Ride to close on March 9 after over two decades of thrills
After more than two decades of high-flying thrills, the original Sea Dragon ride on the Santa Monica Pier is set to retire. Pacific Park, the amusement park where it has called home since its opening in 1996, is inviting guests to bid farewell to the iconic ride. Until March 9, the Sea Dragon will be located in the upper pier parking lot adjacent to the east entrance of Pacific Park, open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Guests are encouraged to share their favorite memories and experiences on the swing ride by submitting videos, photos or text at https://pacpark.com/seadragonmemories. After more than 12 million rides, the attraction holds a special place in many hearts of people from near and far.
“We look forward to sharing the public’s memories of the Sea Dragon with our guests and team members as we celebrate the retirement of the original Sea Dragon ride,” said Nathan Smithson, Director of Marketing and Business Development at Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier. “The Sea Dragon is an iconic piece of the amusement park ride experience for everyone including the film and music industries and numerous celebrities.”
The Sea Dragon has made several appearances in Hollywood films such as “Iron Man” and “Her,” as well as sharing the spotlight with regional Mexican music artists La Séptima Banda. The ride was even featured in a book launch for “Stella Rose and the Sea Dragon.”
On March 9 at 8:00 a.m., Pacific Park will host a special retirement send-off for the original Sea Dragon before it makes way for an all-new version of the ride. The swinging ship features two lifelike dragonheads that give passengers a sense of being caught in turbulent waters. With its 180-degree arc motion and thrilling launches, riders are treated to a series of drops over its 40-foot journey. Weighing in at 6,000 pounds and measuring over 26 feet long and three feet wide, it is accentuated with two twelve-foot-tall sea dragon heads on each end.
