SeaWorld Orlando 5/12/23 Pipeline The Surf Coaster Previews

[Yoshi]

On Friday I went to SeaWorld to try Pipeline. The only other stand up coaster I have ridden is Green Lantern. I used to really like the coaster sometimes riding 5 times in 1 day but the last few times I rode it, there was a lot of pressure put on my legs and I decided it wasn't worth the discomfort to ride anymore.

 

I was optimistic B&M wouldn't bring back the standup coaster if they didn't improve it. The ride area is really nice with a beach theme. The queue doesn't look like it will hold that much of a line. SeaWorld typically doesn't get huge lines for the coasters but with this probably being low capacity and new, I could see it getting a full queue on crowded days.

 

There was someone at the ride entrance checking to make sure everyone entering the line had a Platinum Pass. There were a lot of disappointed people walking up to the ride and not being allowed on because they either had tickets for admission or a lower level annual pass. It was a posted 30 minute wait but looked a lot less. They were using the Quick Queue line as a single rider line and I only waited 1 train using that line.

 

The ride operators check each restraint and then lock it with some tag similar to the Parachutes at Great Adventure where they had to put the key on the ride panel for the ride to start. It is also the only B&M coaster other than hyper/giga coasters that I have seen without a seat belt.

 

The seats moving up and down was definitely different and was a little strange to being lifted up so much but it was fun. It was a lot more comfortable than I was expecting. Like most newer B&M coasters it was not too forceful. I liked that it didn't focus on inversions and had lots of banked turns and helices. I felt a little pressure in my legs but nothing too bad. After the train got back to the station, my restraint wouldn't unlock (that had supposedly been happening during employee previews too) and after a few minutes of no success, they had to call someone else in the station to manually release it. I didn't want to go back for a second ride right away after that and thought about trying the coaster on the way out of the park.

 

I'd probably rank it as my 4th or 5th favorite ride in the park either right above or below Ice Breaker.

 

For a weekday the park was really crowded with school groups. Ice Breaker had a posted 2 hour wait. Journey to Atlantis was showing a 35 minute wait but that wasn't even close to accurate with a completely full queue. With Quick Queue it was just under 10 minutes. Unfortunately, the family in the last 2 rows was obnoxious. They tried to take my row and someone else's row. They had their light on the phone the whole time, taking flash pictures and refused to put their phone away. The ride stopped multiple times because they kept the phone out. The kids kept putting their hands in the water and splashing everyone in the boat. I am a very non confrontational person but I was seriously considering yelling at them.

 

I was hoping security would have been waiting to eject them. I went up to the person at the Quick Queue entrance and told them how the ride was ruined for me and if I could ride again. They said yes and the same family used Quick Queue again but they went to the other boat. I saw them again trying to take a different row. The unload area was also not being used which slowed down dispatches.

 

Kraken was closed for maintenance and someone asked if it would be open at all that day and were told no. With Mako closed for repainting that only left Ice Breaker, Manta and Journey to Atlantis for coasters open to the public.

 

Pipeline had also broken down and at that point I decided to leave and go to the Magic Kingdom. Crowds weren't too bad but there were annoying visitors there too. I got the back row on Big Thunder Mountain and someone left their assigned row to sit next to me. I don't like riding with strangers on that coaster with no seat divider and a shared lap bar.

 

It was becoming very annoying dealing with other people in the park. Thankfully 1 thing helped make the day a lot better. Space Mountain had been closed for the first few hours I was there but reopened at around 8:45. With most people waiting for fireworks, the wait time was posted at 30 minutes but that didn't seem right. It was a complete walk on to the loading area and I ended up getting my own rocket. I rarely get the front row and never had ridden Space Mountain with all the other seats in the train empty. I walked around and had the same thing happen again.

 

I'll probably return to SeaWorld once Mako reopens.

 

I liked the entrance sign

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GAcoaster]

I'm hoping to ride this afternoon. I can't wait to see where this falls on my list of standups since I've done Shockwave (GA), Shockwave (KD), Mantis (CP), Joker (MM), Scorcher (SFOG), and Green Lantern (GA). 

[I Have No Name]

I wonder .... could the Pipeline style trains replace the current B&M stand up trains?

[GAcoaster]

I had the same thought. I’d guess they could, but would it be worth it? The standup to floorless conversions they’ve done seem to be underwhelming. 

[pashacar]

Nice report, Yoshi. Are you saying they need to physically lock each restraint?