Late last year, SeaWorld Orlando announced that they would be debuting a brand new roller coaster in 2020. Named Icebreaker, this brand new launch coaster for the Wild Arctic area of the park will blast guests through four different launches, both backwards and forwards, culminating in a reverse launch into the steepest beyond vertical drop in Florida — a 93-foot tall spike with 100-degree angle.
However, though we’re definitely excited for this new attraction, it looks like something else may be in development for 2021 at this park…
Could a new roller coaster already be in development for next year?
Image: SeaWorld
Several days ago, Theme Park website TheCoasterKings posted a new update from SeaWorld Orlando that included a new work permit filed by the park showing demolition work in the pathway between Bayside Stadium and SeaFire Grill, related to a project codenamed “SWO Penguin”.
According to rumors, some are speculating this new project could be a massive new Bolliger and Mabillard wing coaster, which, if true, would give SeaWorld the fifth wing coaster in the United States, and the first in Florida, which would be quite the draw! An unnamed source further states that this new roller coaster will be featured right at the front of the park, with SeaWorld building a whole new entry area around it, continuing its rebrand efforts, which would of course, make a lot of sense.
Image: Holiday World
However, though it is exciting to hear that SeaWorld could be getting not one but TWO new roller coasters by the end of next year, there’s something that gives us a little pause about this rumor.
SeaWorld still isn’t in great financial shape…
Image: SeaWorld
Though 2019 was a pretty OK year for SeaWorld, the parks group isn’t exactly out of the red just yet, as attendance and revenue took a sizeable dip during the second half of 2019, and the park has been quietly making several cuts to staffing and other positions in 2020 as the busy travel season winds down in an effort to save money, even running some attractions part time, like Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin.
In fact, according to the Orlando Sentinel SeaWorld has announced that later this month they will begin outsourcing all of the “carnival games” at SeaWorld Orlando, Busch Gardens Tampa, SeaWorld San Antonio and SeaWorld San Diego to a UK-based company called HB Leisure, which will reportedly save them some money in the short term.
Image: SeaWorld
So with all these cuts happening at the park, plus ongoing construction costs related to the aforementioned Icebreaker roller coaster opening this year, is now the right time for SeaWorld to invest in another thrill ride? We’re not entirely sure, but it looks like there is definitely something happening at SeaWorld in preparation for 2021, and we can’t wait to see what!
