SAN DIEGO, Calif. – SeaWorld has big plans for its San Diego theme park next year.

What You Need To Know

  • SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment announces a new roller coaster is coming to SeaWorld San Diego in 2023

  • On Arctic Rescue, visitors will straddle snowmobile-style seats and launch up to 40 mph on 2,800 feet of track

  • Earlier this year, SeaWorld San Diego unveiled the Emperor coaster 

  • According to a TEA/AECOM attendance report, Sea World San Diego attracted more than 2.8 million visitors in 2021, trailing behind other theme parks such as Six Flags Magic Mountain, Knott's Berry Farm, Universal Studios Hollywood, Disney California Adventure and Disneyland

As the company moves away from entertainment-driven animal shows, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment announced that its San Diego theme park would soon be home to one of the longest and fastest straddle coasters on the West Coast, the Arctic Rescue.

SeaWorld officials said guests would straddle snowmobile-style seats and launch up to 40 mph on 2,800 feet of track that could go as high as 30 feet.

The ride, inspired by the SeaWorld Rescue Team, will debut sometime next year. Arctic Rescue is among several new attractions coming to SeaWorld theme parks across the U.S.

"Two thousand twenty three promises to be another exciting year for our SeaWorld parks as we introduce more new rides and experiences that cannot be found elsewhere," said Marc Swanson, CEO of SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, in a news release. "We strive to continually bring new thrills to our parks while also providing unique and engaging experiences with marine life that guests may not otherwise ever have a chance to have, all while knowing they are supporting an organization that has helped more than 40,000 animals in need over the last 55 years."

The new coaster in San Diego comes as SeaWorld moves past its live animal shows after the "Blackfish" controversy. The park is developing a new generation of attractions to compete for visitors in a crowded theme park landscape in Southern California. 

Earlier this year, SeaWorld San Diego unveiled the Emperor coaster, one of the state's tallest and fastest floorless dive coasters. 

Still, the theme San Diego theme park continues to lag behind its rivals in attendance. 

According to the Themed Entertainment Association and AECOM, SeaWorld San Diego brought in 2.8 million visitors in 2021, last among the big players of Six Flags Magic Mountain, Knott's Berry Farm, Universal Studios Hollywood, Disney California Adventure, and Disneyland. TEA/AECOM did not release attendance for Legoland Carlsbad.

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At least one report believes the lack of new rides in 2021 led to the drop in attendance. 

SeaWorld officials said the Arctic Rescue attraction would feature a unique indoor launch station where riders will start their journey inside a Wild Arctic exhibit before racing through the arctic.

The launch would feature three launches at 34, 38 and 40 mph.