SeaWorld: Loses continue, CEO steps down

[Disneyhead'71]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cn...-entertainment-ceo-joel-manby-steps-down.html

 

[joanna71985]

I really hope this works out for SeaWorld (I'm just afraid the new CEO could be worse)

 

[CJR]

I actually know Joel better from his time at HFE. I thought he would be a great person for Sea World since Silver Dollar City and Dollywood are fine parks.

For Sea World to survive, it will have to move away from its show anchors and more towards rides. The Orlando park has some great roller coasters, but they need to up their game in flat rides and it's desperate for a dark ride that's not Antarctica. The new attraction coming should help the park some, but there's so much more that's been needed.

I know it can't all happen over night, but when you've been been around for three years and your parks have barely seen any form of a dramatic change in their current environment, something's gone wrong. What's there isn't going to work, they either need to rethink their parks or sell them to the highest bidder.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I actually know Joel better from his time at HFE. I thought he would be a great person for Sea World since Silver Dollar City and Dollywood are fine parks.

For Sea World to survive, it will have to move away from its show anchors and more towards rides. The Orlando park has some great roller coasters, but they need to up their game in flat rides and it's desperate for a dark ride that's not Antarctica. The new attraction coming should help the park some, but there's so much more that's been needed.

I know it can't all happen over night, but when you've been been around for three years and your parks have barely seen any form of a dramatic change in their current environment, something's gone wrong. What's there isn't going to work, they either need to rethink their parks or sell them to the highest bidder.

Not doing something extravagant really does seem to be the problem. They can’t just do nothing while so much is happening around them. Even if Infinity Falls is the best raft ride in Orlando, it’s a raft ride and won’t do anything to pull people away from Star Wars and Harry Potter.

 

[FLnative]

Personally I think show changes are what have equally hurt them as much as blackfish. I’m surprised nobody is mentioning this. Along with the fact Blackstone never had any intent on making the park better. They never invested into it like Busch did. Now they are just grasping straws. By trying to soften the shows to appease blackfish backlash they created a double edge sword and dug themselves deeper. They weakened the original draw and appeal. So for those people who loved SeaWorld for the shows they are unfortunately very lame in comparison. The only show they have kept us Pets Ahoy. Visitors see these new shows and they don’t have the same desire to return over and over again as they did in the past. Adding rides is not going to save them at least not under the name of “SeaWorld”. Getting a talented entertainment director to revise the current catastrophe is what they need to start with. Invest in employees again. SeaWorld during the Anheuser-Busch days was a completely different park. The downturn began with the Blackstone takeover. I’m so sad to see it going the way of “wet n wild”. Run down, not kept clean, workers who don’t care etc...

 

[Tom Morrow]

Run down, not kept clean, workers who don’t care etc...

I actually think SeaWorld Orlando looks very clean and kept up, much more so than Universal. However, unlike Disney and Universal, SeaWorld and Busch Gardens Tampa's guest service is terrible, aside from employees who work directly with or educate about the animals. I get the impression Manby didn't understand how important decent guest service is in Orlando.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Personally I think show changes are what have equally hurt them as much as blackfish. I’m surprised nobody is mentioning this. Along with the fact Blackstone never had any intent on making the park better. They never invested into it like Busch did. Now they are just grasping straws. By trying to soften the shows to appease blackfish backlash they created a double edge sword and dug themselves deeper. They weakened the original draw and appeal. So for those people who loved SeaWorld for the shows they are unfortunately very lame in comparison. The only show they have kept us Pets Ahoy. Visitors see these new shows and they don’t have the same desire to return over and over again as they did in the past. Adding rides is not going to save them at least not under the name of “SeaWorld”. Getting a talented entertainment director to revise the current catastrophe is what they need to start with. Invest in employees again. SeaWorld during the Anheuser-Busch days was a completely different park. The downturn began with the Blackstone takeover. I’m so sad to see it going the way of “wet n wild”. Run down, not kept clean, workers who don’t care etc...

Busch Entertainment was also never expected to be profitable. SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment was sold off with almost no corporate infrastructure. Basics like accounting, Human Resources, IT, legal and all that other stuff that enables a corporation to function was all handled by Anheiser-Busch and not included in the sale to Blackstone.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Anthony Esparza, who followed Manby from Herschend, is apparently leaving as well.

http://www.inparkmagazine.com/seaworld-esparza-denninger/

 

[matt78]

Personally I think show changes are what have equally hurt them as much as blackfish. I’m surprised nobody is mentioning this. Along with the fact Blackstone never had any intent on making the park better. They never invested into it like Busch did. Now they are just grasping straws. By trying to soften the shows to appease blackfish backlash they created a double edge sword and dug themselves deeper. They weakened the original draw and appeal. So for those people who loved SeaWorld for the shows they are unfortunately very lame in comparison. The only show they have kept us Pets Ahoy. Visitors see these new shows and they don’t have the same desire to return over and over again as they did in the past. Adding rides is not going to save them at least not under the name of “SeaWorld”. Getting a talented entertainment director to revise the current catastrophe is what they need to start with. Invest in employees again. SeaWorld during the Anheuser-Busch days was a completely different park. The downturn began with the Blackstone takeover. I’m so sad to see it going the way of “wet n wild”. Run down, not kept clean, workers who don’t care etc...

If I ran SeaWorld I would revive their Blue World project but make it grander. Think Shark Encounter but bigger. Large underwater viewing areas, a restaurant, gift shop and education centers where the trainers can interact with the guests and answer any questions that the visitors have. I would also do the same for the dolphins and pilot whales. I think replacing the shows with these type of exhibits will help their public image. It won't get PETA off their back but I think it will help with the people who saw Blackfish and decided SeaWorld was evil because of it.

 

[cheezbat]

Sea World can cut down on the Orca stuff, but I think they should get into Whale Sharks and manta rays...

Also think getting more creative with rides would be a good idea. Not everything needs to be IP based to be successful...

 

[DarthVader]

That's too bad, I had enjoyed my trips to Seaworld, yet with that said, I found the park to be small and aside from the shows, not much else to do. This was quite a few years ago, and I haven't been back, I guess that's part of the problem. I can keep going back to Disney but I've not felt the same with the SeaWorld.

 

[joanna71985]

For Sea World to survive, it will have to move away from its show anchors and more towards rides. The Orlando park has some great roller coasters, but they need to up their game in flat rides and it's desperate for a dark ride that's not Antarctica. The new attraction coming should help the park some, but there's so much more that's been needed.

But SeaWorld isn't a rides park though. It is more about the animals

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

The blackfish reaction...while from an ideological standpoint is correct...has really hurt the mission of sea world which was always in essence about education and helping conservation efforts. It's kinda a "casualty" of the situation

 

[cheezbat]

Orcas are (imo) the bread and butter of Sea World. It would not feel right to visit the park without getting to see performances by these amazing creatures. As for the rides, what I like about Sea World is the unique entertainment that doesn't rely heavily on coasters the way its sister park Busch Gardens does. I don't want Sea World to become a Six Flags Over Orlando with a oceanic theme. The whale shark idea sounds good as long as it would not come at the expense of losing the orcas. We took a trip to the Ga aquarium a few years ago and saw the whale shark exhibit there. Make no mistake pictures don't do justice to how incredible and large these creatures are when seen in person. That would be a good draw to crowds if added to Sea Worlds lineup. One of the problems unfortunately is more groups have pushed to regulate which parts of the ocean they can be hunted and captured from, which also made it a challenge for other aquariums which house them. I'm not sure if those regulations have since been lifted. Sea World has the space for a large whale shark encounter without having to destroy the orca venues. There are already enough coasters on park grounds. Like I said we don't want this turning into another Six Flags.

I recently revisited the GA Aquarium and those Whale Sharks are wonderful. Always surprised me how Sea World never had any.

I'd love to see a couple more big B&M style coasters added, but I'd also love to see more interactive exhibits and dark rides too. I love all aspects of Sea World, but in this day and age it needs all it can get to keep people coming back.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I recently revisited the GA Aquarium and those Whale Sharks are wonderful. Always surprised me how Sea World never had any.

I'd love to see a couple more big B&M style coasters added, but I'd also love to see more interactive exhibits and dark rides too. I love all aspects of Sea World, but in this day and age it needs all it can get to keep people coming back.

The Georgia aquarium is such an outlier though...when's the last time a private individual became obsessed with building a world class aquarium and was willing to put $250,000,000 of his own money as seed cash?

 

[CJR]

But SeaWorld isn't a rides park though. It is more about the animals

How's that working out? That's why they're in the predicament they're in.

To survive, it'll need to become a ride park, because they won't be able to keep the animals. Some of them maybe, but in fifty years, there won't be killer whales on display. They also might be losing their dolphins sooner than later. So, it may not be a ride park today, but if Sea World wants to stay in business, it'll need to become one.

 

[JamieCoops]

1) There employers are poorly trained - very rude at times.

2) The shows have become horrifically bad. No excuse for the turd they are producing, the changes are a disgrace.

3) Lack of any real world class attractions in the offering.

 

[JamieCoops]

Except everything they offered last summer during "Electric Ocean" craps all over Disney's attempt at nighttime entertainment/atmosphere. Their Christmas spectaculars continue to surpass anything Disney can ever dream of doing. I will say the new dolphin show is terrible, but their non-animal focused offerings are superb.

Fully agree - that's the bizarre irony, there Christmas offerings and non marine life attractions were bloody brilliant. Loved the market type touch, random christmas instrument players, ice skaters, etc

Need to stop turning the park in Six Flags cheap rides and pointless coasters - the park is losing it's idenity - get back to making quality themed lands around Marine Life - you don't need IP's when you have marine life like Sharks, Dolphins, at your disposal.

They have to get back to making quality shows. Upcharging for every little thing is distasteful too.

 

[joanna71985]

How's that working out? That's why they're in the predicament they're in.

To survive, it'll need to become a ride park, because they won't be able to keep the animals. Some of them maybe, but in fifty years, there won't be killer whales on display. They also might be losing their dolphins sooner than later. So, it may not be a ride park today, but if Sea World wants to stay in business, it'll need to become one.

I think it's working out fine. Especially as I don't go there for the rides- I only go to see the shows (and can easily do that all day)

Also, there is always a chance of the breeding ban being overturned, so there could be whales in 50 years. And why do you think they might be losing the dolphins? There's no reason they would be leaving

 

[lazyboy97o]

I think it's working out fine. Especially as I don't go there for the rides- I only go to see the shows (and can easily do that all day)

Also, there is always a chance of the breeding ban being overturned, so there could be whales in 50 years. And why do you think they might be losing the dolphins? There's no reason they would be leaving

You think bleeding guests and money is working out fine?