Sea World
SeaWorld is the most beautiful theme park chain based in Orlando, Florida, with headquarters in the United States. SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment is the owner of oceanariums, marine mammal parks, rehabilitation centers, and animal theme parks. Orca, dolphin, and sea lion exhibitions, as well as zoological displays showing a variety of other marine species, are featured at the parks. There are operations in Orlando, Florida, California, San Diego, Texas, and San Antonio; thereby, outside the USA, in Abu Dhabi, UAE, and earlier, in Aurora, Ohio. SeaWorld Orlando mentioned in the addition of Aquatica, an adventure park along with a water park, which already included Discovery Cove, and SeaWorld on March 5, 2007.
Roller coasters such as Mako, Manta, Kraken, Steel Eel and The Great White at Sea World, Orlando, and SeaWorld San Antonio, are among the thrill attractions available at SeaWorld parks. At all three parks, you’ll find Trip to Atlantis, the immense splashdown and roller coaster experience in one. Busch Entertainment Corp., Anheuser-family Busch’s entertainment business, owns the parks. The Blackstone Group purchased Busch Entertainment in 2009, and the company was formed by SeaWorld Entertainment. In an initial public offering, Blackstone gave up to 37 percent of the top SeaWorld, Orlando Entertainment to Zhonghong Zhuoye in 2013 and, then in 2017, it sold the remaining 21% to them again. Six Flags, Cedar Fair, Disney Parks, Experiences, Products, and Universal Parks & Resorts are among its main competitors in the theme park industry.
Over the years, the parks’ water mammal collections is the topic of public controversy and criticism, with critics accusing the park of animal mistreatment. Following the death of a SeaWorld Orlando mammal trainer by one of the orcas in early 2013, the documentary film Blackfish was released in 2013, resulting in a drop in profits, attendance, and the firm’s stock price. With the addition of new shows, animal exhibits, and other attractions at its parks, and greater marketing highlighting SeaWorld’s rescue and conservation initiatives, SeaWorld’s attendance, and income began to improve in 2018.
Starting in San Diego, SeaWorld stated in 2016 that it would discontinue its program and get out of all theatrical orca displays (due to California state legislation prohibiting orca shows). Later that year, it was reported that SeaWorld would open its first park outside of the USA in Abu Dhabi, which would be free of killer whales. SeaWorld, on the other hand, was introducing new orca live performances to customers by 2020.
SeaWorld’s major attraction is its killer whales, which are kept in 5.8-million-gallon tanks (equal to nine Olympic-sized swimming pools) called Shamu Stadiums. Shamu was the first killer whale from the Seattle Marine Aquarium to be transferred to SeaWorld San Diego in the 1960s. Killer whales in SeaWorld parks are now known as ‘Shamu.’ SeaWorld’s three parks currently host 19 killer whales.
World Animal Protection and the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society fight to keep dolphins and killer whales in captivity; SeaWorld, which houses the majority of the world’s captive killer whales, is cited for its contribution.
