Penguin Trek: A SeaWorld Sensation

SeaWorld has brought us some pretty cool rides in recent years. The towering Mako arrived in 2016, followed by the river rapids of Infinity Falls two years later and the breathtaking Ice Breaker in 2022. Last year, the park debuted the thrills of stand-up coaster Pipeline: The Surf Coaster. And now we have Penguin Trek.

The latest attraction was just unveiled earlier this month, and we can say with some certainty that it really adds a whole new dimension to the maritime vibe of this most pleasant theme park.

Just to start with, it is one of those rare thrill rides that will probably appeal to all the family. It’s not too fast, it’s not too dramatic and it’s not so high as to induce stomach-revolving feelings before you even step aboard.

Yes, it is a roller-coaster – the EIGHTH of its kind to feature in the SeaWorld attraction line-up – but it is definitely a more mild-mannered and scaled-down ride compared to its bigger brethren. Put simply, Penguin Trek is more mild than wild, which is totally appropriate considering the ride it replaces, albeit this new version still packs a bit of an adrenalin-fueled kick.

The Genesis of a Ride

As all good stories go, in the beginning there was Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin, a heavily themed four-acre area of the park that included a complex indoor dark ride. Brand new in 2013, it took over from the previous Penguin Encounter pavilion and expanded on the Antarctic theme considerably.

It also offered something completely new to Orlando’s multi-faceted theme park empire – trackless vehicles that weaved in and around the south polar environment, concluding in the all-new penguin habitat at a temperature kept at an icy zero degrees Celsius. It came in two versions, “Mild” for the gentle view of the southern continent, and “Wild” for a more dynamic, stormy experience, but both featured this new ride technology.

It was a startling and quite beautiful attraction, with its construction winning awards for design company Oceaneering, and it generated queues up to four HOURS long in its first few months. And, for a few years, it was THE headline ride at SeaWorld. At least, until they built Mako.

But then came the pandemic and the park had to shut down for a few months, leaving complex rides like Empire of the Penguin literally in the dark. And, when everything started up again, there was no sign of Antarctica’s big ride. No explanation was given, but rumours insisted the technology was proving hard to maintain and the Covid-induced closure had damaged some of the systems.

A Big Change to SeaWorld

As the post-pandemic era dawned in Orlando, there were signs of activity around the shuttered ride. But not for an imminent return. No, this time there was demolition backstage, with the area being cleared for something new. And, in September 2023, we had an answer: The Antarctica ride was officially history, and a whole new attraction would replace it.

The details were exciting – a fast-launch coaster that would include snowmobile-style ride vehicles, with both indoor and outdoor sections, and a grand conclusion featuring the big penguin habitat. At a top speed of 43mph, it wasn’t designed to scare the pants off riders, hence it was deemed a full family coaster.

It was originally scheduled for a “Spring 2024” opening, but that season had come and gone before SeaWorld gave us any firm details, and a June 20 announcement finally told us we could expect Penguin Trek to be officially open to the public on July 7.

It has been worth the wait, though. The new ride is definitely eye-catching, and definitely an excellent replacement for the previous version. It still feels speedy (with two fast-launch sections) but it tops out at only 65ft and has no inversions to help give it broader appeal. In short, with a minimum height requirement of 42 inches (107cm) it should allow for children seven and older to ride.

Ready to Trek!

While SeaWorld annual passholders got their own preview of Penguin Trek on July 2, the public had to wait another five days for the ride to be fully open. And we can confidently say it’s going to be a massive hit for the park.

(NB: Spoilers ahead!)

The first thing we can tell you is that it is smooth. Really, really smooth. Like, as smooth as a baby’s behind smooth. The coaster cars positively glide along the 3,020 feet of steel track and the quick twists and turns are more like being in a high-calibre sports car than a rollercoaster, zipping along at a fair speed but nothing mind-bending.

As you enter the ride, much of the queuing area still shows signs of the previous version, but you are soon entering “Sea Station Antarctic” and there are some amusing signs, bulletin board material and props that all add to the theme. There is info about the five species of penguin you are going to see on your “mission,” and then it is off to Mission Dispatch for the ride itself.

Initially, you are inside the Sea Station, and it is very much a dark-ride setting, through a series of “ice caverns” that seem in danger of imminent collapse (and incorporate video screens, very much like the old ride once again) before the vehicle runs into an ice storm that really shakes things up. Then it’s off into the outdoor section, with an initial fast-launch sequence that hits that top speed of 43mph in a hurry!

The snow-white track basically hugs the ground, through a series of fast-paced turns and one quick, horse-shoe bend, heading out from the building and then suddenly returning again as quickly as you departed thanks to a second launch section. As previously mentioned, the coaster does NOT go upside down, but there are two heavily banked semi-inverted turns that feel like you’re suddenly going the wrong way up (!) before the coaster returns to the indoor station.

The whole ride lasts a little more than 2mins 10sec, but that is not the end of the Antarctic experience. Oh no.

The Big Pay-Off of Penguin Trek

Bearing in mind how the original ride in this building concluded, you just have to know there will be penguins aplenty before you see daylight again, and Penguin Trek doesn’t disappoint from that perspective, either.

As you leave the unloading station, the first thing you see is the main penguin habitat, all safely now sealed off by a plexiglass wall (so you don’t freeze on your way past). Oh, and of course there is the by-now obligatory ride photo to collect on your way out, so don’t miss this essential souvenir of your trip to Antarctica.

Need more penguins? Don’t miss the separate (plexiglass-free) side of the habitat by a separate entrance, where you can still feel that 0C temperature, and also see the underwater section where the penguins zip around like little feathery torpedoes. Great fun, even if you don’t do the ride!

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