SeaWorld Orlando's Future Plans

[Andysol]

Universal runs its parks at a break-even around 6 million guests per park. Disney runs its parks at a break-even around 8-9 million guests per park.

Not denying what you are saying is true- but where did you get those numbers?

 

[zg44]

Not denying what you are saying is true- but where did you get those numbers?

Extrapolated from their earnings statements, employee counts, hotel room counts. It's the best guess I can come up with when looking at all of that versus the attendance estimates.

 

[Donald Razorduck]

Orlando had to deal with two major Huricanes during this quarter, I get those numbers.

San Diego needs divested, California isn't a good market anymore. That CapEx the past several years should have gone to San Antonio and building it up more, a much better market for SEAS and they can transfer the animals and fish to the other parks or sell it off to aquariums and Zoos. Piss the SJWS off by selling the Orca pod to China as a final goodbye Cali wave.

 

[Andysol]

Orlando had to deal with two major Huricanes during this quarter, I get those numbers.

San Diego needs divested, California isn't a good market anymore. That CapEx the past several years should have gone to San Antonio and building it up more, a much better market for SEAS and they can transfer the selling to the other parks or sell it off to aquariums and Zoos. Piss the SJWS off by selling the Orca pod to China as a final goodbye Cali wave.

I agree- Transfer what you want to keep to the other parks and send the rest to aquariums and then a giant middle finger to SoCal as you leave it abandoned. Get that anchor off the books.

 

[epcyclopedia]

I’m honestly not sure - judging by the last few days of aerial photos - if the new raft ride is actually moving forward in construction.

It appears to have pretty much stopped.

 

[GAcoaster]

They were working full tilt on it a few hours ago when I was in the park.

 

[SWBGFan]

I’m honestly not sure - judging by the last few days of aerial photos - if the new raft ride is actually moving forward in construction.

It appears to have pretty much stopped.

It's definitely moving forward in construction, I've seen the photos you're talking about and there might not appear to be huge differences between the ones posted on September 30th and the ones posted a few days ago, but they're there and also vertical construction has apparently begun recently as well. Also, Intamin and SeaWorld will be having some sort of unveiling at IAPPA, presumably a ride vehicle or a model of the ride.

 

[UNIrd]

I'm shocked that there wasn't an uptick in attendance with Electric Ocean.

 

[epcyclopedia]

I'm shocked that there wasn't an uptick in attendance with Electric Ocean.

A certain segment of SeaWorld’s core demographic would show up if they did a Saw themed show with whale flogging and whale death traps in Shamu Stadium - and they’d say it was sooooo entertaining and really great to see the whales in a natural setting.

They don’t move the attendance bar around because they show up every Thursday regardless, and more importantly, they don’t spend money. Maybe if there was an orca plush wearing a reverse bear trap they would, but as it stands they don’t.

 

[GadgetGuru]

San Diego will definitely be sold off way before Orlando will. SeaWorld is going to look at Sesame Street as their saving grace in Orlando. Plus, some execs will throw around the word synergy and point at Busch Gardens.

I think we're going to see a Chinese company buy SeaWorld San Diego in the next couple years and use it as an attempted entry into the US market. I don't think it'll work unless this company throws an unbelievable amount of money at San Diego, but you never know.

 

[OhHaiInternet95]

Blackfish can’t be the only thing behind the company’s woes. What’s going on?

 

[WAJAS]

Blackfish can’t be the only thing behind the company’s woes. What’s going on?

Harry Potter is a major factor in my book.

 

[zg44]

Blackfish can’t be the only thing behind the company’s woes. What’s going on?

A couple years ago, one of their top execs (might've been their chief exec), said that they used to have around 15% of their guests as UK visitors to SeaWorld Orlando, and that those were among their highest $ vacationers, but that the UK pipeline has almost completely disappeared due to Harry Potter as @WAJAS98 pointed out. That's a potential loss of up to 800k-900k guests a year.

Take most of that out along with the Blackfish in the US and you have the 2 biggest reasons for the declines at SeaWorld Orlando. San Diego is an entirely different story as California (and the people there) are a lot more affected by Blackfish and various anti-"storing Orcas" campaigns, and that there's a ton of regional competition in that zone (along with Harry Potter and Disney spending affecting them).

 

[Scott W.]

Harry Potter is a major factor in my book.

I'd add Volcano Bay to this as well. UOR was maybe a 2 day resort at best 8 years ago depending on how busy it was. Now you can easily spend 3 to 5 days there and if you're on holiday with limited days, you're going to have skip days else where.

 

[Andysol]

Blackfish can’t be the only thing behind the company’s woes. What’s going on?

Blackfish or BlackStone. Both can ruin a theme park.

Add a Brazilian economic crisis that amounted to >30% of your attendance in Orlando and you’re not feeling too good the next morning.

 

[GAcoaster]

There were a lot of poor decisions made by management after the spin-off. All the problems snowballed and they had no comprehensive plan to change things.

 

[WAJAS]

Basically, Blackfish, UOR renewal, Brazilian tourist crisis, and just general terrible management is what you can blame their current situation on. They're some emails between old execs going around now, and they are not what you'd want to see.

 

[UNIrd]

The Flex Ticket. RIP.

 

[MakoMania]

SWO's problems are:

1)Harry Potter & soon to be Star Wars
2)Increasing on site accommodation at Universal & Disney
3)Blackfish

SeaWorld San Antonio is doing well because it only has one of the three problems.

Nevertheless, we must not forget that SWO still pulls crowds that some parks could only dream of.

 

[bob albert]

SWO's problems are:

1)Harry Potter & soon to be Star Wars
2)Increasing on site accommodation at Universal & Disney
3)Blackfish

SeaWorld San Antonio is doing well because it only has one of the three problems.

Nevertheless, we must not forget that SWO still pulls crowds that some parks could only dream of.

If only cedar point were located in a year round climate like orlando.