Kraken is a steel floorless roller coaster at SeaWorld Orlando in Orlando, Florida, built by Swiss manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard and designed by Werner Stengel. It opened to the public on June 1, 2000, after a soft opening in late May of that year, and was named for the legendary sea monster said to be caged beneath the park by Poseidon.
At the time of its debut, Kraken was the tallest and longest roller coaster in Florida, a record it held until Expedition Everest opened at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in 2006. The floorless design leaves riders’ feet dangling freely above the track, held in place only by over-the-shoulder restraints, adding to the sensation of the ride’s seven inversions and multiple underground dive segments.
Quick Answer
Kraken reaches a top speed of 65 mph and stands 153 feet tall, with a first drop of 144 feet. It’s a Bolliger & Mabillard floorless steel coaster with seven inversions, located at SeaWorld Orlando.
How Fast Does Kraken Go at SeaWorld?
Kraken’s top speed is 65 mph, reached as the train plunges through its first drop and carries that momentum into the opening vertical loop. Because riders sit in floorless, open-air seats with nothing visible below their feet, that speed feels considerably more intense than the number alone suggests — there’s no floor or car body to visually anchor you, so the ground, water, and track rushing past register directly.
The 65 mph top speed also powers Kraken through its underground trenches, where the train dives below grade — in one case passing beneath one of the park’s waterways — before rocketing back up into the next inversion. Speed bleeds off gradually across the seven inversions and the finishing helix, so the ride’s back half is noticeably gentler than the launch into the first loop.
Kraken’s Height and Drop Height
Kraken’s structure stands 153 feet tall, making its first drop 144 feet — the difference accounts for the height of the lift hill’s crest relative to the drop’s bottom, which sits below entry-plaza grade near the ride’s underground trenches. Some older references list Kraken’s height as roughly 149 feet, a small discrepancy that comes from measuring the support structure versus the highest point of track; 153 feet, matching the ride’s own engineering specifications, is the figure most consistently cited today.
That height and drop made Kraken the tallest roller coaster in Florida when it opened in 2000, a title it held for six years until Expedition Everest surpassed it in 2006. Within SeaWorld Orlando itself, Kraken was later overtaken by Mako, a 200-foot hyper coaster that opened in 2016.
Is Kraken a Hyper Coaster?
No — Kraken is not a hyper coaster. In the roller coaster industry, “hyper coaster” specifically refers to a coaster with a height or first drop of at least 200 feet, a classification introduced by Cedar Point and Arrow Dynamics with 1989’s Magnum XL-200. At 153 feet, Kraken falls short of that threshold; it’s classified instead as a floorless coaster, a B&M design where riders sit in open, legs-dangling seats mounted on a pedestal above the track rather than straddling a traditional floored car.
SeaWorld Orlando does have a true hyper coaster on-site: Mako, which stands 200 feet tall and reaches 73 mph. If you’re comparing the two, Kraken delivers its intensity through inversions and underground dives rather than sheer height, while Mako is built for long airtime hills and out-and-back speed typical of the hyper coaster category.
The Ride Experience
Kraken’s layout includes seven inversions: two vertical loops, a dive loop, a zero-g roll, a cobra roll, a corkscrew, and a flat spin, all taken with an open floor beneath riders’ legs. The course also drops through three underground trenches, some passing beneath the park’s waterways, which intensify the sense of speed for riders seated in the open-air trains.
Three trains, each carrying 32 riders across eight rows of four, cycle through the station to keep the line moving at a theoretical capacity of about 1,500 riders per hour. A full circuit takes just over two minutes. Riders must be at least 54 inches tall to board.
History and Changes
From June 2017 through the summer of 2018, the ride operated as ‘Kraken Unleashed,’ adding virtual reality headsets with an original orchestral score. The VR overlay was ultimately removed after it caused slower dispatch times and longer queues.
In 2022, the coaster received a fresh paint scheme, repainting the track seafoam green with dark teal supports. For current operating hours, ticket options, and any temporary closures, check the official SeaWorld Orlando Kraken page, which is the most reliable source for up-to-date park information.
Kraken roller coaster stats FAQs
How fast does Kraken go at SeaWorld?
Kraken’s top speed is 65 mph, reached during its first drop and carried through the opening vertical loop.
What is Kraken’s height?
Kraken stands 153 feet tall. Some older sources list it at around 149 feet, depending on whether the support structure or the track’s highest point is measured.
What is Kraken’s drop height?
Kraken’s first drop measures 144 feet, which sends the train straight into its opening loop at close to top speed.
Is Kraken a hyper coaster?
No. Hyper coasters are defined as having a height or drop of at least 200 feet. Kraken, at 153 feet, is classified as a floorless coaster rather than a hyper coaster. SeaWorld Orlando’s actual hyper coaster is Mako, at 200 feet.
Where is Kraken located?
Kraken is located at SeaWorld Orlando in Orlando, Florida.
Does Kraken still have virtual reality?
No. The VR overlay used during the ‘Kraken Unleashed’ period (2017–2018) was permanently removed due to slower ride dispatches.
How many inversions does Kraken have?
Kraken has seven inversions: two vertical loops, a dive loop, a zero-g roll, a cobra roll, a corkscrew, and a flat spin.
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