SeaWorld San Diego

For the SeaWorld chain of parks, see SeaWorld.

SeaWorld San Diego
Location	San Diego, California, U.S.
Coordinates	32°45′57″N 117°13′38″W
Website	Official website
Owner	SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment
Previous names	SeaWorld California
Operating season	All Year
Area	189 acres (76 ha)
Rides	8 total 2 water rides

SeaWorld San Diego is an animal theme park, oceanarium, and marine mammal park, located in San Diego, California, United States. The park is owned by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, a division of The Blackstone Group.

SeaWorld San Diego is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).

History

Entrance

SeaWorld was founded in 1964 by four graduates of the University of California, Los Angeles. Although their original idea of an underwater restaurant was not feasible at the time, the idea was expanded into a 22-acre (8.9 ha) marine zoological park along the shore of Mission Bay in San Diego. After an investment of about $1.5 million, the park opened with 45 employees, several dolphins, sea lions, and two seawater aquariums, and hosted more than 400,000 visitors in its first year of operation.

Initially held as a private partnership, SeaWorld offered its stock publicly in 1968 in order to obtain money to grow. SeaWorld Ohio was built in 1970, followed by SeaWorld Orlando in 1973 and SeaWorld San Antonio (the largest of the parks) in 1988. The parks were owned and operated by Harcourt Bace Jovanovich, Inc. (HBJ) between 1976 and 1989, when they were purchased by Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. SeaWorld Ohio was sold to Six Flags in January 2001. After Anheuser-Busch was acquired by InBev, SeaWorld San Diego and the rest of the company's theme parks were sold to the Blackstone Group in December 2009, which operates the park through its SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment division.^{[citation needed]}

Attractions

Bayside Skyride

Bayside Skyride is a 1967 VonRoll type 101 gondola ride that travels over Mission bay for a 6-minute ride—the only VonRoll Skyride that travels over a body of salt water. It starts in the Northwest corner of the park, travels over part of Mission Bay on two 80-foot (24 m) towers, and lands on the other side. Then an attendant has to push your gondola around to catch the wire to take you back to the other side. This ride provides a great view of the backstage of Cirque de la Mer. The Sea World Skyride has the longest span between towers out of any VonRoll Skyride ever built—925 feet (282 m). From 1967 to 1988, the skyride was known as the Sea World Atlantis Skyride.

Journey to Atlantis

Main article: Journey to Atlantis

Journey to Atlantis is a joint flume and rollercoaster. The boat leaves the station and climbs the first lift hill, once at the top of the lift the boat takes a small decline to pick up a little speed and then travels around a right-hand turn that leads to the first tower building. The boat then enters the tower and plunges down a flume drop into a small man-made lake of water below.

During the next section of ride the boat slowly travels along a flume of water, makes a left-hand turnaround and approaches the second tower. Speakers placed along the side of the flume reveal the story behind Atlantis. The second tower contains a brief flood before entering a duel-elevator style lift. This contains two boats which are see through the "glass" (a projection) Commerson's dolphins, then a whale which comes in and "breaks" the "glass" and "causes" the elevator to rise. The boat slowly rocks side-to-side as it climbs to the top. Inside the tower there is more Atlantis style theme and spiel.

Once at the top of the lift the boat leaves the tower and comes to a sign warning you to hold on and prepare for the sudden slow-down at the end of the drop. The boat then travels down a right-hand twisting drop that turns about 270 degrees, then rises back up onto a flat section of track containing some block brakes. From here the boat descends down another drop that banks to the right, and then climbs up slightly and makes a banked left-hand turn before descending down a small drop into another pool of water. The boat then slowly travels along a flume of water before making a left-hand turnaround and then heading back towards the station.

Lights, Camera, Imagination 4-D!

Lights, Camera, Imagination 4-D! is a four-dimensional film experience for kids themed around Sesame Street, featuring Elmo and his friends. Effects "spill" into the audience, hence the title 4-D. Some effects include water-jets, rain, blasts of air, vibration, lights, and "rats".

Rocky Point Preserve

Main article: Dolphin Cove (Seaworld)

The popular bottlenose dolphins are on exhibit here in a pool where guests have free access to pet the dolphins. Guests can interact with the dolphins by purchasing fish to feed the animals. The Dolphin Encounter Program and Dolphin Interaction Program takes place at this exhibit.

SeaWorld Sky Tower

The Sky Tower is a 320-foot (98 m) observation tower that was built in 1969. The ride was refurbished in 2002 with a new capsule. The ride gives passengers a six-minute view of SeaWorld and San Diego. It rises at a rate of 150 feet per minute (46 m/min) while spinning slowly (1.02rpm).

Sesame Street's Bay of Play

Sesame Street's Bay of Play is an interactive children's play area that opened in 2008 and is based on the long running Sesame Street children's television series. The area includes three rides: Abby's Seastar Spin, a spinning "teacup" attraction, Elmo's Flying Fish, an attraction in the style of Disney's "Dumbo" ride, and Oscar's Rockin' Eel, an eel themed "Tug Boat" ride.

Shipwreck Rapids

Shipwreck Rapids is a raft ride that ventures into the shipwrecks of the deep with twist and turns. At one point riders pass through a live turtle exhibit. There is also a point where riders go underneath a waterfall and get extremely wet.

Wild Arctic

Main article: Wild Arctic

Wild Arctic is a simulator ride through the Arctic set in a giant helicopter. It features both a simulator or the option to go straight to the exhibits of the wild arctic. After the ride, guests can view animals of the Arctic from both underwater and above. The first exhibit features four adult beluga whales and, as of 2010, a beluga calf. The third exhibit has three polar bears, and does not feature trainer-performed feeding due to safety concerns. The second exhibit features a male and female pacific walrus.

Riptide Rescue

A spinning flat ride, themed to raft boats.

Manta

Main article: Manta (SeaWorld San Diego)

In 2012, SeaWorld San Diego will open a new roller coaster called Manta. The ride will be a Mack launched roller coaster featuring two launches of up to 43 miles per hour (69 km/h). The launch will mostly likely be powered with LSM technology. The two minute, 2,800-foot (850 m) long ride will stand at a height of 30 feet (9.1 m) and will feature a drop of 54 feet (16 m). The layout will be characterized by multiple turns and crossovers. The only other Mack launched roller coaster in the world is Blue Fire at Europa Park. Manta will be the first true roller coaster the park has built.

Former Attractions

• Gateway to the Sea: was an indoor water fountain show. It was replaced by Window to the Sea.
  • Window to the Sea: was a live education presentation about SeaWorld's environmental and research activities. It was replaced by Pirates 4-D
    • Pirates 4-D: Was a 3-D film attraction. It was replaced by R.L. Stine's Haunted Lighthouse 4-D. It later returned in 2010.
      • R.L. Stine's Haunted Lighthouse 4-D: Was a 3-D film attraction based on the book from the Goosebumps series. It was replaced by Lights, Camera, Imagination 4-D! (active; replaced by Pirates 4-D in 2010)
• Mission: Bermuda Triangle: Was an "underwater" motion simulator attraction, which opened in 1994. It was later replaced by Wild Arctic.
• Shamu's Happy Harbor: Was an interactive children's play area which opened in 1995. In 2007 it was renovated and became Sesame Street Bay of Play.

Animal exhibits

Dolphins

There are five species of dolphins at SeaWorld San Diego: Common dolphin hybrid, both Atlantic/Pacific Bottlenose dolphins and Commerson's dolphins. The Bottlenose dolphins may rotate between Blue Horizons, Rocky Point Preserve, and Animal Care. The Commerson's dolphins live at an exhibit near Journey to Atlantis. There are also two Pacific short-finned pilot whales: Bubbles (F) and 9Lives (also known as Shadow) (F) and one Atlantic short-finned pilot whale: Sully (M), a young male that was rescued, but unable to be returned to the wild.

Journey to Atlantis (Currently in Animal Care)- Commerson's dolphin: Juan (M), Betsy (F), and Ringer (F).

Animal Care: Belle (M), Avalon (F), Beaker (F), Belle (M), Bodine (M), Bugs (F), Cascade (F),Cocoa (F), Cometta (F), Constance (F),Cortez (M), Crunch (M), Deke (M), Daphne (F), Dottie (F), Gracie (F), Kailani Koa (F), Kali (F), Kolohe (F), Montenegro (M), Razzle (M), Ripley (F), Steime (F), and Tobie.

Rocky Point Reserve/ Dolphin Interaction Program: Closed for construction.

Dolphin Stadium (Blue Horizons): Bullet* (F), Captain (F), Corona (F), Kenobie (M), Maguire (F), Malibu (F), Melanie (F), Pacino (M), Polka (M), Purina (F), Sadie (F), Sandy (F), Sofi (F), Sydney (M), Venus (F), and Zana (F). Bubbles (F), 9Lives (F), and Sully (M).

• Bullet (F) is the only Hybrid (biology) ( Atlantic Bottlenose dolphin/ Long-beaked common dolphin) at Sea World CA. She has a half brother who lives at Discovery Cove named CJ (M).

Killer whales

Corky performing "The Shamu Adventure". The stage at Shamu Stadium has since been redesigned to accommodate the new "Believe" show. (July 5, 2004)

SeaWorld's main attraction are its killer whales, six of which are housed in 7 million gallon habitats that are each known as Shamu Stadium. Shamu was the name of the first killer whale brought to SeaWorld San Diego in the 1965. "Shamu" is now used as a stage name for adult killer whales in performances at SeaWorld parks. All the killer whales all have individual names.

Seven killer whales live at SeaWorld San Diego: Corky, Kasatka, Ulises, Orkid, Nakai, Ikaika and Kalia

Pacific Walruses

SeaWorld features Walruses at wild Arctic. On May 1, 2003 a female walrus was born in captivity named Kaboodle (Father: Obie & Mother: Kitkatska) who was transferred to SeaWorld Orlando in November, 2011. The last successful birth at SeaWorld San Diego was a male named Dozer (Father: Illiyak & Mother: Tumuk) on June 21, 1993 who was transferred to SeaWorld Orlando.

Wild Arctic: Obie (M) and Seahook (F)

Penguins

SeaWorld's Penguin Encounter exhibit features over 300 penguins representing seven different species: Emperors, Kings, Gentoos, Macaroni's, Adelies, Magellanics, and Humboldts. It is only one of two places in the world where Emperor penguins are kept in captivity, including the only successful captive breeding program. The penguins are not named and are identified by colored arm bands, with each color representing a number.

Beluga Whales

Beluga whales: Allua (originally housed at the Vancouver Aquarium), Ferdinand (originally housed at the Duisburg Zoo), Nanuq (also was originally housed at the Vancouver Aquarium), Ruby (originally from the U.S. Navy Marine Mammal Program), and Pearl who was born to Ruby and Nanuq on June 23, 2010. Pearl was abandoned by Ruby at birth and had to be hand raised by the trainers, they were also able to use Allua as a surrogate mother. Allua has a reputation of taking care of other calves. She took care of Aurora's calf Qila and Tuvaq.

Polar Bears

SeaWorld's Wild Arctic exhibit is home to three polar bears: Charly (M), Szenja (F), and Snowflake (F). Charly and Szenja were acquired from a zoological park in Germany. Snowflake came from Buffalo, New York.

See also

• SeaWorld
• Incidents at SeaWorld parks

External links

• SeaWorld San Diego Home Page
• Shamu Official Website
• SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment Home Page