Following the announcement in April, there has been speculation around the construction of the newest coaster at Seaworld. We were told that the new coaster will as suggested at the time be called Manta. Manta will be Seaworld Orlando’s second major coaster, the other being Kraken.

Following on from the mix of animal/ride combinations at the recently opened Aquatica water park, Manta will Manta will show riders underwater animal habitats and then soar them skywards on a Manta styled flying coaster. Early artwork suggests that you’ll sit under the Manta face down in a hand-gliding position.

Designed to give the ride the feeling of gliding, swooping and diving, Manta will reach a height of 140 feet, top speeds of 60mph moving through four inversions on 3,359 feet of track covering 7 acres of the park. The ride will be constructed by swiss company Bolliger & Mabillard who were also responsible for the construction of Kraken, Hulk Rollercoaster and Duelling Dragons to name a few.

The attraction is to begin when visitors enter a mythical village filled with artisan-created engravings and artwork that celebrate ray legend and lore. In the queue line, visitors will wind through caverns adorned with ray-inspired art in marble, jewels, and mosaics, all hand-created.

If you’re not a coaster fan, then you’ll still get the opportunity to view the aquarium that forms part of the ride, which will be filled 00 rays, as well as thousands of fish and other creatures native to oceans all over the world.

“This ride is uniquely SeaWorld,” Dan Brown, vice president and general manager of SeaWorld Orlando, stated in a news release. “SeaWorld is famous for connecting guests with the sea and its amazing creatures, and Manta does this in a way that has never been done before, creating a true sense of oneness between human and animal.

“The sensation of Manta also will be like none other in the world - guests will be inspired by the grace and power of live rays, then feel as if they, themselves, are gliding through air and water,” said Joseph Couceiro, chief marketing officer for SeaWorld’s parent company, Busch Entertainment Corporation.

So when is all this due to open. Seaworld have confirmed that Manta is due to open Summer 2009.