Writer: KEVIN FRITZ

New adventures and savings from coast to coast.

Whether you are visiting Florida or California, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment welcomes you to experience a new rollout of fun-filled adventures for the whole family.

Share in the excitement of new roller-coasters, shows and events and learn more about SeaWorld’s ongoing efforts in the rescue and rehabilitation of injured and orphaned wildlife—more than 30,000 animals over the past 50 years. Special Canadian resident pricing at SeaWorld Orlando, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and SeaWorld San Diego make this a great time to plan a trip and see for yourself.

From first-ever technologies and inspiring, fresh experiences, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment’s new lineup, one of the largest in company history, offers more exciting family explorations than ever before. Many of the new attractions pay homage to SeaWorld’s mission of inspiring guests to learn and care about animals and wild places through up-close animal interactions and educational and fun attractions. It’s a blend of nature, education, thrills and laughs that only SeaWorld and Busch Gardens can offer.

SEAWORLD ORLANDO 

Kraken Unleashed: Virtual Reality Experience

SeaWorld Orlando debuted its first digitally enhanced ride experience by transforming the legendary Kraken rollercoaster into a virtual reality (VR) rollercoaster experience and creating Kraken Unleashed: Virtual Reality Experience. Guests embark on a deep-sea mission alongside sea creatures inspired by extinct and legendary animals of the past and race through underwater canyons and the deep, dark hunting grounds of the legendary sea monster, Kraken. A custom digital overlay with uniquely designed VR headsets deliver a new one-of-a-kind adventure to this 46-metre-tall, 105 km/h coaster. The addition of VR to this fan favourite brings a new level of excitement and interest to Kraken, giving guests the opportunity to experience this epic ride in a completely new way.

Dolphin Nursery

SeaWorld’s Dolphin Nursery is now more interactive, giving guests the opportunity to see mother and baby dolphins up close like never before. Large-scale acrylic windows offer better guest viewing, including multiple levels to provide children a face-to-face perspective with baby dolphins. A next-generation, multi-purpose digital display permits SeaWorld educators to share information about dolphin behaviour, biology and conservation with guests.

The Dolphin Nursery is a great place to introduce kids to the beauty of life in the animal world from its first chapters. Watch as dolphin calves practise jumping, playing and communicating with their moms and other young dolphins through clicks and vocalizations.

Up-close Animal Tours

Visitors to SeaWorld Orlando now have the opportunity to experience the park’s majestic killer whales in a brand-new way. The Killer Whale Up-Close Tour gives guests the opportunity to meet the park’s killer whales in ways never before offered at the park. During the 45-minute tour SeaWorld’s trainers share stories and information about the killer whales, demonstrate how the whales take part in voluntary husbandry sessions and discuss their health care, feeding habits and more.

The Killer Whale Up-Close Tour is the latest in SeaWorld’s collection of memorable, educational and inspirational tours. Popular guest experiences, including the Dolphin Up-Close Tour and Penguin Up-Close Tour, provide hands-on interactions with some of the park’s most popular animals while encouraging guests to care about all of the animals found in the oceans. The Behind-the-Scenes Tour, a guest favourite, provides an inside look at the park’s amazing animal rescue operation and ends with the opportunity to touch a shark and meet a Magellanic penguin.

Nearby, Discovery Cove is an all-inclusive day resort, offering the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to swim with dolphins, snorkel among thousands of tropical fish and rays, hand-feed exotic birds, and encounter playful otters and curious marmosets. Admission includes unlimited 14-day admission to SeaWorld Orlando and Aquatica, SeaWorld’s Waterpark.

Aquatica features high-speed water slides, exhilarating wave pools, and 7,800 square metres of sparkling white, sandy, tranquil beaches to the delight of all ages. This one-of-a-kind waterpark is home to 42 slides in all, rivers and lagoons, as well as Ihu’s Breakaway Falls, a multi-drop tower slide.

BUSCH GARDENS TAMPA BAY

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is the ultimate family adventure, offering 1.2 square kilometres of fascinating attractions based on exotic explorations around the world. A unique blend of thrilling rides, one of the country’s premier zoos with more than 12,000 animals, live shows, restaurants, shops and games, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay  provides unrivalled excitement for guests of every age.

 Cobra’s Curse is the park’s newest family thrill ride, a spin coaster featuring a vertical lift and taking riders on a whirlwind adventure of exciting explorations.

SEAWORLD SAN DIEGO 

Orca Encounter

The all-new Orca Encounter represents an important evolution of how SeaWorld guests experience killer whales. Presented in a documentary-style format featuring a three-storey infinity screen, Orca Encounter combines a live orca presentation in a natural setting featuring a rugged coastline backdrop with an extraordinarily enhanced and augmented digital environment.

Ocean Explorer

Ocean Explorer immerses families in an underwater world of deep-sea discovery. This new attraction combines multiple aquariums, exciting rides and digital technologies designed to engage park guests in an experience centred on exploration and adventure. The Ocean Explorer realm features five family rides: Submarine Quest, offering oceanic exploration; Tentacle Twirl, an exhilarating wave swinger ride where guests fly in chairs suspended from the tentacles of a giant jellyfish; Aqua Scout, a jump-around ride; Octarock, a swing ride; and Sea Dragon Drop, a family free-fall tower.

CANADIAN TOURIST OFFERS

SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

The price for a single-day ticket to either SeaWorld Orlando or Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is US$79.99* (savings of up to 20 per cent off the general admission ticket). Purchase now and redeem one year from date of purchase. seaworld.ca; buschgardens.ca

SeaWorld San Diego

The price for a single-day ticket is US$64.50* (savings of up to 33 per cent off general admission ticket). Purchase now through December 31, 2017, and redeem by January 31, 2018. seaworld.ca/sandiego

To purchase your tickets, book online or visit your travel agent. Proof of Canadian residency may be required at the front gate.

* Price does not include tax or parking.