SeaWorld Orlando's Future Plans

[ParkRumors]

So after doing more research, it seems that SeaWorld CEO Marc Swanson mentioned in this month's earning call that SeaWorld was planning on opening two hotels in the coming years (one in 2025 and a second in 2026), with others currently being planned.

I went back to the 2015 earnings call and found this map of their resort strategy:

I decided to look up the other parcels of land highlighted in yellow to see if there was any activity on them, and lo and behold, there was another preliminary plan filed with the Orange County Development Review Committee on the same day as the Starboard filing. This project is codenamed Canopy and sits on a 1-ish acre plot of land behind Discovery Cove:

So if I was a betting man, I'd wager these are the locations of their first two hotels, codenamed Starboard and Canopy.

 

[WAJAS]

I doubt both hotels are being built at this park.
I imagine that second parcel, and its neighboring parcels, could become more back-of-house space to replace the 1st parcel.

 

[wutisgood]

they need more resort hotels and could profit from them. I wish they would expand discovery cove as well.

 

[GAcoaster]

 

[Freak]

*Waits for the "Why spend money on hotels when they could build moar rides" posts*

 

[MakoMania]

I think it's a good move - the area looks bigger than is needed for a single hotel (see hotels across the street.) Makes me wonder if they could expand the park out that way too?

 

[Freak]

I think it's a good move - the area looks bigger than is needed for a single hotel (see hotels across the street.) Makes me wonder if they could expand the park out that way too?

Agreed. If they really wanted to get smart, they should have their own Endless Summer-style resort and have a hotel that's slightly cheaper than Universal. If they play their cards right, I would probably stay there and I'm sure a lot of other people would as well!

 

[HandsomePete]

It’s insane how far behind the curve they are on getting hotels built, but that plot? Let’s build one right next to Mako, won’t have any noise complaints with that.

 

[GA-MBIT]

It’s insane how far behind the curve they are on getting hotels built, but that plot? Let’s build one right next to Mako, won’t have any noise complaints with that.

As someone who worked near Mako for almost a full year, you can hear the lift hill BGM from multiple parking lots away. Interested to see how that develops.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

Weird location - I thought they would try to put it over closer to the park entrance.

Either way, this is a smart move if done right. Resort hotels make a ridiculous amount of cash.

 

[SeventyOne]

To play Devil's advocate,, Sea World is at best a 2-day park with Aquatica, seems to rely primarily on local APs and international guests who stay for longer stretches (so primarily motivated by best price), and is on the edge of an area so overbuilt with hotels that you can always find a bargain on a 3 or even 4-star room.

Would this be an awesome addition to Discovery Cove? Sure, but that's a limited pool of guests, most of whom will expect a level of luxury I'm not sure this hotel could offer.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

To play Devil's advocate,, Sea World is at best a 2-day park with Aquatica, seems to rely primarily on local APs and international guests who stay for longer stretches (so primarily motivated by best price), and is on the edge of an area so overbuilt with hotels that you can always find a bargain on a 3 or even 4-star room.

Would this be an awesome addition to Discovery Cove? Sure, but that's a limited pool of guests, most of whom will expect a level of luxury I'm not sure this hotel could offer.

If they can offer early park admission to Aquatica and/or SeaWorld, along with a free shuttle to Busch, it could do decent business if they stay below $200. A $ above that and they'll lose out on the battle versus other higher-end hotels and the onsite Universal/Disney rooms.

 

[Thatguyoverwhere]

To play Devil's advocate,, Sea World is at best a 2-day park with Aquatica, seems to rely primarily on local APs and international guests who stay for longer stretches (so primarily motivated by best price), and is on the edge of an area so overbuilt with hotels that you can always find a bargain on a 3 or even 4-star room.

Would this be an awesome addition to Discovery Cove? Sure, but that's a limited pool of guests, most of whom will expect a level of luxury I'm not sure this hotel could offer.

To play devil's advocate to your devil's advocate, people who do visit from out of town will likely find the idea of any onsite hotel appealing. People flock to WDW's dozens of Comfort Inn to Marriott-caliber hotels (plus a patch of dirt you can pay to sleep on), which charge 2-3x the price of the hundreds of comparable or superior hotels just outside Disney property, solely because they're labeled "onsite", even if they're actually miles from the parks and no longer provide any special perks.

SeaWorld should be able to easily sell its hotel(s) on these points:

• Early admission to SWO, Aquatica, and Discovery Cove
• Free Quick Queue and reserved show seating
• Exclusive park entrance for resort guests
• Discounted Discovery Cove packages
• Walking distance and/or complimentary shuttle to all three Orlando parks, BGT, and airport = spend your entire Florida trip in the SEAS 'bubble', no need for a rental car or other logistics.
• Walking distance to I-Drive should you want to leave the SEAS bubble
• Cheaper than Disney or Universal hotels/vacation packages

 

[SeventyOne]

People flock to WDW's dozens of Comfort Inn to Marriott-caliber hotels (plus a patch of dirt you can pay to sleep on), which charge 2-3x the price of the hundreds of comparable or superior hotels just outside Disney property, solely because they're labeled "onsite", even if they're actually miles from the parks and no longer provide any special perks.

You are not wrong (well, Comfort Inn at least doesn't gouge me for breakfast in the middle of a Pop Warner rally, but room to room, sure.)

But Universal opened the best theme park in Florida. It nearly went bankrupt a decade later. Sea World has more than once opened the best coaster in Orlando, only for it to have 10 minute waits. Disney opened a half-day park centered on arguably the lamest zoo I've ever visited, with a unthemed literal boat ride to nowhere and a land with nothing but foamhead meet & greets. It's been a top 10 worldwide park ever since. Disney is its own god-tier thing that can do whatever it wants, and its minions will pay.

 

[Cygnus]

Disney is its own god-tier thing that can do whatever it wants, and its minions will pay.

You are not a comic book villain, you like kids amusement parks

 

[OrlandoGuy]

I think the only way a SeaWorld hotel makes sense is if SeaWorld is aware of a strong contingent of non-local repeat visitors…a loyal fanbase that comes for the park and would benefit from closer access. I can’t think of any other data they could mine that would prove their current audience would stand to benefit from an on-site hotel (and that, if they were attracted to a “bubble” that they’re not already staying at UOR or WDW). Even if you ignore the major competition down the road or the hundreds of other hotel options in the area, what does SeaWorld offer that other regional parks don’t? It’s smaller than your typical Cedar Fair/Six Flags and with less marquee rides…and outside of Cedar Point and King’s Island (which are in out-of-the-way areas), those types of parks aren’t getting their own hotels. The biggest edge SeaWorld has over those other parks is their proximity to Disney and Universal and status as an easy “add-on”…that’s not a reason to build their own hotel IMO.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

I think the only way a SeaWorld hotel makes sense is if SeaWorld is aware of a strong contingent of non-local repeat visitors…a loyal fanbase that comes for the park and would benefit from closer access. I can’t think of any other data they could mine that would prove their current audience would stand to benefit from an on-site hotel (and that, if they were attracted to a “bubble” that they’re not already staying at UOR or WDW). Even if you ignore the major competition down the road or the hundreds of other hotel options in the area, what does SeaWorld offer that other regional parks don’t? It’s smaller than your typical Cedar Fair/Six Flags and with less marquee rides…and outside of Cedar Point and King’s Island (which are in out-of-the-way areas), those types of parks aren’t getting their own hotels. The biggest edge SeaWorld has over those other parks is their proximity to Disney and Universal and status as an easy “add-on”…that’s not a reason to build their own hotel IMO.

You don't need repeat visitors to draw people into a SeaWorld hotel... just enough tourists that would be interested in it as part of a broader Orlando vacation. They know nobody is going to SWO without a trip to Uni/Dis.

They're not trying to compete with WDW/UOR... they just want the extra revenue. Outside of increasing pricing and hoping for more attendance... they don't have many other levels to pull to increase sales. A hotel is the next step for them as a broader company... there are only so many events they can add through the year.

Sure, SeaWorld has far less rides than SF/Cedar Parks... but it's a lot more popular attendance-wise. I think an onsite hotel will allow them to realize how vital it is to keep their parks not only maintained... but also attractions that are not coasters.

 

[OrlandoGuy]

You don't need repeat visitors to draw people into a SeaWorld hotel... just enough tourists that would be interested in it as part of a broader Orlando vacation. They know nobody is going to SWO without a trip to Uni/Dis.

They're not trying to compete with WDW/UOR... they just want the extra revenue. Outside of increasing pricing and hoping for more attendance... they don't have many other levels to pull to increase sales. A hotel is the next step for them as a broader company... there are only so many events they can add through the year.

Sure, SeaWorld has far less rides than SF/Cedar Parks... but it's a lot more popular attendance-wise. I think an onsite hotel will allow them to realize how vital it is to keep their parks not only maintained... but also attractions that are not coasters.

You just explained why Sea World wants a hotel…I think everyone understands that. What you’re missing is why a customer would choose a Sea World hotel. I’m sure they’re out there, but are there enough to fill a hotel 365 days a year for years on end?

 

[GAcoaster]

SeaWorld actually has a fair number of out of state guests. Lots of people with Sesame Place (Philly), BGW, and even SWSA people with Platinum Passes specifically for visiting SWO and BGT as part of their Orlando trips. When I worked at SW we'd see passes from BGW and Sesame all the time, especially in the winter when people came down for a winter break. Those people are the primary audience for a hotel, along with Canadian and UK visitors who tend to book packages.

 

[Jake S]

You just explained why Sea World wants a hotel…I think everyone understands that. What you’re missing is why a customer would choose a Sea World hotel. I’m sure they’re out there, but are there enough to fill a hotel 365 days a year for years on end?

I think it ultimately depends on the price point and benefits offered. If a family can't afford a Universal hotel that offers Express Pass, might they be tempted into a hotel that costs more than Cabana Bay but comes with a lot of perks?*

*Albeit for SeaWorld Orlando and not a Universal nor Disney park.