Mako Is Running Again at SeaWorld Orlando, a Week After It Closed Following the Goliath Death in Georgia

Mako appears to be carrying riders again. SeaWorld Orlando's tallest coaster was listed as operating on Tuesday, October 20, a week after it was found closed following a rider's death on a similar coaster in Georgia.

At 1:10 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday, the Queue-Times wait-time feed for SeaWorld Orlando listed Mako as open with a 10-minute wait. A second feed, ThemeParks.wiki, also showed Mako operating with a 10-minute standby wait at about the same time.

It has not run without interruption. Around 1:20 p.m., both feeds briefly listed Mako as closed while Kraken, Manta and Pipeline: The Surf Coaster kept running, and by about 1:25 p.m. both showed it operating again with a 5-minute wait. Neither feed gives a reason for the short stop.

Mako reflected in the lagoon at sunset. Image: SeaWorld Orlando

No announcement from SeaWorld

SeaWorld has not announced the reopening, and when we checked, SeaWorld's Mako page carried no closure or reopening notice. Attractions Magazine added an update to its closure story on Tuesday morning: "Third-party ride tracking data suggests Mako may have resumed operations at SeaWorld Orlando." The outlet says it has asked SeaWorld to verify.

We cannot pin down the first day it reopened. Mako was still listed as closed on Sunday morning, October 18, when we checked for our Ultimate VIP Tour story, and it was listed as running on Tuesday.

Why it closed

On Monday, October 12, a rider was killed on Goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia. Cobb County police identified him as Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, 42. Mako was closed by the next day, Tuesday, October 13; Attractions Magazine says SeaWorld confirmed the closure "was made out of an abundance of caution." Like Goliath, Mako is a 200-foot hyper coaster built by Bolliger & Mabillard, with open-air trains and individual lap-bar restraints. Attractions Magazine says the cause of the Goliath incident remains under investigation.

Riders in Mako's front row, held in by the individual lap-bar restraints Mako shares with Goliath. Image: SeaWorld Orlando

At least one other park has already brought back a similar coaster. Attractions Magazine reports that Hersheypark reopened Candymonium, another Bolliger & Mabillard coaster, on October 16, after checking with the manufacturer. According to Hersheypark, the manufacturer had found no engineering reason to recommend closing other coasters of similar design over the Goliath incident alone.

What SeaWorld has said

In a statement to Attractions Magazine, SeaWorld said the safety of its guests and team members "is a top priority," and that its work "includes regular ride inspections and ongoing collaboration with ride manufacturers and other engineering and safety experts."

A full Mako train on one of its airtime hills. Image: SeaWorld Orlando

If Mako is on your plan this week, check its status in the SeaWorld app before you head over. A ride listed as open on a live feed can still go down during the day.

Our thoughts remain with Mr. Ibn Kariem's family.

Sources

• Queue-Times, SeaWorld Orlando wait times (checked October 20, 2026, 1:10 to 1:25 p.m. ET)
• ThemeParks.wiki, SeaWorld Orlando live data (checked October 20, 2026)
• Attractions Magazine, "After Six Flags tragedy, SeaWorld Orlando closes Mako amid roller coaster safety questions" (October 13, 2026, updated October 20, 2026)
• SeaWorld Orlando, Mako
• Parks Magic, SeaWorld Orlando's Mako Is Closed a Day After a Rider Died on a Similar B&M Coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia
• Parks Magic, SeaWorld Orlando's Ultimate VIP Tour Drops to $550 From $600, but the 10% Pass Member Discount Is Gone

Image credits: SeaWorld Orlando (all images).