SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — In honor of Penguin Awareness Day, SeaWorld San Diego has announced that its highly-anticipated dive coaster, the Emperor, will make its debut to the public on Saturday, March 12.
Park officials initially made the announcement of the ride in November 2019, and it was expected to be open in Summer 2020. Unfortunately, plans of opening were delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
RELATED: SeaWorld San Diego's Emperor dive coaster to open March 2022
In August 2021, officials revisited the announcement and aimed for the ride to be open in March 2022.
According to SeaWorld, the dive coaster, which is named after the Emperor penguin, will be the tallest, fastest, and longest dive coaster in California, as well as the only floorless dive coaster in the state.
"Named after the world’s largest penguin, the all-new Emperor coaster will mimic this species’ amazing underwater diving ability. Climbing to 153 feet with feet dangling in the air, riders will be suspended on a 45-degree angle at the crown of the ride before plunging down a 143-foot facedown vertical drop, accelerating to more than 60 miles per hour.
Riders will also experience inversions, barrel roll, Immelmann loop, hammerhead turn and flat spin as they race along the nearly 2,500 feet of track. Each of the floorless ride cars will hold 18 riders in three, six-person rows. This is the first seating configuration of its kind in North America."
