Log flume rides are some of the most popular in any theme park and Splash Mountain, by virtue of it being located at Disneyland and Walt Disney World, is one of the best known. The ride has been getting a not insignificant amount of press in the last two years following the announcement it was getting rethemed to The Princess and the Frog, but another theme park is looking to steal some of that thunder as SeaWorld San Antonio has just announced that 2023 will bring us the world’s first launched flume coaster.
Most log flume attractions are lazy rides down a directed path until the ride vehicle arrives at the big drop, where everybody gets soaked. As the name suggests, a flume coaster is a bit more intense than that. It combines a standard flume ride with the speed of a roller coaster, and SeaWorld San Antonio’s upcoming attraction, Catapult Falls, will be a first of its kind flume coaster in many ways. SeaWorld released a computer rendering of what the new ride will look like, and it’s incredible.
In addition to being the world’s first launched flume coaster, Catapult Falls will also be the first flume coaster in North America with a vertical lift, and it will have the steepest drop of any flume coaster. Any connoisseur of roller coasters or water rides is going to want to check this one out.
Catapult Falls is just one of several new attractions being added to SeaWorld parks around the country. In San Diego, SeaWorld announced Arctic Rescue, a coaster that sees guests seated in a ride vehicle that resembles a jet ski. SeaWorld Orlando is currently under construction on what’s being called a surf coaster, though the official announcement was postponed due to the park preparing for Hurricane Ian.
Over the last several years SeaWorld has evolved from a park focused on aquatic life into a more traditional amusement park full of rides. While all SeaWorld parks still retain elements of that focus on our oceans and the life found there, we’ve seen several new coasters built at the SeaWorld parks in recent years, and it does seem to be successful. Some of the most popular new roller coasters have been found at SeaWorld. SeaWorld in Florida is calling itself the Coaster Capital of Orlando.
SeaWorld very nearly made itself a much bigger player in the amusement park space earlier this year when its parent company made an unsolicited bid to buy Cedar Fair. In the end, the SeaWorld offer fell through, but it's clear that the company is looking to expand it's name in this space.
SeaWorld in San Antonio seems to get largely overlooked when compared its counterparts in California and Florida, but perhaps unique attractions like Catapult Falls will be the things that helps them stand out. You’ll have to go to Texas for this particular experience, and it certainly looks like it will be worth the trip.
