Sea World Orlando Anartica Empire Of The Penguins

Sea World Orlando quietly working on 'major' expansion
October 07, 2011|By Jason Garcia,


Orlando Sentinel SeaWorld Orlando has quietly launched a "major redevelopment" that will add several new attractions to the marine park in 2012 and 2013. The plans, according to government filings and interviews with people familiar with various elements, include transforming a 24-year-old penguin exhibit into a new, possibly Antarctica-themed ride; adding a sea-turtle movie attraction to an existing manatee display; and building a rainforest-themed trail in Discovery Cove, SeaWorld's limited-admission boutique park, that would include a freshwater pool and habitats for primates and otters. SeaWorld would not discuss details of its plans this week, though it confirmed that it has multiple new attractions in the works. "We do have plans for incredible new attractions at SeaWorld Orlando, and we're committed to finding amazing new ways to immerse our guests and fans in the mysteries of the sea," SeaWorld spokesman Nick Gollattscheck said. "It's too early to talk about the plans and details right now, but you can expect us to share the news in the near future." In a sign of how ambitious its plans are, a delegation of top SeaWorld Orlando executives met two weeks ago with more than a half-dozen senior Orange County planning and growth-management officials to alert them to the coming work. The SeaWorld contingent included SeaWorld Orlando President Terry Prather; park vice presidents in charge of finance, design and engineering, and lobbying; and a corporate engineering and creative-development executive. The SeaWorld executives, according to those at the meeting, sought assurances that their plans would advance rapidly through the county's permitting process. "They're going to be doing a major redevelopment. They're looking at spending a significant amount of money," said John Smogor, Orange County's planning administrator, though he said the SeaWorld executives did not discuss specific project details. The Orlando spending surge is an effort by Orlando-based SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment — and its owner, private-equity giant the Blackstone Group — to revive the biggest and most important of their 10 U.S. theme parks. SeaWorld Orlando alone is responsible for roughly one-third of SeaWorld Parks' total earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, according to a recent report by the ratings firm Standard & Poor's. But SeaWorld Orlando has also struggled during the past 18 months, losing visitors to Universal Orlando and its year-old Wizarding World of Harry Potter themed area. More challenges are looming, with Merlin Entertainments Group preparing to open a nearby Legoland Florida theme park later this month and Walt Disney World in the midst of expanding two of its four parks — including Disney's Animal Kingdom, which, like SeaWorld, is themed around wildlife and conservation. "SeaWorld desperately needs to keep up with the competition inOrlando, and both Universal and Disney are just throwing money at stuff right now," said Robert Niles, publisher of ThemeParkInsider.com. "If SeaWorld doesn't do anything, it's going to get left behind." Although SeaWorld won't reveal its plans yet, some details have trickled out. One of the biggest projects, expected to be completed in 2013, involves Penguin Encounter, a walk-through exhibit that opened in 1987 and displays several different species of penguins, as well as puffins and murres. SeaWorld employees have been told the exhibit will close in December for an 18-month refurbishment, and one county official said he expects SeaWorld to demolish the building entirely. SeaWorld is currently renovating a back-area avian-research building to make room for the penguins that will be displaced by the construction. What exactly will replace the penguin exhibit is less clear. There are persistent rumors, first reported by the industry news site ScreamScape.com, that SeaWorld plans to build an indoor "dark ride" in its place. Since August, SeaWorld Orlando has also trademarked a trio of names that could be associated with the project: "Antarctica" and "Empire of the Penguins," both for use as themed areas in an amusement park, and "SnowWorld," for use as an amusement-park attraction. Separately, SeaWorld is also planning to redevelop its Manatee Rescue attraction, a project expected to debut in 2012. According to a person familiar with details, the plans include renovating a circular theater and using it for an upgraded, sea-turtle movie that will likely be tied in with a theatrical documentary that was released this past summer through SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment's new SeaWorld Pictures film unit. Documents filed with the South Florida Water Management District confirm that SeaWorld plans to convert the manatee exhibit into a "combination manatee/sea turtle exhibit." SeaWorld last month also trademarked the name "Turtlesphere 360" for use in a theme-park attraction. Discovery Cove, the high-end boutique park next door to SeaWorld, is also a part of the expansion efforts. Documents filed with the water district and Orange County show that SeaWorld intends to convert a now-closed saltwater reef into a freshwater environment referred to both as the "Flooded Rainforest Trail" and as "Flooded Forest River Trails." According to the documents, its features will include a "primate island" and an otter -viewing area.





Antarctica - Empire of the Penguin will be Sea World Orlando’s biggest-ever attraction expansion, opening spring 2013.


Through the years, SeaWorld Orlando has taken you to far-flung corners of the globe, immersing you in exotic places and introducing them to unique worlds of adventure. But no journey is bigger -- or as incredible -- as the one to come in 2013. It’s a voyage to the bottom-of-the-world, to the coldest and windiest continent, to a place of ice more than 9,000 feet thick. It’s a journey to Antarctica and to the empire of the penguin. You’ll be surrounded by the sights, sounds and awesome encounters found in this frozen place, embarking on a one-of-a-kind ride and an incredible family adventure. You’ll experience the mystery and wonder of life on the ice through the eyes of a penguin, sensing the beauty and drama of their sometimes-dangerous habitat. Antarctica – Empire of the Penguin combines closer-than-ever animal connections with state-of-the-art interactive ride technologies for adventures that are different each time. And, it’s safe to say Antarctica – Empire of the Penguin will be the coldest theme park attraction in the world! A year-and-a-half from opening at SeaWorld Orlando, details are few. For now, SeaWorld Orlando’s Antarctica will stay as mysterious as its namesake continent. “Only SeaWorld and its parks can take you on these journeys or bring these experiences to life,” said Orlando Parks President, Terry Prather. “We’re excited about what the future holds for our parks and for our fans.”

Update Construction And Demolition

Demolition has begun at last on the Penguin Encounter, also the site for the new land, Antarctica Empire Of The Penguin's. It is much bigger than the old Penguin Encounter. You will see an updated map of how large the new area will be, as well as photo's of how far the fenced off area goes back. Here are some photos.

http://www.amusementpics.com/SWONewsNotes.htm

Source: SeaWorld Florida

Okay here is something you may like, a tour of the penguins temp location while thay are waiting for the new area to be constructed....

http://behindthethrills.com/2012/02/up-clo...ns-at-seaworld/

also, I beleive this area will be well deserved and well appresiated by many guest as it will also be a much larger area than before, it is my understanding that the huge area between the back/rear of the penguin encounter and the isel that went between kraken and pacific point that one had tons of tree's has been completly cleared now as well as that isel, because that whole area has been blocked off and you can for the time being no longer walk between kraken and pacific point. You must walk back toward manta if you are by kraken or back towards shamu stadium if you are at pacific point to walk back to either side, I know that is inconventient right now, but it tells me this area will be much much larger than before. I have also heard about an interactive ride like maybe something simular to wild arctic but more like in 3d or 4d and geared toward that area and towards penguins will be included as well as a resturant over looking the new penguin habbitat, my opinion however of the resturant is simualr to screamscapes opinion and that is my concern for how stinky the penguins are, have you been aware at any park or zoo how bad thay smell, I hope that if a resturant is included thay have a better fume irrigation system in place, cause I know if that is not the case I will never eat their and im sure that most wouldn't either, so hopefully thay do a good job with that, or atleast a good enough job of keeping the smell restricted to the exhibit area and out of the resturant atleast, if thay do it right it will work. Hopefully.

Im excited about this project because the area will have a bigger shop souvenir area as well as the interactive 3d or 4d ride, restaurant/penguin over look and the exhibits that maybe twice as large. And the theming will be huge I hear.

Also screamscape posted these photo's of props found on the back of the property based on the advertisements and the drawings and such, I strongly believe that these props are part of the theming you can expect for the area. ....

http://screamscape.com/assets/images/db_im..._1020_SWF31.jpg

http://screamscape.com/assets/images/db_im..._1020_SWF51.jpg

and thats based on these following renderings

http://www.floridathrills.net/content/atta...g_1924-jpg.html

http://www.floridathrills.net/content/atta...g_1921-jpg.html

http://www.floridathrills.net/content/atta...g_1922-jpg.html

http://www.floridathrills.net/content/atta...g_1923-jpg.html


looks like thay also commented on what I think are pillars for the new area we will see, enjoy.... also I posted an update in the first post so please read the first post....

http://www.floridathrills.net/content/anta...02-04-2012-610/

http://www.floridathrills.net/content/anta...02-11-2012-614/

http://youtu.be/ETW9VQus6nY

check this out, here is a video from november 2011 press conference announcing the attraction and exhibit and the relm. This is going to be a great attraction and themed area. I wish more people on here would comment and post about this attraction.

Thanks for posting that video. I hadn't seen that before, and I really enjoyed it. I'm really looking forward to this and Turtle Trek. I think they'll both be awesome new attractions for SeaWorld.

I'm was only disappointed when I learned that they permanently sent the puffins to SW San Diego when the old Penguin Encounter closed. I think they could have found a space for them in Orlando, and I always enjoyed seeing the puffins. They were something unique for me to see there.

Has anyone heard if the current Turtle Point exhibit will stay or leave after Turtle Trek opens? I'd like to see it stay as open space, an animal exhibit of some kind. I hope it's not converted into something else like a shop.

I didn't here that about the puffins, from what I heard is thay will be back within the new Antarctica when the exhibit opens next year.

Anyway's it is my hope with other attractions thay are building at multiple or all parks, that anartica empire of the penguins end's up being built at all three sea worlds with of course some variances like the variance differences in journey to atlantis and the varies differences in manta and the differences in aquatica florida and texas, speaking of aquatica I heard from a reliable source that thay are currently drafting up a plan for an aquatica california that will be announced within the next couple years.

From where did you hear that the Puffins are staying? I wouldn't expect them to be part of the Antartarctica attraction. I think Puffins are only found in northern regions of the world. I read a blog entry from someone who took the behind the scenes penguin tour recently. They asked about the pufffins, and they were told the puffins were sent to SW San Diego where they will stay, not to return. I was disappointed to learn this.

UPDATE'S

SeaWorld’s New Penguin Ride System Revealed?

In November of 2011, SeaWorld Orlando announced their new expansion for the 2013 season, an entire Antarctic re-theme of their existing Penguin Plaza area to be called Antarctica – Empire of the Penguin. While details were scarce, they did promise a “one-of-a-kind ride and an incredible family adventure” that would combine “state-of-the-art interactive ride technologies for adventures that are different each time.” So, what could that ride system be?

Plans filed with the South Florida Water Management District last September showed the overall layouts of the three buildings in the new area. One of our forum readers, Beast, pointed out a few interesting things about them. For starters, there are five pre-show rooms (each with 8 people) and what appear to be five circular load bays, or ports. In addition, there is no ride track evident inside the building, something most would shrug off as an unnecessary detail to be included in plans like these. But why include pre-show rooms with guests but no ride track? Beast hypothesized that this new ride might be of the trackless variety, much like Pooh’s Honey Hunt at Tokyo Disneyland.

http://parkrumors.com/images/PlansLoad_th.jpg

Sounds like a crazy assumption, right? No ride track on plans = trackless ride system. We thought the same thing at first too, but there’s more. Looking at attraction diagrams on ETF Ride Systems website, a company that specializes in trackless ride systems, you’ll notice something quite familiar on the Mystic Mover page:

http://parkrumors.com/images/mm.jpg

The ride above features ‘ports’, just like on the SeaWorld plans. ETF also makes a Multi-Mover attraction that can accommodate more vehicles for a higher capacity. This kind of ride would definitely be a first for American parks, and could allow SeaWorld to program multiple ride paths so that your experience really could be “different each time” like the press release suggests. Still not convinced?

Concept art found on themed attraction designer Xiaogang Zhu’s blog shows off what could potentially be the ride vehicles for this new ride, and they look very much like the type of ride vehicle featured on ETF’s trackless Multi-Mover rides, circular pods with two rows of riders. Pods that would fit very nicely into the load/unload ‘ports’ seen on the plans. See for yourself:

http://parkrumors.com/images/compare.jpg

While there are only three riders visible in the above concept art, it’s highly unlikely that SeaWorld would opt for such a low capacity ride vehicle. And with the plans showing each pre-show room containing 8 guests, I’d think it’s a safe bet that each pod will seat 8. So what do you think, is this enough evidence to assume that SeaWorld’s new ride will feature a trackless ride system? Or do you think it’ll be something else entirely? Let us know in the comments below, or on our message boards!

The gallery below contains the plans for the new area, including a labeled overview of the potential ride building layout, as well as four new concept renderings of the attraction.

Source: Park Rumor's
http://parkrumors.com/sea-worlds-penguin-ride/

Another Update
http://screamscape.com/html/seaworld_florida.htm

(3/14/12) ParkRumors has scored a new look at plans for the new Antarctica – Empire of the Penguin area this week. From the look of things, the gift shop and restaurant buildings will be essentially kept… but modified and expanded upon. The biggest change will take place on the old exhibit building itself, as it looks like they will keep the old backstage area of the building, but greatly expand upon it for the new attraction building.

Speaking of which, ParkRumors has spied what looks like five pre-show rooms with room for 8 riders… all waiting for little strange disc shaped cars. There is no clearly defined track or even a series of hallways to set up a track path through the building, so either it was omitted, or they speculate that we could be looking at a trackless ride system.

Meanwhile head over to AmusementPics to see the current status of the entire site, where it looks like they’ve demolished most of the old Penguin Encounter building, including the old exhibit area. (You can see the blue paint from where the water was just in front of the glass window along the moving walkway path.)

Another Update

http://www.amusementpics.com/SWONN12.htm

More Photo's Of The Current Site Under Construction !

Thank you please leave feedback !

MAPS OF AREA

Interesting items to read. I noticed the trackless ride cars are battery powered. I am curious about charging them. Do these cars just need to be charged overnight or do they need to be switched out through the course of the day?

dont quote me on this but Im hearing thay use 5 cars at a time, but thay will have 15 of them and every three hours thay switch them, giving each a 6 hour charge at a time.

http://inparkmagazine.blogspot.com/2012/03...-about-all.html

Interview Update !!!!

Ha, now that I live pretty much down the street from SeaWorld, I'm pretty excited for this. At first I didn't think it would be that big... But now that its going up its making a bit of buzz. I don't think it will help them as much as Potter helped Uni (although I dont care about HP) but it'll be amazing for SW.

http://behindthethrills.com/2012/03/constr...aworld-orlando/

Update !

New Update..... Excavation Around Existing Remaining Structure Takes Shape And The Pattern Of The Excavation Matches What The Blue Prints Above Look Like Shape Wise, Check This Out !

http://www.amusementpics.com/SWONN12.htm

Ride Concept Art



Update

Antarctica - Empire of the Penguin -
(4/25/12) SeaWorld Orlando has released new concept
artwork and details for the 2013 attraction:
Antarctica – Empire of the Penguin, which now
clearly shows off that rumored trackless dark ride style car.

They report that the attraction will be a first-of-its-kind
family ride adventure that will include technology
allowing for the experience to change from visit to visit.
Guests will also be able to choose the “level of thrill”
that they wish to experience inside the 8-passenger car.
The attraction will introduce guests to a new SeaWorld character…
a young gentoo penguin who will become your guide
and lead you through a journey into the dangerous
and wondrous beauty of the Antarctic.

They’ll experience the mystery and wonder of life on
the ice through the eyes of a penguin, sensing the
beauty and drama of their often-dangerous habitat.
Antarctica – Empire of the Penguin combines closer-then-ever
animal connections with state-of-the-art interactive
ride technologies for adventures that are different each time.

So what will you see? Well… they’re still pretty mum on
that subject, though they claim you will get closer than
ever – and out among – their colony of penguins.
This also means that this will be the coldest theme park
attraction in the world, where the penguin’s habitat must
stay in the low 30’s for their comfort. That said…
I hope they find a way to keep guests warm if need be,
because riding this after getting a soaking on Journey To Atlantis
is not going to be a fun experience.

Source:
sreamscape.com


Source: http://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/201204/3019/

New details released on Sea World's
Antarctica penguin ride and exhibit
SeaWorld Orlando today revealed some more detail
about its new ride for 2013:
Antarctica - Empire of the Penguin.



SeaWorld said in a press release today that
"Antarctica – Empire of the Penguin will include a
first-of-its-kind family adventure ride that utilizes
new technology for an experience that can change from visit to visit.
Designers also revealed that guests will be able to
choose the level of thrill they experience on the ride."

Hmmm. Could these be some sort of motion-base
cars on a trackless ride system? Groups could
select how much the cars move ("choose the level of thrill they experience")
and the path through the ride building could vary from trip to trip
("an experience that can change from visit to visit"),
in the spirit of Tokyo Disneyland's Winnie the Pooh ride.
It's one explanation (and the one I'd love to ride).
I don't have any insider scoop here - just looking at the
image and release and applying that to what
I know is out there as current ride technology.

The attraction will include not just the ride,
but also an up-close viewing area, restaurant and gift shop.
I'm guessing that the people depicted alongside the ride
reference the viewing area in the new ride. SeaWorld said:

"Antarctica – Empire of the Penguin will get
SeaWorld’s guests closer than ever - and out among - its colony
of penguins including gentoos, rockhoppers, adelies and kings.
How close has yet to be detailed, but designers
consider the guests’ encounters with the penguins
to be the first of their kind in any theme park or zoo in the world."

And yes, it's going to be chilly in there:
"Immersing guests in a colony of penguins means
Antarctica – Empire of the Penguin will be the
coldest theme park attraction in the world.
Designers have declined comment on the engineering
it will take to place SeaWorld guests among a colony of
penguins whose habitat must stay in the low 30 degrees for comfort."

By the way, I love the "hidden penguin" in the image, too.
Take a close look at that snow-covered rock work in the
top middle of the image.