Steel Eel

Steel Eel
The script text of "Steel Eel" is italicized, colored yellow, and features rough edges with disconnected spurts of yellow lining the tips of each letter's edge. A green eel is in the background wrapping around in an "s" pattern, with its mouth opened about to bite the "L" in the word "Eel".
An overview of Steel Eel along the lakeside, with several camelback hills depicted in the background among tree foliage.
Steel Eel's initial drop and several hills
SeaWorld San Antonio
LocationSeaWorld San Antonio
Coordinates29°27′19″N 98°41′46″W / 29.45528°N 98.69611°W / 29.45528; -98.69611
StatusOperating
Opening dateMarch 6, 1999
General statistics
TypeSteel
ManufacturerD. H. Morgan Manufacturing
Lift/launch systemChain lift hill
Height150 ft (46 m)
Drop150 ft (46 m)
Length3,700 ft (1,100 m)
Speed65 mph (105 km/h)
Duration1:40
Max vertical angle60°
G-force3.5
Trains2 trains with 6 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 3 rows for a total of 36 riders per train.
Steel Eel at RCDB

Steel Eel is a steel roller coaster located at SeaWorld San Antonio in San Antonio, Texas. Manufactured and designed by D. H. Morgan Manufacturing, the roller coaster opened on March 6, 1999, and was the single-biggest investment by the park at the time. The construction of Steel Eel was facilitated by rising guest interest in more attractions following the opening of a steel inverted roller coaster, The Great White.

Steel Eel reaches a maximum height of 150 feet (46 m), with a maximum speed of 65 miles per hour (105 km/h), and a total length of 3,700 feet (1,100 m). The roller coaster was the second to open at the park, mainly focusing on air time. Upon opening, the roller coaster received generally positive reviews from critics and guests, and received several awards.

History

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After building The Great White, a steel inverted roller coaster that opened in 1997, SeaWorld officials saw a great amount of optimistic feedback from guests, leading to the development of Steel Eel.[1][2] The roller coaster was designed with the park's layout in mind and would interact with several of the park's existing attractions. Steel Eel's design focused on height and speed.[1] Park officials had sought to increase the frequency of visitors with the opening of the roller coaster.[3] The addition of the Steel Eel also sought to appeal to a wider-family demographic.[1] SeaWorld San Antonio announced on August 18, 1998, that it would add a new steel roller coaster, named Steel Eel. The roller coaster was touted as a "hypercoaster", with a planned opening date set for March 1999.[3]

The construction of Steel Eel was one of the many roller coasters announced by theme parks around the United States in a record high trend.[4][5] Steel Eel was the most expensive single-season investment the park had made in a 10 year period.[6] Testing rehearsals were finishing up in early March 1999.[7] The roller coaster would open with the park on March 6.[8][9]

Ride experience

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The train departs the station making a left U-turn and ascends the 150-foot (46 m) chain lift hill. Cresting the top, the train descends the first 150-foot (46 m) drop reaching its maximum speed of 65 miles per hour (105 km/h). At the bottom of the drop, the train curves slightly to the left, ascending two camelback hills before entering the mid-course brake run. Exiting the brake run, the train descends a 130-foot (40 m) drop at a right banked 44-degree curve before ascending another hill. After dropping and turning slightly to the left, the train enters a series of four camelback hills. The train then traverses an s-curve into the final brake run before returning to the station.[1][6] One cycle of the roller coaster takes around a minute and forty-seconds to complete.[10]

Characteristics

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Steel Eel is a steel roller coaster designed and manufactured by D. H. Morgan Manufacturing.[6][10][11] The general contractor of the roller coaster was Browning Construction.[10] The second roller coaster to open at the park,[12] Steel Eel was built in the southeast portion of the park near The Great White and three children's attractions.[1][6] Steel Eel was one of five roller coasters to open at Texas theme parks in 1999.[5] To differ from the park's other steel roller coaster, The Great White, Steel Eel was designed to feature many points of air time.[1][3] Steel Eel was the first roller coaster built by D. H. Morgan Manufacturing to utilize tubular steel supports as opposed to the manufacturer's earlier use in steel grid frameworks.[13]

The roller coaster has a total track length of 3,700 feet (1,100 m). The initial drop has a 60 degree vertical angle, with the roller coaster exerting 3.5 g-forces to its riders.[1][6] Originally sporting a yellow track and grey support color scheme, Steel Eel was repainted in 2019 to feature purple supports and yellow track.[10][14] Steel Eel operates with two trains. Each of the two trains can accommodate 36 passengers, including six cars a train. Each car has three rows with two seats to a single row.[1][10] Each seat features a lap bar restraint.[13]

Reception

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Refer to caption
A train of Steel Eel traversing one of the camelback hills

Upon opening, the roller coaster received generally positive reviews from critics and guests. A report by Texas-based newspaper, The Monitor, recorded American Coaster Enthusiasts (ACE) reactions of the roller coaster, with one member stating it was simply "'smooth'", another stating it "'loads of fun'", and another stating it was "'incredible'".[15] A consensus among ACE members thought the Steel Eel positively reinforced its steel inverted roller coaster counterpart in the park.[15] John Morthland, writing for magazine Texas Monthly reviewing Texas roller coasters, commented that if roller coaster riders liked receiving their "thrills right side up", Steel Eel was the right fit.[5]

Awards

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A commercial produced by Busch Entertainment and GSD&M, Austin received the Brass Ring award in 1999 by the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) for the park's Steel Eel roller coaster.[16] Steel Eel has received several placements on Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Awards for being one of the top steel roller coasters.

Golden Ticket Awards: Top steel Roller Coasters
Year 1999 2007 2009 2010
Ranking 23[17] 46[18] 46[19] 47[20]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h O'Brien, Tim (September 7, 1998). "Huge Steel Eel (Coaster) To Slither Through SeaWorld San Antonio". Amusement Business. 110 (36): 23. ProQuest 209416093.
  2. ^ E. Poling, Travis (January 6, 1999). "Local theme parks see stronger 1999 More rides, aggressive promotion to be tools for boost in attendance". San Antonio Express-News. p. 1E. ProQuest 261982486.
  3. ^ a b c Elizabeth, Allen (August 19, 1998). "Focus: SeaWorld plans 'hypercoaster' Steel Eel to make debut at March opening of theme park". San Antonio Express-News. p. 1E. ProQuest 261951375.
  4. ^ "Themed Areas, Coasters In Parks' Capital Plans". Amusement Business. 111 (2): 1, 19–21, 24. January 11, 1999. ProQuest 209442954.
  5. ^ a b c Morthland, John (August 1999). "Aaaaaaiiiieeeee!". Texas Monthly. 27 (8): 124–127. ProQuest 226959756.
  6. ^ a b c d e O'Brien, Tim (February 1, 1999). "Steel Eel Slithers Way To SeaWorld Adventurepark". Amusement Business. 111 (5): 20, 25. ProQuest 209445306.
  7. ^ "SeaWorld announces new features for 1999 season". The Seguin Gazette-Enterprise. March 4, 1999. p. 5. Archived from the original on September 13, 2022. Retrieved September 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Rodriguez, Ihosvani (March 6, 1999). "Blaha vs. Steel Eel is no Mir experience". San Antonio Express-News. p. 1A. ProQuest 262012530.
  9. ^ "'Eel-ation'". The Odessa American. April 11, 1999. p. 35. Archived from the original on September 13, 2022. Retrieved September 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ a b c d e Marden, Duane. "Steel Eel - SeaWorld San Antonio (San Antonio, Texas, United States)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Archived from the original on August 6, 2022. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  11. ^ "Late News". Amusement Business. 110 (35): 1. August 31, 1998. ProQuest 209451487.
  12. ^ Stooksbury Guier, Cindy (March 29, 1999). "Texas parks boast new attractions". Amusement Business. 111 (13): 16. ProQuest 209465857.
  13. ^ a b Nick (October 24, 2019). "19 for '99: Steel Eel at SeaWorld San Antonio". Coaster101. Archived from the original on December 6, 2021. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
  14. ^ "The best way to take in the new, purple Steel Eel is right before the 15 story drop". SeaWorld San Antonio. April 13, 2019. Archived from the original on September 13, 2022. Retrieved September 12, 2022 – via Facebook.
  15. ^ a b "Sea World's new 'Steel Eel' only hypercoaster in Texas, Southwest". The Monitor. April 16, 1999. p. 5F. Archived from the original on September 13, 2022. Retrieved September 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Texas". Adweek. 21 (51). December 20, 1999. Gale A59200120.
  17. ^ "Top 25 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 7B. August 1999. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  18. ^ "Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 11 (6.2): 36–37. September 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  19. ^ "Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 13 (6.2): 32–33. September 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  20. ^ "Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 14 (6.2): 34–35. September 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
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