By Lookout Staff

February 27, 2023 -- Pacific Park's 27-year-old Sea Dragon is retiring after making a splash in movies, videos and starring in a children's book, park officials announced Monday.

More than 12 million riders have taken the swinging ship with two lifelike dragonheads that makes "passengers feel as if they’re caught in the turbulent waters," park officials said.

The original Sea Dragon (Courtesy of Pacific Park)

The 26-foot-long, 6,000-pound green Sea Dragon on the Pier "moves back and forth in a 180-degree arc, giving riders a series of 40 feet drops and thrilling launches."

Customers are invited to take a farewell ride on the Sea Dragon daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. through March 8, before it makes way for an all-new Sea Dragon ride the following day, Park officials said.

They can also share their fondest memory of the swing ride by submitting a video, photos and-or text regarding their experience at https://pacpark.com/seadragonmemories.

“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, Pacific Park's director of marketing and business development.

“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 appearances in a number of Hollywood movies, including “Iron Man” with Robert Downey, Jr. and “Her” with Joaquin Phoenix.

It also inspired the chidren's book "Stella Rose and the Sea Dragon” by Stella Harris and James Harris, along with illustrator Michael Bailey.

Pacific Park will host "a very special high-flying retirement send-off" for the original Sea Dragon on Thursday, March 9 at 8 a.m., when the all-new Sea Dragon will make its debut, park officials said.