SeaWorld has had a rough couple of years, but 2019 ended up being a bright spot for the resort, as attendance rose dramatically and consistently during the first half of the year for the first time in almost a decade. And though the company did see a downward trend towards the end of the year and has had some leadership issues as well, it’s been a pretty good year overall with new attractions and announcements keeping fans excited for the future. And speaking of, it looks like 2020 will be bringing a lot of changes to SeaWorld parks that will continue to shift this park’s identity.
1. One Ocean Shamu Show at SeaWorld Orlando to end December 31, 2019
One Ocean, the iconic Shamu show at SeaWorld Orlando that has run since 2011, will have its last performance on December 31, 2019, before debuting Orca Encounter, a new educational show where guests will learn about killer whales’ role in the ocean ecosystem, behaviors the animals exhibit in the wild and the importance of conservation to their habitat and animal welfare practices at SeaWorld.
Though this change has been a long time coming (Once Ocean has been phased out at other SeaWorld parks as well), this is another step towards this park’s evolving mission when it comes to animal education vs. entertainment. Which will also be reflected in another move, that is coming in January as well…
2. Wild Arctic closing at SeaWorld San Diego to make way for new attraction January 10th
Wild Arctic is one of the longest-running simulation rides in the country, operating for nearly 25 years at SeaWorld San Diego. And while this attraction certainly has its fans, SeaWorld has announced that they will be closing down this simulator attraction on January 10, 2020 to make way for a new experience in the future. We don’t know what this experience will be, but it has been confirmed that the arctic animals will still be a part of whatever replaces Wild Arctic at SeaWorld San Diego.
And though rumors abound about the end of Wild Arctic at SeaWorld Orlando, for now at least, this simulator is safe in Florida.
3. Icebreaker roller coaster coming soon to SeaWord Orlando
And speaking of SeaWorld Orlando, this central Florida park has announced a brand new launch coaster for its Wild Arctic area of the park named Icebreaker. On this attraction guests will blast through four different launches, both backwards and forwards, culminating in a reverse launch into the steepest beyond vertical drop in Florida — a 93-foot tall spike with 100-degree angle.
In addition to the thrilling elements of this roller coaster, SeaWorld has announced that they have partnered with Alaska SeaLife Center, who will be developing an educational aspect of this attraction. Primarily dedicated to marine research, education and wildlife response, the Alaska SeaLife Center mission matches closely to SeaWorld Orlando’s, making them a perfect partner to help educate riders about the Arctic and its inhabitants.
Though we’re excited about the thrilling elements of this attraction (which will reach 52 MPH and last 90 seconds), SeaWorld has announced that this new ride will have a relatively low 48 inch height restriction, which should help Icebreaker appeal to the family-friendly crowd, as well as coaster enthusiasts. Construction on this new attraction is currently ongoing, and Icebreaker should welcome its first guests in Spring 2020!
SeaWorld may be going through a period of transition, but this family of parks feels like it is honing in on a new vision for itself that will hopefully help them find success in the new decade and beyond!
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