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sea turtles

Fourth of July Events at SeaWorld Orlando

28 June 2012 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

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Celebrate the Fourth of July at SeaWorld Orlando. In addition to Summer Nights special nighttime shows, an extended set of Reflections fireworks will blast off starting with a special pre-show at 9:30 p.m. at Bayside Stadium.  An extraordinary performance by the Navy Band Southeast’s Wind Ensemble, a 40-piece band performing a variety of popular music ranging from traditional marches and patriotic fare to classical favorites and Broadway hits, kicks off the festivities. The celebration ends with the awe-inspiring Reflections fireworks and fountains show at 10:30 p.m. that include an extended set including an honorary tribute to the United States.
 SeaWorld Fireworks
Guests can enjoy SeaWorld even later on July 4th as the park is open until 11 p.m.  Families can experience the all-new TurtleTrek, the world’s first 3D 360 dome theater experience, ride Manta under the stars (and fireworks!) and enjoy our amazing Summer Nights shows:
 
  • Sea Lions Tonite SeaWorld’s popular sea lion comedic duo takes the laughs into the night.  Hilarious hijinks ensue in this evening show as the park’s talented sea lions, otters and walrus parody other favorite daytime SeaWorld shows and attractions.  And this year, a new spoof based on the park’s newest attraction – TurtleTrek — will keep guests laughing all night long.
 
  • Shamu Rocks SeaWorld’s spectacular whale show with more flash – and certainly more splash – than a rock concert. Shamu Rocks is a high-energy celebration of unprecedented proportions, combining awe-inspiring whales with a stunning light show, water fountain display and music from some of the hottest rock stars in the industry.
 
  • Reflections: Fireworks and Fountains Show Finale
    SeaWorld is showcased in a whole new light during this spectacular celebration of soaring fountains and dazzling fireworks.  A newly arranged soundtrack features the thrilling and inspirational music of SeaWorld’s most popular shows, including segments of the incredible score from TurtleTrek. Families and friends will experience a wondrous connection that lights the night like never before.
 
For more information, visit SeaWorldOrlando.com.
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Filed Under: Central Florida Family Entertainment, Florida Theme Parks & Attractions, Sea World Orlando Tagged With: 4th of July, 4th of July events, Fourth of July, Fourth of July events, Fourth of July Events Orlando, Reflections, sea lions, Sea Lions Tonite, sea turtles, SeaWorld, SeaWorld Orlando, SeaWorld Summer Nights, Shamu Rocks, summer nights, summertime events

Summer Nights Arrive at SeaWorld Orlando

7 June 2012 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

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SeaWorld just sent over their latest news for summertime events and happenings. Looks like lots of fun will be happening over the next couple of months!

Summer Nights at SeaWorldis a nighttime spectacular that only SeaWorld could create, and the best place to be in Central Florida when the sun sets. Waves of fun wash over the park with incredible shows, an all-new attraction, thrilling coasters under the stars, and a nightly fireworks and fountain finale.During Summer Nights –- June 23 through August 12 — SeaWorld is open until 10 p.m., providing even more time for guests to play.

Headlining Summer Nights is the all-new TurtleTrek, where guests can live the miraculous 3D 360 journey of a sea turtle; Shamu Rocks, a larger-than-life experience where guests jam to a rock-n-roll beat and watch as whales perform amazing behaviors; Sea Lions Tonite, a hilarious, satirical show featuring Clyde and Seamore that will have everyone in stitches; and Reflections, the sky-filling fireworks and fountains finale that ends the night with a bang.

Shamu Rocks
The Shamu Rocks show

 

Summer Nights at SeaWorld, plus the amazing, new TurtleTrek – the only attraction of its kind in the world – coupled with amazing admission offers and values, makes the park a must-see for locals and residents this summer. The best admission deals can be found online by visiting SeaWorldOrlando.com.Additional details:

All-new: TurtleTrek
SeaWorld Orlando’s newest attraction, TurtleTrek, comes to life with SeaWorld’s unique blend of up-close encounters with manatees and sea turtles and state-of-the art entertainment, making for a real adventure and a first-of-its-kind 3D 360 degree dome theater film that is completely surrounding and immersive.

Shamu Rocks
Rock the night away with Shamu during this spectacular whale show with more flash – and certainly more splash – than a rock concert. Shamu Rocks is a high-energy celebration of unprecedented proportions, combining awe-inspiring whales with a stunning light show, water fountain display and music from some of the hottest rock stars in the industry.

Sea Lions Tonite
SeaWorld’s popular sea lion comedic duo takes the laughs into the night.  Hilarious hijinks ensue in this evening show as the park’s talented sea lions, otters and walrus parody other favorite daytime SeaWorld shows and attractions.  And this year, a new spoof based on the park’s newest attraction – TurtleTrek — will keep guests laughing all night long.

 

Reflections: Fireworks and Fountains Show Finale
SeaWorld is showcased in a whole new light during this spectacular celebration of soaring fountains and dazzling fireworks.  A newly arranged soundtrack features the thrilling and inspirational music of SeaWorld’s most popular shows, including segments of the incredible score from TurtleTrek. Families and friends will experience a wondrous connection that lights the night like never before.

Manta
An even more extraordinary sensation by moonlight, Manta lets you find out what it’s like to spin, glide, skim and fly like a giant ray when you experience the only flying roller coaster of its kind in the world at nighttime, under the stars.

Summer Nights VIP Tour
Experience the highlights of SeaWorld Summer Nights, VIP-style. This six-hour, guided tour includes an opportunity to feed dolphins, front-of-the-line access to our most popular rides, including Manta, and reserved seating at our exhilarating night shows, Shamu Rocks and Reflections.  Included with the tour is the convenient, all-you-care-to-eat All Day Dining Deal, where you and your family can enjoy all of your favorite foods from your favorite participating restaurants!

For more information visit SeaWorldOrlando.com

 

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Filed Under: Central Florida Family Entertainment, Florida Theme Parks & Attractions, Sea World Orlando Tagged With: Reflections, sea lions, Sea Lions Tonite, sea turtles, SeaWorld, SeaWorld Orlando, SeaWorld Summer Nights, Shamu Rocks, summer nights, summertime events, Turtle Trek

Photos and Facts on SeaWorld Orlando’s New Turtle Trek Experience

5 May 2012 by Suzannah Otis 1 Comment

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TurtleTrek Horizontal Turtle Habitat During the non-stop events of last weekend, I had quite a few Zannaland team members covering things in the Orlando area for me. Scott Otis, friend and conservationist, agreed to cover the grand opening of SeaWorld Orlando‘s newest attraction – Turtle Trek.

Before we get started, a bit of news as I reported on twitter last week, SeaWorld and Busch Gardens are saying good-bye to plastic bags at their theme parks within the year. Here’s why, according to SeaWorld:

The eco-friendly move will save an estimated 4 million plastic bags per year from both entering landfills and impacting wildlife. SeaWorld routinely rescues marine wildlife such as endangered sea turtles that sometimes mistake plastic bags for a favorite food such as jellyfish.  The company began the transition in 2011 when SeaWorld San Diego discontinued the use of plastic gift bags. SeaWorld Orlando is eliminating the bags this month in celebration of the opening of its new attraction TurtleTrek.

Guests visiting Turtle Trek first explore two massive naturalistic habitats, home to gentle manatees and gliding sea turtles, learning what makes each species so precious. Families then enter a domed theater and what happens next has never before been seen and is a first at any theme park in the world.

Inside the dome, they’ll be surrounded by a hyper-realistic, 3D 360 degree film that takes them on the amazing life journey of a special sea turtle named Nyah. The experience is all around guests and even above them – not just in front of them or only on one screen. It’s this all-new and immersive way of showcasing a sea turtle’s epic adventure that is the heart of TurtleTrek. And for the first time, SeaWorld guests are given a turtle’s eye view of the ocean’s wonders.

TurtleTrek is as inspirational as it is astounding. There’s a call-to-action at the end of the experience:  SeaWorld urges guests to join in conserving the world we share. “Do a little, do a lot, but join us and do something to help the world and its animals,” said Brian Morrow, the attraction’s chief designer. “TurtleTrek is about the everyday heroes who can make a difference in nature.”

And there’s even more at TurtleTrek: Families will love competing on the fun (and educational) “Race for the Beach” video game that plays out on massive video screens at the new attraction. And TurtleTrek’s gift shop is unique in the way it continues the attraction’s inspiration and guests will see exactly how a portion of each dollar spent benefits in-the-field research to help save animals.

Here is a slideshow of images taken by Scott Otis at the grand opening of the Turtle Trek Experience:

[slideshow id=1]
 

The inspiration behind TurtleTrek:   

•    No animal’s life journey is more incredible than that of the sea turtle. From hatching on a beach and making the mad dash to open waters to the dangers and hazards they face as they mature and return to the very same beach to lay their own eggs, their tales of life underwater have in the past been impossible to show. And no theme park in the world is better equipped than SeaWorld to share that journey with millions of people.

•    In the same way SeaWorld brought attention to the plight of the manatee – the park’s attraction, “Manatee Rescue,” created interest that helped to save the species – at TurtleTrek, the park showcases the vulnerable sea turtle and asks everyday heroes across the globe to help make a difference in saving animals in the wild.

•    In the nearly 50 years since SeaWorld’s rescue programs began, more than 20,000 injured, orphaned or ill animals have been rescued, cared for and in most instances, returned to the wild. That’s more than one animal per day since 1964.

Turtle Trek at SeaWorld
Animal Ambassador Dr. Julie Scardina was on hand at the Turtle Trek grand opening.

The dome that brings the film to life:

  •    For the first time, designers have married a state-of-the-art animated film and powerful projection system with a fully domed theater, allowing for a seamless, 3-D virtual environment, all around the guests, even over their heads.

•    A fine silver coating on the dome allows each screen to focus the projection light back toward the guests.  Each fleck of silver is like a tiny mirror.

The 3-D/360-degree film that showcases the epic journey of one sea turtle:

•    The animated film goes well beyond the concept of high-definition or even virtual reality. In fact, it could be considered “high-reality.”

•    Each frame of the film has approximately 26 million individual pixels (more than 13 times what is considered “high-def”)

•    The film is shown at 60 frames-per-second (twice as fast as the human mind can register movement).

•    Combined with the dome and the powerful projection system, the result is one of the sharpest, most spectacular 3-D films ever created.

•    Each animal featured in the movie – from our hero sea turtle, to thousands of fish and down to the smallest anemone – began its life on an artist’s drawing board. Every movement of every creature was then animated independently.

•    More than 12 species of sea animals are brought to life for the animated film. And each one was approved by SeaWorld educators and animal experts.

•    Chances are you’re looking at this fact sheet on a standard computer monitor that’s 1,024 pixels wide by 768 pixels high – a total of slightly more than 780,000 pixels. The dome screens at TurtleTrek have more than 26,000,000 pixels.

•    You won’t find this movie on Netflix. At nearly 950GB, it would take you nearly 3 months to download the six-minute movie at home. If anyone was ever to create a full-length film at this resolution and complexity, it would take nearly five years to download.

•    The dome itself creates a huge projection area.  The dome is so large, it takes 34 projectors and 368,000 lumens of light to fill it with a 3-D, 360-degree movie.

•    TurtleTrek’s movie is actually two.  To create the astonishing 3-D, two films run simultaneously. One is for the left eye, the other for the right.

•    The sound system at TurtleTrek includes 22 discrete audio channels that have all been mixed on-site. This allows for 3-D sound and pinpoint placement of audio effects.

•    A typical surround sound system has a 5.1 arrangement – 5 sound channels and 1 channel for low frequency effects.  The sound system at TurtleTrek is 18.4 and is rated at an amazing 32,000 watts.

 

TurtleTrek Vertical Habitat
TurtleTrek Vertical Habitat

The real-life animals that live at TurtleTrek


A one-of-a-kind 3-D/360-degree movie is only part of TurtleTrek’s allure. It’s also two massive, naturalistic saltwater and freshwater habitats, home to sea turtles and manatees, some of them rescued and cared for by SeaWorld’s animal team.

The attraction’s sea turtle residents have been deemed non-releasable by the Florida government — due to genetics, illness, or being orphaned -– and have found a permanent home at TurtleTrek. Since 1973, SeaWorld Orlando has rescued, cared for and returned hundreds of endangered manatees and since 1980 returned more than 1,200 sea turtles back to their natural waters.

Sea Turtles
•    Sea turtles are truly a global species found in temperate and tropical seas worldwide. They have survived in the seas for more than 200 million years and are among a small group of reptiles that depend on the sea for survival.

•    TurtleTrek will be home to a variety of adult and juvenile sea turtles, including hawksbill and green sea turtles. Guests can view these exquisite creatures gliding past them from above, or through a below-water window.

Manatees
•    Florida’s tropical waters are home to a great diversity of life and perhaps none are more rare and endearing than the manatee. All manatee species can be found in warm tropical and subtropical waters in North America, South America, and West Africa.

•    At TurtleTrek, four West Indian manatees can be seen from above, or below water as they swim by or graze on a leafy snack. Each gentle giant in the exhibit was previously rescued by SeaWorld – the global leader in rescue and rehabilitation of manatees.

Fish
•    More than 1,500 Caribbean-native fish live in the saltwater habitat. The tropical varieties guests can view within the sea turtle habitat include angelfish, surgeonfish, file fish, butterfly fish, and many more.

•    Approximately 200 freshwater fish will accompany the manatees in their habitat. There will be fish native to Florida such as large-mouth bass and bluegills; and exotic fish that can be found in Florida waters such as pacu and red-tail catfish.

 

To learn more, visit SeaWorldParksandEntertainment.com or call toll-free 1-888-800-5447. Additionally, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment created the SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund, a non-profit, private charitable foundation committed to supporting wildlife and habitat conservation, research, education and animal rescue programs worldwide. Learn more at SWBG-ConservationFund.org.

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Filed Under: Florida Theme Parks & Attractions, Sea World Orlando Tagged With: busch gardens, conservationist, endangered sea turtles, grand opening, manatee, marine wildlife, orlando area, plastic bags, Scott Otis, sea turtle, sea turtles, SeaWorld Orlando, seaworld san diego, Turtle Trek, Turtle Trek experience

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