A new attraction is about to take off at Sea World Orlando. An “flying theatre” type ride, the expeditionary Odyssey transports visitors virtually from Florida to a much cooler climb, the Arctic.
There’s no T-shirt to say this, but he nicknamed it soaring in the Arctic (and Submergin’) on the popular Epcot Ride. The big screen footage comes from weeks of outings to spy on wildlife and mysterious landscapes.
The official opening of Expedition Odyssey is May 9th, but a preview of the pass holder is currently underway.
The real world
It takes a little time to understand what this is. It’s not CGI. They are real animals in real freezing environments.
“We are SeaWorld and those animals are the most important thing to us, and we really wanted to create connections between those moments and the animals,” said Connorker, corporate vice president of rides and engineering at SeaWorld’s parent company United Parks & Resorts.
There is luck and sharp editing as polar bears make eye contact with riders and whales appear in cue from underneath ice slabs.
“It’s a natural photo, because they’re there or they’re not… you don’t know what’s going to happen,” Kerr said. “We’ve been very fortunate and very fortunate, and there are some great shots that didn’t make a film.”
Seats and feeling
The passengers of the Expedition Odyssey sit in a two-storey row of 15 people. Once everyone was secured, the whole seating device, like a giant arm, rotated in front of a large screen that was previously invisible.
The curved screen is 50 feet in diameter, and embraces the observer and creates the immersive experience that 21st century theme parks crave.
We get a sense of gliding from coast to coast, the ages and through icy cliffs. However, when most of the images were white I felt like I could see the seams holding the screen together, for example when snow was taken.
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Above the row of seats there are shelves where people keep looking in the right direction (rather than the actual ceiling), with special effects such as breeze and spritz. It’s light. It’s not a splash zone situation.
Although the higher levels were not used during media previews, it is said that if you are at a lower level you won’t see the hanging legs of the riders upstairs.
On the move
Yes, you need to move while facing the screen. That’s not extreme, and it’s hard to imagine a rider trying to turn himself upside down. (They don’t.)
It’s sometimes a bit bumpy and there are leaning, drooping moments that may pause for the twitching people. But it is useful when hovering with bird’s eye view/drone perspective on the ocean.
It’s mainly about the soothing sense of flight.
“The other very difficult part about things like this is still shooting with a good ride,” Kerr said. “You can make a still movie for hours of standing up and sitting down and walking around. It’s a good IMAX movie, but it’s not a good ride movie.”
Still, creators aim to make sense, he said.
“You don’t want to go to the water, and all of a sudden you’re on the top of the mountain,” Kerr said. “You want to create that journey.”
Exit and uki
After a less than five minutes of film, passengers pass the animals in real life, starting with a beluga whale in a recently renovated habitat.
This space keeps the expedition theme and chilly, leading visitors past penguins, seals and walruses. A new feature in the space is Float, a Pacific walrus calf rescued in Alaska.
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The last note
•Expedition Odyssey operates in the space home to Wild Artic Simulator Ride, which closed when the pandemic shutdown arrived in 2020.
• Among the changes is a renovated gift shop/exit, which is now bright and blue.
•The ride height requirement is 39 inches. “So, while it’s fun for your little ones, it’s fun for your grandparents and people who may not be high-thrill fans, and we continue to offer the fact that everyone can experience it together,” Kerr said. (Comparison: SeaWorld’s Super Grover Soap Box Derby Coaster has a height requirement of 38 inches.)
•SeaWorld is serious about not having loose items. Passengers will need to empty their pockets, empty their keys and wallets, and remove items such as sunglasses. Flip-flop/Clock family shoes are also left. There is a cubby just before boarding, and the queue entrance provides a safe and large paid locker.
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