According to Screamscape, big announcements are coming later today. Interestingly enough, Joel Manby is going to talk tomorrow as well, November 6. SWP&E Announcements 11/5
SeaWorld Parks Announcements 11/5/15
- Thread starter Jonathan S
- Start date
Today's call was pretty mundane to be honest. It sounds like Monday's webcast is the one to watch.
Only thing i could find for today's announcement is SeaWorld to end killer whale shows in San Diego...
http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2015/11/09/seaworld-killer-whales-orca-shows/75461780/
Edit... My finance news feed is starting to come alive for SEAS...
Looking at building resorts/hotels at its theme parks...
http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/blog/2015/11/breaking-seaworld-considering-hotel-resort.html?ana=yahoo
Behind the Thrills has today's presentation on their site...
http://behindthethrills.com/2015/11/seaworld-sets-the-bar-high-for-future-of-the-parks-with-massive-presentation/
http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2015/11/09/seaworld-killer-whales-orca-shows/75461780/
Edit... My finance news feed is starting to come alive for SEAS...
Looking at building resorts/hotels at its theme parks...
http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/blog/2015/11/breaking-seaworld-considering-hotel-resort.html?ana=yahoo
Behind the Thrills has today's presentation on their site...
http://behindthethrills.com/2015/11/seaworld-sets-the-bar-high-for-future-of-the-parks-with-massive-presentation/
So, the gist of those videos is that animal conservation is the central theme at SeaWorld Parks. It is really too bad that BGW has systematically removed its animal exhibits over the past few years. It turns out that the animals are in fact more important to the mission than glitter and expensive projector systems.
Maybe BGW will be forced to focus more on Zoology and less on...other departments in the future.
Also, I love the new ride concepts.
Maybe BGW will be forced to focus more on Zoology and less on...other departments in the future.
Also, I love the new ride concepts.
I can't help but wonder if this ride is foreshadowing a merger with the unrelated Sea World in Australia. They have a ride that looks almost exactly like this. Naturally, I still expect something slightly more from this ride.
I would love for Williamsburg to put more emphasis in their Zoological Department, but I don't know if it's feasible. With the amount of room needed for an on-site animal hospital, and other amenities, they might have to re-work the entire park infrastructure.
Tampa is about equal parts zoo and theme park. If Williamsburg went that route, we might need to take any of our dreams for new lands, and kiss them goodbye. Although I love the animals, I don't think it's worth the risk of entering an possibly crumbling niche (according to former CEO, Jim Atchison).
I would love for Williamsburg to put more emphasis in their Zoological Department, but I don't know if it's feasible. With the amount of room needed for an on-site animal hospital, and other amenities, they might have to re-work the entire park infrastructure.
Tampa is about equal parts zoo and theme park. If Williamsburg went that route, we might need to take any of our dreams for new lands, and kiss them goodbye. Although I love the animals, I don't think it's worth the risk of entering an possibly crumbling niche (according to former CEO, Jim Atchison).
Nicole said:
Other than the Penguins, which was a seasonal exhibit and was more of an attraction than anything, the park hasn't removed any animal exhibits since the AB era. IIRC, the last animal exhibit that the park removed that wasn't seasonal was the petting zoo. That was a very long time ago. That's not to say they haven't removed animals off of park property, but most of those were behind the scenes nearly 100% of the time. In fact exhibit-wise the past few years have brought many new exhibits; For example, the highland cattle, the barn owl, Aquila, the chickens at Highland Stables, the snake beside the conservation station.
Anyways, I would definitely enjoy an expansion of the zoology department at BGW, but as COS said, it's up to the park and company to determine if it's going to be feasible. Honestly, I do not need a huge zoology department like BGT, or the other SEAS parks, I would be more than happy with more additions of small, secluded animal exhibits dispersed around the park. To me, it's really the small things that count, things that can liven up less populated areas of the park. I make it a priority to see Aquila almost everytime I go by her habitat, and the highland cattle are hard to miss. Those type of animal exhibits are very charming, and definitely compliment the park, I really want more of that.
The raw number of animal exhibits has not been reduced. What has been reduced are BGW's on-site rehabilitation efforts and their own onsite collection of ambassador animals- two things that seem to be heavily highlighted as primary goals by the news SEAS CEO in the videos above.
While Matthew's point is technically, factually correct about the number of animal exhibits (note: not animals on exhibit or animals at the park), I don't think that directly partains to what Joel is talking about in regards to SEAS new public image. Rehabilitation and conservation seem to be two points that Joel is pushing very, very hard- much harder than specifically displaying animals in the parks.
While Matthew's point is technically, factually correct about the number of animal exhibits (note: not animals on exhibit or animals at the park), I don't think that directly partains to what Joel is talking about in regards to SEAS new public image. Rehabilitation and conservation seem to be two points that Joel is pushing very, very hard- much harder than specifically displaying animals in the parks.
We are splitting hairs here.
My point was that BGW's recent priorities have not been in line with the animal conservation mission, and hopefully (for me) that will have to change now.
My point was that BGW's recent priorities have not been in line with the animal conservation mission, and hopefully (for me) that will have to change now.
I wasn't disagreeing with Joel's vision in any way. I do think it could be easily implemented at BGW.
I've always thought the Conservation Station was a lame attempt at having a good display for all the animal ambassadors. I think what BGW really needs, is to replace that with something similar to the SEAS Garden at Seaworld. However, I wouldn't put it in the Conservation Station's current area, that is way too small. I would just replace the Conservation Station with a small animal exhibit. Then, the park should look elsewhere to build their own version of the SEAS Garden, where they can have a large space to display the ambassadors they currently have, and will be able to acquire in the future. Start an educational department, and have employees throughout talking about the animals, and some of them could even go to other animal habitats in the park and talk about them.
I still want smaller animal exhibits disperesed around the park. My main concern is whether or not corporate will push this view on BGW as much as they will the Seaworld-branded parks, which is why I have some doubts on whether or not things will change in the first place.
I've always thought the Conservation Station was a lame attempt at having a good display for all the animal ambassadors. I think what BGW really needs, is to replace that with something similar to the SEAS Garden at Seaworld. However, I wouldn't put it in the Conservation Station's current area, that is way too small. I would just replace the Conservation Station with a small animal exhibit. Then, the park should look elsewhere to build their own version of the SEAS Garden, where they can have a large space to display the ambassadors they currently have, and will be able to acquire in the future. Start an educational department, and have employees throughout talking about the animals, and some of them could even go to other animal habitats in the park and talk about them.
I still want smaller animal exhibits disperesed around the park. My main concern is whether or not corporate will push this view on BGW as much as they will the Seaworld-branded parks, which is why I have some doubts on whether or not things will change in the first place.
I think understand now what some of you are saying about the animals. You're saying that rather than just adding animal exhibits, highlight conservation, right? I think an area for animal rehabilitation would be awesome, but it's also very costly.
As of now, I don't know what the park is able to do, if anything. I would love to think that they could rescue any local animal and nurse it back to health. But to my understanding, they don't currently have any of those capabilities.
Perhaps they need to do this in order to push their message. However, right now, Williamsburg is perhaps the least of their concerns. I think small, baby steps are fine. But installing rehab centers, hiring new teams, etc. are definitely long-term goals. That is, if they do any of that at all.
As of now, I don't know what the park is able to do, if anything. I would love to think that they could rescue any local animal and nurse it back to health. But to my understanding, they don't currently have any of those capabilities.
Perhaps they need to do this in order to push their message. However, right now, Williamsburg is perhaps the least of their concerns. I think small, baby steps are fine. But installing rehab centers, hiring new teams, etc. are definitely long-term goals. That is, if they do any of that at all.
But has conservation ever truly been a priority at BGW? I understand that it is a SeaWorld park, and that conservation is a stated mission of the brand, but I have trouble making the logical jump from an Old Europe-themed park to a conservation-centered park. While animals have always been present at BGW, they have never been a focal point of the park to the extent of its sister in Tampa and the three SeaWorld parks. Heck, until the last decade the park's single largest offering of animals was a petting zoo.
Outside of Jack Hanna's Wild Reserve, I feel that a heavier push on the conservation image would come off as forced, and that it would infringe on the European theming with which the park was designed. I welcome more animal encounters with open arms, especially thematically appropriate ones like the Highland Cattle, so do not get me wrong. But I struggle to see how the "animal conservation mission" could be more thoroughly expressed throughout the park without detracting from the non-animal aspects of the park. The Wild Reserve is a great fit for such a theme, but personally, I think the area is already well complemented with the stated mission of conservation.
In my opinion, BGW is not an animal park. Sure, it has and has always had animals interspersed throughout the park. But I have never visited the park with the sole goal of viewing the animals (the zoo would probably fulfill that desire more thoroughly), and unlike its African-themed sister, BGW was not designed with the focus of showcasing animals.
As such, I don't think every Seaworld park necessarily needs to make conservation a priority, just because it is a mission statement of the brand. I would not expect to see a heavy hand in conservation at Sesame Place or Water Country USA, and frankly, I do not expect it at BGW either.
I truly think BGW does an excellent job with their current setup of animal care and conservation. I think SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment has bigger fish to fry at the moment.
But that is just me.
Outside of Jack Hanna's Wild Reserve, I feel that a heavier push on the conservation image would come off as forced, and that it would infringe on the European theming with which the park was designed. I welcome more animal encounters with open arms, especially thematically appropriate ones like the Highland Cattle, so do not get me wrong. But I struggle to see how the "animal conservation mission" could be more thoroughly expressed throughout the park without detracting from the non-animal aspects of the park. The Wild Reserve is a great fit for such a theme, but personally, I think the area is already well complemented with the stated mission of conservation.
In my opinion, BGW is not an animal park. Sure, it has and has always had animals interspersed throughout the park. But I have never visited the park with the sole goal of viewing the animals (the zoo would probably fulfill that desire more thoroughly), and unlike its African-themed sister, BGW was not designed with the focus of showcasing animals.
As such, I don't think every Seaworld park necessarily needs to make conservation a priority, just because it is a mission statement of the brand. I would not expect to see a heavy hand in conservation at Sesame Place or Water Country USA, and frankly, I do not expect it at BGW either.
I truly think BGW does an excellent job with their current setup of animal care and conservation. I think SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment has bigger fish to fry at the moment.
But that is just me.
You guys are right. In fact I think to enhance the theme, we should kill the wolves and hang their pelts up in the Festhaus. We can also hook the horses up to plows and use them around the park. Naturally, we will want to eat the birds.
Then we can use all of that space being wasted in the Wild Reserve on a wing coaster themed to a fox hunt.
Then we can use all of that space being wasted in the Wild Reserve on a wing coaster themed to a fox hunt.
Nicole said:
Winnie the pig and Buckbeak the goose from More Pet Shenanigans would make quite a delicious olde fashioned European Christmas dinner, don't you think?