SeaWorld San Antonio is a 250-acre (1.0 km2) marine mammal park A marine mammal park is a commercial theme park or aquarium where marine mammals such as dolphins, beluga whales and sea lions are kept within water tanks and displayed to the public in special shows. A marine mammal park is more elaborate than a dolphinarium, because it also features other marine mammals and offers additional entertainment, oceanarium The term oceanarium is not well defined. It can either mean a marine mammal park such as Marineland of Florida or a large-scale aquarium such as the Lisbon Oceanarium presenting an ocean habitat with marine animals, especially large ocean dwellers, and animal theme park An Animal Theme Park, also known as a Zoological Theme Park, is a combination of a theme park and a zoological park, mainly for entertainment, amusement, and commercial purposes. Many animal theme parks blend classic theme park elements, such as themed entertainment and amusement rides, with classic zoo elements such as live animals confined, located in the Westover Hills area of San Antonio San Antonio is the second-largest city in the American state of Texas and the seventh-largest city in the United States with a population of 1.4 million. The city is the seat of Bexar County. Located in the American Southwest and the northern part of South Texas, San Antonio is the center of Tejano culture and Texas tourism.[citation needed] The, Texas Houston is the largest city in Texas and the fourth-largest in the United States, while San Antonio is the second largest in the state and seventh largest in the United States. Dallas–Fort Worth and Greater Houston are the fourth and sixth largest United States metropolitan areas, respectively. Other major cities include El Paso and Austin—the. It is the largest of the three parks in the SeaWorld SeaWorld is a United States chain of marine mammal parks, oceanariums, and animal theme parks owned by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. The parks feature captive orca, sea lion, and dolphin shows and zoological displays featuring various other marine animals. There are operations in Orlando, Florida; San Diego, California; San Antonio, Texas; chain owned by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment is a family entertainment company owned by The Blackstone Group. SeaWorld is responsible for the operation and maintenance of ten theme parks located throughout the United States. Formerly a subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev, under which it was known as Busch Entertainment Corporation, SeaWorld Parks is, a division of The Blackstone Group The Blackstone Group, L.P. is an alternative asset management and financial services company that specializes in private equity, real estate, and marketable alternative investment strategies, as well as mergers and acquisitions (M&A), restructuring, and fund-placement advisory services, and the world's largest marine Marine is an umbrella term. As an adjective it is usually applicable to things relating to the sea or ocean, such as marine biology, marine ecology and marine geology. As a noun it can be a term for a certain kind of navy, or those enlisted in such a navy-life theme park. It is a member of both the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA; previously American Zoo and Aquarium Association, and originally American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums ) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of zoos and aquariums in the areas of conservation, education, science, and recreation. The vision statement of the (formerly the American Zoo and Aquarium Association).
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History
SeaWorld San Antonio (formerly SeaWorld of Texas) was developed by Harcourt, Brace, and Jovanovich (now Harcourt Trade Publishers Harcourt Trade Publishers was a U.S. publishing firm with a long history of publishing fiction and nonfiction for children and adults. In 2007, the company was sold by Reed Elsevier to Houghton Mifflin Riverdeep Group. The merged company is now named Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. The company is based in San Diego, California, with an Editorial /) and opened in 1988. The park was built for $170 million and welcomed 3.3 million visitors in its first 12 months of operation, placing it among the TOP 10 attractions in Texas. At the time of the park's debut, it was billed as "the largest educational, marine-life theme park in the world."
In 1989, Harcourt, Brace, and Jovanovich (heavy in debt and fighting a hostile takeover) sold its SeaWorld SeaWorld is a United States chain of marine mammal parks, oceanariums, and animal theme parks owned by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. The parks feature captive orca, sea lion, and dolphin shows and zoological displays featuring various other marine animals. There are operations in Orlando, Florida; San Diego, California; San Antonio, Texas; and Boardwalk and Baseball theme parks to Anheuser-Busch Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. , a wholly-owned subsidiary of Belgium-based Anheuser–Busch InBev, is the largest brewing company in the United States. The company operates 12 breweries in the United States and nearly 20 in other countries. It was, until December 2009, also one of America's largest theme park operators; operating ten theme parks, Inc. Plans to build a Boardwalk and Baseball park adjacent to SeaWorld of Texas were immediately abandoned.
On November 26, 1988, Kayla (stage named "Baby Shamu Shamu was the fourth killer whale ever captured (second female) and was the third orca ever displayed in a public exhibit. She was the first orca to survive more than 13 months in captivity and was the star of a very popular killer whale show at SeaWorld San Diego in the mid - late 1960s. After her death in 1971, the name Shamu continued to be") was the first orca born at SeaWorld San Antonio.
Under Anheuser-Busch Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. , a wholly-owned subsidiary of Belgium-based Anheuser–Busch InBev, is the largest brewing company in the United States. The company operates 12 breweries in the United States and nearly 20 in other countries. It was, until December 2009, also one of America's largest theme park operators; operating ten theme parks's watch, SeaWorld San Antonio closed less popular attractions such as the Texas Walk, the U.S. Map Plaza, and the Garden of Flags and added its popular Clydsedales to the park. The educational focus of the three parks were de-emphasized, and expansion focused on the addition of thrill rides (The Great White, Steel Eel Making its debut in 1999, the Steel Eel is a custom roller coaster built by Chance Morgan, Inc. At a height of 150 feet, Steel Eel is the tallest roller coaster at not only SeaWorld San Antonio, but at any Sea World park. It was the second coaster built by SeaWorld, following The Great White , after new management felt the park needed to offer, SeaWorld Orlando's Kraken, etc.) and water parks. In 1993, SeaWorld San Antonio opened its Lost Lagoon water park, and expanded with more thrills including the Rio Loco rapids ride till 2000.
In 1995, Anheuser-Busch Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. , a wholly-owned subsidiary of Belgium-based Anheuser–Busch InBev, is the largest brewing company in the United States. The company operates 12 breweries in the United States and nearly 20 in other countries. It was, until December 2009, also one of America's largest theme park operators; operating ten theme parks successfully lobbied for legislation that allowed a company making less than 75,000 barrels per year of alcoholic beverages in Texas to sell their own product on premises they own. This legislation effectively legalized brewpubs in the state of Texas for the first time since Prohibition Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is a sumptuary law which restricts or prohibits the manufacture, transportation, import, export, and sale of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which alcohol was part of illegal drug trade. Use of the term.
Attractions
Thrill rides
- The Great White - The park's first coaster, a B&M Inverted that debuted in 1997.
- Rio Loco - A River Rapids Ride that opened in 1992.
- Steel Eel Making its debut in 1999, the Steel Eel is a custom roller coaster built by Chance Morgan, Inc. At a height of 150 feet, Steel Eel is the tallest roller coaster at not only SeaWorld San Antonio, but at any Sea World park. It was the second coaster built by SeaWorld, following The Great White , after new management felt the park needed to offer - Advertised as "the first and only hypercoaster in Texas," it reaches speeds close to 70 mph (110 km/h).
- The Texas Splashdown - A Log Flume Log flumes originally referred to a special construct used to transport lumber and logs down mountainous terrain to a sawmill by using flowing water. Today, however, the term is also used to refer to an amusement ride consisting of a water flume and artificial hollow logs or boats. Passengers sit in the logs, which are propelled along the flume by that opened in 1992 with two 60 foot drops.
- Journey to Atlantis - The first ride of its kind in North America, it debuted in 2007.
Shamu's Happy Harbor (Children's rides)
- Jumpin' Jungle - the Jumpin' Jungle lifts "tiny" guests two stories up in the air. Once at the top, the vehicle slowly drops and bounces as the guests laugh on the way down.
- Pete's Pinwheel - SeaWorld guests will have a great time aboard Pete the Penguin Penguins are a group of aquatic, flightless birds living almost exclusively in the southern hemisphere, especially in Antarctica. Highly adapted for life in the water, penguins have countershaded dark and white plumage, and their wings have become flippers. Most penguins feed on krill, fish, squid, and other forms of sealife caught while swimming's Pinwheel. This miniature ferris wheel is great for little kids and their parents.
- Shamu Express - a family roller coaster themed to the park's signature killer whale. The killer whale-themed cars zip along 220 feet (67 m) of track at 14 mph (23 km/h).
Shows and exhibits
Park EntranceShows
- Believe - (Shamu Stadium) A new show featuring interaction with whale trainers at the park's Shamu Stadium. Compared to previous shows, Believe is much more visual, concentrating on acrobatics, dramatic original scores, and live underwater video projection. The Shamu Stadium was completely remodeled for this show.
- The Cannery Row Caper - (Seal and Sea Lion Stadium) A comical "Who done it?" featuring sea lions Clyde and Seamore, who attempt to unravel the mystery of disappearing fish in a nearby cannery. Located at the park's Sea Lion Stadium, this show also features animals Walrus and Otter.
- Cool Vibrations - (Ski Stadium) A live-action boat and water-skiing stunt show that runs throughout the park's summer months; formerly called Rockin' Ski Party prior to the park's 2009 Season.
- Azul, Lure of the Sea - (Beluga Stadium) Opened March 12, 2010. This show features professional high divers, aerialists, and synchronized swimmers performing with Pacific white-sided dolphins and beluga whales.
Exhibits
Basking sea lions- Aviary Habitats - guests can view a variety of birds from pink flamingo Flamingos or flamingoes ( pronunciation ) are gregarious wading birds in the genus Phoenicopterus, the only genus in the family Phoenicopteridae. There are four flamingo species in the Americas and two species in the Old World, ducks Duck is the common name for a number of species in the Anatidae family of birds. The ducks are divided between several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered ducks. Ducks are mostly aquatic birds, mostly smaller than the swans and geese, and may be and geese The word goose is the English name for a considerable number of birds, belonging to the family Anatidae. This family also includes swans, most of which are larger than true geese, and ducks, which are smaller, among other birds Birds are winged, bipedal, endothermic (warm-blooded), egg-laying, vertebrate animals. There are around 10,000 living species, making them the most varied of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from the 5 cm (2 in) Bee Hummingbird to the 2.75 m (9 ft) Ostrich from throughout the Americas.
- Animal Connection Conservation Center - Get close to various types of animals along with Animal Ambassadors.
- Dolphin Cove Dolphin Cove is a SeaWorld attraction, which can be found at all SeaWorld parks and holds about 700,000 gallons of water Main article: Dolphin Cove (Seaworld) Dolphin Cove is a SeaWorld attraction, which can be found at all SeaWorld parks and holds about 700,000 gallons of water - 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.
- Penguin Encounter - Visitors step into the Antarctic wilderness on a moving walkway and view over 200 penguins Penguins are a group of aquatic, flightless birds living almost exclusively in the southern hemisphere, especially in Antarctica. Highly adapted for life in the water, penguins have countershaded dark and white plumage, and their wings have become flippers. Most penguins feed on krill, fish, squid, and other forms of sealife caught while swimming in a variety of species. There are additional exhibits where one can read about the penguins and view other aquatic birds.
- Seal & Sea Lion Community - a variety of seals Pinnipeds or fin-footed mammals are a widely distributed and diverse group of semi-aquatic marine mammals comprising the families Odobenidae (the walrus), Otariidae (eared seals, including sea lions and fur seals), and Phocidae (earless seals), sea lions Sea lions are any of seven species in seven genera of modern pinnipeds including one extinct species . Sea lions are characterized by the presence of external ear pinnae (ear-flaps), long front flippers, the ability to walk on all four flippers on land, and the lack of dense underfur. Their range extends from the subarctic to tropical waters of, walruses The walrus is a large flippered marine mammal with a discontinuous circumpolar distribution in the Arctic Ocean and sub-Arctic seas of the Northern Hemisphere. The walrus is the only living species in the Odobenidae family and Odobenus genus. It is subdivided into three subspecies: the Atlantic Walrus (O. rosmarus rosmarus) found in the Atlantic and otters Otters are semi-aquatic fish-eating mammals. The otter subfamily Lutrinae forms part of the family Mustelidae, which also includes weasels, polecats, badgers, as well as others. With twelve species in seven genera, otters have an almost worldwide distribution. They mainly eat aquatic animals, predominantly fish and shellfish, but also other can be found here. Everyone will be delighted to see the seals bask in the warm sunlight, the sea lions swimming in the cool water, and the otters just doing what otters do.
- Sharks/The Coral Reef - SeaWorld guests can view some of the world's most exotic and fiercest sea creatures A creature is an organism. The term is derived from the widespread historical belief that all such things were created, as by a deity or deities. The word is generally used to refer to non-human animals but does include humans. Some animals that are found here include sting rays, eels Eels are an order of fish, which consists of four suborders, 19 families, 110 genera and approximately 800 species. Most eels are predators. The term "eel" is also used for some other similarly shaped fish, such as electric eels and spiny eels, but these are not members of the Anguilliformes order, tropical fish Tropical fish include fish found in tropical environments around the world, including both freshwater and salt water species. Fishkeepers often use the term tropical fish to refer only those requiring fresh water, with saltwater tropical fish referred to as marine fish, and a variety of sharks Sharks are a type of fish with a full cartilaginous skeleton and a highly streamlined body. The earliest known sharks date from more than 420 million years ago, before the time of the dinosaurs.
- Alligator Alley - Alligators (American) lounging aroung Ski Lake.
- Flamingo Cove - Visitors can stop by a see Flamingos by Shamu Stadium.
Entertainment
- Boardwalk Games Center - A Game Center conjoined with the exit of the Great White Roller Coaster that features Midway Games and a Video Arcade.
- Sea Star Theater A 4D Theater featuring Pirates! & Haunted Lighthouse (Summer Nights)
- Shamu's Happy Harbor - A tropical themed area where visitors can bring their kids, which features a wacky water area, large sandbox, slides, net climbs, and sway bridges.
Animal Inventory
Orcas
SeaWorld's main attraction is its Orcas, 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.
Orcas at San Antonio: Takara Takara Co., Ltd. was a Japanese toy company founded in 1955, that merged with another prominent Japanese toy company, Tomy Co., Ltd., on March 1, 2006 to form Takara Tomy, Sakari (Takara's calf)[1], Kyuquot, Keet This article gives a partial list of captive orcas, or Killer Whales, large predatory marine mammals that were first captured live and displayed in exhibitions in the 1960s, or were subsequently born in captivity. They soon became popular attractions at public aquariums and aquatic theme parks due to their intelligence, trainability, striking, Unna, and Tuar
Dolphins
Bottlenose Dolphins at San Antonio: Ansley, Alice, Brady, Brie, Cisco, Donley, Fathom, Gilly, Hacksaw, Kai, Mattie, Nacha, Nikki, Notchfin, Nueces, Osbourne, Ping, Puka, Punta, Scotia, and Yoyo.
Belugas
Belugas at San Antonio: Natasha, Crissy, Bella, Grayson, Luna, Martha, Oliver, Sikuu, Qinu, and Whisper.
NOTE:After living in San Antonio since March, Beethoven, the resident breeding male, was relocated to Atlanta, Georgia's Georgia Aquarium, where the aquarium's three resident beluga whales, Nico, Maris, and Natasha were residing. Nico died on SeaWorld's premises and Natasha, Maris's mother, stayed in San Antonio and Beethoven came with Maris back to Atlanta.
Lost Lagoon
Lost Lagoon is a water park that was added to SeaWorld in 1993. It's open April through September.
- Activity Pool
- Buckaroo Mountain
- Castaway Cruisin'
- Lil' Gators Lagoon
- Sky Tubin'
- Splash Attack
- Wave Wash Pool
- Sidewinders
SeaWorld San Antonio Summer Nights
Summer Nights offers entertainment during the night hours. During Summer Nights, the shows that they offer is Shamu Rocks Texas- Not only just Shamu, also today's hit music during the show similar to the Believe Show. Sea Lions Tonight- Where guests join these pranksters spoof about the days shows. R.L. Stine's Haunted Lighthouse 4D- a 4-D movie in which takes place in Sea Star Theater. Pirates Plunder- Guests will join the ships captain and his crew as the captain battles for his bride and his ship against his nemesis, Captain Le Foe. A play like setting in Nautilus Amphitheater.
- ^ (2010-01-08)"Killer whale calf born at SeaWorld". MySanAntonio.com. 2010-01-08. http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/Killer_whale_calf_born_at_SeaWorld.html. Retrieved 2010-01-08.
Howl-O-Scream
Howl-O-Scream is an annual Halloween event that takes place at SeaWorld San Antonio in San Antonio, Texas. This year's event features the character Jack the Pumpkin King as the main icon, who is also featured at the event in Busch Gardens.
External links
| Wikimedia Commons has media related to: San Antonio Sea World |
- SeaWorld San Antonio
- SeaWorld main website
- Lone Star Thrills
- Westover Hills
- YouTube.com video of The Great White
- Howl-O-Scream
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Categories: Amusement parks in Texas | Visitor attractions in San Antonio, Texas | 1988 establishments | Zoos in Texas
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Thu, 01 Jul 2010 19:48:02 GMT+00:00
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