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Posted Nov 14, 2015, 7:42 PM
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Loving SA 365 days a year
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: San Antonio
Posts: 3,891
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So, it seems Sea World could be making San Antonio their flagship park. This was reported in October, while this was reported two weeks later.
I'll post the first link.
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Keep in mind that these are just rumors, and that they are not guaranteed to be accurate, or even correct. Until the park officially announces it, it’s not happening, and is pure speculation.
SeaWorld San Antonio is nestled deep in the heart of Texas, and sits on a massive amount of unused land. The park is absolutely the largest park in the SeaWorld chain, and the best part is, they own every last bit of the land that it sits on. 2016 will mark the start of a new era at SeaWorld San Antonio, with the addition of Discovery Point. This is going to be an all new attraction that will take guests into the realm of dolphins, and allow you to get up close and personal with them, as you swim with the dolphins. Currently you can only do that at Discovery Cove, but it will be an all new experience at SeaWorld San Antonio.
If you’ve never been to SeaWorld San Antonio, the front entrance has kind of a weird layout. You go in through the arches, and get your ticket scanned, then you have the option of going extreme left to the dolphin and shark encounter areas, directly ahead to the Aquatica entrance, or to the right to the rest of SeaWorld San Antonio. It’s a unique set up to say the least. That will all change.
Currently, you have to have a SeaWorld San Antonio ticket to gain access to Aquatica San Antonio. That makes it a little more expensive for anyone who wants to visit the waterpark, without visiting the rest of the park. That will also change in 2016.
The way that it’s rumored to go in 2016, the iconic archway will stay where it is, and will act as a central hub for the three different parts of the SeaWorld San Anotnio Resort…bear with me here.
As reported on other sites, you will no longer need a SeaWorld San Antonio ticket to gain access to Aquatica. They will be separate gates, all together. The entry gates will allegedly be moved up for Aquatica, and the entry gates for SeaWorld San Antonio will be pushed back, past the fountains. The ticketing areas will stay the same. There will be a third gate added, and this will be for Discovery Point. It’s not known if you will need a ticket for SeaWorld San Antonio to access Discovery Point or not at this time, but if you do have a SeaWorld San Antonio ticket, you will be granted access to Discovery Point, and shark encounter. That’s a pretty big deal and change for SeaWorld in 2016. But it’s just the beginning.
According to our sources, the park will be adding several new attractions between 2017, and 2019. A few months back, SeaWorld copyrighted the name “Reef Hunter” which could play a part in the new coaster that is allegedly being planned for SeaWorld San Antonio in 2017. Then between the opening of the new coaster, and 2019 there will be several other family rides, animal attractions and shows added to the park, as the park aggressively expands. Then in 2019, the park will open (what could very well be the first) Blue World Project, with an expanded Killer Whale habitat, and new show.
Somewhere in there, it’s expected that an all new, on-site resort could possibly open. It makes perfect sense, as the park not only has the land, but is also competing with nearby Schlitterbahn which not only has onsite cabins, but a huge treehouse in which guests can just swim out of their front door. The market and interest is definitely there in San Antonio.
When will we hear about any, or all of this? We expect to hear the first bits of information on November 9th, as SeaWorld announces their third quarter results, and announces the new direction of the park. Where will Orlando and San Diego play into all of this? We’re curious about that ourselves, but we’re pretty confident that we’ll see huge things announced for most of the parks in the coming years.
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Now, the information from the second link.
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SeaWorld Entertainment plans to shake off its troubles by overhauling its public image and building up its parks, including the one on the West Side, where attendance has declined in recent months.
Company executives Monday unveiled a road map to “stabilize and grow” the company by, among other things, developing resorts in San Antonio and the other two cities where it has water parks.
The road map also targets SeaWorld’s public image, which was tarnished in 2013 when the “Blackfish” documentary criticized its treatment of killer whales. The company also suffered from negative publicity during a recent legal battle in California over its ability to breed whales.
On Monday, SeaWorld said that in response to customer feedback, it is ending its theatrical orca show in San Diego next year. Instead, it will showcase the orcas in “natural settings” and displaying “natural behaviors” with a strong conservation message, executives said. There are no changes in store for orca shows in San Antonio and Orlando, Florida.
In a webcast to investors, CEO and President Joel Manby said he wants SeaWorld to be thought of as a “brand with a purpose,” such as Whole Foods Market and Tom’s Shoes, which donates a pair of shoes to a needy child for every purchase a customer makes.
“I don’t see any reason why SeaWorld can’t be one of those brands,” Manby said. “I know we aren’t there today. I know we have a ways to go.”
The company will be more aggressive in touting its animal rescue programs and will make more of an effort to educate visitors about the plight of animals such as cheetahs and sharks, Manby said.
It will turn its parks “inside out” to give visitors a look at employees taking care of animals.
Park employees soon will be known as “animal ambassadors” and will wear name tags with statements such as “I protect penguins,” executives said. They will sometimes lead holders of season passes on volunteer excursions such as rescue operations.
The Humane Society responded to SeaWorld’s announcement by criticizing the company for not ending the orca shows in San Antonio and Orlando.
“We urge SeaWorld to make its pledge more explicit and to phase out orca acts at all of its facilities, to end its breeding program and to work with us on a plan to put the orcas in suitable environments,” the nonprofit said in a news release.
During SeaWorld’s webcast announcing the changes to its San Diego orca show and its resort plan, Manby showed a map highlighting two potential resort sites on its San Antonio property.
“It’s a very proven model in the industry,” Manby said of the resort plan. “You don’t have to grow attendance to get the additional (earnings). You’re really just increasing the wallet share of guests who are already coming to your park.”
SeaWorld also intends to make capital investments such as new rides more often at its parks: once a year in Orlando and about two out of every three years in San Antonio and San Diego, Manby said. It will make an investment in San Antonio in 2017, and within the next few years it plans to build a new roller coaster concept called SeaWorld Rescue — which will simulate the rescue of animals — either here or in San Diego, where attendance also dropped recently.
“We’ll make that announcement when we’re ready,” said Manby, who came to SeaWorld in April from Herschend Enterprises, another theme park company.
Manby touted resorts as a good growth area for SeaWorld, saying consumers are willing to pay premium rates to stay in areas that are connected to amusement parks. The resorts will give the company more control over visitors’ experiences, he said.
SeaWorld already has formed a partnership with another company, the Evans Hotel Group, to build a resort in San Diego, Manby said.
One of the potential resort sites at SeaWorld San Antonio is wedged between Military Drive and Ellison Drive and covers 37 acres.
The other tract is next to the park’s parking lot and covers 17 acres.
Manby suggested that the company also would look at new land for development in San Antonio.
“It’s big there in San Antonio. It’s Texas,” Manby said with a chuckle.
There are more than a half-dozen hotels and resorts within 2 miles of SeaWorld San Antonio, including the 500-room Hyatt Regency Hill County Resort, the 227-room Hilton San Antonio Hill Country Hotel & Spa and a 191-room Holiday Inn. Another hotel, a four-story Marriott TownePlace Suites, is about to be built nearby.
“I think it’s a positive move for SeaWorld to explore new avenues of hospitality,” said John Clamp, executive director of the San Antonio Hotel & Lodging Association. “It may be challenging though because the Hyatt Hill Country resort is there.”
In addition, SeaWorld’s ticketing strategy will be revamped, with an emphasis on long-term passes over single-day tickets.
Last week, executives said they planned to switch to an “advance purchase philosophy” with heavy marketing in the fall after rainy weather in May and June discouraged the purchase of season tickets in San Antonio.
That contributed to the park’s attendance drop in the third quarter, they said.
The company also will eliminate some of its ticket products, as research showed that consumers are overwhelmed by the number of options, executives said Monday.
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