SeaWorld’s decades-old water coaster reopens this weekend

Following a nearly year-long closure, SeaWorld’s Journey to Atlantis — billed as San Diego’s first water coaster — is reopening this weekend with updated theming, special effects and new characters, but its thrilling, signature splashdowns remain.

While the long-popular attraction retains much of its ride infrastructure, including an elevator lift and flume design that allows for a steep, watery descent, Journey to Atlantis does have new elements, beginning with the queue itself. Before boarding the ride, SeaWorld guests will follow a winding path where they will see new murals that tell the stories of the mermaids and the sea monster Kraken; projection mapping; and an assortment of props meant to simulate a scientific research lab.

Having opened in 2004, the ride was due for a significant upgrade, park officials say. It will make its debut on Saturday.

“The control system on the ride was due for replacement, and we chose to do a reimagining of it thematically and creatively,” said Lindsay Boyd, the park’s vice president of design and engineering. “And we knew it was something our guests really love, it’s a fan favorite, and it had just celebrated its 20th anniversary.”

While the story line remains largely the same as the original, the updated narrative incorporates the S.E.A. Collective (Science. Exploration. Adventure.), which is a fictional group of young scientists and explorers whose mission is to uncover the ancient secrets of the mythical island, Atlantis. Along the way, the crew will encounter Kraken, a feared, ancient sea monster who has awakened and is poised to strike Atlantis.

“The entire attraction got an all new paint scheme, new accent colors, a lot of audio-visual work, installation of projections, lights and speakers,” Boyd said. “It’s a refresh in terms of the look and feel and there are new physical props. My favorite is the Kraken Tracker, which is a backlit neon green monitor that the collective uses to monitor the Kraken’s location and status.”

Long gone, though, is the former Commerson’s dolphin exhibit, which could be seen near the ride’s exit. The dolphins were removed from the exhibit in 2011 and relocated to Aquatica Orlando.

The overall Journey to Atlantis is divided into what are essentially three chapters, beginning with “Discovery,” which is where SeaWorld guests line up before boarding the ride. It’s the hub of the S.E.A. Collective’s research, where guests learn about the city’s builders who guard Atlantis from ancient threats.

Next comes “Descent,” where riders board eight-seater boats to explore the sunken city, but end up facing a Kraken attack that begins in what’s known as the pre-lift where riders await the elevator lift. As the boat goes up the elevator, it sways and tilts to mimic the Kraken’s movement in the water. There are special lighting effects, narration from the characters, and even a Kraken roar, Boyd said.

The final phase is “Escape,” which includes a steep ascent in an elevator, ending with the ride’s familiar splashdown into a pool of water.

On the cusp of opening the reimagined Atlantis attraction, SeaWorld already is at work on its big attraction for 2026 — an upgrade of its aging Shark Encounter, which opened in 1992. Planned is a reinvented exhibit that will offer 360-degree views of what will be new species of sharks.

“Shark Encounter closed this week, so this is part of our overall strategy to reinvest in the park, like we did with Journey to Atlantis,” said SeaWorld spokesperson Tracy Spahr. “It’s the same thing with Shark Encounter. It’s one of the older exhibits, so it needs a new, fresh look and remodeling, and we want to bring in new shark species.”

One new feature of next year’s attraction will be a multi-screen video installation that will feature rare live footage of shark diversity in an eight-minute presentation.

For those who want to learn more about the sharks, the park will offer — for an added price — an exclusive VIP Shark Tour that will show how its zoological specialists feed and care for the sharks. The tour also includes access to what will be a new walkway above the shark habitat, offering an elevated view of the sharks.