Seaworld Shakeup

[matt78]

I wish SEAS had this vision. I mean it's a shame that the orca shows have to end, but I doubt Seas has a vision of how to survive in the 21st century. I feel as though even with Mako and some other improvements wont be enough. My opinion will be that within my lifetime either SEAS will be sold again, or simply will go bankrupt and be shut down. I get that captivity is a bad thing, and it's funny the same people who say that have pet fish, dogs, and cats, isn't that a little ironic that you are keeping once wild domesticated animals in your home. Without having animals on site, SeaWorld will have to go under a new vision. I remember the days when going to seaworld was a lot more fun with family than universal. Sure they brought Harry and a couple other things but remember how boring Uni used to be. I mean I get it youd see the same killer whale do backflips but that was always so cool to see. I remember on hot days wanting to get soaked in the front row. Amazing how within 10 years peoples minds have changed. I hope that a new vision can be sensed wheter it's in the Hospitality courses or by some young kid like me who still has a passion for having great memories and the spirit that made Disney, Uni, and Seas such fun resorts to visit.

It's a given that SeaWorld will be sold again. They are owned by the Blackstone group who buy down and out companies and try to turn them around to resell them at a profit. As far as them closing down I doubt that will happen. Just look at where Universal was when Blackstone owned them and look where they are now. All it will take is a CEO with a passion and a vision to turn SeaWorld around. I think they are on the right track but it is going to take time build the parks back up to their former glory.

 

[Tom Morrow]

AFAIK SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment is no longer owned by Blackstone, though they are still shareholders.

I think SeaWorld can recover from this. Mako will help Orlando a bit and is a relatively inexpensive way to do it. But it will take more than just aggressively showing off their animal care efforts since, even though they've been doing it all along, nay-sayers see it as PR and nothing more.

They'll also need to create unique attraction experiences, and they need to be high quality. Antarctica didn't cut it - it's a a poorly executed ride. It's also time to shut down the embarrassingly bad and outdated Wild Arctic ride and upgrade it, as well as fix up Journey to Atlantis so that 3/4ths of the effects aren't broken.

Oh, and bring their guest service levels up to Disney and Universal's level.

 

[Donald Razorduck]

It's a given that SeaWorld will be sold again. They are owned by the Blackstone group who buy down and out companies and try to turn them around to resell them at a profit. As far as them closing down I doubt that will happen. Just look at where Universal was when Blackstone owned them and look where they are now. All it will take is a CEO with a passion and a vision to turn SeaWorld around. I think they are on the right track but it is going to take time build the parks back up to their former glory.

Uh, why do you think they hired Manby. Don know anything about his background especially at Herschend, purveyors of Silver Dollar City and Dollywood. They are the best overall theme parks not located in a coastal state. He was leading them into the hospitality aspect as well till SEAS came knocking. I disagree with the Ocra decision as it will only stop the OJW's with nothing better to do temporarily. It was always part a greater plan:

http://www.foxnews.com/science/2016...-aim-at-zoos-circuses-and-maybe-your-pet.html

(Watchout Animal Kingdom, Comcast could use this to attack you via it's news divisions for the benefit of it's parks, just like CNN did to SeaWorld to make money off of it's purchase of Blackfish)

Seaworld has great opportunities with the lodging aspect to their parks particularly the BG's. They can take a page straight from the Phantasialand in Germany's playbook. San Antonio has tons of space and it's in a booming state with no real destination theme park. Therw are just two Six Flags that's more babysitter than destinations, although Fiesta might be one of, if not the best ran Six Flags. Talk about opportunity.

 

[matt78]

Uh, why do you think they hired Manby. Don know anything about his background especially at Herschend, purveyors of Silver Dollar City and Dollywood. They are the best overall theme parks not located in a coastal state. He was leading them into the hospitality aspect as well till SEAS came knocking. I disagree with the Ocra decision as it will only stop the OJW's with nothing better to do temporarily. It was always part a greater plan:

http://www.foxnews.com/science/2016...-aim-at-zoos-circuses-and-maybe-your-pet.html

(Watchout Animal Kingdom, Comcast could use this to attack you via it's news divisions for the benefit of it's parks, just like CNN did to SeaWorld to make money off of it's purchase of Blackfish)

Seaworld has great opportunities with the lodging aspect to their parks particularly the BG's. They can take a page straight from the Phantasialand in Germany's playbook. San Antonio has tons of space and it's in a booming state with no real destination theme park. Therw are just two Six Flags that's more babysitter than destinations, although Fiesta might be one of, if not the best ran Six Flags. Talk about opportunity.

I agree with you about the Manby hire. I've never been to any of the Herschend parks but I have heard nothing but good things about them. I just hope he is able to return the parks back to the same standard they had when Busch Entertainment ran the parks.

 

[matt78]

AFAIK SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment is no longer owned by Blackstone, though they are still shareholders.

I think SeaWorld can recover from this. Mako will help Orlando a bit and is a relatively inexpensive way to do it. But it will take more than just aggressively showing off their animal care efforts since, even though they've been doing it all along, nay-sayers see it as PR and nothing more.

They'll also need to create unique attraction experiences, and they need to be high quality. Antarctica didn't cut it - it's a a poorly executed ride. It's also time to shut down the embarrassingly bad and outdated Wild Arctic ride and upgrade it, as well as fix up Journey to Atlantis so that 3/4ths of the effects aren't broken.

Oh, and bring their guest service levels up to Disney and Universal's level.

You're right about Blackstone. I thought they still owned a majority share. I still blame them for getting them into this mess though.

 

[Donald Razorduck]

I agree with you about the Manby hire. I've never been to any of the Herschend parks but I have heard nothing but good things about them. I just hope he is able to return the parks back to the same standard they had when Busch Entertainment ran the parks.

These parks were more of a tax write off/pet project for the Busch family, it was also why they were close to their breweries as a benefit to their employees.

 

[ULPO46]

To say Seas will ever be an image of it's former glory is if the entitled generation realizes how amazing seeing a killer whale jump out of water was. But if seas doesn't go out of business, than I see them get rid of any big animals. I bet e also want to release those Manatees that they hit with their propellers into the wild too. I'm not a Seas supporter I still work and proudly work for TWDC, but I always though of making a move to SeaWorld a park where I spent the majority of my youth at as my mother used to work on the corporate level there. It will take a vision but honestly anyone I ever talk to tells me the same BS story. I wont go or work at Seas as long as I live because they mistreat animals and keep them in captivity. I bet those are the same idiots and sorry to offend anyone but they are, that visit their local Zoo's, Aquariums, and Disney's Animal Kingdom. I wish to someday be able to take the helm at a company like seas, but I doubt you can fix a faulty image. It's like trying to paint Richard M. Nixon as being the best president this nation ever had, but we all remember him for Watergate. Or how Andrew Jackson signed the act for the Trail of Tears yet people are fighting to keep him on the 20. You will always have people who will hate SeaWorld, but then you will have people like me who have owned annual passes for life, that will always love the place that had the best gardens.