Tag: seaworld

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New Attractions to Look Forward to in 2018

Hey Thrill Seekers,

2017 has nearly come to an end, we’ve had loads of cool new attractions / parks arrive in Orlando this year such as Volcano Bay and Pandora – The World of Avatar and lucky for us 2018 is not going to disappoint either with loads of new rides set to open in the coming year.

I’m going to start with Hollywood Studios as we are eagerly awaiting the opening of Toy Story Land here at OAT towers. Two new rides and a food spot have been officially named for Toy Story Land which is opening in the summer of next year; Slinky Dog Dash – a family coaster where you will find  yourself zipping, dodging and dashing around a track that Andy has created to stretch Slinky to his limits. Alien Swirling Saucers where aliens will be flying around in their saucers trying to capture your rocket toy vehicle with ‘The Claw’ and Woodys Lunch Box which will be a quick service window to grab some of Andy’s fave food.

Next up is Universal Studios where Fast & Furious – Supercharged is set to open in Spring. Now this is one i’m personally super excited about as I LOVE  the Fast & Furious films. Guests will be immersed in their own Fast and Furious story, escaping the enemy with familiar faces such as Dom, Letty and Hobbs. The new ride will also feature a Virtual Line just like in Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon.

SeaWorld is also opening a brand new ride in the summer called Infinity Falls. Infinity Falls is a river rapids ride with a twist. It will be a 4+ minute ride featuring a 40ft plunge down the tallest drop of its kind. Riders will get to experience the excitement and thrills of category 4 white water rapids and use a ‘unique elevator lift’ which will create the worlds tallest drop on a river raft ride.

Aquatica is also debuting a brand new ride; Ray Rush. This ride is set to open in Spring and will be the only water ride in Florida to offer a water jet propel system which will launch riders (4 at a time) at 33 feet per second. It will have a height requirement of 42”.

LEGOLAND are also in the mix of opening new rides in 2018 with The Great LEGO Race: Opening in Spring – a new virtual-reality roller coaster adventure. This new coaster will feature virtual reality technology, a cast of wacky LEGO minifigures and is replacing the current Project X coaster.

Take a look at myself and Gavins recent OAT Live where we discussed everything we are looking forward to in 2018 (as well as my rubbish attempt at playing a Kazuu) and also another cool video below to round up all the new things to look forward to next year;

Personally, the one i’m most looking forward to is Fast & Furious – Supercharged. Whats yours?

Smiles Included

Abby

 

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SeaWorld’s 2018 Calendar of Events

Hey Thrill Seekers!

Today, SeaWorld have released their Event Calendar for 2018 and it includes lots of experiences, festivals and concerts to create more year-round fun

NEW Three Kings Day:  Daily            1 – 6 January

During the all-new Three Kings Day celebration, families are invited to help commemorate the arrival of the Three Wise Men. The new event brings SeaWorld’s holiday season to an incredible close with festive cuisine and celebratory experiences that honour the cherished traditions of Latin cultures.

Praise Wave: Saturdays            20 Jan – 10 Feb

With the return of Praise Wave, guests can celebrate Christian fellowship and fun at SeaWorld Orlando. Uplifting, live concerts from the hottest names in Christian music will light up the stage at Nautilus Theatre.

Seven Seas Food Festival: Weekends             17 Feb – 15 April

After a delicious debut last year, the Seven Seas Food Festival is returning to SeaWorld this spring for a second course. As guests sip and sample their way through the park, they will discover globally-inspired flavours while enjoying local craft beers and culinary marketplaces. The fun goes beyond the food with live performances from top country, rock and Latin music artists each weekend.

NEW Just For Kids: Weekends              21 April – 13 May

Families will enjoy dancing to the beat and learning together along with everybody’s favourite furry, finned and flippered friends during these special weekends crafted with young guests in mind.

Electric Ocean: Select nights            26 May – 3 September

As the sun goes down, the park comes alive with the glow of Electric Ocean at SeaWorld, returning next year for another summer of fun. With exciting night time shows and electrifying music, guests are immersed in a sea of wonder that ends in “ignite,” a spectacular fireworks finale.

SeaWorld’s Halloween Spooktacular:     29 September – 28 October

During Orlando’s premier daytime Halloween event, guests of all ages can join everyone’s favourite furry friends from Sesame Street as The Count, Elmo, Abby and others take the stage in Sesame Street’s Countdown to Halloween. Families will also enjoy a Halloween Dance Party, trick-or-treating around the park, and the opportunity to meet whimsical characters inspired by the sea.

  • SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration: Select Dates           23 November – 31 December

At SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration, guests experience the joys of the holiday season complete with Rudolph’s Christmas Town and returning favourites sure to inspire traditions for years to come. During SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration guests of all ages can delight over scrumptious food, stunning live shows, joyful entertainment inspired by the natural world and much more.

Pop all of these in your calendar now or even print it out to help plan your 2018 Orlando holiday!

Smiles included

Jess

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Day 4 – Abby’s Orlando Vlog

Hey Thrill Seekers,

Day 4 and Abby’s been a busy girl not only has she visited SeaWorld Orlando and Aquatica but she’s also moved hotels…

Today she starts her Disney adventure, tune in tomorrow to find out how she got on.

Smiles included…

Jamie

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Abby’s Pre-Orlando Adventure

Hey Thrill Seekers,

Its nearly time…….

If you watch our bi-weekly Facebook Lives you’re bound to know that i’m due to go on a ‘Super Fam’ trip and in particular, how excited I am about it! Well it’s time and i’m finally leaving tomorrow to embark on what is sure to be the best trip EVER.

If you follow our Facebook or Instagram accounts you’ll be seeing loads of videos and photos from yours truly over the next week including all things Disney, Universal and SeaWorld. Before I start packing (yes I know I’ve left it very last minute) I thought I would give you guys a run-down of what my trip is going to involve.

Soooo.. I arrive in Orlando at 5pm -ish on Sunday and by 9.30pm i’ll be at Universals Halloween Horror Nights!! Nothing like throwing us in at the deep end aye?! I’m absolutely terrified but also mega, mega excited for this (I do feel sorry for the people who are going to have to keep picking me up off the floor in the houses though) The house i’m most excited for is SAW: The Games of Jigsaw, SAW hasn’t featured at HHN for 8 years now and i’m pretty eager to see what’s going to be involved this time around.

For the first few days i’m going to be staying at Universals Cabana Bay Beach Resort which I’ve heard is very nice indeed. 😛 On my first full day i’ll be visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter Diagon Alley, Hogsmede Village and Universal Studios. I’m absolutely buzzing to visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – I’ve heard so many amazing things about it and I just can’t wait to see it all for myself and i’m especially excited for  Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts™.

On to the next day.. On this day I will be visiting Volcano Bay in the morning and Universals Islands of Adventure in the afternoon, woooo!!! I can’t wait to ride Krakatau™ Aqua Coaster and teeny bit scared to do Ko’okiri Body Plunge™ I feel like this is going to be a fantastic morning and I can’t wait to get loads of snaps of the Volcano! For Islands of Adventure I’ve been warned not to wear white tops or any denim and this is because i’m bound to get ABSOLUTELY SOAKED on the water rides.. Hopefully it’s a warm day (oh I forgot to mention, the weather forecast for next week is BEAUTIFUL.) Oh i’m also very eager to ride The Incredible Hulk Coaster We have a surprise evening with Universal on this day and i’m super excited to see what this is going to be, of course, i’ll keep you updated!

Day 4 is the day i’m most excited about… anyone who knows me will understand why. Ever since I can remember, I’ve wanted to swim with a dolphin and now i’m lucky enough to have the opportunity to do it YAY!!! If you haven’t guessed already, i’ll be visiting Discovery Cove in the morning. I’m not going to lie there will probably be some tears buy hey, who cares it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity! After Discovery Cove i’ll be travelling over to Busch Gardens where I cannot wait to ride all the big coasters and ALL of the pressure is on me to ride Falcons Fury.. i’ve got this!

On day 5 i’ll be visiting SeaWorld in the Morning , Aquatica in the afternoon and back to SeaWorld for the evening! 😉 Very excited to ride Manta and Mako at SeaWorld as everyone in the offices always raves about how good they are. Especially excited to be lucky enough to ride them in the dark also! Psyching myself up for Ihu’s breakaway falls at Aquatica!

I’ll be staying over night at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, ready for day 6.. On day 6 i’ll be visiting EPCOT in the morning and Animal Kingdom in the afternoon. Can’t wait to visit all of the different countries at EPCOT and i’m so buzzing for Pandora – The World of Avatar at Animal Kingdom, the reviews i’ve read about Avatar – Flight of Passage have all been great so I cannot wait to experience it for myself too.

On the 7th Day i’ll be off to Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom, I am really looking forward to seeing Cinderella’s Castle, meeting all of the characters and getting to experience the iconic rides and attractions such as The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster. I also hope I get to watch Happily Ever After, could possibly shed a tear or two here as well!

On my last day I get to go SHOPPING at the Orlando International Premium Outlets and the Florida Mall, I’ve got all my pennies saved up for this I’m just hoping i’ll have enough room in my suitcase!! After that it’s home time 🙁 🙁

Only 1 more sleep to go and i’ll finally be off!! If you would like to follow my action packed week make sure you keep checking our Facebook and Instagram as i’ll be trying to post as much and as often as possible.

See you all soon!!

Smiles Included,

Abby

 

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SeaWorld Confirm Kraken Unleashed VR Opening Date

Hey Thrill Seekers,

SeaWorld are really spoiling us today!

Another big thing for SeaWorld is the re-naming of their roller coaster ‘Kraken‘ to ‘Kraken Unleashed‘ which will debut on June 16th 2017 we already know that the new addition to the ride will include virtual reality headseats or in this case helmets. For those of you who don’t know much about virtual reality on coasters (really, where have you been?!) then here’s a fun fact for ya! The VR helmets will synchronize a video with the twists, turns and loops of the ride to enhance the experience.

Kraken originally opened on June 1st 2000 and whopping 17 years later (thank you, thank you I know my maths is great) guests will finally get to see the mighty Kraken.

These images show what kind of sea creatures and surroundings riders will find when they are immersed in the lost City of Atlantis during the ride. One of the creatures is called a Liopluredon. SeaWorld say that the unique creature was “an apex predator of the Middle to Late Jurassic seas.”

Born from tales that struck terror in sailors for centuries, SeaWorld Orlando’s mighty Kraken is a monster coaster like no other.

With the element of virtual reality, creatures such as the 21-foot Liopluredon will come to life. The already brilliant Kraken roller coaster includes a 149 foot dive, top speeds of 65 mph and 7 different times that see riders upside down. I think that the use of VR will completely change the whole experience of Kraken for the better and guests will really feel as though they are in the moment.

Kraken is a floorless coaster that see’s riders feet dangle as they are seated in open sided seats on a pedestal above the track. I think a spray of water during the ride would enhance the experience of being underwater even more. 😉

‘Kraken will feature custom digital overlay with uniquely designed virtual reality headsets, fully integrated both mechanically and electronically into the coaster train delivers a new one-of-a-kind adventure.’

I cannot wait for this to debut on the 16th June!

Smiles Included,

Abby

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Episode 5 of OAT Live Includes Universal, SeaWorld, Disney and Fun Spot America

Hey Thrill Seekers,

Check out episode 5 of OAT Live our biweekly live show that we broadcast on Thursdays at 4pm via our Facebook page.

In this episode you can expect Volcano Bay news, Jimmy Fallon news, info on SeaWorld’s new Dolphin show plus a great competition sponsored by Fun Spot America where you could win FREE  tickets.

We also play round 2 of OAT Connect, Gavin’s theme park based quiz and Abby tells us about the top 5 attractions as voted for by OAT customers at each of the major parks.

Watch now, enter the competition and give us your feedback.

Smiles included…

Jamie

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Top Secrets at SeaWorld Orlando

Hey Thrill Seekers,

We’ve looked at Universal, we’ve looked at Disney and now we’re gonna have a look at SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. I’m looking forward to this one because so many people don’t know about all the great things that SeaWorld get up to and how good they really are!

What you may not know, is SeaWorld actually rescue hundreds of animals, treat them and then release them back into the sea when they are ready!

turtle rescue

SeaWorld have a talent for providing attractions for everyone and by that I mean if you’re a thrill seeker you’ve got Kraken, Manta and Mako. If you’re not so much of a thrill seeker you have Journey to Atlantis and Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin which are smaller, fun rides. If you don’t like rides at all, SeaWorld cater for you too with all of the animal exhibits! There really is something for everyone at the SeaWorld parks.

For those of you that aren’t thrill seekers at all and prefer to visit the animal habitats, while your party are on their way to Manta, you can pop into the Manta Aquarium just opposite. Holding more than 3000 marine animals, including a Pacific octopus, you will be amazed by the 360-degree aquarium.

Negative-G Visits Sea World Orlando

Similarly, Journey to Atlantis has the Jewel of the Sea Aquarium inside the rides gift shop. The colour and luminescence is waiting to be explored. This aquarium also has an interactive back-light to keep the kids entertained for ages!

If you haven’t had enough of aquariums yet, there is another one. My favourite one. The Shark Encounter is alongside the Sharks Underwater Grill. You don’t have to be eating in here to visit but it is one of the worlds largest underwater viewing tunnels filled with sharks!

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Most people that visit SeaWorld will walk straight past Sea Garden not realising what it actually is. Here you can experience close-up encounters with some beautiful animals and learn about how SeaWorld care for the natural world. Here is where you can learn more about the rescuing of animals that SeaWorld takes part in too.

When the park opens, SeaWorld employees get the pleasure of walking the flamingos through the park from their home behind the scenes to their in-park exhibit. If you’re there early enough you might get to see them on their walkies!

seaworld-2

When someone says there’s a show on at SeaWorld, most people think about One Ocean or Blue Horizons etc but I bet you didn’t know that they also have street shows on throughout the day?! You can catch these around the waterfront area near the gift shops!

What else do you know about SeaWorld?

Smiles Included…

Louise

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SeaWorld announce line up for Seven Seas Food Festival

Hey Thrill Seekers,

SeaWorld have just announced their brand new food festival with over 60 unique dishes and more than 55 local and international craft brews!

seven seas

The festival will take place on 14 consecutive Saturdays from February 11th through to May 13th 2017. Not only is this is a food festival but you will be joined by country, rock and Latin artists.

The live acts will perform on SeaWorld Orlando’s Bayside Stadium as follows:

  • Lynyrd Skynyrd (February 11)            
  • Lee Brice (February 18) 
  • Bill Engvall (Feb 25)       
  • Styx (March 4)     
  • Justin Moore (March 11)
  • ZZ Top (March 18)         
  • Phillip Phillips (March 25)     
  • Coming Soon (April 1)   
  • Village People (April 8)      
  • Commodores (April 15)      
  • Oscar D’León (April 22)    
  • Olga Tanon (April 29)        
  • Grupo Mania (May 6)
  • Coming Soon (May 13)     

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With the cuisines available at Seven Seas, you’ll be spoilt for choice with Asian, Latin, European, Polynesian and North Atlantic dishes! A selection of the menu is as follows:

  • Asian Market- Peking Duck Lo Mein with Fresh Oriental Vegetables
  • Korean Market- Bingsu Salted Vanilla Ice Cream topped with Caramel Popcorn
  • Mexican Market- Braised Chicken Adobo with Mole Sauce
  • Caribbean Market- Cinnamon Slow Roasted Pork Belly with Sweet Plantain Mash
  • Florida Market- Fried Kataifi Orange drizzled with Local Honey
  • Mediterranean Market- Smoked Cured Salmon topped with Sweet Dill Mustard
  • North Atlantic Market- Banana & Caramel Cheesecake topped with Whipped Cream & Caramelized Bananas
  • Brazilian Market- Brazilian Churrasco with Chimichurri & Garbanzo Frito
  • Pacific Coast Market- Braised Pork Cheeks with Savory Apple Polenta
  • Polynesian Island Market- “Loco Moco” Grilled Spam, White Rice, Scrambled Egg & Brown Gravy
  • Gulf Coast Market- Southern Creamy Cheese Grits with a Blackened Shrimp

Just like all the special events that SeaWorld host, it will be included within your park admission ticket which you can purchase from our website!

Smiles Included…

Louise

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SeaWorld’s Top Attractions 2016

Hey Thrill Seekers,

SeaWorld is renowned for its hugely thrilling coasters as well as its incredible shows so there’s a lot of competition within this park. Storming in at first place is the unique Manta.

manta

Manta is a one of a kind coaster on which you will experience a impressive amount of G’s! You’ll glide like a Manta Ray experience inverted nosedives, loops, twists and turns all whilst laying flat on your back , parallel to the track. You will sometimes be above the track and sometimes below as you continue to switch orientation throughout the whole ride.

It’s known to be one of the smoothest tracks in the world and totally different to your every day coaster which is why I think it has been voted as the top attraction at SeaWorld this year!

Second Place: Mako – Its Orlando’s tallest, fastest and longest coaster and is named after one of the oceans fastest sharks, Mako is our offices favourite coaster at SeaWorld.

Third Place: Kraken – This is Orlando’s only floorless roller coaster and is based on a underwater mythological beast. Your feet will dangle as you speed your way around this enthralling track.

kraken VR

Fourth: One Ocean – Watch majestic killer whales tell a story and be careful if you opt to sit in the splash zone you will get VERY wet!!

Fifth: Dolphins Up-Close Tour – This hands on experience lasts around 60 minutes and allows you to interact with the beautiful bottlenose dolphins and even learn some of the hand signals used to communicate with them!

Smiles Included,

Jess

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Planning your day at SeaWorld

Hey Thrill Seekers.

Arranging a day out with the family can be stressful, and when it’s a different country with some of the World’s most popular theme parks you may feel you need that extra little bit of help to plan your day, so I’m here to help you.

SeaWorld is on Central Florida Parkway between International Drive and Sea World Drive. If you are driving and using a GPS system the address is 7007 SeaWorld Dr, Orlando, FL, 32821.

seaworld_kraken

So now you know where your heading to, what will you need? It’s always a given something will be forgotten so write yourself a list, Camera? check, Sunscreen? check, tickets? check, photo ID? check, these are some of the main things you will need for your day.

Photo ID should be taken to all parks, they do random spot checks and if you don’t have it you can be refused entry which can be quite embarrassing, even more embarrassing than having to show your passport or driving license photo :-). Minors (under 18’s) will not be required to provide photo ID so you don’t have to worry about taking your child’s passport to the parks.

Always take your ticket, if for any reason it is that one thing you do forget then don’t panic. We issue these as printable PDF files so these can be emailed to you. If you want these emailed before you go as well as in the post just give us a shout we’re happy to do this for you.

SeaWorld EZTicket

Pictures are a must at SeaWorld, I think I took over 200 in one day. I took them on my cell phone to save carrying round a large camera. I was a little worried in case I drained my battery but SeaWorld have cell phone charging stations in the park located at Shamu’s Happy Harbor and Voyagers smokehouse. These are so handy and they only cost $3 for two hours of juice, amazing….. I would spend more on electricity at home to charge my cell phone for two hours.

Talking of juice it is so important to keep yourself hydrated. SeaWorld have restaurants and concession stands located conveniently throughout the park. It will be best to buy food and drink whilst in the park. SeaWorld has quite a strict food and beveredge policy. Large hard or soft coolers, glass containers, food, drinks and picnic lunches may not be taken into the park. Guests with special diets, baby formula or baby food may bring their items into the park.

I don’t know about you, but queueing is one of my least favourite things, so I booked a SeaWorld Quick Queue ticket before I went, this saved so much time so I had more time to explore the rest of the park.

Remember guys, you’ll be doing lots of walking so wear your most comfortable shoes, and keep yourself topped up with suncream when queuing for rides as well as walking around the park.

Hope you enjoy your time at SeaWorld as much as I did.

Smiles Included…

Kelly

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