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SeaWorld Entertainment Corporate News (Old Leadership Thread)

What does a Sea World in 2020 look like to you?
To me, SeaWorld in 2020 will have momentum in the Texas & California parks (we have already started to see this) and small but steady improvements in Orlando (we have started to see this as well). The parks will continue to diversify by adding new rides as well as transitioning away from theatrical shows towards edutainment shows. On-site hotels will also help to sure-up the business.

There is far too much doom and gloom on enthusiast forums regarding SeaWorld. It is still a more than viable business with a great underlying system of parks that have just gone through a rough patch in the past few years. The worst is behind us.
 
To me, SeaWorld in 2020 will have momentum in the Texas & California parks (we have already started to see this) and small but steady improvements in Orlando (we have started to see this as well). The parks will continue to diversify by adding new rides as well as transitioning away from theatrical shows towards edutainment shows. On-site hotels will also help to sure-up the business.

There is far too much doom and gloom on enthusiast forums regarding SeaWorld. It is still a more than viable business with a great underlying system of parks that have just gone through a rough patch in the past few years. The worst is behind us.
I agree that Texas and California will show more promise than Orlando. Those two parks are more regional.

In my mind, SeaWorld's biggest concern is that they don't know what the parks are. They can't compete at Disney + Universal's level because they just don't have access, or justification, to spend that much capital. They're trying to be really nice regional parks (in-between Six Flags and Disney), but they haven't been able to articulate what that looks like.
 
It is a shame really, just hope they don't decide to stop investing in new rides. Only reason why Mako didn't make the big dent they hoped for, is because they needed more rides ages ago. if they want more people, then get more rides, show that you really want more people and start making the parking a happier place again, instead of endless budget cuts which make the place more miserable.
 
That's why they should focus on thrill rides.
I think SeaWorld needs to take advantage of the lack of thrill rides in Orlando and stop thinking like the rest and start thinking like Cedar Fair. I have no problem having a Thrill Aquarium Park here. There’s nothing wrong with being bold, let’s not forget Orlando was an unknown tiny town surrounded by orange fields until Walt decided to make a bold move…. Try to find an orange field today. It would be nice to see SeaWorld being the record breaking company in central Florida. Every time someone ask what’s the tallest, faster, and biggest in Orlando? The answer should always be one, SeaWorld… everything else around, are just tame family oriented theme parks. They already got record breaker Mako, the only flying coaster, the only aqua coaster, and soon enough a record breaking raft ride…. Well keep it up SeaWorld and they should use those stats to separate themselves from the norm and become the one and only top thrill park in Orlando.
 
Could the future of Sea World Orlando have any bearing on Uni South? I would be nervous for that kind of property with existing infrastructure being bought by any competitor before the South Park is built. Could Comcast be pressured (real or imagined) to make a play for it? I realize this is pure speculation, but when a company has this kind of shake up again (leadership at the top) and continues to have financial woes, things tend to happen fast.
If Comcast bought it, they would flatten it and build timeshares haha...Or something else

From a creative perspective, sure. But from a business perspective? Vacations are shrinking--the 2-week long road trip is basically done. 4-day vacations are becoming the rule, not the exception. Come 2020, Disney has a lock on 1 day at MK, 1 day in Star Wars park ...and they'll throw in a discount to keep you a third and even fourth day, but most tourists like a cheap pool day. Universal doing much the same, with its three parks. It's in the big boys' interest to keep their guests from going up the road--Sea World an unintentional casualty on either side.

Meanwhile, on the less expensive end of the spectrum, if you want thrills, Fun Spot and Andretti Park offer cheaper options. If you want animals, Sea Life and the Central Florida Zoo offer cheaper options.

In the real world, I just don't see who a revitalized SW is aimed at.
This is a great point...Vacations are becoming smaller, and Sea World isn't that important of an option for people...I wouldn't count out the overseas visitors that stay a week at a time though...Or those that live in time shares certain times throughout the year

To me, SeaWorld in 2020 will have momentum in the Texas & California parks (we have already started to see this) and small but steady improvements in Orlando (we have started to see this as well). The parks will continue to diversify by adding new rides as well as transitioning away from theatrical shows towards edutainment shows. On-site hotels will also help to sure-up the business.

There is far too much doom and gloom on enthusiast forums regarding SeaWorld. It is still a more than viable business with a great underlying system of parks that have just gone through a rough patch in the past few years. The worst is behind us.
You are very hopeful

I wouldn't say we're trying to be a doom and gloom forum...Many of us went to SW a lot when we were kids...But you have to acknowledge there is a fire to put it out...And SW is starting to smoke a bit

That's why they should focus on thrill rides.
I think SeaWorld needs to take advantage of the lack of thrill rides in Orlando and stop thinking like the rest and start thinking like Cedar Fair. I have no problem having a Thrill Aquarium Park here. There’s nothing wrong with being bold, let’s not forget Orlando was an unknown tiny town surrounded by orange fields until Walt decided to make a bold move…. Try to find an orange field today. It would be nice to see SeaWorld being the record breaking company in central Florida. Every time someone ask what’s the tallest, faster, and biggest in Orlando? The answer should always be one, SeaWorld… everything else around, are just tame family oriented theme parks. They already got record breaker Mako, the only flying coaster, the only aqua coaster, and soon enough a record breaking raft ride…. Well keep it up SeaWorld and they should use those stats to separate themselves from the norm and become the one and only top thrill park in Orlando.
How did that work for Universal?
 
I wouldn't say we're trying to be a doom and gloom forum...Many of us went to SW a lot when we were kids...But you have to acknowledge there is a fire to put it out...And SW is starting to smoke a bit
Yeah this. I went a lot and have fond memories of it from my childhood, but that doesn’t change the dire situation the company is in now. They’re getting a little too close to buckling. I’ve preemtively decreased my stock in the company due to the current report, but I’m not all out of hope yet. (before anyone hates I just bought it because it was a a ridiculous low of like $10, which I knew I could make some dough off of).
 
How did that work for Universal?



Perhaps you are referring to IOA’s early years when I worked for them.

Let’s do the math: Universal Escape confusing rollout failure + OIA’s bipolar/identity crisis + Seagrams + Vivendi’s greed + the downgrade/closing of attraction without replacement + the irrelevancy of chosen IPs at opening day (Lands 1st, movies later. Except JP) + Land locked since day one + neglected for over a decade = ????

by the way 2/3 coaster don't make a thrill park.... IOA was just the best we had at that time. Which it's pretty pathetic.
 
Perhaps you are referring to IOA’s early years when I worked for them.

Let’s do the math: Universal Escape confusing rollout failure + OIA’s bipolar/identity crisis + Seagrams + Vivendi’s greed + the downgrade/closing of attraction without replacement + the irrelevancy of chosen IPs at opening day (Lands 1st, movies later. Except JP) + Land locked since day one + neglected for over a decade = ????

by the way 2/3 coaster don't make a thrill park.... IOA was just the best we had at that time. Which it's pretty pathetic.
Sure, there was a lot going on at the time, and crazy how Blackstone was involved then too....I just don't see aiming at teens as a viable market for Sea World...There is no money there
 
I think the important thing to remember about Universal was the combination of Potter + Comcast.

Potter brought them the spotlight and was a huge bet for the resort in the short-term. Comcast brought the money and helped out Universal in the long-term.

If Comcast hadn't come in, I'm not sure there would've been enough money to do Diagon. Diagon costed an unbelievable amount of money. Without more large expansions, Universal wouldn't have grown as much and the Potter hype die-down would've been noticeable.

SeaWorld has shown some ideas for the short-term. Their new rides won't be the same as Potter but they could put the resort on the right track. The biggest issue is the long-term. They need capital to invest in the parks. They don't have it right now. Nothing short of a Potter-sized hit or selling a park or two will give them long-term capital.
 
"Morrow will start his own production company ... At SeaWorld Orlando, he was involved with projects such as the Manta and Mako roller coasters, Turtle Trek, Antarctica – Empire of the Penguin, and the upcoming Infinity Falls raft ride."

Two of the legit contenders for worst attraction in Orlando, as well as its most polarizing coaster. Buddy, maybe it's time to look into a new line of work.
 
"Morrow will start his own production company ... At SeaWorld Orlando, he was involved with projects such as the Manta and Mako roller coasters, Turtle Trek, Antarctica – Empire of the Penguin, and the upcoming Infinity Falls raft ride."

Two of the legit contenders for worst attraction in Orlando, as well as its most polarizing coaster. Buddy, maybe it's time to look into a new line of work.
:lol:...good one :thumbsup:
 
"Morrow will start his own production company ... At SeaWorld Orlando, he was involved with projects such as the Manta and Mako roller coasters, Turtle Trek, Antarctica – Empire of the Penguin, and the upcoming Infinity Falls raft ride."

Two of the legit contenders for worst attraction in Orlando, as well as its most polarizing coaster. Buddy, maybe it's time to look into a new line of work.
Don't know, can't really blame the guy, he did what he could with the budget. I mean, he is a little flamboyant, but I think a lot of the problems are not his designs, but the lack of money and enthusiasm Seaworld shows. I mean, take Antarctica and Turtle Trek, even the projection screens are awful, that tell enough. I think that maybe with a decent budget he could have more success.
 
Don't know, can't really blame the guy, he did what he could with the budget. I mean, he is a little flamboyant, but I think a lot of the problems are not his designs, but the lack of money and enthusiasm Seaworld shows. I mean, take Antarctica and Turtle Trek, even the projection screens are awful, that tell enough. I think that maybe with a decent budget he could have more success.
The problem with Antartica is not the budget. In fact to me that ride highlights exactly how to misuse funds in the worst possible way. There is no benefit to the trackless vehicles which surely weren't cheap. It's by far the worst theme park ride ever created and to me that's because it accomplishes so little with such a huge waste of money and technology.
 
The problem with Antartica is not the budget. In fact to me that ride highlights exactly how to misuse funds in the worst possible way. There is no benefit to the trackless vehicles which surely weren't cheap. It's by far the worst theme park ride ever created and to me that's because it accomplishes so little with such a huge waste of money and technology.
Worst ever...Clearly you haven't seen:

 
It somewhat looks like a lesser version of Seuss Trolley, but without the colorful characters, whimsical nature, scenes, & narration of Seuss that makes Seuss Trolley fun. It has the potential to have been a better attraction, but it seems strip downed, like they had a good idea but ran out of money for scenes/scenery.
 
It somewhat looks like a lesser version of Seuss Trolley, but without the colorful characters, whimsical nature, scenes, & narration of Seuss that makes Seuss Trolley fun. It has the potential to have been a better attraction, but it seems strip downed, like they had a good idea but ran out of money for scenes/scenery.
My biggest issue with it is it’s supposed to be a submarine I assume, but is clearly outdoors. It’s probably better at night. At least it moves along a path and keeps showing you different things rather than just going in circles in a cavern.:lol:
 
Antarctica is very popular with the toddlers.

I personally don't think it is the worst ride ever. But possibly the worst case of a wasted high tech ride system, but some would say the same about Gringott's. And TSL wins the award for wasted valuable real estate.

I do have to wonder where SeaWorld goes after this. The major problem is Blackstone sucked them dry and then sold their interest to a Chinese company with no money. Manby really didn't have a lot to work with except the hope of a massive increase in attendance.

Didn't happen. Unless someone with a lot of money and a commitment to saving the brand comes in a buys the place, I don't see SeaWorld being around much longer.
 
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