SeaWorld Orlando hosted a ‘Penguin Trek Preview Party’ for its new coaster

SeaWorld Orlando continues its reign as the “Coaster Capitol of Orlando” with the arrival of Penguin Trek in 2024. The new roller coaster replaces and expands on the footprint of a former attraction, Empire of the Penguin, an indoor ride that closed several years ago without any fanfare. The Antarctica area at SeaWorld Orlando and the penguin exhibit will continue to be available for guests awaiting the arrival of this new coaster.

Penguin Trek teased by SeaWorld Orlando

SeaWorld Orlando has joined in the social media game of making vague posts teasing upcoming activities. For example, a social media post earlier this year joked about getting carried away with “Prime Day” purchases in July while featuring an image of roller coaster tracks.

The rumored coaster we now know as Penguin Trek eventually emerged from that clue, making that social media post a coaster announcement – sort of.

In a similar fashion, SeaWorld Orlando started teasing guests earlier this week with another social media post indicating SeaWorld guests should get ready for the expedition. That recommendation was followed by the number sequence 10.26.23 and the hashtag #PenguinTrek.

Though we had some vague ideas of what this might mean, the only way to know for sure would be on Oct. 26, 2023, the day we participated in the Penguin Trek Preview Party.

Penguin Trek Party

What would a Penguin Trek Preview Party look like? Well, the party occurred at the Ports of Call area of SeaWorld Orlando (SeaWorld’s dedicated banquet facility). As we entered the event, we were handed a scavenger hunt card and a crayon for marking down the answers. The entryway also featured some snow (setting the theme) and several props for the adventure of Penguin Trek (setting the scene).

We started our scavenger hunt as we approached the indoor area for the party. This was one of the four stations on the scavenger where guests acquired clues about the new roller coaster. At each station, guests needed to listen to a short question or narrative to learn the clue.

Guests could also meet Puck, the penguin, a character closely tied to this new roller coaster. We enjoyed meeting Puck and suspect you’ll love meeting him when Penguin Trek opens next year.

Good News and Bad News

We have good and bad news for those wanting a close-up look at the new roller coaster.

We did get a good look at what the actual roller coaster track will look like; however, we did not see the roller coaster track that guests will eventually experience. That will need to wait for another day. Despite that, this event helped add to the excitement for Penguin Trek.

Party guests celebrated the future arrival of Penguin Trek and heard from SeaWorld ambassadors about the exciting design process and narrative behind the latest roller coaster coming to SeaWorld Orlando.

Penguin Trek: What We Know So Far

• When it opens, Penguin Trek will be the eighth coaster to join the SeaWorld Orlando’s lineup of roller coasters
• Penguin Trek has been designed as the ultimate family launch coaster experience (accommodating rider heights from 42 inches to 77 inches)
• It will feature a snowmobile-style ride car where riders will embark on an exhilarating journey through Antarctica as they join a penguin research mission

Penguin Trek features two exhilarating launches and a maze of twists and turns, with the coaster moving at up to 43 mph across a 3,020-foot track that traverses indoors and outside. Yet, what sets this experience apart is its finale, which brings the coaster to a halt. At this point, guests find themselves in the heart of SeaWorld Orlando’s penguin habitat.

Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M) is building this roller coaster. B&M has produced many of the SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment roller coasters, including the Pipeline: the Surf Coaster.

“We are incredibly excited to unveil our newest addition to SeaWorld Orlando’s outstanding coaster lineup in Spring of 2024,” said Jon Peterson, president of SeaWorld Orlando. “This family launch coaster embodies the spirit of adventure and exploration, offering an immersive journey through the wonders of Antarctica while further connecting our mission and commitment to our animal care, education and research. We know our guests were ready for a new thrill that the whole family could enjoy, and we’re excited to redefine the family launch coaster experience alongside our longstanding partners at B&M.”

SeaWorld Annual Pass Benefits

SeaWorld annual pass holders will receive exclusive opportunities to ride Penguin Trek before it officially opens. For more information about annual passes or SeaWorld Orlando in general, visit SeaWorldOrlando.com.

Other SeaWorld Parks Roller Coasters

Other SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment theme parks have opened roller coasters with snowmobile-styled ride vehicles. We have videos of those roller coasters at Sea World San Diego and Busch Gardens Williamsburg.