SeaWorld Orlando (SWO) Discussion Thread

[megametal]

You can tell it's working too, because the anti-Sea World people are no longer countering what Sea World is saying (because they can't), and are just doing a witch hunt now. (That's all it's ever been, but it's blatant now.)

[PeoplemoverMatt]

SeaWorld just posted this article. It's a great read. I feel blackfish is starting to disappear. Why “Blackfish” is Propaganda, not a Documentary

 

Of course it's propaganda. That's what I've been saying all along. Trouble is it's easily dismissed right now because it's SeaWorld saying it.

[Cyrbuzz]

Cheers to Sea World for this released article. I must say that was a great read and makes me smile that much more that once again the Blackfish people have egg on their faces. I see nothing but great years ahead for Sea World now that this propaganda film has been exposed for the pack of lies that it is.

[Ccron10]

You can tell it's working too, because the anti-Sea World people are no longer countering what Sea World is saying (because they can't), and are just doing a witch hunt now. (That's all it's ever been, but it's blatant now.)

 

I really like that they cited some important documents within the article as well. I'm kind of interested in reading them!

 

I did a little experiment with one of them and pressed them to try to post evidence to support themselves and the movie. It pretty much came down to them getting so pissed off saying that "they don't need facts to be right", used an expletive or two, called me a fool and he left the conversation. Throughout the conversation, I did not make fun of, swear, or attack this person; I just stated my sources and asked where his were to believing what he believed. Not once (on the TPR page or any other page), have I seen any of these "sheep" backing their opinions or beliefs with any sources or anything and their statements are always of generalized and unrealistic.

 

Glad to see this starting to fade away though and it makes me happy that I took an extra two trips last year in visiting a SeaWorld-owned park.

[Blue Turbo]

It pretty much came down to them getting so pissed off saying that "they don't need facts to be right".

That is some sound logic right there

[Hugecoltsfan]

I just find it funny how people are bashing Sea World because they "abuse" whales and dolphins by keeping them in tanks. Yet, none of them bat an eye when it comes to all the pets in the world that are locked in cages like snakes, lizards, spiders, fish, and rabbits.

[thrillrider]

^I agree.

When they say something stupid(and they do quite often), I can't help but think of this movie clip....

 

[youtu_be]

[/youtu_be] Edited January 21, 2014 by robbalvey

[jjune4991]

So how about this for a twist?

 

http://micechat.com/54871-seaworld-orlando-wild-days/?fb_action_ids=10151883335934205&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=%5B743945548950948%5D&action_type_map=%5B%22og.likes%22%5D&action_ref_map=%5B%5D

 

Looks like there is a bit of personal interest in the Blackfish/OSHA witch hunt against SeaWorld!

[coastercoaster5]

for the sake of credits, would journey to atlantis be a coaster?

[Inukaza]

for the sake of credits, would journey to atlantis be a coaster?

 

I wouldn't consider it a coaster. Although, about 25% of the cycle time is spent on physical rails. The rest are free-floating segments, and those are from Station to Lift 1, Drop 1 Run-out to lift 4, and Drop 3 Run-out to station.

 

(Previously a JTA Team Member.)

[coasterbill]

for the sake of credits, would journey to atlantis be a coaster?

 

If it's on RCDB then I consider it a coaster... that's good enough for me but then again I'm a filthy whore.

[Jay20016]

So how about this for a twist?

 

http://micechat.com/54871-seaworld-orlando-wild-days/?fb_action_ids=10151883335934205&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=%5B743945548950948%5D&action_type_map=%5B%22og.likes%22%5D&action_ref_map=%5B%5D

 

Looks like there is a bit of personal interest in the Blackfish/OSHA witch hunt against SeaWorld!

 

The plot thickens...

[kidcoaster 2]

OSHA is now investigating the inspector Lara Padgett

 

ORLANDO, Fla. -

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has launched an investigation into one of their own employees who was responsible for inspecting SeaWorld for safety violations following the 2010 death of killer whale trainer Dawn Brancheau.

 

Records show OSHA inspector Lara Padgett was in the midst of conducting a follow-up investigation at SeaWorld in January 2013 when she was photographed attending the premiere of the documentary "Blackfish" at the Sundance Film Festival.

 

That photo, which first appeared on the theme park news website MiceChat.com, shows Padgett posing with the cast and crew of the film.

 

"Blackfish", which takes a critical look at SeaWorld and marine mammal captivity, has been described by park officials as “misleading, inaccurate and agenda-driven."

 

While Padgett was attending the film festival in Park City, Utah, Local 6 has learned the OSHA employee spent several nights at a rental home that she shared with the filmmakers and former SeaWorld employees who appear in the documentary.

 

"The production paid for the house. No one was charged rent," said Blackfish associate producer Tim Zimmermann.

 

According to OSHA policy, "no employee shall solicit, accept, or agree to accept any form of gratuity where a conflict of interest situation may arise."

 

"OSHA is committed to fair and effective enforcement of safety and health requirements in the workplace. Allegations involving employee conduct are taken seriously and OSHA is investigating," said Jesse Lawder, OSHA spokesman.

 

Three months before attending Sundance, Padgett conducted a re-inspection at Shamu Stadium to see what safety improvements SeaWorld had made since Brancheau's death. According to records, the OSHA investigation remained open until June 2013 as Padgett tried to coordinate interviews with current SeaWorld employees. As a result of that re-inspection, OSHA issued SeaWorld a citation in June 2013 for repeat safety violations and a $38,500 fine. OSHA later withdrew that citation and fine due to an unrelated legal technicality.

 

Padgett's initial investigation into SeaWorld in 2010 prompted OSHA to issue citations for safety violations and $75,000 in fines against the marine park. A judge later reduced the fines to $12,000.

 

Padgett has appeared on OSHA's behalf at several court hearings involving the SeaWorld citations. Just before her testimony at an April 2013 hearing, Local 6 photographed Padgett wearing socks emblazoned with killer whales.

 

Padgett has also been photographed wearing a "Blackfish" T-shirt at screenings of the documentary.

 

According to records, Padgett has been employed by OSHA for 14 years, where she has investigated numerous workplace safety incidents in Central Florida, including the 2009 deadly monorail collision at Walt Disney World.

 

According to Zimmermann, Padgett "had nothing to do with the production of the

film." He added that Padgett first met the former SeaWorld trainers who appear in the documentary while interviewing them as part of her OSHA investigation.

 

"Her job was to get to know them," said Zimmermann.

 

Zimmermann said OSHA employees, including Padgett, declined to be interviewed for the documentary. SeaWorld officials also refused to participate in the film.

 

"We are aware of OSHA inspector Lara Padgett’s affiliations with the cast of 'Blackfish'," said SeaWorld spokesman Fred Jacobs. "To build its anti-captivity narrative, it relies on the accounts of people who are animal activists

and are anything but objective in their point of view. Ms. Padgett appears to be one of them."

 

SeaWorld officials are awaiting a court ruling on their appeal of the OSHA citations. If the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit upholds the fines, OSHA inspectors could return to the marine park and issue more citations until OSHA is satisfied SeaWorld is adequately protecting its killer whale trainers.

 

SeaWorld also has the option of appealing an unfavorable ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court.

 

www.clickorlando.com/news/osha-investigates-employee-who-inspected-seaworld/-/1637132/24023248/-/sqyw0m/-/index.html

 

Also some activists were accusing Sea World of being involved with horrible slaughter of Dolphins in Taiji Japan. SeaWorld quickly proved them wrong.

 

Each year, hundreds of dolphins are slaughtered by Japanese fishermen in a brutal hunt known as the "drive fishery."

 

SeaWorld is opposed to these drive hunts in Japan and elsewhere. Every accredited zoo and aquarium in America also is opposed to the practice.

 

No animal in our collection is from a drive hunt. The overwhelming majority of marine mammals in our parks were born in our parks.

 

In fact, it is a violation of U.S. law to bring an animal collected in that manner into the U.S.

 

You can find out more about our stance at http://www.seaworldparksblog.com/thecove. Learn more about what zoos and aquariums are doing to stop this practice, and visit http://www.actfordolphins.org/

 

www.seaworldparksblog.com/seaworlds-position-drive-fisheries

[azza29]

Wow. This actually makes me kind of angry. Not at the kids, they are just impressionable and have been misled by a documentary that has fooled many. More at how out of hand this whole situation has become, and how gullible people are when they see something as a "good cause".

 

www.malibutimes.com/news/article_01821248-83aa-11e3-8f1a-001a4bcf887a.html

 

Fifth-grader Kirra Kotler and classmates at Point Dume Marine Science School who reportedly protested a SeaWorld field trip are set to be honored by the Malibu City Council on Monday for their activism.

The field trip was cancelled in December after Kotler brought the documentary “Blackfish” to the attention of her classmates. The documentary tells the story of a massive orca whale named Tilikum, a male with a history of aggression that killed a trainer at the Orlando SeaWorld theme park in 2010. Prior to the 2010 incident, Tilikum had already been associated with the deaths of two other people.

After a survey of parents found that several students would not participate in the annual trip, which is typically scheduled for March, Principal Rebecca Johnson said she decided to cancel and instead search for a trip that would include every student.

The City Council on Monday will present Kotler and classmates with a commendation for “taking a stand against mistreatment of killer whales in captivity,” according to the agenda report.

 

I took an online survey for Australia's Sea World earlier this week, one of the questions was about attitudes to animals in captivity. So clearly the whole Blackfish thing is affecting marine parks everywhere, even those that don't look after any orcas.

[chargersmichael]

Has anyone heard anything on Ihu's Breakaway Falls? The Aquatica's in San Antonio and San Diego seem to keep people updated on what's going on with their new additions for next year. I believe the last thing we heard anything was from November. Is there any construction going on? Where is it going to be? Does anyone have an update?

[Someotherguyuser]

I took an online survey for Australia's Sea World earlier this week, one of the questions was about attitudes to animals in captivity. So clearly the whole Blackfish thing is affecting marine parks everywhere, even those that don't look after any orcas.

C'mon South Park. You have a gold mine for an episode plot here.

[SharkTums]

^Actually, over Winter Break the "Free Willzyx" episode was on and it was kind of hilarious and had some parallels to what's going on now!

[B&MBoy1982]

Fifth-grader Kirra Kotler and classmates at Point Dume Marine Science School who reportedly protested a SeaWorld field trip are set to be honored by the Malibu City Council on Monday for their activism.

The field trip was cancelled in December after Kotler brought the documentary “Blackfish” to the attention of her classmates. The documentary tells the story of a massive orca whale named Tilikum, a male with a history of aggression that killed a trainer at the Orlando SeaWorld theme park in 2010. Prior to the 2010 incident, Tilikum had already been associated with the deaths of two other people.

After a survey of parents found that several students would not participate in the annual trip, which is typically scheduled for March, Principal Rebecca Johnson said she decided to cancel and instead search for a trip that would include every student.

The City Council on Monday will present Kotler and classmates with a commendation for “taking a stand against mistreatment of killer whales in captivity,” according to the agenda report.

 

No one seems to care about the park that Tilikum was at prior to Sea World. It is Sea World this, Sea World that.

 

He was housed in a two car garage sized tank with 2 other orcas.

 

This whole thing is just complete horse manure. I personally would rather Tilikum be kept at Sea World, than be released and exposed to the nasty ocean water. Let alone show up and eat someone.

[robbalvey]

SEAWORLD® ORLANDO’S BANDS, BREW & BBQ™ KICKS OFF FEBRUARY 1

ALAN JACKSON AND KID ROCK HEADLINE FIRST WEEKEND

 

ORLANDO, Fla. (January 29, 2014) – SeaWorld Orlando’s Bands, Brew & BBQ festival features six weekends of rocking concerts, mouth-watering BBQ, thirst-quenching beer and toe-tapping fun. Bands, Brew & BBQ takes place weekends in February (starting this Saturday) through the first two weekends in March (through the 9th).

 

Alan Jackson opens the SeaWorld festival with a 5 p.m. performance on Saturday, February 1. Kid Rock plays on Sunday, February 2, at 4 p.m. Both concerts are at the park’s Bayside Stadium. Visit SeaWorldOrlando.com for more details.

 

About Alan Jackson:

Alan Jackson is one of the most successful and respected singer-songwriters in music. He is in the elite company of Paul McCartney and John Lennon among songwriters who’ve written more than 20 songs that they’ve recorded and taken to the top of the charts. Jackson is one of the 10 best-selling artists since the inception of SoundScan, ranking alongside the likes of Eminem and Metallica. His current album, The Bluegrass Album, was released Sept. 24 and debuted #1 on Billboard’s Bluegrass Albums Sales Chart and has remained in the #1 position ever since.

 

Country superstar Jackson has sold nearly 60 million albums worldwide, topped the country singles charts 35 times, and scored more than 50 Top-10 hits. He has written or co-written 24 of his 35 #1 hit singles. Jackson is an 18-time ACM Award winner, a 16-time CMA Award recipient, and a two-time Grammy-winning artist whose songwriting has earned him the prestigious ASCAP Founders Award and an induction into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame as a 2011 Songwriter/Artist inductee.

 

About Kid Rock:

Kid Rock is an American Rock ‘N Roll Icon whose albums have sold over 26 million copies around the world. His most recent “$20 Best Night Ever” tour this past summer sold over 500,000 tickets and was the biggest of his storied career. Kid Rock is also a passionate supporter of those who serve in the US Armed Forces, and a vocal advocate for his hometown of Detroit. A portion of the proceeds from this show will be donated to his Kid Rock Foundation, a 501©3 which raises funds and awareness for local and regional charities helping disadvantaged children, victims of war and natural disasters, and those suffering from illness. More information on Kid Rock can be found at his website, www.kidrock.com.

 

Bands, Brew & BBQ also celebrates the food! Serious barbecue connoisseurs can taste it all and pick their favorites. Sample Orlando’s best barbecue from local smokehouses -- Bubbalou's Bodacious Bar-B-Que, Cecil’s Texas Style BAR-B-Q and Sonny’s BBQ® – plus SeaWorld’s very own Sweet & Smokin’ Barbecue. Sip on our ice-cold craft beer selection while enjoying live rocking concerts and exciting activities for the whole family to enjoy.

Even the little ones have their own area to get up close to animals, work on masterpieces at coloring stations, take photos with SeaWorld costume characters, learn from educators and play interactive games.

 

During Bands, Brew & BBQ, all Harley-Davidson® riders get free parking when they ride their hog to SeaWorld. And in between all the eating and line dancing, event-goers can take in the proudly displayed 2014 Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

 

Like all other events at SeaWorld Orlando, Bands, Brew & BBQ is included with park admission or any annual pass product.

 

The best way to experience Bands, Brew & BBQ is with a Fun Card; pay for a day and play all year – with no blackout dates – to experience all of SeaWorld’s remarkable events.

 

Visit www.SeaWorldOrlando.com for more information.

[Cyrbuzz]

Awesome news that some bands have not given in to Blackfish crap. Now lets see how many more will have the guts to ignore the propaganda.

[Chroniq]

I'm not particularly a fan of either, but isn't it fair to say that they now have BIGGER acts? According to Wikipedia Kid Rock has sold 23.5 million albums.. I recently read an article about how he constantly sells out week long cruise ship trips as well.

 

 

Allen Jackson sold 60 million.

 

The only artist that cancelled so far that has comparable album sales are the Beach Boys (or what's left of them).

 

 

This should be interesting.. It's almost like SeaWorld is just going balls out and spending more money to book even higher profile acts..

 

 

well played seaworld, well played.

[Cyrbuzz]

It's great to see Blackfish is losing its bite. It is quickly fading into obscurity as a news story. Sea World is bouncing back!

[robbalvey]

It's great to see Blackfish is losing its bite. It is quickly fading into obscurity as a news story. Sea World is bouncing back!

We all knew it would, though. Other than the die-hard PETA crazies, seems like most of the 15-minute activists have now moved on to the Duck Dynasty story or ObamaCare...or just talking about the weather.

 

And the rest of us can finally just get back to going to theme parks and having fun.

[gisco]

It's great to see Blackfish is losing its bite. It is quickly fading into obscurity as a news story. Sea World is bouncing back!

And the rest of us can finally just get back to going to theme parks and having fun.

 

Finally!

[robbalvey]

SeaWorld Returns First Manatee of the year, Begins Care for Two More

 

(January 29, 2014) Orlando, Fla. – This morning, an adult female manatee was returned to the waters of Blue Spring State Park in Orange City, Fla., after receiving care and rehabilitation at SeaWorld Orlando for the last year.

 

“Piggy” was rescued due to cold stress by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) from St. John’s River in Palatka, Fla. on February 7, 2013. Following her rescue, Piggy was transported to SeaWorld Orlando for medical care and rehabilitation. Over the past year, Piggy has received continual treatment, including antibiotics, fluids and other supportive care. After being medically cleared for today’s return, the 725-pound manatee was transported by SeaWorld’s Animal Rescue Team to Blue Spring State Park, a designated manatee sanctuary.

 

In addition to today’s return, an adult female manatee was rescued yesterday from Blue Spring State Park. The SeaWorld Orlando Rescue Team was called to assist with her rescue after the FWC noticed the animal was emaciated, lethargic and behaving abnormally. This is not the first time SeaWorld Orlando has provided care to this manatee, who has been identified as Georgia. In 1991, an orphaned calf at the time, she was rescued from Brunswick, Ga, and was brought to SeaWorld Orlando for care until she was returned to Blue Spring State Park in 1997. She was close to six years of age, more than 10 feet long, and weighed 1,635 pounds at the time of her return.

 

Seventeen years and six calves later, the nearly 11-foot-long manatee was rescued again by the SeaWorld Orlando Rescue Team with assistance from FWC staff and volunteers. She was then transported to SeaWorld Orlando yesterday, where the park’s animal care team and veterinary staff performed a complete health exam and began providing an antibiotic treatment and fluids. Georgia will continue to be monitored and more testing will be done to determine what medical attention the large manatee needs.

 

In addition, the FWC also located an orphaned female calf in the DeSoto Canal near St. Petersburg, Fla., late yesterday. The 122-pound calf is a little over four feet long and was determined to be a dependent calf. Upon her arrival at SeaWorld Orlando, she was given a full health assessment and will continue to be monitored and provided around-the-clock care. The calf joined four other orphaned manatees that were rescued late last year.

 

In collaboration with the government and other members of accredited stranding networks, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment operates one of the world’s most respected programs to rescue ill and injured marine animals, with the goal to rehabilitate and return to the ocean. SeaWorld animal experts have helped 23,000 animals in need - ill, injured, orphaned and abandoned - for more than four decades. So far this year, SeaWorld Orlando has rescued three manatees and returned one after today’s return.

 

The Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership (MRP) is a cooperative group of non-profit, private, state, and federal entities who work together to monitor the health and survival of rehabilitated and released manatees. Information about manatees currently being tracked is available at http://www.wildtracks.org.