ORLANDO, Fla. — A new roller coaster and a tropical fish venue are coming to two Florida theme parks owned by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. Park officials announced Wednesday that the roller coaster Cheetah Hunt is coming to Bush Gardens Tampa, while Grand Reef will open at Discovery Cove in Orlando.
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SeaWorld now joins several Orlando theme parks now offering something new. Universal Studios added Harry Potter and Disney has plans to expand Fantasy Land at the Magic Kingdom.
The new Busch Gardens roller coaster will launch riders from zero to 60 miles per hour at the start of the 4,429-foot track and include a 130-foot drop. A new cheetah habitat will be built alongside the roller coaster.
Discovery Cove, the all-inclusive tropical retreat where guests swim with dolphins, will open a new addition called "The Grand Reef" in June 2011. The new edition features deep and shallow water exploration, white sandy beaches, hammocks, and snorkeling among canyons inspired by reefs from around the world.
"The Grand Reef takes Discovery Cove's world-class animal encounters to an all new level, several, actually," Discovery Cove Vice President Stewart Clark said. "It's what our guests expect from us, unforgettable connections with the sea and making memories that will last forever. This could only be created by Discovery Cove."
Families can explore along the water's edge or cross a bridge to see sharks swimming below. The reef will have thousands of fish, from small colorful wrasses to large spotted eagle rays.
Further out in the reef, guests can walk through stunning habitats, right alongside venomous lionfish and sharp-toothed reef sharks safely behind glass. Guests can take paths and bridges to the reef's islands and hidden grottoes.
The Grand Reef will also provide an innovative experience called SeaVenture, which is an underwater walking tour. Wearing dive helmets, guests will come across lionfish and sharks, safely behind massive panoramic windows, one-on-one touches with unique animals and schools of fish and gentle rays swimming by.
It will cost an addition $59 to experience The Grand Reef's SeaVenture, but the park wouldn't disclose the total cost of building the new attraction.
"When you build something awesome like this, you do want to pay for it eventually. So that will help do that," Clark said.
Construction is underway for The Grand Reef addition, which is set to open in June 2011.
WFTV
