Penguin Trek

Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin was a motion-based dark ride that ran from May 2013 to March 2020, billed at the time as the largest attraction of its kind at any United Parks & Resorts theme park.^[3] The ride was temporarily closed alongside SeaWorld Orlando due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but failed to reopen with the park; the adjacent penguin exhibit stayed available on its own.^[4]

Construction walls and survey markers first went up around the Antarctica show building in December 2022.^[5] SeaWorld Orlando filed further permits in February 2023, calling for building modifications as part of what then became referred to as Project Toboggan.^[6] Work on the attraction’s foundations commenced outdoors in July, with the first pieces of coaster track arriving later that month from Clermont Steel Fabricators in Batavia, Ohio.^[7][8] The final track piece was officially lifted into place on January 30, 2024.^[9] Work then shifted towards constructing of the sets indoors, making up the queue, station, and first portion of the coaster.^[10]

SeaWorld Orlando officially announced Penguin Trek on September 28, 2023, later revealing one of its lead cars on display at IAAPA Expo Orlando on November 14, 2023.^[11][12] The trains began testing for the first time at the end of April 2024, and the surrounding Antarctica precinct was opened to the public on May 25.^[13][14] Penguin Trek officially held its grand opening on July 7, 2024, featuring Puck The Penguin – the mascot of the former Antarctica attraction – and a contingent of children from Scouts of America in attendance.^[15]

The ride starts in an indoor Antarctic themed section with glaciers, snow, and an LED display before leaving outdoors, utilizing a linear synchronous motor (LSM) launch and taking a wide right turn. A series of twists and turns including a banked turn lead to another LSM launch. This second LSM launch leads to a overbanked turn.^[16] The ride takes a left with a airtime hill and then a wide left turn before reaching its final brake run, slowing down the train before it reaches the station.^[17] Riders have compared the ride experience to that of sledding and bobsledding due to the ride’s use of airtime hills and turns.^[16]