Jump to content
  TPR Home | Parks | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram 

SeaWorld San Diego (SWSD) Discussion Thread

p. 61: Jewels of the Sea Jellyfish Experience coming in 2024!

Recommended Posts

Well I had my first ride on Manta today, front and back, and was surprised to find quite a lot of airtime in it in both seats. The prelaunch video was working quite well and I didn't have any problem in seeing it before the launch doors opened.

 

But the real reason why I'm posting in here is to congratulate the Sea World ride-ops. As you know the ride isn't super long, but they were running three trains with almost no stacking for as long as I was there.

 

For someone used to SFMM this feat seemed miraculous to me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Went to Sea World again on Monday because I'm housesitting for some family that lives in San Diego. The house is only about 6 miles from Sea World so I used my daily workout as an excuse to visit the park and brought my bike to bike there.

 

I rode Manta twice more and did a circuit of the ride to see if any progress has been made in landscaping the dirt mounds under the second half of the ride. So far it still looks like there is nothing there, but I'm not sure they haven't done something.

 

I wish I brought my camera to take a picture, but since I didn't I'll have to try to explain it. There are three types of ground cover back there, the valleys between the mounds are covered in gravel and the dirt closest to the fencing is now covered in mulch with tiny plants placed at regular intervals. The tops of the mounds look like they have been covered with some sort of thin layer of something which looks suspiciously like the brown fibers packed in with the lawn patch filler you can get at a nursery. This has me wondering if Sea World has seeded the mounds.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Though the rare incidents that have occurred are horrific and sad, we should keep in mind that the SeaWorld trainers know exactly what they are getting themselves into when they take their positions. They don't do what they do for the money--they do it because they love it, and I feel safe in saying that even those who fall victim would never want the shows to be cancelled, causing many to cease relationships with the animals they adore and millions to miss out on the experience of a lifetime.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Though the rare incidents that have occurred are horrific and sad, we should keep in mind that the SeaWorld trainers know exactly what they are getting themselves into when they take their positions. They don't do what they do for the money--they do it because they love it, and I feel safe in saying that even those who fall victim would never want the shows to be cancelled, causing many to cease relationships with the animals they adore and millions to miss out on the experience of a lifetime.

 

Exactly. This is what people need to take away from incidents like these. Yes, they are sad when they occur, but the trainers do know the risks when working with these animals.

 

Videos like these with very little context or dialogue to alert viewers of what is happening in the situation only leave it up the the public's ridiculous way of twisting things 100000000x out of proportion.

 

Heck, I don't think the people who are freaking out about this realize that the trainers haven't actually been in the water with the whales since the trainer's death.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Heck, I don't think the people who are freaking out about this realize that the trainers haven't actually been in the water with the whales since the trainer's death.

 

Yeah, the worst part about this video getting released now, not six years ago, is that most of the people watching it at home on the news are going to assume that another person got attacked, and wonder why Sea World hasn't changed their policies since Dawn was killed. Especially if the news is faulty in their "facts" and the way they report it.

 

Everyone saying that these trainers know the risks is completely right - even the trainer in this video knows it, considering that he went back to work with the whales even after his experience. These people want to provide entertainment to people while teaching them about these animals, they know what that means, and they're willing to risk their safety for it. Heck, I'd rather work with a killer whale than be the guy up on the suspended scaffold cleaning skyscraper windows!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

On Wednesday it was announced on SWSD's Facebook Page that Cirque De La Mer is closing:

 

Cirque de la Mer!

 

Hey Fans, Cirque de la Mer will perform its final show on Aug. 12. It’s had a fantastic 12-year-run and was seen by millions of guests. While we all love Cirque, we will perform an all-new and exciting show in the Lagoon Stadium next summer. Don’t miss one of Cirque’s final shows!!

 

I personally am sad to see the show go, as it was the first Cirque Show I ever saw, and still one of my favorites.

 

Anyone going to see it one last time before it goes away?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

I guess just the local news is covering this, but on the night of the 20th an orca named Nakai got injured at SeaWorld. I saw this last night and am having a devil of a time finding a well written article covering the accident.

 

Here is a basic article covering the incident, but said article seems to blame the injury on the other whales when the news report last night said the injuries were more consistent with environmental damage because the wound area has no visible signs of teeth marks.

 

Even though the photo's of Nakai's lower jaw injury were plastered all over the local stations I can only find one site online that has some decent pictures.

Click this link to see the photos. There is no blood, but I don't particularly want to post it in this thread.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

^ You called it

SeaWorld Killer-Whale Injury Spurs PETA Complaint

 

A killer whale at SeaWorld in San Diego is recovering from a nasty gash to its jaw that is the subject of a dispute between the park and the animal rights group PETA.

 

SeaWorld says the 11-year-old killer whale named Nakai was injured during a show last month when he somehow came in contact with a portion of the pool. The gaping hole is so big that Nakai’s jawbone was left exposed.

 

PETA says an anonymous whistle-blower told them that Nakai was attacked by other captive, angry orcas at the park.

 

“You can’t keep three young males together in what is, for them a fishpond or a fishbowl,” PETA president and co-founder Ingrid Newkirk told ABC News. “They will have nowhere to go unless they can swim through concrete when they feel aggressive towards each other.”

 

The animal rights group has filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, saying it wants SeaWorld disciplined for not keeping the whales separated as required under the Animal Welfare Act. The law requires incompatible marine mammals to be kept in separate enclosures, PETA said

 

SeaWorld says veterinarians determined the injury was not a result of an animal bite and provided video to ABC News showing Nakai on the mend. Trainers and veterinarians say they are closely monitoring his recovery and treating him with antibiotics.

 

“He’s [Nakai] doing very well and interacting with all the other whales and trainers,” said Kristi Burtis, supervisor of animal training at SeaWorld.

 

Nakai is a killer whale with a violent family tree. Nakai’s father, Tilikum, was the orca that killed a trainer at SeaWorld in Orlando two years ago.

 

“It’s hard to tell if they’re just playing rough or if these are just aggressive interactions between individuals,” said Robert Pitman of the National Marine Fisheries Service in San Diego.

 

 

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/10/seaworld-killer-whale-injury-spurs-peta-complaint/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

^While obviously this is an issue that needs to be attended to, it should be noted that SeaWorld (as a company, as well as specifically at the San Diego park) has been working with killer whales in their shows for over 47 years and this appears to be the first time a major injury has occurred from behavior like this for the whales at the park.

 

Some things are just unpredictable, and animal aggression is certainly one of those things. SeaWorld shouldn't be blamed for this situation no more than they should be blamed for it raining occasionally. Some things in nature just happen, and there's nothing you can do to prevent or prepare for it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I realize that my comment came off as a "this is an epidemic and is going to keep happening at all the park," but wasn't what I meant. I just thought their statement about it came off as "Eh, he just hit something in the pool the wrong way, no big deal." It's obviously is a fairly big deal and what ever caused it should be addressed to avoid it in the future, which is what they could have said.

 

No need to school me on the history of Sea World and their expertise in caring for animals. Having spent the better part of a decade working at an animal park, I'm aware accidents happen. I just didn't care for their response to it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

^They gear their haunt stuff more to kids now. I was there the last weekend in September and it was the first weekend of their "Spooktacular" stuff. It really looked amazing for kids from about 3 to 10 and they were giving away free candy! You didn't even need to buy an extra ticket or anything, FREE CANDY!

 

And as far as the killer whale goes that has a giant gash, it wasn't performing in the show but it was definitely active in its area behind the main pool while the show was going on. I feel bad for the guy cuz he just wants to perform. Plus, a trainer was back there with him the entire time the show was going on.

 

On another side note, I finally rode Manta and I was really impressed with it. I think it is a great addition to the park and the projection screen in the beginning was pretty amazing. Not to mention some awesome pops of airtime throughout the ride. Sea World has definitely improved over the years.

 

Jimmy "I love free candy" Bo

Link to comment
Share on other sites

http://documents.coastal.ca.gov/reports/2012/10/Th25c-10-2012.pdf

 

Project Description:

 

500 SeaWorld Drive, Mission Bay Park, San Diego, San Diego County (APN No. 760-037-01-01)

 

Renovate existing guest entrance area to an existing theme park to include construction of a new approximately 1,900 square foot ticket booth building, a 1,000 square foot aquarium and support structure, and an approximately 285 square foot culinary facility, replacement of turnstile structures with a new structure ranging from 17 to 22 feet in height, installation of five touch pools and related life support area, and aesthetic renovations to existing merchandise areas.

 

A. PROJECT DESCRIPTION/HISTORY.

 

The proposed project is to renovate the existing guest entrance area to SeaWorld. Development consists of constructing a new ticket booth building of approximately 1,900 square feet (which is an approximately 250 square foot increase from the existing structure), replacing existing turnstiles with a new structure 17-22 feet in height, installing five new touch pools with life support area, constructing a 1,000 square foot building to house aquarium functions and an approximately 285 square foot culinary facility, and renovating merchandise areas to be compatible with the new aesthetic look of the entrance. The project site is within the SeaWorld leasehold, near the center of the property and north of the public parking lots. The proposed project site is already used as an existing guest entrance area.

 

The SeaWorld Master Plan Update was certified by the Commission on February 7, 2002, and addressed future development within the SeaWorld Leasehold over the subsequent 15-20 years. The SeaWorld Master Plan Update divided potential future projects into “Tier 1,” “Tier 2,” and “Special Projects.” The subject project area includes the existing guest entrance and ticketing area shown as “C-1: Front Gate Renovation” in Figure II-3 of the SeaWorld Master Plan Update and is identified as a Tier 1 project.

 

“Tier 1” in the SeaWorld Master Plan Update identifies sites and projects where new development or park renovations are processed concurrently with the SeaWorld Master Plan Update or are likely to be initiated shortly after its adoption. Proposed projects consist of a Splashdown Ride, Educational Facility, Front Gate Renovation, Special Events Center Expansion, and Bicycle/Pedestrian Path Enhancement.

 

The area of work is in compliance with all requirements and setbacks stipulated in the SeaWorld Master Plan, approved by the Commission on 2/7/02.

 

SeaWorld is located within Mission Bay Park in the City of San Diego. It is situated adjacent to Mission Bay and is surrounded largely by City parklands consisting of grassy open area. Although there is a certified master plan for SeaWorld, which itself is a part of the certified Mission Bay Park Master Plan, these documents are land use plans only; no implementation component has been proposed for Mission Bay Park. Thus, the area is one of deferred certification, with the Coastal Commission retaining coastal development permit authority. Chapter 3 of the Coastal Act is the legal standard of review and the land use plans are used as guidance.

 

It is also extremely interesting to look at this excerpt as it makes reference to a splashdown ride (like Journey to Atlantis) and more:

 

Proposed projects consist of a Splashdown Ride, Educational Facility, Front Gate Renovation, Special Events Center Expansion, and Bicycle/Pedestrian Path Enhancement.

31474936_ScreenShot2012-10-09at12_17_00AM.png.663fc46676140fcf95987030e48d56d8.png

660411175_ScreenShot2012-10-09at12_17_10AM.png.25ddd7c8bafab48e914cadfdd6394dc1.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use https://themeparkreview.com/forum/topic/116-terms-of-service-please-read/