Life Is A Roller Coaster

It has been a little while, but we are back with a review of the newest coaster to hit the Orlando market: Mako!

Mako has been one of the more anticipated roller coasters of 2016 after it was announced by SeaWorld Orlando a little over a year ago. Standing at 200 feet tall and reaching speeds of 73mph, Mako is now the tallest and fastest coaster in the booming Orlando market. After a year of waiting, the coaster soft-opened to the public on Thursday, June 2. When it was reported that ride would continue to soft open on select days, Lex and I knew we had to make the 20-minute drive down to SeaWorld.

Approaching Mako from inside the park, you begin to see the 200-foot tall lift that awaits you.

A lot of the surrounding area to Mako’s entrance has received a facelift with a mix of new signage and fresh coats of paint.

Sharks Underwater Grill has a much more lively signage feature out front now. Lex and I have yet to feast here, but in good time I’m sure we will.

Kraken and Mako are going to make quite the pair of thrill-machines along with SeaWorld’s other B&M coaster, Manta.

Besides the daunting lift, Mako greets you with two of its final curves, which sweep over the entrance to the attraction.

As you approach the entrance, you can see the painted graphic as well as a new shipwreck scenic element to set the tone.

Mako’s supports also sport a coral-esque/rustic scenic treatment, which is a nice touch by SeaWorld.

Here is a better look at the scenic treatment. I applaud the effort, SeaWorld!

Since the official opening date for Mako has been announced to be June 10, the wait time for Mako was minimal. Even when this ride does eventually draw a huge crowd, it should be a capacity machine with 3 trains of 28 riders and a dedicated operations team.

Wooden queue rails create a maze of winding paths that will eventually feature an excited crowd.

The queue theme is that of an old shipwreck.

Winding your way through the queue, you eventually are underneath the ride station. It appears that the queue will feature some media in the future!

It’s tough to get a good picture of the overall layout of Mako from the queue, but you can see the monster first drop.

The first element after the drop is extremely unique!

Once we made our way up the stairs, we were assigned to the back row and were immediately boarding the train. The interior of the station boasts some impressive hanging elements and a cool media canopy that swims with you out of the station. Heading up the lift, you can look to your left and get a great view of Downtown Orlando. Mako does not let you indulge in the view too long, though! Before you know it, you are plunging down the first drop and hitting the max speed of 73mph. The drop felt a lot steeper then I was expecting, and of course it offered a nice shot of airtime.

The second element was incredibly unique in the sense that it offers a mixture a different forces. As you exit the bank, you are hit with some more airtime. The first camel back, for me, is the star of the show. I know there are plenty of coaster enthusiasts who disagree with me, but I love the newer B&M’s. Fury, Leviathan, and Diamondback are awesome coasters. The reason I love them is because the floater airtime on the camel backs is insane! Mako is no exception. In fact, the airtime on Mako’s main camel back is some of the best I have experienced.

After exiting the camel back, you enter the appropriately named “Hammerhead” turnaround element before entering yet another camel back. This camel back, however, has a trim that bites HARD (maybe it is part of the ride theming?). Even though the trim significantly slows the ride’s momentum, you are still greeted with awesome pops of airtime on the next few elements. Once you hit the MCBR, Mako takes its last few elements at a surprisingly slow pace. The two curves and banked turn over the water feel uninspired since they are taken at such little speed.

Exiting Mako, I was extremely satisfied overall. It offers a ton of the floater airtime and a sense of speed that you just cannot find in Orlando, unless you open the car windows on I-4. I do hope that as the ride breaks in, the pacing on the final elements steps up a bit, but it is a small complaint from a coaster enthusiast’s perspective.

Mako is going to be an absolute hit for SeaWorld and a ride that the general public will eat up. The addition of Mako now makes SeaWorld a must-visit for enthusiasts around the globe who have not been back since the opening of Manta in 2009. The B&M Hyper Coaster is truly enjoyable from start to finish, but really shines in the ride’s first three elements.

Mako is set to open to the public on Friday, June 10. Be sure to get your passes so you can come and enjoy Orlando’s tallest, fastest, and longest coaster.

For more information on tickets and hours, head over to SeaWorld Orlando’s website.

I am a huge travel and roller coaster enthusiast. I have ridden 504 unique coasters across the world and do not plan on stopping anytime soon. I graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and am now working with a creative firm in Orlando, Florida.