SeaWorld San Diego (SWSD) Discussion Thread

[coasterbill]

Rules like this are why people are sick of all of these covid restrictions. Someone from Yuma who is fully vaccinated and got their second shot in February can go to SeaWorld because they have some whales and ride coasters or they can go to the San Diego Zoo and ride the Skyway but they can't go to Magic Mountain because they're more of a risk than someone who's not vaccinated who just flew to LA from Sacramento to go to the park and never got tested?

...k

[thrillseeker4552]

^Exactly. California is such a huge, diverse state... the rule just makes no sense at all.

I do hope this vaccination card thing extends to theme parks though, or they just eliminate the in-state rule completely.

[Canobie Coaster]

SeaWorld updated the note to remove the option for out-of-state residents to provide a covid test.  The only way for out-of-state residents to visit now is being fully vaccinated.

In the reopen California documents, there's a statement "fully vaccinated persons from out of state may visit or attend activities or events that are restricted to in-state visitors."

[Animal]

Has anyone heard anything about the status of the Sesame Place conversion at Aquatica SD? I haven’t heard a peep since it was announced but it does look like on the updated images of Google Maps construction was at full steam ahead. 

[coneyislandchris]

On 6/1/2021 at 3:01 PM, Animal said:

Has anyone heard anything about the status of the Sesame Place conversion at Aquatica SD? I haven’t heard a peep since it was announced but it does look like on the updated images of Google Maps construction was at full steam ahead. 

They're still open and operating as Aquatica for this season, at least. I keep getting emails every week from SeaWorld saying "buy a pass, get Aquatica free". Their website shows that they're open, although some of their slides are temporarily closed, specifically certain ones in Kiwi Curl, Woohoo Falls, and the Walkabout Waters area. Not sure though if that's due to construction or just due to COVID regulations.

[Animal]

2 hours ago, coneyislandchris said:

They're still open and operating as Aquatica for this season, at least. I keep getting emails every week from SeaWorld saying "buy a pass, get Aquatica free". Their website shows that they're open, although some of their slides are temporarily closed, specifically certain ones in Kiwi Curl, Woohoo Falls, and the Walkabout Waters area. Not sure though if that's due to construction or just due to COVID regulations.

Interesting, I can’t imagine how it would be open with all of that construction going on!?! I’d love to see a report on that!

[teacherkim]

So we will be there in exactly one month. When I booked our southern CA trip a couple months ago I was really assuming Emperor would be opening soon since it had clearly been about ready to go right before the initial lockdowns. That's on me, I should have known better. What are those of you that are local hearing? I take the fact that it is not listed anywhere on their web site as a very bad sign for any sort of opening in the near future. 

[VegasBaby]

On 7/30/2021 at 10:14 AM, teacherkim said:

So we will be there in exactly one month. When I booked our southern CA trip a couple months ago I was really assuming Emperor would be opening soon since it had clearly been about ready to go right before the initial lockdowns. That's on me, I should have known better. What are those of you that are local hearing? I take the fact that it is not listed anywhere on their web site as a very bad sign for any sort of opening in the near future. 

It's a big mystery for all of the Busch parks.  From everything I've read, they are all ready to open but Busch is just sitting on them.  My guess is that they figure this year will be busy enough with all the pent up travel demand and they will open them in 2022 to drive attendance next year.

[coasterbill]

... lol

 

[bert425]

just retheme it to "From Dusk Till Dawn". . . maybe it will be more popular?

[teacherkim]

On 8/10/2021 at 1:26 PM, VegasBaby said:

It's a big mystery for all of the Busch parks.  From everything I've read, they are all ready to open but Busch is just sitting on them.  My guess is that they figure this year will be busy enough with all the pent up travel demand and they will open them in 2022 to drive attendance next year.

Yeah.....I have basically come to the same conclusion but was really hoping I was wrong. Sigh.

[Animal]

Any word on an Emperor opening after the announcement of Iron Gwazi and Ice Breaker??

[thrillseeker4552]

8 hours ago, Animal said:

Any word on an Emperor opening after the announcement of Iron Gwazi and Ice Breaker??

I came to this thread to ask the same question. With BGT and SWO officially announcing openings, SWSA announcing a new ride, and BGW saying news is coming soon - I imagine it won't be too long until we hear from San Diego. Hopefully.

[Animal]

They announced……. Nothing!!! Hopefully this means it’s opening this year.

[VegasBaby]

10 minutes ago, Animal said:

They announced……. Nothing!!! Hopefully this means it’s opening this year.

I doubt it opens this year, it seems like their strategy is pushing the new rides to 2022 to boost sales for next year.

[UriJo]

Per Sea World San Diego Instagram

Emperor officially dropping March 2022

[Animal]

28 minutes ago, UriJo said:

Per Sea World San Diego Instagram

Emperor officially dropping March 2022

I wonder if anyone will try and get their money back for season passes they bought this year considering all SEAS parks did advertise these rides opening in 2021. It’s a legitimate argument and borderline false advertisement. 

[KBrylczyk]

You know, they could have easily swayed me to visit their first ever Howl-O-Scream if they opened the damn ride.  Now I have no interest in attending an unproven event with only three haunts.  Scary Farm is far more interesting and worth my money.

[BRTeller]

6 hours ago, Animal said:

I wonder if anyone will try and get their money back for season passes they bought this year considering all SEAS parks did advertise these rides opening in 2021. It’s a legitimate argument and borderline false advertisement. 

I won't be asking for a refund, but I will be asking for an extension. I personally paid for the top tier membership with the expectation that I'd be able to ride at least some of these coasters this year. Everything since the beginning of the year has been reduced and the Busch parks honestly were the worst in terms of available rides. We cancelled a few of our trips in light of this news, I didn't expect them all to open, but I did expect at least one or two by haunt. We'll likely hold off or shorten our Orlando trip for October, hold off on BGW for their haunt and hope that the Christmas event isn't reduced again. The only park due to the states absurd protocols that I don't blame the company on is this park, which we decided to hold off just because California needs a bit of time to get back to the real world still.

I gave a lot of leeway and bought full passed in 2020 and 2021, I think it was supposed to carry over but honestly I didn't mind all that much since the parks clearly needed it then. From my perspective, the parks this year held off opening due to marketing and not so much the issues of 2020 so I'm to the point I want the service I paid for.

[coasterlvr]

On 8/27/2021 at 10:17 AM, Animal said:

I wonder if anyone will try and get their money back for season passes they bought this year considering all SEAS parks did advertise these rides opening in 2021. It’s a legitimate argument and borderline false advertisement. 

it reminds me of SFMM when Superman was supposed to open.  they gave passholders a morning to ride when it wasn't at full strength yet.  then it opened the next year.  but it was a move, imo, to stop people from complaining.  similar also to West Coast Racers.

they added this on the emperor page.  
 

"Exclusive Ride Times

Active Pass Members will be invited to enjoy exclusive ride times on Emperor when it opens in March 2022.

Pass Members & Fun Card holders who purchased on or after Nov. 19, 2019 and are no longer active at the time of Emperor’s opening in March 2022 will receive the opportunity to ride during a pre-selected time period. Please click here to complete the form to confirm eligibility. Your response must be received by Sept. 30, 2021."

https://seaworld.com/san-diego/rides/emperor/

[teacherkim]

Just as an fyi - we were there last Monday 8/30. Park was super dead (I know it was the first day back to school for a lot of the locals) Tidal Twister didn't even have a train on and 0 activity around it. Every ride should have been a walk on but in reality was a station wait due to super slow ops, not that it was a big deal with such a low crowd. One weird thing was that Electric Ocean was listed to be going from 4-6 but the park was closing at 5? So not sure what was going on with that but didn't seem worth it when it would still be daylight out either way. We did everything we wanted to do in about 3 hours, at a leisurely pace and including grabbing something to eat. Left about 1 and spent the rest of the day at the Zoo. It was the last day of a SoCal trip so not a big deal to us since we kind of wanted to see the Zoo anyway and had already spent the evening before at Belmont Park, but kind of a meh visit.

[thrillseeker4552]

I will say that among the 4 unopened SeaWorld coasters, I think SWSD needs theirs open the most. Emperor will likely be their best attraction and will also have a decent capacity.

[KBrylczyk]

16 hours ago, thrillseeker4552 said:

Emperor will likely be their best attraction and will also have a decent capacity.

You may be right, but Manta is a seriously wicked ride overall.  Tons of airtime and twisty fun.  I enjoy dive machines but Mack makes far better coasters than B&M these days, IMO.

[hoppedup]

I kinda have to be in San Diego on Tuesday the 28th. Is SWSD worth it just for Manta if we have passes? My daughter will not ride another Sky Rocket II (not crazy about them myself), and Emperor won't be open yet, so that leaves Manta. We could probably do a 4-5 hour session at KBF since it opens at 8 a.m., in lieu of SWSD. We don't really care about flat rides or animal exhibits.

[VegasBaby]

2 hours ago, hoppedup said:

I kinda have to be in San Diego on Tuesday the 28th. Is SWSD worth it just for Manta if we have passes? My daughter will not ride another Sky Rocket II (not crazy about them myself), and Emperor won't be open yet, so that leaves Manta. We could probably do a 4-5 hour session at KBF since it opens at 8 a.m., in lieu of SWSD. We don't really care about flat rides or animal exhibits.

I would say no if you're just going to ride Manta.  Spend the time at Knotts instead as the park will be dead and you'll be able to walk on everything.