Aquatica, boasting more waterslides than any other waterpark in Orlando, offers something fun for everyone with high-speed adventures that get hearts racing, kid-friendly water play areas, a vibrant selection of dining experiences, and white-sand beaches offering the perfect spot to relax. Modified with enhanced health and safety protocols, each park experience includes increased cleaning and sanitation, temperature checks, face covering requirements, and limited capacity. 

“We are thrilled to introduce Riptide Race, an experience you won’t find anywhere else in Florida. Aquatica is the first waterpark in the state to have a dueling racer and we know our guests are going to love the fun of challenging their friends and family in a race to the finish,” said Kyle Miller, Park President. “Riptide Race is the perfect addition to our attraction portfolio, complementing what is already one of the most family-friendly waterslide lineups in Orlando. Health and safety continue to be a top priority for our parks, and we can’t wait to see our guests enjoy this new ride.”

About Riptide Race

Riptide Race is the world’s tallest dueling racer waterslide. Starting atop a 68-foot tower, riders grab a two-person raft before racing along the 650-foot slide—with low walls, so they can keep an eye on their opponents. It’s a dash to the splash as guests compete in this side-by-side raft run through high-speed tunnels, twists, and turns. Riptide Race features a height requirement of 42 inches to appeal to families with children. Riptide Race was originally slated to open in 2020 but due to Covid closures, the opening was delayed.

For ticket info, park hours and safety precautions please visit the Aquatica website.

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As the theme parks plan to reopen, those plans will include enhanced health and safety protocols for cleaning and sanitizing, physical distancing, face covering requirements, and temperature screening, as well as a focus on contactless payments. A new online reservation system will also help manage capacity so that guests can enjoy a safe and fun experience while maintaining physical distancing. The phased reopening plan was approved by the State of Florida.

In their announcement, SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc.’s interim CEO Mark Swanson, thanked Governor Desantis, Orange County Mayor Demings, Orlando Mayor Dyer, The Members of the Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force, Tampa Mayor Castor, and Hillsborough County Administrator Merrill for their support of tourism in Central Florida as they prepare to open their Central Florida Parks.

Over the past two months, we have worked with state and local health officials, third party medical and epidemiology experts, and attraction industry leaders to enhance our strict health, safety, and cleanliness standards. We are committed to the health and safety of our guests, employees, and animals in our care, and will continue to follow the guidance from health officials as conditions evolve

Mark Swanson interim CEO SeaWorld Entertainment Inc.

Online Reservation System

To help manage capacity to maintain physical distancing within the parks, all parks will require advance online reservations. Guests will be asked to visit the reservation pages of park websites (listed below) where reservations will be required to guarantee entry given anticipated demand. Reservations will be available starting at 10:00AM ET on June 8, 2020.

All guests with existing tickets, Fun Cards, or Annual Passes must make a reservation using this system in advance in order to manage park capacity and maintain physical distancing so you can enjoy your day. They have reserved daily capacity for their valued Pass Members and Fun Card holders. Once you receive your reservation confirmation via email, you must bring that confirmation along with your single-day ticket, Fun Card, or Annual Pass to enter the park.

You do not need to use this system if you already purchased a date-specific single-day ticket.

• SeaWorld Orlando
• Aquatica Orlando
• Discovery Cove
• Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
• Adventure Island

Park Hours

I took a look at all 5 park’s hours for June-August of 2020. What I found is that each park will be closed at least 2 days a week throughout the summer months.

• SeaWorld Orlando 10am-6pm closed Tuesday and Wednesday
• Aquatica Orlando 10am-5pm closed Monday and Wednesday
• Discovery Cove hours not listed closed Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday
• Busch Gardens Tampa Bay 10am-6pm closed Tuesday and Wednesday
• Adventure Island 10am-6pm closed Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday

Animal Interactions

All animal exhibits will be open at SeaWorld Orlando. Line queues, viewing area, exhibit capacity and guest flow through exhibits may be adjusted or modified to maintain physical distancing. Guests will be able to enjoy presentations with modified seating to follow physical distancing measures; certain schedules and formats may be temporarily adjusted to maintain physical distancing requirements. For a list of temporary changes, please visit the park website.

As part of modified operational plans built into the Discovery Cove re-opening timeline, certain components of animal meet-and-greets will be temporarily modified or unavailable. A special beach side dolphin presentation will be available to Discovery Cove guests with Signature Dolphin Swim reservations in lieu of the fully immersive experience to help maintain physical distancing. 

In all open animal viewing spaces at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, they will add markings to queues to indicate required distancing. Certain animal interactions will be modified and only tours allowing for physical distancing will operate. Some tours and interactions will be restricted to one-party at a time.

When will You Visit a Central Florida Theme Park?

I am not a passholder to any of these 5 parks so, unless there is a media event, I won’t be visiting any time soon. I could really enjoy a day at any of these parks though. I have a work event on June 11th so I wouldn’t be able to be at any of the re-openings any way.

It’s ok though. I am just happy that the Central Florida theme parks plan to reopen in the near future and the travel business is starting to come alive again.

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Starting atop a 68-foot tower, riders will be able to grab a raft and take their mark in side-by-side racing lanes at top speeds. Each raft holds a team of two, so every rider will have a partner as they plunge toward a hopeful victory. Plus, Riptide Race rafts feature low walls to ensure full view of the competition. Dueling face-to-face, racers will navigate tight loops and accelerations through indoor and outdoor sections. It’s a marathon to the finish through nearly 650 feet of splashing slide!

“Riptide Race will offer a ride experience you won’t be able to get anywhere else in Florida. Aquatica will be the first waterpark in the state to have a thrilling, and more importantly, dueling water slide,” said David Heaton, Aquatica Orlando vice president. “Riptide Race is the perfect addition to our attraction portfolio, complementing what is already one of the most family friendly waterslide lineups in Orlando.”

Riptide Race will have a height requirement of 42 inches to appeal to families with children. The new slide will be conveniently located on the north side of the park next to Banana Beach Cook Out.

The best way to experience Aquatica is with an Aquatica Orlando Annual Pass or Fun Card. Guests can become Aquatica Annual Pass holders for as little as $9.25 per month, offer ends December 3, and enjoy 12 months of visits and receive park benefits and rewards including FREE parking, priority access to ride Riptide Race in 2020, in-park discounts and much more. Or, guests can purchase a Fun Card which provides unlimited access to the park for the entire 2020 operating season for only $76.99 – Buy a Fun Card now and get the rest of the 2019 operating season for FREE¹. For more information, visit AquaticaOrlando.com.

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Commemorative activities and offers are planned throughout 2019 as a part of Busch Gardens Tampa Bay’s 60th Celebration – including the return of two complimentary beer samples included in park admission. At Garden Gate Café or Serengeti Overlook Pub, guests age 21 and older can enjoy two complimentary samples each park visit in 2019, going back the park’s roots as a beer garden when it first opened in 1959. While the beer samples are available for all adult guests at the park in 2019, only pass members will receive this EXCLUSIVE benefit during the month of October 2018 as a preview of the 60th Celebration.

Busch Gardens introduced a new tiered annual pass program including Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum passes. The Annual Passes do not require a down payment and for a limited time, introductory prices start as low as $9.99 per month for Florida residents. Guests can pick the Pass with the benefits they want most, pick their parks, then gear up for a calendar full of special events plus exciting new attractions coming in 2019.

•  BRONZE PASS | Flexibility equals savings. While some blockout dates apply, guests save on parking, dining, and more.
• SILVER PASS | Membership made easy. Unlimited admission, free parking, one free guest ticket, and extra benefits.
• GOLD PASS | Big savings, best value. Save more with free preferred parking, two free guest tickets, bigger discounts, plus valuable extras like a free animal encounter, free annual PhotoKey and more.
• PLATINUM PASS | The ultimate way to play and save. Add unlimited admission to 11 SeaWorld and Busch Gardens Parks nationwide, free ride-again privileges, reserved show seating and more.

PASS MEMBER EXCLUSIVE: Pass members at Busch Gardens have much to look forward to in 2019 with the recent announcement of TigrisTM, Florida’s tallest launch coaster, opening next spring. An innovative triple launch coaster, Tigris will catapult riders through an exhilarating array of looping twists with forward and backward motion, breath-taking drops, a 150-foot skyward surge, and an inverted heartline roll, all at more than 60 miles per hour. Pass members will have EXCLUSIVE RIDE TIME when Tigris opens in spring of 2019.

For 2019, the best value for Floridians is the NEW FLORIDA PARKS PASS, which includes admission to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, Adventure Island, SeaWorld Orlando and Aquatica Orlando. With the opening of Infinity Falls at SeaWorld Orlando and a new waterslide, KareKare Curl, coming to Aquatica, 2019 will be an exciting year to experience everything new at all of the Florida parks. Full details and benefits for each pass are available online at BuschGardensTampa.com

In addition to a new thrill ride in 2019, Busch Gardens offers 52 weeks of seasonal events for a full year of fun, including the following fan-favorites:

• Real Music. Real Masters. – Monday – Saturday January 7 – March 16
• Sesame Street Safari of Fun Kids’ Weekends – Select dates throughout 2019
• Food & Wine Festival – Saturdays & Sundays March 16 – April 28
• Summer Nights –May 31 – August 10
• Christmas Town – November 23 – December 31

To learn more about construction updates, new events and future announcements, fans can follow the park’s blog or join the social conversation by following @BuschGardens on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Opening this spring, Ray Rush is where family and friends can take on three exciting thrills as they slide, splash and soar like never before. First, riders will be launched with water jets designed to propel rafts into the first of several enclosed tube sections. Next, riders will swirl into the giant translucent sphere. Finally, riders will drop into an open-air halfpipe that resembles the shape of a manta ray. Rafts will soar back and forth on the wings of the manta before entering the final enclosed tube section that ends with a splash.

Aquatica, SeaWorld’s Waterpark announced the addition of Ray Rush this past October. The new attraction promises to be a fully-loaded water adventure which will combine unique slide elements, never before seen at Aquatica, into one action-packed attraction the entire family can enjoy together. Ray Rush will have a height requirement of 42” to appeal to families with children.

The best way to experience Aquatica is with an Aquatica Orlando Annual Pass. For a limited-time, Florida residents can purchase an Aquatica Orlando Annual Pass for only $10 per month with EZpay. Aquatica Pass Members enjoy unlimited admission and free parking as well as discounts and the opportunity to be among the first to ride Ray Rush when it opens in spring 2018. For more information, visit AquaticaOrlando.com. I am looking forward to riding Ray Rush this spring!

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At nearly 60 feet tall, Ray Rush is where family and friends can take on three exciting thrills as they slide, splash and soar like never before. First, riders will be launched at 33 feet per second with water jets designed to propel rafts into the first of several enclosed tube sections. Next, riders will swirl into a colossal translucent sphere which spins the raft around the slide walls before entering another enclosed tube section. Finally, riders will drop into an open-air halfpipe that resembles the shape of a manta ray. Rafts will soar back and forth on the wings of the manta before entering the final enclosed tube section that ends with a splash.

“Ray Rush will offer a ride experience you won’t be able to get anywhere else in Florida. Aquatica will be the first waterpark in the state to combine these three unique elements into one attraction” said Cathy Valeriano, Aquatica Orlando vice president. “Ray Rush is the perfect addition to our attraction portfolio, complementing what is already one of the most family-friendly waterslide lineups in Orlando.”

Ray Rush will have a height requirement of 42” to appeal to families with children and will accommodate up to four riders per raft. The new slide will be located on the north side of the park next to Walkabout Waters.

In order to make way for the new attraction, HooRoo Run will close permanently on October 31, 2017. To accommodate construction, Walhalla Wave will temporarily close on this date and re-open in spring 2018 alongside Ray Rush. For a limited-time, Aquatica Pass Members will receive a one-time Quick Queue to ride both HooRoo Run and Walhalla Wave on select days in October before construction begins in November.

The best way to experience Aquatica is with an Aquatica Orlando Annual Pass. For a limited-time, Florida residents can purchase an Aquatica Orlando Annual Pass for only $10 per month with EZpay. Aquatica Pass Members enjoy unlimited admission and free parking as well as discounts and the opportunity to be among the first to ride Ray Rush when it opens in spring 2018. For more information, visit AquaticaOrlando.com.

Assemble your squad and get ready to turn up the fun at Aquatica in 2018. Join the #RayRush conversation using #SplashSquad2018.

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Discovery Cove Vacations, a new online booking tool, allows guests to design a custom-tailored package that meets their specific travel needs. All packages start with a day at Discovery Cove, an all-inclusive resort park best known for its dolphin swim experience. Once they’ve planned their visit, guests can add a hotel stay in one of 16 partner hotels, many within walking distance.

All packages include unlimited admission to SeaWorld Orlando® and Aquatica, SeaWorld’s Waterpark, for 14 consecutive days around the date of the reservation, as well as reserved seating at SeaWorld’s inspiring shows, 10% off dining and merchandise purchases in the park, early park access on select days, and one Cup that Cares, a build-your-own personalized penguin-shaped character cup available exclusively at SeaWorld’s Antarctica – Empire of the Penguin. In addition, guests who chose any of the Official Hotels of SeaWorld also receive front-of-line access on rides, complimentary transportation to the parks, and access to the exclusive SeaWorld Rescue Tour, a behind-the-scenes look at SeaWorld’s rescue and rehabilitation facilities. All hotels also offer a fifth night free.

photo courtesy of Discovery Cove

With so many package extras, the average savings for a family of four is as much as $400.

“One of the biggest benefits of booking a vacation with us is the level of trust guests can have in the process,” said Toni Caracciolo, vice president of marketing and sales for SeaWorld Parks & Resorts. “Our partner hotels offer a wide range of price points and amenities, and they all maintain the same level of quality and customer service guests have come to expect from our parks. It’s like having a local friend guide you to all the best places while you’re in town.”

Discovery Cove is a one-of-a kind, highly interactive marine park where guests swim with bottlenose dolphins, snorkel among thousands of tropical fish and rays, and play in a fresh-water river. The all-inclusive day resort also has an on-site aviary where guests hand-feed exotic birds.

photo courtesy of Discovery Cove

Guests can help themselves throughout the day to freshly prepared meals like sweet Hawaiian chicken, fire-grilled fish and burgers, summer salads and homemade mac-and-cheese. Snacks as well as beer, wine and frozen daiquiris are available all-day to guests.

Wetsuits, snorkel gear, showers and changing facilities, towels, lockers and environmentally safe sunscreen are complimentary. Private cabanas with hammocks, lounge chairs and a well-stocked fridge are available for an additional fee.

To book a Discovery Cove Vacation or get additional information, go to DiscoveryCove.com/Vacations.

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Choose Your Adventure Ticket-SeaWorld, Aquatica, Busch Gardens, Adventure Island

The NEW “Choose Your Adventure” ticket option simplifies vacation planning so guests can enjoy multiple visits to four of the Sunshine State’s most popular theme parks. The program allows guests to customize their ideal itinerary AND receive substantial savings for each additional park or visit — the more you visit, the more you save.

Guests can create their own favorite theme park adventure across the following four parks: SeaWorld Orlando, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, Aquatica Orlando and Adventure Island Tampa Bay.

For example, when tickets are purchased in advance, online, special prices are as low as:

• One visit to any park – $79 (ticket must be used within 1 year of purchase)
• Two visits to any of the parks – $99 (first visit must be within 1 year of purchase-second visit must be within 6 months of first visit)
• Three visits to any of the parks – $109 (first visit must be within 1 year of purchase-second & third visits must be within 6 months of first visit)
• For the ultimate adventure deal — the new Length-of-Stay ticket provides 14 consecutive days of unlimited adventure to all four of the popular Florida theme parks, along with free parking at each, for one low price of $139. That’s $9.93 cents per day!

Additional Florida Resident Deals for SeaWorld and Busch Gardens

There also are new values for Florida residents who are looking to visit all year long, with incentives for purchasing early in the year.

• Annual Pass: The best value at SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is the Annual Pass with unlimited admission all year, free parking, no blockout dates and special benefits. NEW this year for Pass Members are enhanced Instant Rewards – a 12-month calendar of exclusive offerings each month such as discounts, ticket offers and free gifts. With a new reward each month, there is incentive to purchase early and enjoy the full year of offers. With EZ Pay, Annual Passes start at just $14 per month for one park, and $18 per month for both parks.
• SeaWorld Orlando “Preschool Card”: For a limited time, SeaWorld Orlando will offer kids ages five and younger a FREE Preschool Card valid for unlimited admission through December 31, 2016. Cards must be registered online and redeemed in the park by May 27, 2016.
• Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and Adventure Island “BOGO Fun Card”: Now through February 29, guests who buy a Fun Card to Busch Gardens also will receive a FREE Fun Card to Adventure Island.

To learn more about the new ticket offers visit SeaWorldOrlando.com or BuschGardensTampa.com and join the conversation with @BuschGardens, @SeaWorld on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

If you plan on visiting any of the SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. Florida properties in the next year, these are great deals! I’m actually considering the Three day ticket for $109 we could get a day at SeaWorld a day at Busch Gardens and a day at Aquatica all within the next year and a half for $36.33 a day! You can’t beat that price for 3 different parks.

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SeaWorld Summer Nights

From June 20 – August 8, SeaWorld features Summer Nights, where families can stay later for more thrills and laughs. Nightly festivities include:

• Celebrate America Concert Series – Every Saturday and Sunday guests can enjoy all-American performances by a variety of artists and genres at this all-new summer concert series. The celebration of America continues throughout the park with all-American food and daily happy hours. Plus, pass holders can enjoy a complimentary sample of a tasty brew. Concerts will take place in the Nautilus Theater and are included with park admission. **No bands have been announced yet!
• Clyde & Seamore’s Sea Lion High – Turn up the laughs with nighttime showings of this all-new sea lion comedy adventure. Full of fun and big personalities of sea lions, walruses and otters, the show takes place in an aquatic-themed high school where laughter and education go hand in hand (er, flipper).
• Shamu’s Celebration: Light Up The Night – Experience this returning fan-favorite, a high-energy show featuring original music, amazing production elements and see SeaWorld’s majestic killer whales. Shamu Stadium will transform with stylistic lighting and colorful backdrops to create a social and celebratory atmosphere ending with a fireworks finale spectacle.
• Late-Night Thrills –SeaWorld’s thrill rides are a whole different experience when the sun goes down. Guests can experience Kraken, a thrilling roller coaster, and Manta, a facedown, headfirst roller coaster where riders can skim, glide and fly like a manta ray, and many more.

Aquatica Island Nights

Beginning July 3, Aquatica heats things up with Island Nights presented by Coca-Cola® – an all-new beach party taking place every Friday and Saturday through August 8 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Guests can enjoy live DJs, dancing on the beach and an evening menu sizzlin’ with flavor at Waterstone Grill. All included with park admission to Aquatica.

Best Way to Play

The best way to experience Summer Nights and Island Nights is with an Annual Pass offering unlimited general admission and free parking to the parks all year long. Florida residents can purchase an annual pass with EZPay, a convenient payment option starting at $16 per month for both parks. Pass holders can enjoy a variety of other perks, including discounts on food and beverage and savings on admission to Discovery Cove.

For more information, park hours and to purchase tickets, visit SeaWorldOrlando.com. Follow SeaWorld on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the latest Summer Nights and Island Nights information including concert line-up. Join the conversation with #SeaWorld and #SummerNights.

Mom Maven’s Thoughts

It has been a few years since I have been to Summer Nights at SeaWorld. Last time I was at that event the Shamu show was Shamu Rocks!, which we loved. It has been almost 5 years since we have visited Aquatica, but I will tell you that visiting a water park at night is a very cool experience. Will you be adding either of these events to your summer must-do list?

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“We serve millions of guests each year and are committed to provide each a great experience. For families with allergen concerns, we understand how challenging it can be to safely dine out, especially while on vacation,” said Jim Atchison, President and Chief Executive Officer of SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. “Our new initiatives ‘serve up’ a family experience that everyone can enjoy.”

The company partnered with the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) to educate and train more than 6,000 culinary employees to assist guests with allergen needs. With more than 22,000 members worldwide, FAAN is a trusted source of information, programs, and resources related to food allergy and anaphylaxis.

The new initiatives include:

• Increased personal attention to ensure the safety of each meal. Park restaurant managers and supervisors will work one-on-one with guests and oversee the preparation of each allergen-friendly meal from start to finish. “Chef Cards,” filled out in advance by guests to outline the foods to avoid, are handed to a chef before the preparation of the meal.
• All park restaurants are equipped and trained to take care of guests with allergen needs.

• More menu options, ranging from gluten-free pizza to an allergen-friendly Shamu-shaped chocolate bar, enhance the experience for dining guests. For those on the go, the parks also provide prepackaged snacks such as cookies from companies that specialize in allergen-friendly foods including Divvies and Gluten Free to Go.
• To help guests plan, detailed information on allergen-friendly services and helpful safety tips can be found online at each park’s web site. Guests can also download the Chef Cards and fill it out prior to their visit. At the parks, in-park educational handouts are available.

“We commend SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment for implementing a comprehensive food allergy training program, which we were pleased to help carry out,” said John Lehr, FAAN’s Chief Executive Officer. “Families often exhaustively research vacation options that will keep their loved ones with food allergies safe. SeaWorld has taken extra steps to educate its employees about the risks that families managing food allergies face on a daily basis.”

For more information on the parks’ allergen-free efforts visit www.seaworld.com, www.buschgardens.com and www.sesameplace.com. For additional resources about food allergies from FAAN, visit www.foodallergy.org.

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