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SeaWorld San Diego

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SeaWorld San Diego
Previously known as SeaWorld California
File:Seaworld 2006.jpg
LocationSan Diego, California
32°45′58″N 117°13′46″W / 32.766022°N 117.229464°W / 32.766022; -117.229464
Opened1964
OwnerBusch Entertainment Corporation
SloganBelow The Surface, Above The Waves
Operating seasonAll Year
Area189 acres (0.76 km2)
Attractions
Total2
Water rides2
WebsiteSeaWorld San Diego

SeaWorld San Diego is a theme park located in San Diego, California. The park is owned by Busch Entertainment Corporation, a division of Anheuser-Busch.

History

Entrance

SeaWorld was founded in 1964 by four graduates of the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA).[citation needed] They had originally considered the idea of building an underwater restaurant. Although this idea was not technically feasible, the concept grew into the idea of a marine zoological park on 22 acres (89,000 m2) along the shore of Mission Bay in San Diego. With an initial investment of $1.5 million, 45 employees, several dolphins, sea lions, and two seawater aquariums, SeaWorld drew more than 400,000 visitors its first year![citation needed]

In the earliest years, the park was held as a private partnership. In 1968, SeaWorld offered its stock publicly,[citation needed] enabling the company to grow. In 1970, a second SeaWorld park was built — in Aurora, Ohio, near Cleveland. It was followed by a park in Orlando, Florida in 1973, and the largest park, which opened in San Antonio, Texas in 1988. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc. (HBJ), owned and operated SeaWorld from 1976 to 1989. Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. purchased the SeaWorld parks from HBJ in November 1989. The parks are owned and operated by Busch Entertainment Corporation (BEC), one of the Anheuser-Busch Companies.

Attractions

  • Journey to Atlantis, 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 right-hand turnaround and approaches the second tower. Speakers placed along the side of the flume reveal the story behind Atlantis. The second tower contains an elevator style lift which slowly rocks side-to-side as the boat climbs to the top. Inside the tower there is more Atlantis style theming and spiel.

Once at the top of the lift the boat leaves the tower and travels down a right-hand twisting drop that turns about 270 degrees. It 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.

  • Dolphin Cove
    Main article: Dolphin Cove (Seaworld)
    - the popular Atlantic bottlenose dolphins are on exhibit here. SeaWorld staff educates the public on their behaviors and lifestyle. Guests can interact with the dolphins and purchase fish to feed the animals.
  • Bayside Skyride, a 1967 Vonroll type 101 that traveles over Mission bay, which is the only Vonroll skyride that goes over a body of salt water.
  • Lights, Camera, Imagination 4-D!, a three-dimensional film experience themed around Sesame Street, featuring Elmo and his friends. Effects "spill" into the audience, hence the title 4-D.
  • Shipwreck Rapids, A raft ride that ventures into the shipwrecks of the deep with twist and turns.
  • Seaworld Skytower,A 320-foot (98 m) observation tower that was built in 1969.the ride was refurbished in 2007 with a new capsule.the ride gives passengers a view of Seaworld and San Diego.

Animal Inventory

Orcas

SeaWorld's main attraction is its Orcas, several of which are housed in 7-million-gallon habitats that are each known as Shamu Stadium. Shamu was the name of the first Orca brought to SeaWorld San Diego in the 1960s. 'Shamu' is now used as a stage name for adult Orcas in performances at SeaWorld parks. The Orcas all have real names.

Seven Orcas live at Seaworld San Diego: Corky, Kasatka, Ulises, Orkid, Sumar, Nakai, and Kalia.

Dolphins

Bottlenose Dolphins may rotate between the Dolphin exhibits and shows.

Bottlenose Dolphins at San Deigo include: Beaker, Belle, Bodine, Bugs, Bullet, Captain, Cascade, Chow, Cometta, Corona, Crunch, Daphne, Deke, Dottie, Frankie, Gracie, Kenobi, Kolohe, Maguire, Malibu, Melanie, Pacino, Polka, Purina, Razzle, RIpley, Sadie, Sandy, Scarback, Sophie, Sparky, Steime, Sydney, Steime, Sydney, Toby, Venus, Zana, and a yet-to-be-named calf.

San Diego also has three Commerson's Dolphins: Juan, Betsy, and Ringer

Whales

San Diego has two short-finned Pilot Whales: Bubbles and 9 Lives; the only ones in the country, and four Beluga Whales: Allula, Ferdinand, Nanuq, and Ruby.

Play Area Renovation

In 2007, Seaworld San Diego made the executive decision to renovate Shamu's Happy Harbor and add something completely new to the area for young children. “Sesame Street” Bay of Play was introduced as the new play area in place of Shamu's Happy Harbor. Sesame Street Bay of Play opened May 24th, 2008.

See also

Kasatka performing "The Shamu Adventure". The stage at Shamu Stadium has since been redesigned to accommodate the new "Believe" show. (July 5, 2004)
Wikimedia Commons has media related to San Diego Sea World.
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