SeaWorld Orlando Announces 2017 Plans
SeaWorld Orlando has officially announced its 2017 attractions! 2017 will be an off year for the park, but several great additions will take place, from ride updates to event updates to animal habitats!
Kraken, the only floorless coaster in Orlando, will become the first coaster in Florida to introduce the virtual reality concept that has appeared around Six Flags and Cedar Fair parks. This will be a new experience that will allow guests to come face to face with sea monsters, including a Kraken.
From the looks of the concept images, it appears Kraken will be fitted with virtual reality headsets built into the trains, covering your ears and eyes, instead of individual headsets liked we’ve seen before. CEO Joel Manby said this could be the first of multiple VR coasters in the SeaWorld chain.
Brian Morrow, SeaWorld Entertainment’s VP of theme park design, stated:
“We’re developing sort of our own technology on how we’re going to pull this off. It’s nothing that you’ve seen from other parks“.
Another addition that was announced will be a newly renovated Dolphin Nursery. New additions will include the concrete walls being replaced with acrylic, creating an underwater viewing experience. New slide outs and digital displays will also be added. The new slide outs will provide easier ways to interact with employees and trainers.
Two new shows have been released so far as well. The first one called Electric Ocean will take place at SeaWorld Orlando and San Diego as a daily nighttime event. It will include bioluminescent lighting, music, live performances, and of course a fireworks finale! Other than the show taking place at the Bayside Stadium, not much else was revealed.
When asked about the new show, park president Donald Mills said “Lighting is a key component of bringing Electric Ocean to life.“
The second show will be a temporary show in the Nautilus Theater, running Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. With exception of the O Wondrous Night Christmas show, this will be the first show to take place in Nautilus Theater since the closing of “Allure: Call of the Ocean” in January 2015. More will be revealed by SeaWorld as summer gets closer.
SeaWorld is also introducing the Seven Seas Food Festival, a major special event already at the other two SeaWorld parks. Along with Viva La Musica and Bands, Brew, and BBQ, this new festival will bring a total of 14 weekends of food, music, and concert events. Food will come from all over the world, including South America, Asia, the Caribbean, and Mediterranean.
The Flamecraft Bar will be added next to SeaFire Grill, and will feature 16 seasonal craft brews with outdoor seating. A new menu will be added as well.
Across the street at Aquatica, SeaWorld’s waterpark, a new pass member lounge will be opening by Easter! This exclusive area will be reserved specifically for guests with annual passes. The pavilion will include complimentary sunscreen, free drinks and snacks, a private entrance into Banana Beach restaurant, private animal encounters, and even a concierge for assistance with booking SeaWorld tours and ticket sales.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and friends, including Clarice, Bumble, and the Abominable Snow Monster will be making their debut as part of the 2016 Christmas Celebration. Rudolph will return in the 2017 Christmas Celebration with even more Red Nose Reindeer experiences for families to enjoy.
Our favorite announcement of the day was the unveling of a Transferable Season Pass. If you are an annual pass member (whether you have monthly EZPay or a paid in full pass), you can purchase a new “Transferable” SeaWorld pass that is good for a different person each day for $208, or a pass good for both SeaWorld and Aquatica for $232! What’s the catch? You must have an annual pass, and you must accompany your guest through the turnstiles each time. The annual pass member will be the host, and his/her name will be on the transferable pass. The pass can only be used for one person per day, and it does include free parking. You can read all of the regulations of the transferable pass here.
Summing up all the announcements, 2017 is shaping up to be a fantastic year for SeaWorld Orlando! Even though there isn’t a new major ride coming in 2017, capital is still being spent on awesome events, ride updates, shows and more! We will continue to keep you updated with more 2017 news from the SeaWorld chain!
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