SeaWorld Orlando (SWO) Discussion Thread

[colinx]

They are probably going to be taking one of the existing pools and transforming it. I don't exactly know which one, while the dine with Shamu tank would seem like the obvious choice.. they just redid that a few years ago. There is another tank underneath an awning with quite a bit of room behind it. I'm not sure though, we just have to wait and see.

[Mr. Starr]

Were they forced into this as a response due to Blackfish? Or has this been in the works for a while now?

 

Seaworld's poor second-quarter earnings report caused stocks to drop by 33% on Wednesday, I'm assuming that would have something to do with this.

 

I'm inclined to think that while the movie-related fallout might've moved up the timetable of the announcement, the project itself has probably been in the works for some time.

 

Definitely not doubting that, but I think they've just been waiting to announce this the second that Blackfish affected the company's bottom line.

[Maximo37]

What I am curious about though is where are they going to find the room for the expansion in the Orlando park.

 

I mean they have Wild Arctic and Shamu's Happy Harbor right next to it, and Bayside Stadium is near that as well.

 

If I had to muster a guess... I'd say goodbye to Bayside stadium and a good portion of the lake! Just a guess. Also imagine the views from the skytower if that panned out! Fingers crossed! Amazing announcement! Very excited!

[robbalvey]

We also don't know if this might be a new build for Orlando, or a retro-fit of another stadium which will become the Shamu Stadium. And as far as Shamu's Happy Harbor goes, I would have to think that a bunch of kids rides and play areas would be easier to move than have to fill in a lake and remove a whole other stadium.

[colinx]

There's no way they are removing Happy Harbor, Wild Arctic or Bayside Stadium. Harbor and Arctic are in front of the stadium entrance. Bayside is way too far from the Stadium.

 

My guess is that E pool will be expanded backwards and towards the bottom of the image, possibly D pool being removed or placed somewhere else.

[robbalvey]

Attractions Magazine was able to interview Terry Prather this morning. Here's what they tweeted:

The new habitat @SeaWorld Orlando will be in addition to the existing one. Shamu Stadium and the shows will remain

[KBrylczyk]

Excellent update for the orca tanks. The concept art reminds me of the aesthetic they were going for with SWSD's dolphin tank, just on a much larger scale. Can't wait to see the finished product!

[KI Kidd]

The concept art looks awesome! I think this looks like a fabulous addition for both the whales and the guests.

[leqant]

At least the new enclosure could mean a redemption for Seaworld for some.

[jedimaster1227]

^Doubtful... But then again, there are plenty of us that don't feel like SeaWorld has any need to be redeemed.

 

Either way, this looks like an incredible addition to each of the three parks. Definitely interested to see just how quickly work will begin on SeaWorld Orlando's version!

[Philrad71]

I really enjoyed the up-close exhibit this spring in Orlando when the show was on hiatus. Glad to see that they can expand this to make it even better!

[StuckInSD]

This is fantastic! It really is a dead space where they intend on expanding, so this will be a nice filler- though I wholeheartedly agree that it's about time they expanded Shamu's tank. Giving some TLC to their orcas and re-iterating their efforts is a perfect counter to Blackfish lounge chair critics.

 

As for Orlando, I can imagine them possibly merging the G and E tanks and building the Shamu Close-Up tank to where D2 (Q2?... it's blurry) is.

[vertigomkie]

For anyone curious about the media spin on this release...

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To Appear Less Heartless, SeaWorld Is Building Bigger Bathtubs for Its Killer Whales

By Jordan Weissmann, Slate Magazine

 

SeaWorld Entertainment has finally acknowledged that public revulsion over the company’s treatment of its killer whales is hurting business—and a few oh-so-lucky cetaceans will get to enjoy their very own “water treadmill” as a result. On Wednesday, SeaWorld’s stock price crashed by about a third after management delivered an earnings report chock full of dismal revenue and attendance figures. Today, according to the Wall Street Journal, SeaWorld is responding by announcing plans to spruce up its orca habitats. They will now have bigger, fancier swimming pools to call home:

 

The company plans to upgrade the killer whale tanks at three of its theme parks, beginning with the San Diego location. The new enclosure in San Diego will be almost double the size of the current one, holding about 10 million gallons of water and extending to a depth of 50 feet. The company wouldn't specify the cost of the upgrades, only saying it would be several hundred million dollars.

And about that new exercise equipment:

 

The San Diego facility will include a "water treadmill" system letting the whales swim against a stream of moving water, allowing them more exercise but also opening the door to new research into how the animals burn energy. The system will be the first of its kind in the world, the company says.

More exercise will be nice. None of this addresses the fundamental issue: that these are massive, highly social mammals, who normally travel upwards of 100 miles in a day, and who are being kept in captivity in order to do tricks for tourists. A bigger bathtub prison is still a bathtub prison.

 

http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2014/08/15/seaworld_building_new_tanks_for_its_whales_a_fancy_bathtub_is_still_a_bathtub.html

[colinx]

-

Edited April 7, 2018 by colinx

[leqant]

For anyone curious about the media spin on this release...

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To Appear Less Heartless, SeaWorld Is Building Bigger Bathtubs for Its Killer Whales

By Jordan Weissmann, Slate Magazine

 

SeaWorld Entertainment has finally acknowledged that public revulsion over the company’s treatment of its killer whales is hurting business—and a few oh-so-lucky cetaceans will get to enjoy their very own “water treadmill” as a result. On Wednesday, SeaWorld’s stock price crashed by about a third after management delivered an earnings report chock full of dismal revenue and attendance figures. Today, according to the Wall Street Journal, SeaWorld is responding by announcing plans to spruce up its orca habitats. They will now have bigger, fancier swimming pools to call home:

 

The company plans to upgrade the killer whale tanks at three of its theme parks, beginning with the San Diego location. The new enclosure in San Diego will be almost double the size of the current one, holding about 10 million gallons of water and extending to a depth of 50 feet. The company wouldn't specify the cost of the upgrades, only saying it would be several hundred million dollars.

And about that new exercise equipment:

 

The San Diego facility will include a "water treadmill" system letting the whales swim against a stream of moving water, allowing them more exercise but also opening the door to new research into how the animals burn energy. The system will be the first of its kind in the world, the company says.

More exercise will be nice. None of this addresses the fundamental issue: that these are massive, highly social mammals, who normally travel upwards of 100 miles in a day, and who are being kept in captivity in order to do tricks for tourists. A bigger bathtub prison is still a bathtub prison.

 

http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2014/08/15/seaworld_building_new_tanks_for_its_whales_a_fancy_bathtub_is_still_a_bathtub.html

 

The comparison ont the Slate article reminds me of the Halden Prison in Norway since it is quite luxurious.

[paintballer]

The thing about the activists are they are so unrealistic. These whales, even if SW were ever to close, would most likely NEVER be released into the ocean. They would most likely go to other parks throughout the world like Marineland Canada, Mundo Marino, Loro Parque, Marineland Canada, Sea World Kamogawa and perhaps other parks that would like to have Killer whales on display with no knowledge of how to care for them. SW closing would only complicate things.

 

 

Maybe the best option is to stop all further captivity of large creatures such as the whale? I like how the article put it, It's a big bathtub. It'd be like enclosing you inside a mansion all of your life. Sure, it's big, sure you can get your exercise and survive, but give it a while and you will go insane. That's just my humble opinion and I respect everyone's viewpoints on the subject,

[azza29]

The new plans look great, kind of remind me of Sea World Australia's huge dolphin enclosure in the way they're making it seem more like a "natural" environment and less like a giant swimming pool.

 

In my view, there is absolutely nothing SeaWorld can do that will make PETA and other activist groups happy. These groups exist to protest and they are more interested in making noise than achieving an outcome. If a park caves in to their demands, activists will just find something else to complain about.

 

If PETA were really interested in a the well-being of a bigger number of fish, they should go after anyone who keeps goldfish! I mean, how many million goldfish must be out there stuck in tiny bowls, as opposed to a hundred or so killer whales living in amusement parks?

[djcoastermark]

Then again, it can be said the same for any animal we, as humans ,cage up. I'm thinking any zoo, fish tank in your home, heck even little tweety in its cage at grandmas house. At least Sea World is preserving animals as best as we humans can try, as we have destroyed so much of their natural habitats, and the work they and others do is invaluable. Left to the way humans do things, the only animals left on this planet would soon be only those that we deem worthy of as food or cute little house pets.

[robbalvey]

The thing about the activists are they are so unrealistic. These whales, even if SW were ever to close, would most likely NEVER be released into the ocean. They would most likely go to other parks throughout the world like Marineland Canada, Mundo Marino, Loro Parque, Marineland Canada, Sea World Kamogawa and perhaps other parks that would like to have Killer whales on display with no knowledge of how to care for them. SW closing would only complicate things.

 

 

Maybe the best option is to stop all further captivity of large creatures such as the whale? I like how the article put it, It's a big bathtub. It'd be like enclosing you inside a mansion all of your life. Sure, it's big, sure you can get your exercise and survive, but give it a while and you will go insane. That's just my humble opinion and I respect everyone's viewpoints on the subject,

But your opinion isn't factual or have any substance at all. In short, you SHOULDN'T be allowed to have an opinion on this because it's clear you don't even know what you are talking about!!!

 

There hasn't been any captivity of these creatures in over 40 years. The tanks aren't "bathubs", don't be stupid, they are plenty big to house the animals, they are some of the biggest in the world, and they are only going to get bigger.

 

It really bothers me that people watch a "movie", one that was slanted towards an agenda, and then think they can stand on their soapbox and preach about how much room a whale needs or how to solve the problems.

Edited August 16, 2014 by robbalvey

[PeoplemoverMatt]

 

Maybe the best option is to stop all further captivity of large creatures such as the whale? I like how the article put it, It's a big bathtub. It'd be like enclosing you inside a mansion all of your life. Sure, it's big, sure you can get your exercise and survive, but give it a while and you will go insane. That's just my humble opinion and I respect everyone's viewpoints on the subject,

 

 

The best option to accomplish what? The gargantuan loss of public awareness of orcas and by extension marine life in the ocean as well? Videos on the internet can never and will never replace the experience of seeing these creatures live and close up. No whale watching trip will ever be able to duplicate that experience. If orcas were not visible at SeaWorld, it would make for a huge loss in public education, connection, and awareness of marine life. How many marine biologists are there today who would instead have gone into other professions had they not had childhood experiences at SeaWorld? How many marine animals have been rescued and nurtured back to health by adults who chose that profession or hobby because of having been able to see and make contact with marine life instead of just looking at pictures or YouTube videos? The gains that are made by SeaWorld and the orcas in their shows go far beyond the shows themselves, but all some people see are walls and fences.

 

Moreover your comparison crashes against the rocky shores of reality. Most of the orcas at SeaWorld did not come from the ocean, but were born and bred at SeaWorld. They live far less dangerous and much healthier lives than they ever could in the wild. It's not perfect, but it isn't like living in a bathtub all your life at all. But if you insist on making that comparison, remember than while you might go insane in that mansion, you'd also die if you were unexpectedly forced out of it one day. While you might not be a big fan of captivity, I'm sure you're much less of a fan of the idea of killing these orcas by setting them "free" in the wild.

 

Activists should be praising SeaWorld for all the good they have done for marine life in their history. They really have no idea how much they are cutting off their nose to spite their face by attacking Sea World, to say nothing of the outright lies and deceit that the propaganda piece "Blackfish" is overflowing with.

[BlahBlahson]

I didn't really think about it until I looked from above on Google maps, but there's actually a TON of room for them to do this expansion at SWO.

 

-It really shouldn't affect Happy Harbor, Wild Arctic, or the existing stadium. Even the Dine with Shamu area doesn't really need to be changed.

-There is a path running behind the stadium currently, but it is a seldom-used pathway as it is with only the Shamu viewing area between the park bridge and Happy Harbor along that path.

-The area between the Nautilus Theater and the Shamu Stadium is dead as it is, this will completely transform the path along that pond from the deadest spot in the park to maybe the biggest draw.

-That pond is already partially dug out, saving on costs if they choose to use this entire area, though there is some existing elevation change there.

-On the other side of the path, where Terrace and the Sea Garden currently are can still easily be converted into new attractions, and I've heard from good sources that this is an area of focus in the near future.

If you click the Image you can see an Orca in the back pool, for size comparison to how large SWO can actually go here.

[Inukaza]

That seems logical. It would be cool to see that placed there. It might also push more shows into Nautilus, since that venue is only being used on weekends. (At the moment).

[colinx]

I agree, I think it's time that small pond gets filled in. Plus, that would also help to further balance out the Shamu/Wild Arctic side of the park.

[jedimaster1227]

^^^Thsnk you for posting that! The overhead view actually helps a great deal when visualizing how much space can be used for this project.

[RAWKIN_coaster38]

This is utterly AMAZING. This is exactly the type of thing I've been wanting to see for years. I kinda thought it would eventually happen, but it's so great to actually see a plan! I'll definitely be there to see this when it opens.