SeaWorld San Diego announced the return of Journey to Atlantis – first introduced in 2004 as San Diego’s first water coaster – and an icon of the park will be opening soon. The reimagined Journey to Atlantis fuses drops and splashes with fresh, dynamic storytelling. Both longtime fans and first-time riders can prepare for an underwater adventure where they will dive into an epic new chapter in the Atlantis legacy. Featuring an immersive queue experience, LED lights, projection mapping, and water effects, the experience begins as soon as guests enter the attraction.
As part of the park’s commitment to continuously elevate the guest experience, in 2024, SeaWorld San Diego set out to reimagine this attraction with fresh narrative layers and immersive media.
The new narrative will incorporate The S.E.A. Collective (Science. Exploration. Adventure.), a daring crew of young scientists and explorers, who arrive in San Diego’s Mission Bay determined to uncover Atlantis’s ancient secrets. Throughout the queue, guests will overhear mission chatter from the S.E.A. Collective and view expedition maps and hints to find the mythical Kraken – an ancient sea monster feared for centuries who has awakened and is ready to strike Atlantis. SeaWorld’s global enthusiasts will recognize the S.E.A. Collective from their adventures throughout SeaWorld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi as well as Infinity Falls at SeaWorld Orlando and should be on the lookout for allusions and references nodding to those adventures.
The story unfolds in three immersive chapters: Discovery, Descent, and Escape. In Discovery, the queue becomes a hub of S.E.A. Collective research, with mysterious maps, bold theories, and murals of Atlantis’s rise and fall. Guests learn about the city’s builders – Mermaids and Atlanteans – who now guard it from ancient threats. In Descent, riders board a boat to explore the sunken city, only to face a dramatic Kraken attack brought to life with projection, lighting, and water effects. Finally, in Escape, riders race to the surface in a vertical elevator climax, ending in a splashdown. The family-friendly ride features both flume and coaster elements, culminating in a large splashdown. Riders board eight-seater boats and experience a chain lift hill, turns and a final drop into a splash pool. This hybrid flume-coaster ride has a height requirement of 42 inches.
“Journey to Atlantis has always been a guest favorite, and with these revisions and additions, we’ve transformed the experience to be more than a ride – it’s a full-sensory adventure,” said Tyler Carter, SeaWorld San Diego Park President. “This ride is great for all ages, and the next-level features and fresh storytelling will provide a thrill to a whole new generation of explorers.”
