| Wild Arctic | |
|---|---|
| Location | SeaWorld Orlando |
| Opening date | November 1, 1992 |
| Attraction Type | Cabin Simulator ride |
| Manufacturer | Reflectone, Inc. |
| Designer | SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment |
| Model | Motion simulator |
| Theme | Wild Arctic Base Station |
| Capacity | 1,416 riders per hour |
| Vehicles | 3 Cabins |
| Riders per vehicle | 59 |
| Rows | 6 |
| Riders per row | 9-10 |
| Duration | 5:00 approx. |
| Height restriction | 107 cm (3 ft 6 in) |
| Must transfer from wheelchair | |
| Amusement Parks Portal | |
Wild Arctic is a motion simulator and film themed attraction currently operating at SeaWorld Orlando. The attraction is combined with an animal exhibit featuring beluga whales, polar bears, and walruses.
Guests have the option to "travel by land" and bypass the motion simulator aspect of this attraction.
Contents |
Guests queue outside the "Franklin Exploration Center", where it is presumed that they are waiting to board a helicopter which will taken them to "Base Station Wild Arctic". The queueing area outside the attraction includes numerous murals of the Arctic animals and scenery as well as various HD TV monitors that show various clips about the Arctic and it's animals running on a loop. Guests then enter the show building.
Once inside the building, guests are divided into either traveling by helicopter (the ride portion) or traveling by foot (in which they view the ride film without the motion). Guest which require stationary seating are taken directly to a room where they view the ride film and then the interactive animal exhibit.
Guests experiencing the actual ride are taken into a room with an information board showing the flight departure schedule, as well as a large projection screen in front of them which shows another random clip about facts of the Arctic. From here, guests next enter another pre-show room where they line about into multiple rows to prepare for boarding their helicopter flight, along with numerous overhead HD TV screens in front of them. Soon, a video comes on the screen in which the Operations Co-Ordinator for the Franklin Exploration Center explains that the center is a support facility for Base Station Wild Arctic in the Antarctic, and that both facilities were founded by Thomas Purcell in 1937, who strived to have man survive in the Arctic climate to research the area. The co-ordinator further explains that guests will be traveling to Base Station Wild Arctic in the Helicopter White Thunder. She then turns the show over to Co-Pilot Norm "Snowman" Miller, who explains that White Thunder is being piloted by Captain Emerson, to which White Thunder's computer is heard warning Miller of a nasty arctic storm in their path. Miller then explains the safety rules to guests, and closes the video. The doors to White Thunder then open, and guests board the ride vehicle via a drawbridge.
Once guest have been seated and secured seat belts, the doors close, and Captain Emerson begins departing White Thunder from the Franklin Exploration Center, explaining to guests that he expects a short, comfortable flight to Base Station "Wild Arctic". Soon, Emerson begins flying the helicopter down to observe a polar bear family and then pilots White Thunder to switch to a water mode to dive into the Arctic waters to observe some Narwhals. Soon after the helicopter is piloted above water again, where Emerson warns that the Arctic storm is picking up and he has a warning indicator on his computer. Emerson lands the helicopter on a glacier to check the problem, which soon begins breaking apart due to the weight of the jet. Emerson struggles to get the engine to start, and the helicopter is soon caught in a rock slide before it begins flying again. The computer then dies out, and Emerson decides to use a short-cut to Base Station Wild Arctic to avoid the storm. Soon, White Thunder is caught in an avalanche and ice flow until Emerson narrowly escapes the storm by piloting through a narrow cavern, and to safety. The jet then arrives at Base Station Wild Arctic, and Emerson thanks guests and bids them farewell as they explore the research station. The doors then open, and guests exit the ride into Base Station Wild Arctic.
Following the ride, guests enter Base Station Wild Arctic, which consists of a re-created Arctic Research Station built around two sailing ships which are trapped in the ice. Numerous animals can be seen on exhibit at the base, including polar bears and beluga whales. There are also multiple interactive games and activities scattered throughout the station. At the end of the attraction, guests exit then a long series of ramps and into an arctic-themed gift shop.
Following this area, is a gift shop for the attraction where arctic-themed and SeaWorld-themed merchandise can be purchased.