Richard Bannister

I'd allowed myself half a day for SeaWorld Orlando, and this turned out to be ideal. The primary reason for my visit was the recent addition, Shamu Express (#1106). This is one of a new breed of family coasters designed to allow smaller children to ride safely while still being suitable for their parents (and other interested adults). The ride is a good size, maybe fifty feet high, striking a nice balance between thrilling and fun for the younger rider. Those with bigger limbs should be wary, however; the seats have a moulded plastic shark fin that is designed to rest between riders' legs. This is located in an ideal place for younger people, but a somewhat less than ideal place for older ones. Anyone is welcome to ride, but larger people may well be disemboweled; you have been warned!

The park has rethemed its Wild Arctic simulator as the Polar Express for the Christmas season. Having not seen the original movie there's not much that I can say about its authenticity, but the younger audience members certainly seemed to appreciate it. The main theme of the story was a reminder to all to believe in Santa. It is, after all, precisely a month before he should visit (complete with his 214,200 flying reindeer).

With only a limited amount of time to spare before the airport beckoned, I took a pair of rides on Kraken. It seems that my last visit caught it on an off day; the ride was running really well, making it a definite contender for the best sit down coaster in Florida.