Update on Orlando Aquatica
It has gotten a lot of press and it has been touted the world over. What is “it”? The new SeaWorld Orlando Aquatica theme park. The Aquatica park in Orlando, Florida is said to cater to those who are looking for exciting rides while at the same time desiring to see animals and water life.
Orlando’s SeaWorld Aquatica opened to the public recently and it is the first major addition in eight years to the world’s leading theme park destination. It showcases close-up animal adventures and enounters, as well as thrilling rides and water slides.
On the marketing front, by bundling admission tickets to all three of its parks in one package, SeaWorld Orlando is hoping to increase its market share with the addition of Aquatica, said Joseph Couceiro, vice president of marketing for parent company Busch Entertainment Corporation.
In addition to domestic additions to the theme park market, this Aquatica opening comes on the heels of Busch’s announcement of new plans to build theme parks in the United Arab Emirates, with a first-phase completion date scheduled for 2012.
Mr Couceiro went on to say that the Dubai projects would not hurt its Orlando business. “Dubai is in a totally different part of the world than what we typically draw from,” he said.
Steve Baker, an Orlando-based theme park consultant who is also working on plans for a $1 billion Nickelodeon Marvel Comics park in Dubai, dismissed the idea that competition with Dubai could affect business in Orlando.
“There’s going to be as many parks in Dubai as there are in Orlando. I think Dubai is counting on having 15 million visitors by 2012,” he said. “But Dubai’s got to build this market. They’ve got to create it and it is years in the making.” On the subject of Aquatica, he went to say that he felt Orlando theme parks would benefit from the ability of Aquatica to draw visitors to the area.
Aquatica features 36 water slides, six rivers and lagoons and an 80,000-square-foot sandy beach. One of the most anticipated rides is the water slide known as the Dolphin Plunge which goes through a 250-foot-long clear tube in the dolphin habitat.
Other additions that many guests will appreciate are the water rides that allow children and adults to enjoy together rather than having to be ridden separately.
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