Manta will be a steel

Steel roller coaster

A steel roller coaster is a roller coaster that is defined by having a track made of steel. Steel coasters have earned immense popularity in the past 50 years throughout the world...

 family launched

Launched roller coaster

The launched roller coaster is a modern form of roller coaster which has increased in use in the last decade. In place of a traditional chain lift, the launched coaster initiates a ride with high amounts of acceleration via one or series of Linear Induction Motors , Linear Synchronous Motors ,...

 roller coaster

Roller coaster

The roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885...

 at SeaWorld San Diego

SeaWorld San Diego

SeaWorld San Diego is an animal theme park, oceanarium, and marine mammal park, located in San Diego, California, United States. The park is owned by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, a division of The Blackstone Group....

 in San Diego

San Diego, California

San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...

, California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

, USA. The ride will be manufactured by MACK Rides

MACK Rides

Mack Rides is a German company that designs and constructs roller coasters. The family that owns the company also owns Europa Park.-History:The creation of the Mack company goes back to 1780, by Paul Mack, when he started building carriages. The Mack company started to design roller coasters in 1920....

 and is expected to open in 2012. It will utilize the same ride system that was used in Blue Fire

Blue Fire

Blue Fire is a launched roller coaster at Europa-Park. The coaster opened in 2009 as part of a new Iceland-themed expansion to Europa-Park. As the first launched coaster built by MACK Rides, Blue Fire will serve as the park's tenth roller coaster and their first roller coaster with inversions...

 which opened in 2009 at Europa Park.

History

Rumors about a new roller coaster for SeaWorld San Diego date back to October 2007 when details of a possible 2010 project were leaked. This plan was cancelled in mid-2008. In early January 2011, construction documents were discovered which detailed the plans for a $10 million manta ray

Manta ray

The manta ray is the largest species of the rays. The largest known specimen was more than across, with a weight of about . It ranges throughout waters of the world, typically around coral reefs...

-themed ride and animal exhibit due to open in 2012. On February 9, 2011, SeaWorld San Diego announced that they would be opening a Mack launched roller coaster called Manta in 2012.

Ride

Manta will feature two launches. Riders will reach speeds of up to 43 miles per hour (69.2 km/h) on the two-minute, 2800 feet (853.4 m) long ride. The ride will stand at a height of 30 feet (9.1 m) and will feature a drop including an underground portion of 54 feet (16.5 m). The limited height was required due to height restrictions in place by the California Coastal Commission.

Trains

Manta's four trains will feature manta ray shaped fronts. The 5-car trains will seat riders 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 20 riders per train.

Animal exhibit

The existing Forbidden Reef exhibit will be incorporated into the attraction. A marine-life exhibit will also accompany the attraction. The 100000 gallons (378,541.2 l) exhibit will feature 65 bat rays, 10 guitar fish and more than 400 other fish

Fish

Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...

.

External links

• Concept pictures and information at NewsPlusNotes