2011 Brings Ten New Attractions to Parks Across the Country

Hey Fans! In case you haven’t heard, 2011 is a really exciting year for SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. We’re opening ten – that’s right, ten – new attractions in our parks across the country! Here’s a quick download on everything that’s coming to your favorite parks this year.

Just announced this morning, a new killer whale show is opening at all three SeaWorld parks. “One Ocean” connects guests to the sea, and to these amazing animals, with a new level of excitement while it educates and inspires you to make a difference in this world. The show is scheduled to premiere at SeaWorld Orlando at the end of April, SeaWorld San Diego on Memorial Day weekend and SeaWorld San Antonio in June.

SeaWorld San Diego also is opening a second major attraction this summer – Turtle Reef where you can get an up-close look at 60 threatened or endangered sea turtles. And don’t miss its new ride which takes you on an exciting animal rescue mission!

SeaWorld San Antonio also opens Sesame Street Bay of Play this spring which will include three acres of exciting rides, shows and play areas and will be home to a colorful carousel with all the friends of Sesame Street.

Just across the street from SeaWorld Orlando, Discovery Cove is opening an all-new area called The Grand Reef. You can experience this new adventure in a variety of ways: there’s plenty of shallow water areas; a chance to snorkel among thousands of fish and rays in deeper water; and, for the most thrill-seeking fans, there is SeaVenture – an underwater walking tour using dive helmets.

If your favorite part of a park visit is thrill rides, then the Busch Gardens parks are the place for you! Busch Gardens Tampa is opening Cheetah Hunt, a multiple launch-point coaster that uses repelling magnets to launch riders from 0 to 60 mph in a matter of seconds. At the new Cheetah Run animal habitat, you can witness the world’s fastest land animal in action during daily sprints.

Busch Gardens Williamsburg is opening a drop tower called Mach Tower, where you’ll be lifted almost 200 feet in the air before a breath-taking and exciting drop. Also in Williamsburg, Water Country is opening Vanish Point, a new thrill attraction where you can choose which way you drop out of sight: either plunging down after the floor drops out from under you, or horizontally on a 300-foot speed slide that drops you straight down.

And, for our littlest fans, you can have tons of fun at Sesame Place, near Philadelphia, during “Neighborhood Street Party” with all of your favorite Sesame Street characters, then scoot on over to the park’s newest ride – Elmo’s Cloud Chaser.

Pretty exciting stuff, right? We'll keep you updated on all of the latest developments on these attractions right here on our blogs, so check back often!

Press Release Link | Image Link

Discovery Cove announces The Grand Reef

In Orlando, Discovery Cove takes immersion to new depths when it opens an all-new area -- The Grand Reef -- in June 2011. The new reef features multiple levels of exploration, from shallow waters to deeper swimming adventures, from white sandy beaches and hammocks swaying in the breeze, to snorkeling among canyons inspired by reefs from around the world.

“The Grand Reef takes Discovery Cove’s world-class animal encounters to an all new level -- several, actually,” said Stewart Clark, the park’s vice president. “It’s what our guests expect from us, unforgettable connections with the sea and making memories that will last forever. This could only be created by Discovery Cove.”

Visitors just need to get their feet wet to enjoy The Grand Reef, or they can choose to go deep. They can step into tranquil, shallow waters to discover a below-the-surface world teeming with sea life, or they can snorkel in deeper waters as thousands of exotic fish and graceful rays swim around them.

Surprises abound. Families can seek discoveries along the water’s edge or cross a bridge to see sharks swimming below. They’ll play hide-and-seek with thousands of beautiful fish, from small colorful wrasses to large spotted eagle rays. Further out in the reef, stunning habitats create the feeling of swimming right alongside venomous lionfish and sharp-toothed reef sharks, each safely behind glass. Guests can take paths and bridges to the reef’s islands and hidden grottos as they delve into the reef from above, around and below.

Those looking for an even more exhilarating adventure can take part in The Grand Reef’s innovative experience, SeaVenture, an underwater walking tour. Wearing dive helmets, guests find up-close excitement around every corner, each step yielding a new discovery.

They’ll come across lionfish and sharks (safely behind massive panoramic windows), one-on-one touches with unique animals and schools of fish and gentle rays swimming by. SeaVenture is a once-in-a-lifetime, undersea experience available for a nominal fee.

The Grand Reef is the perfect balance between adventure and relaxation, a fully immersive tropical escape, new to discover in Orlando in 2011.

Press Release Link | Video Link