Kraken Review, SeaWorld Orlando B&M Floorless Coaster | SeaWorld Orlando's Most Important Coaster?

Kraken at SeaWorld Orlando was the Southeast's first and only Bolliger & Mabillard floorless coaster. This B&M multi-looper was the park's first major thrill coaster and it features an exciting layout with 7 inversions and several underground elements. This is still one of the best floorless coasters and it was arguably the most important coaster for SeaWorld Orlando. Find out why and how it rides in this review!
Video Credits
Gwazi POV (Millenniumforce)- • Gwazi Roller Coaster
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Background Music
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[@hoosiercoasterfan2655]

This is probably one of, if not the most important coaster to my coaster enthusiasm. I went to SeaWorld Orlando twice when I was little, once in 2006 and once in 2008, and I remember the 2008 one way more. The lone major coaster at the park at the time was Kraken, but I was way too little to ride it (4 years old), but I do remember seeing it, and I remember seeing my older brother ride it. I was so amazed by it and the way it presented itself. I remember thinking it was so cool how it rose up and then dove back down into the path under me, I thought it was the coolest thing I had ever seen up to that point, I wanted to ride it some day. That was my last visit to SeaWorld Orlando for about 15 years. I was obsessed with this ride. Over the years I would draw pictures of it in school, I’d take those giant flexible Smart Erasers and pretend it was Krakens train (the shape of it kinda reminded me of Krakens floorless train) and make it do coaster maneuvers. The moment I got access to KZbin I would watch POVs of Kraken religiously. Years later, I became a full on roller coaster enthusiast, and started riding coasters, and even after riding so many elite coasters, Kraken was still near the top of my bucket list, and if that wasn’t enough of a reason to return to SWO, then the fact that they had added some more amazing looking roller coasters since my last visit was more than enough of a reason, and in December of last year I decided it was time, I had some extra money and I decided to use it on a Florida coaster trip (SWO/BGT), I was finally gonna ride Kraken. In February (15 years after my last visit) I flew down to Orlando, got my rental car, went straight to SeaWorld, and when I got to the park I made a B line for Kraken. When I got to the entrance I swear the sun was shining over the coaster, and it reflected gorgeously off the new paint scheme. I couldn’t believe it, it couldn’t have been any more perfect. This ride is everything I hoped it would be and more. I was honestly worried that I was gonna overhype it, but it exceeded my expectations. The ride is pure intensity and aggression (not in a rough way), and those are some of my favorite qualities of a ride, my favorite element is between the super floaty and lateral filled zero g roll, and the second vertical loop that pummels you with positive gs. Hot Take: it is my favorite coaster at SWO, all the coasters at SWO are great, but not only does this one bring a lot of nostalgia, I just feel like it had more variety than the other coasters, and I had a lot more fun on it, and not having gone to Universal IOA, it is actually my favorite coaster in Orlando. It was my favorite coaster in Florida, until I rode an elite trio of coasters at BGT later on that trip.

[@CanobieCoaster]

Glad you got on the ride after dreaming about the day for so long.

[@CoastersTravels]

Great review on Kraken! The drop into the second loop is my favorite moment of the ride.

[@CanobieCoaster]

I love that part too.

[@OklahomaCoasterFan]

I always enjoy getting a few rides on Kraken every visit. I've gotten a little headbanging on occasion, but nothing bad. I usually am riding on a mostly empty train. On my last visit in April, it was riding great, and I always love the use of the trenches. I miss the Kraken head and the eggs in the off-ride cave that were all removed when they brought in VR. Those were some nice thematic elements that probably cost the park more money to remove than to keep.

[@CanobieCoaster]

That's odd they added those details when people had a headset on.

[@SomethingOtherwise]

Kraken is my favourite (non-inverted) B&M in Florida. Yes, even better than Hulk or Kumba. I love the final corkscrew, and the zero-g roll is debatedly the best element on the ride.

[@CanobieCoaster]

I prefer the other B&Ms, but it's still a great ride.

[@LordMalice6d9]

My personal favorite floorless.

[@CanobieCoaster]

One of the best.

[@teddym2808]

Only ever rode this in 2001 when it was so smooth it was like glass. We got nothing but back seat rides, seaworld in May, almost a walk on. Good times.

[@CanobieCoaster]

Nice!

[@Joypyf]

Great background info! B&M is the king of floater airtime 👑 Wildfire at SDC is still my favorite floorless

[@CanobieCoaster]

Thanks!

[@alantrotter2077]

For me Kraken is the best B&M Floorless coaster I've been on. It tracks really well and I've pretty much only rode it in full trains. I agree Superman Krypton (SFFT) has a better setting, I find it has a rattle and that drops it to #2 for me. Dominator is third and Medusa (SFDK) is 4th.

[@CanobieCoaster]

Superman had a shake at points, but not enough to thwart that awesome layout.

[@maxhagenauer24]

Kraken, this coaster with such a great color skyme, that I don't believe will be as good with the new one, is for everyone who would rather have a more smooth experience than forcefull one. The layout is about fantastic as the first half follows the same B&M Floorless pattern but that second half really is unique going underground with a second loop and out the tunnel straight into a corkscrew. It may have gained a rattle over time but if you can ignore B&M rattles, this is a fun inversions machine.

[@CanobieCoaster]

I definitely think I'll prefer the old look.

[@jonny-b4954]

Love the ride. Always thought the drawn out hill into mid course and final brake run were funky though. Just because I can't think of any other floorless with them.

[@CanobieCoaster]

Those transitions are stretched out.

[@jtwoolley]

my favorite floorless!!!!!

[@CanobieCoaster]

One of the best.

[@ThrillsofColdplay]

I really like the beach’y color scheme of this coaster

[@CanobieCoaster]

Me too.

[@AirtimeProductions]

Awesome review, I agree with every thought on the ride! Yeah I agree going into the dive loop is forceful, I didn’t drink a lot that day so I greyed out both rides in the back

[@CanobieCoaster]

That dive loop is quite good.

[@chargedonpc9989]

It looks like a really fun coaster

[@CanobieCoaster]

It is.

[@denone5327]

Great coaster

[@CanobieCoaster]

Sure is.

[@Mattia_Genuardi]

At 6:21 , on the 2nd row, 3rd seat, you can see a pretty worried guy pulling up and down his restraints. I bet he was there during the whole ride like: "These aren't locked, I'm gonna die" lol

[@CanobieCoaster]

Thankfully they did lock.

[@cameronbyrd7671]

Agree with your rating of Kraken. I know we haven't seen the newish color scheme in full, but I think they're trying for a sea monster common color, which green does match pretty well and may look more visually pleasing with the lake. Also, I've noticed that Kraken is basically Seaworld's Montu. Both layouts are pretty identical, aside from the batwing and cobra roll on both. Montu has better theming in my opinion, but Kraken deserves its flowers too, and I'm glad the park is trying to keep the ride fresh. Maybe we'll even get new trains with this reno at some point!

[@gddatfatrat2390]

if we did get new trains, hopefully they would have the classic restraints instead of the vest ones

[@cameronbyrd7671]

@@gddatfatrat2390 For sure I would hope.

[@CanobieCoaster]

Kraken doesn't have the same power of Montu in my opinion, but the trenches are a nice feature shared between them.

[@cameronbyrd7671]

@@CanobieCoaster I agree Montu uses its layout better with its trenches and thematic pieces. Kraken really matches there after the midcourse though, which was smart on Seaworld's part.

[@mateoalvira3514]

If you see: Kraken at SeaWorld Orlando Medusa at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom Superman at Parque Warner Madrid Dragon Khan at PortAventura Hydra the Revenge at Dorney Park Wildfire at Silver Dollar City Rougarou at Cedar Point Most B&M sit-down and floorless coasters have twisting first drops, those ones have a straight first drop. So what are the differences between the seven in terms of airtime and how they feel? What do you think?

[@CanobieCoaster]

Wildfire and Superman have the best two drops. Great floater airtime. Hydra is a notch behind. The others also give airtime, just not as much.

[@BigDCoasterFam]

I rode Kraken for the first time this summer. I enjoyed the experience and we had an opportunity for a re-ride but my girls didn’t like the rattle so we were done after 1 ride.

[@CanobieCoaster]

It's a good ride, but I tend to spend my time riding Mako and Manta there.

[@BigDCoasterFam]

Mako definitely! Our time there was cut short (weather) and we didn’t ride Manta. We will have to get back there soon once Ice Breaker and Iron Gwazi open

[@cliquet3scliquet3s96]

I'm referring to Kraken at SeaWorld Orlando, the B&M floorless coaster. If I ask you about the first drop, Canobie Coaster would say: Most B&M loopers have a twisting first drop. Kraken has... And if I ask you, what do you think about the drop in terms of airtime?

[@CanobieCoaster]

It has some floater.

[@guitarboy1234]

They are giving this ride a new paint job this moment. They are giving it a green paint job like the floorless coaster hydra. Kind of strange for kraken…

[@CanobieCoaster]

I saw the green. It will look different for sure.

[@guitarboy1234]

@@CanobieCoaster I personally wished they kept it the same but what can you do.

[@user-ec7rb9rm4y]

I was asking you about riding again Kraken at SeaWorld Orlando, Dragon Khan at PortAventura, Medusa at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, Rougarou at Cedar Point, and Wildfire at Silver Dollar City, those have a straight first drop. But what are the differences between the five in how they feel and what about them in terms of airtime? What do you think?

[@CanobieCoaster]

Wildfire has good floater on its drop. The others have weaker airtime.

[@ThrillsofColdplay]

I noticed a lot of coasters this year with new paint jobs have green

[@CanobieCoaster]

Must have been a good deal!

[@hedgehogcoasters7239]

I'm visiting sea world Orlando in mid/late February, and I'm wondering if I need/should spend the whole day at the park. I haven't ridden any of the coasters at the park, and I like seeing the animals. Also, I'm going on a school break, and ice breaker should be open by the time I visit

[@CanobieCoaster]

If you plan to see the shows, yes. If you only plan to experience the rides and exhibits, it's possible to do everything in 1/2-2/3 of the day.

[@southeasternthrills]

You can get most stuff done in a half day depending on how many shows you want to see. The coasters have pretty short waits most of the time.

[@noname117spore]

Do remember that these are some of the best B&Ms out there so although you can do them all in a day it might be worth staying for the day or at least most of it for rerides.

[@hedgehogcoasters7239]

@@noname117spore right my #1 coaster is wicked cyclone aorn, and I expect mako (plus velocicoaster when I visit islands) to be my #1 and two coasters. Mako is also my first b&m, manta my first flyer, and ice breaker and kraken look to be a ton of fun, so I'm definitely doing rerides

[@jameslitwin5635]

you probably don't need a full day per se, but i enjoy spending as much time here as possible. As someone else mentioned, you can get plenty of rerides, enjoy the many great views at this park, and visit animal exhibits. It may not be too hot in February, but Journey to Atlantis and Infinity Falls are fun rides as well. JTA is a credit so i recommend getting on it anyway lol

[@michaeltaylor1603]

Spit "take" @ Peyton Manning reference! LOL! (made me lose me Bourbon!) At least SW paid heed to the masses in removing that "unnecessary" change. I remember driving in rental car next to coaster after hrs. for IAAPA Expo.That track went on & ON! I love the tunnels & trenches. Yep! New paint makes you think of Hulk.

[@CanobieCoaster]

It's going to be weird seeing this with the new paint.

[@michaeltaylor1603]

@@CanobieCoaster I MISS AstroWorld. Seeing new rides come in & watching old ones getting repainted. I did work in the sign shop before I left. 90 acres is a lot of signage to care for!

[@jtwoolley]

they have this vr. what would you rate the vr version?

[@CanobieCoaster]

I refused to ride it with VR.

[@bukemdukem1870]

Does dominator rank 4th in ur floorless rankings?

[@CanobieCoaster]

I made a video on it.

[@itsseriousarc8429]

"Peyton Manning's sprinting" 😂

[@CanobieCoaster]

It was either him or Tom Brady, but I couldn't insult the latter.

[@itsseriousarc8429]

Yeah, true

[@mateoalvira3514]

What do you think about the smoothness or the roughness of those B&M floorless coasters: Kraken at SeaWorld Orlando Medusa at Six Flags Great Adventure Medusa at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom Superman Krypton Coaster at Six Flags Fiesta Texas Scream at Six Flags Magic Mountain Dominator at Kings Dominion Hydra the Revenge at Dorney Park Patriot at California's Great America Firebird at Six Flags America

[@CanobieCoaster]

The last two are not as good as the others, but they are still rideable.

[@cliquet3scliquet3s96]

Would you ride it again with its new paint scheme? What do you think?

[@CanobieCoaster]

Yes, the elements are great as always.

[@southeasternthrills]

In your opinion, how would Kraken compare to the other B&M Loopers in Florida. I personally think Kraken is towards the bottom

[@CanobieCoaster]

Montu is easily the best. I'd then put Kumba and Hulk ahead of it too.

[@southeasternthrills]

Same

[@ThrillsofColdplay]

I forgot how fast this coaster was it’s like the coaster is going fast forward

[@CanobieCoaster]

It does move at a good speed.

[@bigdeden]

I guess the new repaint will make it themed to algae lol

[@CanobieCoaster]

I prefer the old color.

[@mateoalvira3514]

The B&M floorless coasters, if the trains are full of riders... If the trains are empty or there's one rider or two riders...

[@CanobieCoaster]

This one can shake more with partially loaded trains.

[@arloproduction4795]

What’s your credit count

[@CanobieCoaster]

1157

[@jtwoolley]

why did you refuse to ride it w/ VR?

[@CanobieCoaster]

I don't like VR on coasters.

[@nathanmingle7]

I was greying out in several places on this bc I was hungry n not used to Florida sun

[@CanobieCoaster]

Makes sense.

[@nathanmingle7]

@@CanobieCoaster canobie man it was really fun. To think I wasn't beat up from work but really just putting my body through a tropical climate on vacation then a coaster to throw me around was really funny. A great day, I admire how many parks you've seen.

[@KeyWestGlenn]

I black out on this ride every time lol

[@CanobieCoaster]

It has some intense parts.

[@SunshineStateCoasters]

I have a theory as to why it’s getting repainted. Maybe the Surf Coaster will be teal just like the old Kraken colors. Don’t quote me on that, just my thoughts.

[@CanobieCoaster]

That's possible!

[@FanThemePark]

I wanted to like this more than I did. I got a front row ride when I visited in October and it was shaky as heck for me. Not the most pleasant ride experience. Not sure why B&M floorless coasters have been giving me rides like this lately.

[@CanobieCoaster]

Was Kraken's train fairly empty?

[@FanThemePark]

@@CanobieCoaster I went on a day that wasn't super busy but the train I rode was full.

[@rlynch1980]

Green!?! Ugh. Gross. I’m glad it’s getting a paint job because it needed it but the Aqua was iconic, and fit much better into the Aquatic theme. At least this means we won’t be losing it anytime soon. I think it’s a little rough bit considering it’s age it still rides well. Like you said it’s my least favorite coaster here, but that’s only because Manta and Mako are exceptional. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@CanobieCoaster]

I wish it kept the old paint scheme, but at least it is being painted.

[@ThrillsofColdplay]

They should’ve kept the track colors and changed the train colors to look like a kraken

[@CanobieCoaster]

I wish the track stayed the old color.

[@VelvetteSimp]

Rode it today and the mid course almost made the train come to A full stop 💀

[@CanobieCoaster]

I've heard it has been doing that.

[@dominique484]

Looks a lot at dragon khan

[@CanobieCoaster]

It does.

[@AllDogsProductions1]

i’d rather see it in a backlot than next to sea creatures 😂

[@CanobieCoaster]

Ok

[@Matthewcrosby26]

If only they would stop delaying the reopening, the third time now 😭😭

[@CanobieCoaster]

Did they delay it again?

[@Matthewcrosby26]

@@CanobieCoaster yup i was there yesterday, it was suppose to open again december 31. From the maco it looks like they might have about a month left

[@acidalex420]

why tf are they painting it green

[@CanobieCoaster]

I don't know.

[@Spiderific]

Wish I could go on the coasters here and at Busch gardens as some of them look top notch, but I just can't give money to the company until they fulfill their (broken) promises about their animal care. It's a shame because these coasters look really awesome. 😔

[@CanobieCoaster]

I haven't seen Blackfish myself.

[@Spiderific]

@@CanobieCoaster You should, as it outlines the issues there pretty well. Although I formed this opinion before the movie. I went to Sea World as a kid, and instead of having a fun time, it just upset me how the animals were being presented. After reading into the real issues, I just couldn't go. I think doing the coasters was the right direction for them, though. I personally think they should make it a marine themed thrill park with marine themed coasters and rides and nix most of the animal shows. If they did that, I would definitely go.

[@LordMalice6d9]

The Busch Gardens and Seaworld parks were a lot better when they were owned by the Anheiser-Busch company.

[@coasternamegenerator5611]

Honest to god, wasn’t a fan of it. It sustained its forces for way too long for me to enjoy it.

[@CanobieCoaster]

That's fair that the positive Gs aren't for everyone.

[@coasternamegenerator5611]

@@CanobieCoaster true. Also, it’s plaza seemed, kind of sad compared to the other rides there. Also you say the ride is important because it helped shift the focus from shows more towards rides, correct?