Maybe this dates me, but I remember when Sea World was really just an amped-up aquarium. Long before the laser light shows and roller coasters, Sea World was more education than show, back when schools took busloads of kids on field trips to look at otters and sea lions. Today, the parks are half rides, fireworks displays and roller coasters, making them as much a candidate for a school trip as Disneyland.
But as audiences clamor for more adrenaline and less education, Sea World has needed to evolve. In one such attempt, Sea World Australia added a quasi-themed ride called the “Jet Rescue Roller Coaster” – a 40mph thriller that zooms a train of 16 jet skis through a twisting, turning track in the attempt to “save our precious marine life aboard your very own jet ski,” as SWA states.
The near quarter-mile long (1,380-feet), 30-second ride places riders on what very obviously look like Honda F-12 Aquatraxes, through a series of half-helix turns, a mist-filled tunnel and a few dips. Again, you’re riding knock-off Hondas, not a Rickter RRP Ninja and you’re not Mark Gomez, so don’t expect to be executing any barrel rolls. But SWA does tease that the ride pulls an impressive 2.5gs in its tightest corners, so hey, that’s pretty good, right? First launched in December of 2008, the Jet Rescue Roller Coaster has been entertaining park visitors for over 6 years now.
Below we’ve included both Sea World’s own promotional teaser video as well as a POV video from video blogger Theme Park Review, who listed it as its top 3 attractions (apart from the dolphin show). Watch below and decide whether SWA’s Jet Rescue can hold a candle to the real thing:
