Manta

Manta is a steel roller coaster in Florida, US, where riders lie face down beneath the track and fly through loops and turns at up to ninety kilometers per hour. The track stretches over one thousand meters and includes four inversions that mimic the feeling of gliding through water.

The coaster opened in May 2009 and was the first in the park to position riders in a flying posture. Construction took more than a year and added a new form of entertainment to the grounds that linked the theme of marine animals with motion.

The queue winds through ten aquariums housing more than three hundred rays that glide slowly through the water, preparing visitors for the ride ahead. Guests can watch these creatures up close just before boarding, connecting the experience with a view of ocean life.

Riders must be at least one hundred thirty-seven centimeters tall (54 inches) to board, and the ride lasts about two minutes. The queue can grow long, especially on weekends and holidays, so arriving early or returning later in the day can help.

One section of the ride passes just above an aquarium where rays swim, so riders can see the animals directly below them. This moment lasts only seconds, but it connects the speed of the coaster with the calm gliding of the ocean creatures in an unexpected way.