Mission: Bermuda Triangle

This article is about the motion simulator at SeaWorld parks. For the boat ride at Sea World Gold Coast, see Bermuda Triangle (Sea World).

Misson Bermuda Triangle
SeaWorld Orlando
Status	Removed
Opening date	May 1992
Closing date	1995
Replaced by	Wild Arctic
SeaWorld San Diego
Status	Removed
Opening date	1994
Closing date	1997
Replaced by	Wild Arctic
Six Flags Worlds of Adventure
Area	Wildlife Section
Status	Removed
Opening date	2000
Closing date	2003
Ride statistics
Attraction type	Simulator ride
Model	Motion simulator
Theme	Mystery of Bermuda Triangle
Capacity	1,416 riders per hour
Vehicle type	Motion-based cabin
Vehicles	3 (Orlando) 4 (San Diego)
Riders per vehicle	59
Rows	6
Riders per row	9-10
Audience capacity	100 stationary seats per show
Duration	5:00
Height restriction	42 in (107 cm)
Wheelchair accessible
Must transfer from wheelchair

Mission: Bermuda Triangle was a motion simulator attraction that operated at SeaWorld Orlando, SeaWorld San Diego, and SeaWorld Ohio (later Six Flags Worlds of Adventure). The ride was themed to the legend and mystery of the Bermuda Triangle. The attraction was replaced by Wild Arctic at SeaWorld Orlando and SeaWorld San Diego.

Plot

The voyage began as a scientific submarine expedition to observe and document marine life before receiving a call from a sister submarine claiming to have made an incredible discovery. Descending about a mile deep, the protagonist submarine finds the lost wreck of the USS Cyclops (briefly mentioned in the pre-show), and the captain of the protagonist submarine, voiced by Robert Stack, agrees to stay on-site while the sister submarine returns to the surface to refuel. An earthquake suddenly rocks the sea, forcing the submarine to evade falling debris, before the wreck tips over and falls into the trench, its wake current dragging the submarine down with it. As the engines fail and the hull begins to strain under the increasing water pressure, a mysterious electric charge gathers along the hull of USS Cyclops before blasting the sub, which suddenly rockets back towards the surface. Unable to explain the strange phenomena that saved them, the captain chalks it up to yet another mystery of the Bermuda Triangle as a helicopter arrives to retrieve the submarine.

History

In 1989, Anheuser-Busch purchased the SeaWorld parks from Hartcourt-Bruce Janovich for $1.1 billion. Busch wanted to transform the parks from zoos and aquarium to amusement parks to compete in the market against nearby parks. In 1992, SeaWorld Orlando announced plans for a simulator attraction named Mission: Bermuda Triangle. The ride opened during the 1992 Memorial Day weekend. SeaWorld San Diego's version of the attraction opened in 1994.

In August 1994, SeaWorld Orlando announced that Mission: Bermuda Triangle would be rethemed to Wild Arctic, which opened in 1995. SeaWorld San Diego followed in 1997, also retheming their Mission: Bermuda Triangle to Wild Arctic. Wild Arctic added animal exhibits at the exit of the motion simulators.

In 1999, SeaWorld Ohio announced plans to install Mision: Bermuda Triangle, which opened in 2000. When it was added, it was the only ride at SeaWorld Ohio, as the park was forbidden to add most amusement rides because of its location next to Six Flags Ohio. In 2001, SeaWorld Ohio merged with Six Flags Ohio to become Six Flags Worlds of Adventure, with the former SeaWorld Ohio attractions becoming known as an area called Wildlife Section.

In March 2004, Six Flags Worlds of Adventure was sold to Cedar Fair for $145 million, and reverted it back to the park's first name, Geauga Lake. Mission: Bermuda Triangle, along with the other attractions in the Wildlife Section, were replaced by the Wildwater Kingdom water park in 2005.