A Day At Discovery Cove Now Includes Admission To SeaWorld Orlando And Aquatica

Discovery Cove is offering the ultimate vacation for Orlando visitors with the introduction of a new, all-inclusive package: A day at Discovery Cove now includes unlimited admission to SeaWorld Orlando and Aquatica, SeaWorld’s waterpark.
These three parks — Discovery Cove, SeaWorld and Aquatica — are now known collectively as SeaWorld Parks & Resorts Orlando, the only place in the world that features unique adventures that connect families with animals, the sea and each other. It’s the one destination in Orlando where animals are the highlight and includes preferred hotel stays and exclusive benefits.
 
“This new offer is incredible for guests because it allows them to explore Discovery Cove for the day and also enjoy SeaWorld and Aquatica during their Orlando vacation, so they can experience the amazing animal connections that all of our parks deliver in their own way.” said Toni Caracciolo, Marketing Vice President for SeaWorld Parks & Resorts. “It also solidifies the Discovery Cove reservation as a true, all-inclusive package,” she added.
 
At Discovery Cove, guests can enjoy a perfect day swimming with dolphins, snorkeling with rays and tropical fish, hand-feeding exotic birds, and relaxing on pristine beaches … and that’s just the beginning.
 
Opening later this summer at Discovery Cove is Freshwater Oasis, where guests can wade, relax and come face-to-face with new animals — playful otters and curious marmosets. Plus, with unlimited admission to SeaWorld Orlando and Aquatica for 14 consecutive days, guests have the ultimate flexibility to live the 3D 360 journey at TurtleTrek, SeaWorld’s newest attraction, and then cool off at Aquatica, a one-of-a-kind waterpark that immerses them in the playfulness of the sea.
Starting at $229, Dolphin Swim Day Resort Packages at Discovery Cove now include:
  • Reserved dolphin experience
  • Unlimited access to signature experiences including:  The Grand Reef, free-flight Explorer’s Aviary, Serenity Bay, Wind-Away River and coming soon Freshwater Oasis
  • Freshly prepared breakfast and lunch plus snacks throughout the day
  • Beverages all day long, including sodas, water and alcoholic drinks
  • All swim gear (mask, snorkel, and swim vest or wetsuit), towels, locker, sunscreen and other first-class amenities
  • All day self-parking at Discovery Cove
  • A complimentary photo portrait of guest and their party upon entry to park
  • A pass for 14 consecutive days of unlimited admission to SeaWorld and Aquatica in Orlando before, during or after Discovery Cove visit.
 
Guests that have already booked Discovery Cove reservations on or after May 22 and who have selected SeaWorld Orlando or Aquatica with their reservation will automatically have access to both parks during their vacation.  For reservations and to learn more, visit DiscoveryCove.com or call 1-877-434-7268.
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SeaWorld and Busch Gardens Parks Say Good-bye to Plastic Bags

In a press release earlier this week SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay released the following information.

Paper or plastic? Soon there will be just one choice at the 10 theme parks of SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment — paper — as the company eliminates plastic shopping bags within the next year. SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment will be the largest theme park operator to make this commitment.
Park gift shops will offer paper bags made from 100 percent recycled paper or guests can choose to purchase reusable bags.
 
“This is a significant change for our company, one we hope will provide a model for our industry overall,” said Jim Atchison, President and Chief Executive Officer of SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. “Eliminating plastic bags is an important statement about our commitment to the environment, as well as the need to help protect marine animals from debris. It also allows our guests to play a direct part in making a difference on our planet.”
 
This move will keep an estimated 4 million plastic bags from entering landfills and the environment each year. Approximately 1.4 billion tons of trash, including plastic bags, enters the ocean annually. Wildlife such as endangered sea turtles often mistake plastic bags for jellyfish, one of their favorite foods.
 
The company began exploring the concept at SeaWorld San Diego in 2011, when the park discontinued the use of plastic gift bags to mark the opening of its new Turtle Reef attraction. SeaWorld Orlando is eliminating the bags this month in conjunction with the opening of its new attraction, TurtleTrek.
 
Opening April 27, TurtleTrek combines naturalistic habitats (sea turtles and manatees) with the world’s first 3-D, 360-degree dome theater film. The film immerses guests in a sea turtle’s extraordinary journey.
 
Another Refreshing…and Renewable Change:
Also adding to the ways park guests can consume responsibly, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment and The Coca-Cola Company introduced paper cups for guests made with 85 percent renewable resources as part of a new 10-year partnership. Guests use more than 13 million paper cups each year throughout the 10 parks.
 
About SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment
The 10 parks of SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment inspire 23 million guests a year to celebrate and conserve the natural world. Through up-close animal encounters, educational attractions and innovative entertainment, each guest leaves with a heightened sensitivity to the world around them and an awareness of the plight of animals in the wild.
 
The company, headquartered in Orlando, Fla., owns and operates SeaWorld Orlando, SeaWorld San Antonio, SeaWorld San Diego, Busch Gardens Tampa, Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Discovery Cove and Aquatica in Orlando, Adventure Island in Tampa, Water Country USA in Williamsburg and Sesame Place in Langhorne, Pa. near Philadelphia.
 
SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment also is a global leader in animal care and conservation. The company has rescued more than 20,000 orphaned, injured or ill animals over the past four decades and contributed more than $50 million to conservation worldwide. SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment is a portfolio company of Blackstone.
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The SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay PreSchool Pass Is Back!!!

Children ages five and younger can now explore the wonders of Africa and the depths of the ocean for FREE with the new Busch Gardens & SeaWorld Preschool Pass. Little ones will experience kid-size thrills at Busch Gardens’ Sesame Street Safari of Fun and SeaWorld’s Shamu’s Happy Harbor play areas, get up close to their favorite furry and feathered friends, and see new shows brought to life.

The pass is valid for all of 2012 at both SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. Kids are welcome to experience all there is to do for the preschool set, including seasonal events such as Summer Nights at Busch Gardens, SeaWorld’s Halloween Spooktacular and festive holiday events at both parks. New this year, Busch Gardens will delight guests with its biggest ice show ever, Iceploration, premiering Feb. 2. And SeaWorld is introducing an all-new festival this year, “Just for Kids!” featuring concerts by Lazy Town, Max & Ruby, the Doodlebops and Choo-Choo Soul, along with plenty of family-friendly fun and activities on Saturdays Jan. 14 through Feb. 4.

Parents and older kids can join in on all the excitement with a Fun Card, which invites guests to pay for a day and play all year through Dec. 31, 2012, with no blackout dates.

The Free SeaWorld and Busch Gardens Preschool Pass is an online-only offer, available here. It is exclusively for Florida residents ages 5 and younger and is valid for unlimited admission – with no blackout dates – through Dec. 31, 2012 at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and SeaWorld Orlando. The Preschool Pass does not include parking or Premium Passport discounts or benefits.

After registering through either park’s website, registrants can pick up the Preschool Pass for their child by bringing a printed confirmation and a certified copy of the child’s birth certificate to any ticket window at Busch Gardens’ or SeaWorld’s front gate.

“Must-see” preschool attractions at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

Preschoolers will delight in Sesame Street Safari of Fun, a sunny, funny play land, filled with moments that your family can share for the first time — like a first coaster experience aboard Air Grover. And everyday smiles can be repeated again and again: clapping along to original shows, splashing in an expansive water play area and enjoying kid-size rides.

Also available in Sesame Street Safari of Fun, families can Dine with Elmo and Friends on select days and enjoy special event dining experiences with the characters to mark holidays, character birthdays and more. Beginning in March, opt for the Family Fun Buffet, offered on select days. It’s the perfect way to feed your hungry family during your busy day and not miss out on any of the fun! Enjoy an all-you-can-eat buffet along with the chance to meet beloved Sesame Street characters between 12 and 4 p.m. on select days in the Sesame Street Safari of Fun Dining Pavilion. Reservations are not required.

In February, children’s imaginations will go wild when Iceploration takes the ice. The all-new, 30-minute show combines ethereal ice skating, larger-than-life puppets, amazing costumes and even animal stars. Iceploration opens Feb. 2, 2012 with shows daily in the Moroccan Palace Theatre. Another family favorite at Busch Gardens is “Critter Castaways,” in which a cast of unlikely characters – including dogs, cats, parrots and exotic animals –  come together to create a side-splitting show with surprise twists that will have the whole family laughing.

There are plenty of animal encounters and pint-sized rides for families with young children to enjoy as well. In Jungala, families can connect with the jungle through a three-story play land, enjoy a water play zone and come face to face with exotic and endangered animals. At Jambo Junction, guests can have up-close interactions with animals such as flamingos, lemurs and sloths. And in Timbuktu, a carousel and other junior rides will delight those not ready for the major coasters. And what preschooler doesn’t enjoy a train ride? You and your little one can journey across the Serengeti Plains to view zebra, rhino and giraffes aboard the Serengeti Express.

Some additional features that Busch Gardens offers families with young kids include stroller parking and reduced prices on kids’ meals in 2012.  Parking spots are available within our preferred parking area designated strictly for guests with strollers, so they can bypass the tram. No additional fee is required, and spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis to guests who request them at the parking tollbooths. At the park’s restaurants, kids’ meals are now just $5.99, including a drink, making it even more affordable to not only entertain, but also feed your little ones at Busch Gardens.

SeaWorld loves kids, too

And don’t forget that this awesome new FREE Preschool Pass also includes admission to SeaWorld Orlando. Just a short hour’s drive away, SeaWorld’s littlest guests can enjoy the wildly popular 4-acre play area, Shamu’s Happy Harbor.  It’s a kid’s dream come true, complete with kid-size rides, a 4-story net climb, and a great place for parents to relax in the shade. The park’s first family-oriented roller coaster, Shamu Express, can be found here, along with many other kiddie rides to explore.

And that’s in addition to all the wondrous animal encounters at SeaWorld. Your family can meet penguins, dolphins, fish, rays, sharks, and, of course, Shamu!

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Halloween Spooktacular at SeaWorld Orlando

Last weekend we spent two great days exploring all that SeaWorld had to offer for Halloween.

It was a ton of fun!!!

We took several trips on the Halloween trail, The Underwater Fantasea Path, to collect candy and pictures with unique characters (included in the price of admission), to decorate cookies, and to have a fun time at the park.

Zoe especially loved Abby Cadabby’s Halloween Adventure! The highlight of this area was an interactive maze that makes use of all your senses to help Abby find her wand.

Our second morning in the park began with an early character breakfast at Count Von Count’s Spooktacular Breakfast. Talk about a great value!!! Adults are $18 ($16.20 for Passholders) and Children are $16 ($14.40 for Passholders), and included is a buffet breakfast, Shamu cup, a short show, and exclusive meet & greets with your favorite Sesame Street friends.

We also visited the Seaport Theater to watch “Sesame Street’s Countdown to Halloween”, which featured Count Von Count, Elmo, and other friends from Sesame Street in a cute musical about Halloween time fun.

Afterwards we had a lot of time to check out the park before the Halloween area opened at noon. We are now super fans of “Clyde and Seamore Take Pirate Island” and all of their slapstick antics. If you haven’t seen it…YOU MUST!

It was definitely a great weekend!!!

I hope that you enjoy the pictures!!!

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