At a tourism event in Los Angeles today, SeaWorld Orlando park execs revealed a few new details about Antarctica – Empire of the Penguin, the park’s 2013 new attraction:
- 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. Each car seats eight guests.
- Guests will be introduced to a new SeaWorld star – a young gentoo penguin. The young gentoo becomes the ride’s guide and leads guests on an exciting journey through the dangers and wondrous beauty of the Antarctic.
- 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.
- 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.
- The footprint for Antarctica – Empire of the Penguin is the biggest of any expansion at a SeaWorld or Busch Gardens park. Park execs consider Antarctica – Empire of the Penguin an all-new “realm,” rather than a single attraction. Antarctica’s scope includes the ride, penguin habitat, gift shop and restaurant.
Background for Antarctica – Empire of the Penguin:
Through the years, SeaWorld Orlando has taken guests to far-flung corners of the globe, immersing them in the character and feel of 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.
Guests will 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, first-of-its-kind family adventure.
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.
It’s an all-family experience that could only come from SeaWorld and can only be found at SeaWorld Orlando. “Only SeaWorld and its parks can take you on these journeys or bring these experiences to you,” said Terry Prather, SeaWorld Orlando’s president. “We’re excited about what the future holds for our parks and our fans.”
More details can be found at www.SeaWorldOrlando.com.
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