 2009, allowing riders to embark upon a manta-ray-shaped train that swoops and glides over a body of water. Timed fountains send up jets beneath the train, giving the illusion that the manta ray at the front is dipping into the waves. The steel coaster is best known for the pretzel loop inversion, though it also has two inline twists and one corkscrew as well. In this flying coaster, riders are suspended forward in their seats so that they experience the track while facing the ground. The position gives riders a weightless experience, especially as they swoop up and down along the track.

The queue for Manta is one of the highlights of the ride. Taking you through what appears to be a quaint little seaside village, you can explore large aquariums that are home to various rays and fish. There are at least 600 aquatic species in this area, including over 300 rays (including adorable cownose rays and spotted eagle rays).

3. Ice Breaker

The newest addition to SeaWorld Orlando, Ice Breaker opened in early 2022 to great reviews. This family-style coaster offers a wonderful introduction to younger riders who may be ready for more than the Sesame Street portion of the park but aren’t quite ready to take on Manta or Mako just yet. However, with a height restriction of 54 inches, this ride can’t be branded as completely kid-friendly.

While the Ice Breaker doesn’t break any records or do anything outrageous, it is unlike anything else in the area. It offers four launches – two forward and two backward – then a beyond-vertical track tower that drops riders down at a 100 degrees angle and over a small bunny hill on the track.

The track is deceptively small for the experience, especially as it can reach speeds of around 50 mph fairly quickly! It’s not quite as thrilling or intense as any of the other coasters at SeaWorld, but it does a good job offering air-time thrills and a fun overall ride! 

The seats can be a tight fit, especially if you aren’t used to this kind of ride design, so keep that in mind when you are boarding. 

2. Kraken

The second-place coaster on our list, Kraken, is also the oldest roller coaster in the park. It was built in 2000 as SeaWorld began to transition into more ride-based attractions. There’s just something about this floorless roller coaster that keeps bringing us back. Why? The inversions!

Kraken has seven loops – including a 119-foot vertical loop, a 101-foot diving loop, a two-inversion cobra roll, and a zero-gravity roll. The surprise corkscrew ending is probably the best part, as it takes you from a dark tunnel then immediately back into daylight as the last loop catches you. As you can guess, it’s a LOT to take in on one ride! While the coaster tops out at 65 mph, it’s intense! The first straight drop gives you serious airtime, and that weightless sensation follows you through the two-minute track.

Since its refurbishment in 2018, the ride has gotten a lot smoother (thankfully), as well as a cool, new color scheme. Even with the multiple inversions, you don’t ever feel battered by the movement (something we certainly appreciate).  

1. Mako

Hands down, the best ride in the park is Mako, and every thrill-seeker visiting SeaWorld needs to try it at least once. (But you’ll probably want to ride it again…and again, and again!)

This hyper-coaster is the tallest and fastest roller coaster in Orlando (beating out even Universal’s newest thrill – the delightful Velocicoaster). It reaches speeds of up to 73 mph and a height of 200 feet. Built in 2016, it has consistently ranked among the best steel coasters in the Golden Ticket Awards since its arrival at the park. Themed around the mako shark, the queue takes visitors through what appears to be a shipwreck before depositing them on a sunken pier to start their trek up the big launch hill.

Mako is about as intense as coasters come! Even without loops or inversions, you get some fantastic airtime on this coaster. With a traditional out-and-back layout and a great soundtrack, you feel the anticipation for each hill and drop deep in the pit of your stomach. The sensation is incredible and worth riding multiple times to really get a great feel for the ride. With a ride time of a little under three minutes, it’s definitely worth your while.

The overall experience will leave you breathless, and we’re happy to report that in addition to being truly sensational, Mako is also smooth as silk. There’s a reason this coaster ranks so highly on so many visitors’ favorite attractions in Orlando! 

---

That’s our ranking for the most exciting SeaWorld roller coasters! How would they fall on your list? And while we’re on the subject, let us know – what’s your favorite roller coaster at SeaWorld?

Cover Image

Photo: Kelly Verdeck via Flickr

Recommended Gear for this Adventure

Disclaimer: We earn a commission if you click any of the links above and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.