USA: Catapult Falls – SeaWorld San Antonio Announces World’s First Launched Flume Coaster for 2023

With a first teaser video of its 2023 novelty, the Texas-based marine animal theme park SeaWorld San Antonio yesterday thrilled fans and visitors. Dubbed “Catapult Falls”, the park, which is part of the SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment group, will celebrate the world premiere of a Launched Flume Coaster, so a log flume ride with a launch section, next year.

Technical stats: At a speed of around 33 kilometers per hour, passengers in their boats are catapulted over a hill on a straight track section. The eight-passenger-boats then drift through the channel. A vertical lift – the only one in North America on a Flume Coaster attraction, according to the park – then lifts the boats out of the water and brings them to the ride’s highest point at a speed of about 7.6 kilometers per hour. This is followed by a 53-degree-drop element from a height of around 17 meters, the world’s steepest drop on an attraction of this kind, according to the park.

It is very likely that this new family adventure will be supplied by Liechtenstein-based manufacturer Intamin, which only recently unveiled a catapult launch element for its flume rides. (eap)