Seaworld Orlando Announces Major Expansion



Seaworld Orlando's new TurtleTrek

WESH: SeaWorld Orlando announced details Tuesday morning for what representatives call the biggest expansion in the park's history.

Three new attractions will be open at SeaWorld and its Discovery Cove park over the next few years.

At TurtleTrek, which will open at SeaWorld Orlando in spring 2012, parkgoers will go "nose-to-nose" with hundreds of freshwater fish, manatees, and more than a dozen sea turtles.

The second addition is Freshwater Oasis, which opens at Discovery Cove in spring 2012. SeaWorld representatives said it’s an all-new attraction where parkgoers will swim and wade with playful otters and marmosets.

Meanwhile, a total makeover of SeaWorld's penguin attraction, representatives say, will take guests on a journey to Antarctica.

"Empire of the Penguin combines closer-than-ever animal connections with state-of-the-art interactive ride technologies for adventures that are different each time," a SeaWorld statement said.

SeaWorld says the new thrill ride will be the coldest ever.

SeaWorld Whales Named as Plantiffs in PETA Lawsuit

NBC San Diego: The animal rights group PETA filed their official complaint against SeaWorld Inc. early Wednesday morning for allegedly violating the thirteenth amendment rights of orca whales.

The official complaint submitted to the US District Court for Southern California lists five SeaWorld orcas as collective plaintiffs in the case, according to the complaint. Three of those whales live in the San Diego Seaworld park. The other two live in the Orlando location.

The thirteenth amendment abolished slavery in 1865.

PETA alleges that the two SeaWorld locations restrained and kept the whales in “constant involuntary physical confinement,” with no means to escape. The complaint also accuses SeaWorld of depriving the whales of “their ability to live in a manner of their choosing,” and for “intentionally subjugating” the whales’ “wills, desires, and/or natural drives and needs of [SeaWorld Inc.’s] own will and whims.”

A spokesperson for SeaWorld Inc. stated to the Associated Press that the claims were “baseless and offensive.” The statement added that any performances are intended to educate the public and promote conservation of marine animals.

PETA’s complaint lists a number of qualities that orca whales possess, such as their problem-solving abilities and understanding of cooperative networks. The orcas are capable of displaying “physiological and behavioral indicators of stress and trauma,” the complaint reads, and can communicate the stress of living in captivity.

“[SeaWorld’s] confinement of [the orcas] suppresses [the orcas’] cultural traditions and deprives them of the ability to make conscious choices and of the environmental enrichment.”

Under current law, animals are still considered property, according to the Associated Press.

SeaWorld Orlando Launches Major Expansion

Orlando Sentinal: SeaWorld Orlando has quietly launched a "major redevelopment" that will add several new attractions to the marine park in 2012 and 2013.

The plans, according to government filings and interviews with people familiar with various elements, include transforming a 24-year-old penguin exhibit into a new, possibly Antarctica-themed ride; adding a sea-turtle movie attraction to an existing manatee display; and building a rainforest-themed trail in Discovery Cove, SeaWorld's limited-admission boutique park, that would include a freshwater pool and habitats for primates and otters.

SeaWorld would not discuss details of its plans this week, though it confirmed that it has multiple new attractions in the works.

"We do have plans for incredible new attractions at SeaWorld Orlando, and we're committed to finding amazing new ways to immerse our guests and fans in the mysteries of the sea," SeaWorld spokesman Nick Gollattscheck said. "It's too early to talk about the plans and details right now, but you can expect us to share the news in the near future."

In a sign of how ambitious its plans are, a delegation of top SeaWorld Orlando executives met two weeks ago with more than a half-dozen senior Orange County planning and growth-management officials to alert them to the coming work. The SeaWorld contingent included SeaWorld Orlando President Terry Prather; park vice presidents in charge of finance, design and engineering, and lobbying; and a corporate engineering and creative-development executive.

The SeaWorld executives, according to those at the meeting, sought assurances that their plans would advance rapidly through the county's permitting process.

"They're going to be doing a major redevelopment. They're looking at spending a significant amount of money," said John Smogor, Orange County's planning administrator, though he said the SeaWorld executives did not discuss specific project details.

The Orlando spending surge is an effort by Orlando-based SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment — and its owner, private-equity giant the Blackstone Group — to revive the biggest and most important of their 10 U.S. theme parks. SeaWorld Orlando alone is responsible for roughly one-third of SeaWorld Parks' total earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, according to a recent report by the ratings firm Standard & Poor's.

But SeaWorld Orlando has also struggled during the past 18 months, losing visitors to Universal Orlando and its year-old Wizarding World of Harry Potter themed area. More challenges are looming, with Merlin Entertainments Group preparing to open a nearby Legoland Florida theme park later this month and Walt Disney World in the midst of expanding two of its four parks — including Disney's Animal Kingdom, which, like SeaWorld, is themed around wildlife and conservation.

"SeaWorld desperately needs to keep up with the competition inOrlando, and both Universal and Disney are just throwing money at stuff right now," said Robert Niles, publisher of ThemeParkInsider.com. "If SeaWorld doesn't do anything, it's going to get left behind."

Although SeaWorld won't reveal its plans yet, some details have trickled out.

One of the biggest projects, expected to be completed in 2013, involves Penguin Encounter, a walk-through exhibit that opened in 1987 and displays several different species of penguins, as well as puffins and murres.

SeaWorld employees have been told the exhibit will close in December for an 18-month refurbishment, and one county official said he expects SeaWorld to demolish the building entirely. SeaWorld is currently renovating a back-area avian-research building to make room for the penguins that will be displaced by the construction.

What exactly will replace the penguin exhibit is less clear. There are persistent rumors, first reported by the industry news site ScreamScape.com, that SeaWorld plans to build an indoor "dark ride" in its place. Since August, SeaWorld Orlando has also trademarked a trio of names that could be associated with the project: "Antarctica" and "Empire of the Penguins," both for use as themed areas in an amusement park, and "SnowWorld," for use as an amusement-park attraction.

Separately, SeaWorld is also planning to redevelop its Manatee Rescue attraction, a project expected to debut in 2012. According to a person familiar with details, the plans include renovating a circular theater and using it for an upgraded, sea-turtle movie that will likely be tied in with a theatrical documentary that was released this past summer through SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment's new SeaWorld Pictures film unit.

Documents filed with the South Florida Water Management District confirm that SeaWorld plans to convert the manatee exhibit into a "combination manatee/sea turtle exhibit." SeaWorld last month also trademarked the name "Turtlesphere 360" for use in a theme-park attraction.

Discovery Cove, the high-end boutique park next door to SeaWorld, is also a part of the expansion efforts. Documents filed with the water district and Orange County show that SeaWorld intends to convert a now-closed saltwater reef into a freshwater environment referred to both as the "Flooded Rainforest Trail" and as "Flooded Forest River Trails."

According to the documents, its features will include a "primate island" and an otter-viewing area.

SeaWorld Shows Signs of Moving Past Circus Themes

Seattle Post Intelligencer: There are some positive signs emerging from SeaWorld that it is moving in new directions, trying to keep pace with a changing world. The public is increasingly turning away from circus shows, and with the hot water surrounding SeaWorld at the moment over the death of trainer Dawn Brancheau last year, SeaWorld may have to give up having trainers in the water permanently. (OSHA hearings)

Recent good news came when SeaWorld’s Orlando park chose to put both of the rescued pilot whales together – a move guaranteed to help both adjust to their lives in captivity, and the kindest choice for the animals. In previous years SeaWorld would no doubt have placed the animals in different parks to increase the attendance at each.

Now it appears as though SeaWorld is prepared to re-invent itself, albeit slowly. They want to tap into the children’s market with movies and other ‘consumer products’, and according to this article at least, will be relying heavily on material from the past.

SeaWorld, the brand wrapped around 10 marine-themed amusement parks across the US, has taken its first steps into the kids entertainment biz with its newly formed SeaWorld Pictures division.

…Helmstedter says the company is also exploring TV and animated content, which will be produced within their own divisions. At press time, he couldn’t give details on the yet-to-be-named divisions or their development slates, but says there are several projects in the pipeline in-house and with partners that will be announced in coming months. Beyond that, he says the company is very focused on the kids space and will be on the hunt for new live-action and animated projects at MIPCOM next month and Kidscreen Summit 2012.

Additionally, Helmstedter says SeaWorld has plans to expand its currently modest consumer products program and further leverage its library of music and the more than 30,000 hours of film footage amassed since the first park opened in 1964. It depicts rescues, conservation activities and SeaWorld’s menagerie of animals.

Read more: http://kidscreen.com/2011/09/16/seaworld-splashes-into-kids-content/#ixzz1YDvjgzXo

SeaWorld has a golden opportunity with this new direction to change from a corporation built in a time when circuses regularly exploited and mistreated wild animals, to a company that embraces modern attitudes of conservation and kindness.

Of course, they may attempt to indoctrinate another generation of children into the myth of Shamu, but that would be huge mistake. Today’s parents are savvy and want to expose their children to experiences that reflect the values of their own generation.

We’ll still be watching…

SeaWorld's New Attraction "Turtle Reef" Opens

SeaWorld San Diego's newest attraction, "Turtle Reef" opened yesterday amid news that the theme park saw a 9 percent drop in attendance last year. SeaWorld was the only major SoCal theme park to experience a drop in 2010. SeaWorld blames the downturn on last year's terrible summer weather.

Turtle Reef features more than 60 hawksbill and green sea turtles along with tropical fish in a 300,000-gallon coral reef habitat. Some of the adult turtles are more than 50 years old, and some juvenile green sea turtles were hatched in 2009. The turtles are endangered and, since they often mistake plastic bags for jelly fish, stores at SeaWorld will only use paper bags or allow customers to purchase reusable bags.

The total immersive experience also will include a game called Race for the Beach, and a touch screen map called Turtlelink where guests can learn about sea turtle tracking and SeaWorld’s rescue efforts and conservation. Riptide Rescue, a new ride just outside the aquarium, will spin passengers in boats on a rescue mission of their own.

The park plans to unveil a rollercoaster called “Manta” in 2012 and recently reopened the Dine with Shamu venue.

SeaWorld Attendance Down for Third Year

Sign On San Diego: SeaWorld’s Shamu may have star power but not quite enough, it seems, to lift attendance at its San Diego and Orlando parks into positive territory.

For the third year in a row, attendance at the marine parks slipped, while other parks, notably Universal Studios in Orlando and Hollywood, saw significant gains, according to a new report released this week by AECOM and the nonprofit Themed Entertainment Association.

In San Diego, SeaWorld’s attendance fell by more than 9 percent, while other Southern California theme parks all saw gains, the report revealed. Universal Studios Orlando reaped huge rewards from last year’s opening of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, while Universal Hollywood benefited from the debut of King Kong 360 3-D.

“Both residents and tourists are coming back to the parks,” said John Robinett, senior vice president, economics, with AECOM. “The 2010 TEA/AECOM Theme Index reveals an average attendance increase of 1.8 percent in North American parks, with many sectors at or close to pre-recession levels. The trend was generally positive.”

Not so at SeaWorld, which has tried to regain its footing following a prolonged economic downturn and restructuring of the ownership after the sale in 2009 of the SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment group to the mega private equity firm, The Blackstone Group. The death last year of one of the orca trainers at the Orlando SeaWorld was one more blow to the parks.

“Obviously, the public has not seen as much compelling new stuff in SeaWorld as in its competitors,” said Robert Niles, who oversees the online magazine, Theme Park Insider. “Universal is cleaning up in both its markets with new rides, but it takes a lot of improvements over a course of time to move attendance. SeaWorld has gone through a lot of uncertainty, but the ownership issue has cleared up, and they should have an opportunity now to move forward.”

SeaWorld San Diego acknowledges there were a number of factors that depressed attendance, including the slumping economy and an unseasonably cold summer last year, said spokesman Dave Koontz. "But we’ve been very pleased with our attendance so far this year, and we’re looking forward to a great summer," he added.

On Saturday, the park will officially debut its new sea turtle attraction, Turtle Reef, and construction is under way on a new roller coaster ride called Manta, which opens sometime next year.

2010 Attendance figures:

Ø  Disneyland: 15,980,000, up .5 percent

Ø  Disney California Adventure: 6,278,000, up 3 percent

Ø  Universal Studios Hollywood, 5,040,000, up 26 percent

Ø  SeaWorld San Diego, 3,800,000, down 9.5 percent

Ø  Knott's Berry Farm Buena Park, 3,600,000, up 8 percent

Bob Barker Disses SeaWorld

ABC Action News: The Price is Right star Bob Barker is creating controversy in a new People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) commerical. In the 30-second spot Barker asks people who may be planning to take a trip to one of the three SeaWorld parks in the United States to reconsider their visit.

"Life in cramped tanks is no prize for orcas and dolphins, who want to be free with their families in the ocean." says the 87-year-old former TV game show host. "Many have died prematurely at SeaWorld in endless circles and performing dumb tricks day in and day out."

A spokesperson for the theme park released a statement calling PETA an "extremist organization" and "the public would be better served if Mr. Barker and PETA would focus their energy on animals truly in need."

PETA plans air the commercials during Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy.

Barker has long been associated with animal rights. For decades he signed off each day on The Price is Right with the line "I'm Bob Barker reminding you to help control the pet population. Have your pet spayed or neutered."

Barker joins other celebrities like Tommy Lee, Pamela Anderson and Hayden Panettiere who have publicly condemned SeaWorld.

You can watch the PETA spot below:

Preview: SeaWorld's 'One Ocean' Show

SeaWorld’s newest killer whale attraction "One Ocean" opens today. One Ocean replaces the popular “Believe" show more than one year after trainer Dawn Brancheau drowned after being pulled into the water by Tilikum the killer whale.

Tilikum grabbed Dawn by her ponytail and dragged her underwater, killing her in February 2010. SeaWorld decided to end "Believe" after Brancheau’s death. Ever since the incident, SeaWorld trainers can't swim with the whales and new safety bars are in place near performing pools. Trainers will have to keep their hair in buns during the “One Ocean” performance.

“The show is going to be highlighting killer whales in ways we've never seen before,” said Kelly Flaherty Clark, director of animal training.

SeaWorld Trainers May Rejoin Orcas

USA Today: The three SeaWorld theme parks are moving toward putting trainers back in the water with killer whales, a year after a 6-ton orca killed a trainer during a performance at the Orlando park, the Associated Press reports.

Previously, SeaWorld had said its new show, One Ocean, set to debut in April in Orlando, would not put trainers in the water with the animals. Though he didn't specify when trainers would be back in the pool, Chuck Tompkins, curator of zoological operations for the parks, told the AP the show will include "interaction and play in the water."

Moreover, SeaWorld has spent millions on upgrading safety features, including rising pool floors to lift trainers and whales out of the water, underwater vehicles to distract the whales if need be, and portable oxygen bottles for trainers, the AP reports.

One Ocean is the first new SeaWorld show in five years. It opens at the San Diego park on Memorial Day weekend and in San Antonio in June.

SeaWorld officials say One Ocean has a stronger conservation message than the previous show, Believe, which, since the Februrary 2010 death of Dawn Brancheau, has featured trainers interacting with the whales from a platform.

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration last summer issued a citation against SeaWorld, saying it had put trainers in danger by allowing them "to work within the pool walls, on ledges and on shelves where they were subject to dangerous behavior by the animals." The company is fighting the citation and a $75,000 fine.