The SeaWorld theme parks are celebrating their 60th birthday today.
SeaWorld San Diego opened March 21, 1964, launching a brand that today also includes parks in Orlando, San Antonio, and Abu Dhabi. Four UCLA graduates - George Millay, Milton Shedd, Dave Demotte and Ken Norris - opened the park on the shore of San Diego's Mission Bay. The original park was just 21 acres and offered sea lion and dolphin exhibits. The popularity of the TV show "Flipper" that year helped fuel park attendance and the team reinvested in the park, eventually bringing Shamu the orca to SeaWorld the next year, giving the park its enduring icon.
Today, SeaWorld continues to provide animal care and rescue services at its four locations worldwide, with 40,000 injured or threatened animals assisted to date. For visitors in recent years, however, SeaWorld's promotional focus has shifted from its marine mammal animal behavior demonstration shows to thrill rides, with many new coasters debuting at its parks.
This year, SeaWorld Orlando is opening Penguin Trek, a two-launch Bolliger & Mabillard family coaster, following last year's debut of Pipeline: The Surf Coaster, also from B&M. The San Antonio park just opened its Catapult Falls launched flume coaster, and SeaWorld San Diego opened its Intamin launch family coaster, Arctic Rescue, last year. Last year also saw the opening of SeaWorld Abu Dhabi on Yas Island, which features two innovative thrill rides in Hypersphere 360 and the latest iteration of Manta.
But SeaWorld hasn't forgotten the aquatic animals that helped establish the brand. In San Diego, SeaWorld will open its first-ever Jewels of the Sea: The Jellyfish Experience, three unique galleries celebrating the variety of jellyfish.
SeaWorld is celebrating its 60th birthday at its parks today and in the days ahead. Fans can partake in special limited-edition food and beverage offerings, shop for vintage-inspired merchandise and greet the Shamu and crew walk-around characters again.
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60 years of abusement!