Manta is a steel flying roller coaster at SeaWorld Orlando in Florida, opened on May 22, 2009 as one of the park’s largest single investments in an attraction. Designed by Swiss manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard, the ride secures guests face-down in a prone position aboard a train shaped like its namesake ray, sending them soaring belly-first through the air rather than sitting upright.
The coaster is built around a themed four-acre area featuring ten aquariums holding roughly 184,000 gallons of water and thousands of animals, including hundreds of live rays. Guests wind through a seaside village queue decorated with ray-inspired mosaics and a viewing window into the aquarium before boarding the manta ray-shaped train for a 3,359-foot layout that includes four inversions.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: SeaWorld Orlando
- Manufacturer: Bolliger & Mabillard
- Opened: May 22, 2009
- Height: 140 feet (43 m)
- Top speed: 56 mph (90 km/h)
- Length: 3,359 feet (1,024 m)
- Inversions: 4 (pretzel loop, two inline twists, one corkscrew)
The Ride Experience
Riders board Manta’s train in a prone, face-down position, arranged four across in a single row, giving the sensation of true flight as the manta ray-shaped lead car crests the 140-foot lift hill. From there the layout swoops through a pretzel loop, two inline twists, and a corkscrew, pulling riders through banked turns low over the surrounding lagoon at speeds up to 56 mph.
The flying format, a signature B&M design also used on coasters like Tatsu and Air, changes riders’ orientation from feet-first ascent to a face-down flying stance for the descent and inversions, delivering forces reported at around 3.7 Gs during the ride’s most intense moments.
A Ray Lagoon Built Into the Attraction
Unlike most coasters, Manta’s queue doubles as a walk-through aquarium exhibit open to non-riders through a separate entrance. Ten aquariums showcase thousands of animals and more than 300 rays, including cownose and spotted eagle rays, alongside seahorses and leafy seadragons, tying the ride’s theme directly to the animals it’s modeled after.
The attraction cost about $50 million to build and was recognized by ThemeParkInsider as a best new attraction in the year it opened, cementing its place as one of SeaWorld Orlando’s signature thrill rides.
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Manta FAQs
What type of roller coaster is Manta?
Manta is a Bolliger & Mabillard flying roller coaster, which secures riders in a prone, face-down position rather than seated upright.
When did Manta open at SeaWorld Orlando?
Manta opened to the public on May 22, 2009.
How fast and how many inversions does Manta have?
Manta reaches a top speed of 56 mph and features four inversions: a pretzel loop, two inline twists, and a corkscrew.
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