SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — The countdown is on to the opening of SeaWorld San Diego's newest attraction for 2022 called Emperor. And Monday morning, CBS 8's Danamarie McNicholl gets to show you a sneak peek at the ride.
The Emperor is an adrenaline-pumping dive coaster and California's newest, tallest, fastest, and longest dive coaster in the state, as well as the only floorless dive coaster in the state, according to SeaWorld San Diego.
WATCH: Sneak Peek: SeaWorld San Diego's newest attraction for 2022 called Emperor (Feb. 28, 2022)
Here are some fun facts about Emperor:
- Riders will plunge down a 143-foot facedown vertical drop accelerating to more than 60 mph.
- Riders will also experience heart-pounding inversions, a barrel roll and Immelmann loop, a hammerhead turn and a flat spin as they race along the nearly 2,500 feet of track.
- Each of the floorless ride cars will hold 18 riders in three, six-person rows. This is only ride-care configuration of its kind in North America.
- Named after the Emperor penguin, the world's largest penguin, the all-new Emperor coaster mimics this species' amazing underwater diving ability.
- SeaWorld San Diego is the only place in North America to see the amazing Emperor penguins.
SeaWorld San Diego said a portion of the proceeds from sales of penguin merchandise at the Emperor retail store will be donated to Penguins International to support their important conservation, education and research efforts.
The Emperor opens March 2, 2022 for pass members.