SeaWorld Orlando (SWO) Discussion Thread

Planning first trip to sea world Orlando for the day after thanksgiving. Any must do things at the park?

Ride Mako first thing in the morning. PERIOD. Manta and Kraken usually keep a 15 minute wait throughout the day, so those you can just reride over and over again. Also, if it's hot, buy a Quick Queue for Atlantis. Trust me.

SeaWorld Orlando has sent us a press advisory about the latest innovation they've made when it comes to caring for the animals that call SeaWorld home...

Guests visiting Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin at SeaWorld Orlando can see one penguin that does not quite look like the others. She’s wearing her very own wetsuit.

 

The female Adelie penguin recently experienced feather-loss, which can happen to penguins in their natural habitats and wild populations. As a result of her feather-loss, the bird had a hard time naturally regulating her body temperature. SeaWorld’s aviculture team set out to assist her and created a wetsuit to mimic her former coat of feathers. The coat was designed and sewn by SeaWorld’s wardrobe department and custom fit just for her.

 

While wearing her wetsuit the penguin swims, sleeps and eats alongside her fellow penguins. This is just another extraordinary example of how SeaWorld Orlando cares for the marine animals at the park.

Super adorable!!!

I still haven't been on the ride, but I am definitely more excited to see penguin in a wetsuit than to ride the ride!

I still haven't been on the ride, but I am definitely more excited to see penguin in a wetsuit than to ride the ride!

If you ever do go on the ride, however, you expectations will stay the same.

We've stopped riding the ride unless it's under a 10 minute wait. We just use the "non riders" entrance (which still has a short wait). The ride is terrible but the exhibit is great.

We've stopped riding the ride unless it's under a 10 minute wait. We just use the "non riders" entrance (which still has a short wait). The ride is terrible but the exhibit is great.

The ride would be better if it was just surrounded by the exhibit and the cool trackless cars moved you around and bounced and spun while you got close to the penguins!

Yeah, the ride is pretty awful. The worst thing about the ride is how much it wastes such great technology. It uses a trackless system, which should be awesome! However the ride is incredibly short, doing nothing more than going through a few rooms with movie screens in them.

Why would they invest in such great technological system for a dark ride that bad? Even Six Flags has proven they can make a better dark ride with Justice League.

SeaWorld Orlando has sent us a press release about this year's Christmas Celebration including the addition of some brand new offerings!

Brighten up this year’s holiday season during SeaWorld Orlando’s Christmas Celebration, where guests experience the joys of Christmas complete with all-new festivities and returning favorites sure to inspire traditions for years to come. Holiday events take place Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays November 25 through December 11 and then run daily December 16 through 31.

 

During SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration guests of all ages can delight over scrumptious food, stunning live shows, joyful entertainment inspired by the natural world and much more.

 

All-New Holiday Festivities

• Rudolph’s ChristmasTown - New this year is the Rudolph’s ChristmasTown where guests can meet Rudolph, Clarice, Bumble and Yukon Cornelius from the classic family Christmas television special, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Plus, guests can stroll past life-size story book vignettes showcasing the classic Rudolph story.
   
  
• Santa's Workshop presented by Coca-Cola – Meet Santa Claus in an all-new Christmas experience. Guests can make timeless memories to treasure as they embrace the joy of the holiday season at Santa’s Workshop, presented by Coca-Cola.

 

Returning Holiday Favorites

• Clyde & Seamore’s Countdown to Christmas – A returning classic, Sea Lion & Otter Stadium celebrates the season with a hilarious Christmas comedy show. Clyde and Seamore, along with a few mischievous otters, a comical elf, and even a jolly walrus, invite guests to their fun-filled holiday celebration.
   
  
• Shamu Christmas Miracles - Shamu Stadium once again brightens the night with dazzling lights and glowing candles, while Christmas carols abound and Shamu splashes to celebrate the holiday season.
   
  
• O Wondrous Night - Experience a live nativity only SeaWorld can bring to life, complete with more than 30 carols, life-sized puppets, and animals in a spectacular Christmas favorite based on The Christmas Story. Told through the eyes of the animals that were there, O Wondrous Night is a touching, light-hearted, and glorious celebration with a host of angels, animals, and the true glory of Christmas.
   
  
• Sesame Street's Elmo’s Christmas Wish - The holidays have arrived, and everybody’s Sesame Street® friends have come to SeaWorld Orlando for a festive and fun musical celebration! Elmo's Christmas Wish will soon become every child's favorite show. Join Rosita, Grover, Zoe and Cookie Monster as they work together to help Elmo find his Christmas wish!
   
  
• Winter Wonderland on Ice - Christmas comes to life on a stage of ice, jewels and light as skaters dazzle and delight in this show-stopping, ice skating extravaganza.
   
  
• Sea of Trees – Families will stroll through a wintery, watery wonderland as they are immersed in a sea of glistening holiday trees that sparkle to music as they light up the water. New this year is a glistening Christmas tree towering 70-feet above the water.
   
  
• The Christmas Market - Nestled along the park’s Bayside Pathway, The Christmas Market features festive entertainment and delicious culinary delights. Complete with playful elves, a charming model train village, and the comedic antics of the Christmas Council, the Market is the centerpiece of SeaWorld’s Christmas event. Guests can also relax near the warm glow of the fire pit a holiday cocktail while experiencing a wonderful view of the vibrant Sea of Trees.

 

Holiday Cuisine

For those looking for unique holiday cuisine, The Christmas Market is filled with fresh-popped kettle corn, waffle cone S’mores, grilled slider sandwiches, short-rib brisket mac & cheese and SeaWorld’s very own apple pie with a unique and delicious twist. Guests can also sip on flavorful hoppy craft brews and specialty flavored hot cocoa located near the stage at Bayside Pathway. Live music under the Gazebo completes the entire experience as guests enjoy the craft brew.

 

Guests can now indulge their senses with more than 60 delectable bites and craft brews served on tap with two all-new Tasting & Brew Sampler packages.

 

Guests can also enjoy a memorable holiday meal, along with a meet and greet with Santa and Mrs. Claus at Santa’s Fireside Feast. The exclusive dinner features an all-you-care-to-eat menu of holiday favorites and delicious desserts.

 

Ring In The New Year at SeaWorld Orlando

On December 31, guests can ring in the New Year at SeaWorld Orlando. Vibrant fireworks will fill the night sky and festive entertainment will take place throughout the park, including interactive DJ stations, craft beers and delectable bites.

 

Best Way To Enjoy Holiday Cheer

The best way to experience SeaWorld's Christmas Celebration and New Year’s with family and friends is with an Annual Pass. By purchasing a Pass now, guests can get three additional months free. Also available now is the brand new Transferrable Pass allowing Pass Members to bring a different guest each time they visit SeaWorld Orlando or Aquatica Orlando dependent on the type of Transferable Pass purchased. Pass Members receive exclusive park benefits and rewards, priority access to new attractions and concert seating pre-sales, free tickets and give-a-ways, in-park discounts, access to the Pass Member lounge and much more.

 

To really sweeten the holidays, SeaWorld Pass Members can enjoy a delicious meal with each visit by purchasing an Annual Dining plan for just $79. The dining plan can be used at many of the park’s restaurants and includes one entrée, one dessert or side and one non-alcoholic beverage per day through December 31, 2017.

SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration voted in the Top 10 Best Theme Park Holiday Event by USA Today 10Best Reader’s Choice Awards in 2015.

 

For more information, park hours and to purchase tickets, visit SeaWorldOrlando.com.

 

Follow SeaWorld on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the latest SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration details and information.

SeaWorld also sent us a press release about the creation of Deep Blue Creation, an in-house entity built to support the SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment business with creative development.

SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment (SEA) today announced the formation of Deep Blue Creative, a new team designed to harness and drive innovation and creativity within the company. Bringing together talent from both inside and outside the organization, the six divisions of Deep Blue Creative will enhance every aspect of SEA’s business and bring to life innovative new experiences that are fun and meaningful.

 

“The creation of our Deep Blue Creative team represents an evolution and a fresh, inventive approach to executing our mission of inspiring guests with experiences that matter, “ said Anthony Esparza, Chief Creative Officer for SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. “Our global brands have a distinct zoological and conservation focus that isn’t replicated in the industry, and we aim to build on that unique advantage with immersive and interactive experiences for our guests.”

 

The Deep Blue Creative studio will include dedicated teams to identify and focus on the key priorities that drive the business:

 

• Theme Park Development, U.S.A. encompasses two teams—Project Management and Guest Experiences—closely collaborating to inspire guests through innovative attractions, culinary experiences and retail environments.
   
  
• Theme Park Development, Global leads the development of all theme park growth initiatives beyond the company’s existing parks, including international expansion, exploration of new business models, feasibility and site evaluation.
   
  
• Resort Development is responsible for the business and creative development of resorts and hotels, unique hospitality experiences and land planning.
   
  
• Events and Entertainment supports all park entertainment teams in staging live experiences for theatrical settings, as well as culinary and retail environments. This team will explore and develop new event concepts that inspire family traditions and encourage repeat visits from annual pass members and local residents.
   
  
• Media Enterprises leads the company’s film, television, and music business, maximizing distribution opportunities for our brands. This team will collaborate with content creators and develop production partnerships.
   
  
• Expedition X is a team focused on prototype development for innovative project concepts and new technology. This group will harness creative energy from within and outside the company and look for emerging trends and inventive ways to bring guests experiences that explore both real and amazing worlds on land and sea.

To learn more about SeaWorld’s new Deep Blue Creative visit: seaworldentertainment.com

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In all seriousness, this is a good direction for them to be taking. While enthusiasts often visit only for the rides, shows and entertainment are very important to SeaWorld--and Joel Manby knows this quite well. A renewed focus on shows while keeping the core educational components is going to be key for them in the next few years.

So is anyone complaining yet about the mistreatment of cartoon reindeer?

So is anyone complaining yet about the mistreatment of cartoon reindeer?

During one of these Sea World shows, you will most likely hear "Mary, Did You Know?" It seems to be a Sea World/Busch Gardens tradition!

I read around a few months ago that the dark ride antarctica is closed or there are problems .. is it open now?

According to the website the ride is only open on weekends, budget cut I guess?

The exhibit is open 7 days a week.

Seaworld is laying off 320 employees today

SeaWorld Entertainment is eliminating 320 positions companywide today.

 

A company spokeswoman said the eliminations will be a combination of layoffs and vacant positions. She did not provide a breakdown.

 

This is the second large layoff the company has undergone in two years. About 300 people lost their jobs in late 2014.

 

SeaWorld said people getting laid off today would receive "enhanced severance benefits" and outplacement assistance.

 

"These changes are being made to best position our company for long-term success, and so that we can continue to do great things for animals across the globe," the company said in an emailed statement today.

 

"We remain committed to a continued focus on the guest experience, the health and welfare of our animals, and the safety of our guests and team members. It is an unfortunate, but necessary, consequence of the restructuring that some positions will be lost."

 

SeaWorld's financial situation has not improved since the last major layoff. In March, the company said it was going to stop breeding orcas, an attempt to lessen the controversy that has accompanied its killer whale breeding program.

 

But the company's attendance, revenue and profit have still suffered. More recently SeaWorld has blamed that on competition from rivals Disney and Universal and a slowdown in Orlando traffic, including a drop in Brazilian visitors.

 

In its last earnings report, SeaWorld said it planned to implement cost-cutting measures that would provide $40 million in net savings by the end of 2018.

 

Chief Executive Officer Joel Manby told analysts that as part of the company's overall transformation, "we are appropriately adjusting our management team and workforce" and pursuing other strategies.

 

A few days ago, SeaWorld announced that Julie Scardina, a longtime animal ambassador, would be retiring from the company.

 

This is a breaking news story. Check back for details.

Very sad, and a bit concerning. I know a decent amount of people in the company, from when I worked at Busch Gardens two summers ago. I hope their jobs are safe.

Not sure what this means for the company going forward, but doesn't seem good.

From what I understand, this basically has SeaWorld going from operating under a big corporate structure to more or less be like the other regional park chains with lots of decision making happening at each rather than top down.

Sea World's plan now can pretty much be summed up as: "rescue animals, make rides based on rescuing animals, show ourselves on TV rescuing animals, show people we're good guys, publicize that, and at some time in the future hopefully crowds will start coming. We're not quite sure when that's going to happen but hopefully it's before we have to go bankrupt. Oh and maybe we will get some checks from developers in the middle east, that might help."

Also in addition to the slow Latin American season and the movie, I think SWO also is getting killed by the aggressive growth and price increases from Disney and Universal. They are competing for dollars against Mickey Mouse and now Harry Potter, there is so much to see and do at both properties now, both properties market themselves as not having to leave to have a full vacation, and the prices for the "must do's" have gone up so much there is no money left for the "want to do."

Sadly cutting operating costs is necessary, they don't have much of a choice with their attendance levels.

Orlando isn't their only park. Yes, it accounts for a substantial amount of revenue, but Harry Potter isn't why Sea World San Antonio had a 10%+ drop in attendance last season. But Disney Parks people can only relate to Orlando and SoCal, so....

I found it sort of amusing while watching CEO Joe Manby on our local news tonight, He mentioned increasing competition from Disney, Universal and, get this, FUN SPOT! An odd mention/shout out to Fun Spot? Kinda cool in a way.

Orlando isn't their only park. Yes, it accounts for a substantial amount of revenue, but Harry Potter isn't why Sea World San Antonio had a 10%+ drop in attendance last season. But Disney Parks people can only relate to Orlando and SoCal, so....

All the statements I am reading from Sea World's investor relations website say that attendance at SWSA was up this year. While yes it was down in 2015, my post was in reference to the layoffs that just took place the other day, not the ones that took place after 2015. And the fact that this is the "SeaWorld Orlando (SWO) Discussion Thread."

Also not sure why I get labeled as a "Disney Parks person" when I post a lot about other parks. My home park growing up was KI and I have been to all the Six Flags, Universal, Sea World, and Cedar Fair (minus MIA) parks in the country. I have seen up close all the business cycles of the past 25 years or so in the amusement park business: I've seen Paramount come and go, i've seen Time Warner come and go, i've been to Six Flags Ohio, i've been to Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom, i've been to Six Flags New Orleans, I was traveling around the country going to parks during the "coaster wars" of the 90s and early 2000s and got a front row seat to the madness. I've ridden all the rough Arrow mega loopers of the 80s that are now gone. I rode Texas Giant/Rattler/Mean Streak/Hades when they were smooth and again after they got rough. I've ridden almost every B&M in the continent. I've rolled back on both TTD and Storm Runner (and have also ridden Kingda Ka and Xcelerator). I've dealt with the pain of trying to get on all 3 DejaVu's when they were new and unreliable (MM's I got the first time, GAm's I eventually got on after many attempts, and sadly Georgia's broke down and cleared the queue when I was going to be on the next train, was closed all day when I visited a few years later, then was removed for my next visit). I was at Alton Towers when Air was the big new ride. I've seen all the companies change their strategies many times. I don't know how this makes me a "Disney person that only relates to Orlando and socal."

Sorry I don't mean to come off as an enthusi-ass to everyone else or take away from your opinions, because if you're posting on here i'm sure you've been to a lot of parks too. But don't make an assumption and label me as just because you don't agree with me.

Orlando isn't their only park. Yes, it accounts for a substantial amount of revenue, but Harry Potter isn't why Sea World San Antonio had a 10%+ drop in attendance last season. But Disney Parks people can only relate to Orlando and SoCal, so....

All the statements I am reading from Sea World's investor relations website say that attendance at SWSA was up this year. While yes it was down in 2015, my post was in reference to the layoffs that just took place the other day, not the ones that took place after 2015. And the fact that this is the "SeaWorld Orlando (SWO) Discussion Thread."

 

Also not sure why I get labeled as a "Disney Parks person" when I post a lot about other parks. My home park growing up was KI and I have been to all the Six Flags, Universal, Sea World, and Cedar Fair (minus MIA) parks in the country. I have seen up close all the business cycles of the past 25 years or so in the amusement park business: I've seen Paramount come and go, i've seen Time Warner come and go, i've been to Six Flags Ohio, i've been to Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom, i've been to Six Flags New Orleans, I was traveling around the country going to parks during the "coaster wars" of the 90s and early 2000s and got a front row seat to the madness. I've ridden all the rough Arrow mega loopers of the 80s that are now gone. I rode Texas Giant/Rattler/Mean Streak/Hades when they were smooth and again after they got rough. I've ridden almost every B&M in the continent. I've rolled back on both TTD and Storm Runner (and have also ridden Kingda Ka and Xcelerator). I've dealt with the pain of trying to get on all 3 DejaVu's when they were new and unreliable (MM's I got the first time, GAm's I eventually got on after many attempts, and sadly Georgia's broke down and cleared the queue when I was going to be on the next train, was closed all day when I visited a few years later, then was removed for my next visit). I was at Alton Towers when Air was the big new ride. I've seen all the companies change their strategies many times. I don't know how this makes me a "Disney person that only relates to Orlando and socal."

 

Sorry I don't mean to come off as an enthusi-ass to everyone else or take away from your opinions, because if you're posting on here i'm sure you've been to a lot of parks too. But don't make an assumption and label me as just because you don't agree with me.

^I love Britney but that picture pretty much sums up my reaction as well.

When are people finally going to realize that DirkFunk knows his sh*t?

I'm just some guy who paid attention a little more sometimes. That's all. Like I hope to hell San Antonio's attendance is up compared to last year. They were down 14%. San Diego was down 17% and 4% in '14 and '15 respectively too. Decentralizing the structure of the company and letting go of people who haven't accomplished anything for growth is a natural. Further cutbacks on attractions isn't good, but they need to try and figure out where their footing is in the market, and they've picked things that aren't terribly popular.

Does anyone know if anyone goes to Aquatica San Diego? That thing is screaming "Please sell me, I was a stupid idea!"