State of the Park: SeaWorld San Diego

[Wild Atlantis]

I want to rant about Seaworld San Diego’s maintenance or lack of I don’t know if this is an issue at other Seaworld parks but in San Diego it is becoming a problem. Emperors trains look dilapidated. and worn down same with electric eel at turtle reef the interactive screen has been broken for years now and half the controllers are missing from the interactive game. At Arctic rescue the led board above the station broke like a month after the Ride opened and it’s still broken over at manta the water cannons are still broken at Atlantis there are a ton of broken effects in the sky Tower and Penguin encounter the glass is filthy and it is hard to see the penguins and there’s more around the park that I did not mention. I just want to draw attention to an issue that i noticed has been getting worse over time.

 

[Nicole]

It isn't a problem unique to SWSD. The issues you describe have been identified at other PRKS parks, as well. In fact, there are at least two threads devoted to the topic in the BGW sub-forum. A lot of people share your frustration, I believe.

 

[Thatguyoverwhere]

I've noticed these issues as well, and it irks me because it seems like the park simply doesn't care. Practically anything involving a screen seems to be perpetually broken or on the verge of breaking. Shark encounter and Wild Arctic look like they haven't been maintained in years. Almost none of the effects on JTA, or even the lighting and misters surrounding the ride, are working. The new entrance is filled with mismatched pavement where the old structures used to be. Old faded-out signs can be found all over the park. So many little things like this really degrade the overall perceived quality of the park.

 

[Wild Atlantis]

After my most recent visit, I want to comment that they no longer play pop music throughout the park and have switched to what sounds like an original score.

 

[Wild Atlantis]

I noticed after my recent visits that there has been a massive improvement in the park's cleanliness, landscaping, and animal exhibits in almost all of the park's exhibits. There are new informative signs, changes in the animal habitats like the Humboldt penguins moving on display in the old sea otter exhibit, and otters moving to a larger wild Arctic home, and new shade structures were built over the dolphin tank, along with the shark encounter getting its renovations. The landscaping around the park is being improved and changed, with the area around Jules of the Sea being well landscaped and fitting into the rest of the park. And on the ride end journey to Atlantis is getting its big refit, Manta got repainted and its projectors replaced, and shipwreck rapids are getting some long-lost effects restored. There has also been an improvement in the parks events with new live shows and higher quality decor. just in general have just noticed a massive improvement in the park experience and how the park is run.

 

[Zachary]

I don't know when you started noticing a change, but I was floored by how well taken care of much of the park was looking in early March. Given the state of landscaping , cleanliness, staffing, paint, etc it hardly even felt like a United Parks property. Did I just happen to go during a miraculous upswing?

Either way, I'm glad the park is being taken care of. It's a beautiful park in a beautiful location.

 

[Tally_Coaster_Fan]

We have talked quite a bit on the forums about United Parks adding extra fees to various purchases, so I thought I would share what happened with my visit.

On Wednesday, I went to this park for the first time. I bought my ticket online and was shocked to see there was no online service fee (which is pretty typical for theme parks). Not sure if it is true, but one of my friends said it was because California regulates when businesses can charge extra fees. Either way, it was refreshing not having an extra fee added onto the cost of my ticket. A screenshot summary of the ticket is below:




I also agree with the prior comments about the condition of the park. The park looked very well taken care of and we had a great time here.

 

[Wild Atlantis]

Some new updates from around the park
New signage next to an aquarium new toys in the wild arctic sea otter exhibit a view of the abandoned tide pool tanks the wild arctic ice wall is gone a view of the new Ish Humboldt penguin exhibit. and a new stage is being built near emperor.

 

[Wild Atlantis]

Not a good start to the summer for Seaworld journey to Atlantis had its opening delayed, emperor penguins removed, Arctic rescue and all of the other Straddle coasters are closed due to an unknown reason, operations on the open coasters are horrible, food stands are closed and portions have been decreased, the animal exhibits all seem dirty, and the parks general maintenance seems worse. I think that the park was moving in a good direction but this and probably next summer will not be a good time to visit

 

[Thatguyoverwhere]

Anyone know what's going on with the Sky Tower? For at least a year now it's been running at half capacity (top level only) and the lake around it has been drained.

Unrelated, but I have to say I love that they've switched from playing bland pop songs to actual thematic music throughout the park. It significantly boosts the atmosphere even in spots that aren't well themed.

 

[Wild Atlantis]

Anyone know what's going on with the Sky Tower? For at least a year now it's been running at half capacity (top level only) and the lake around it has been drained.

Unrelated, but I have to say I love that they've switched from playing bland pop songs to actual thematic music throughout the park. It significantly boosts the atmosphere even in spots that aren't well themed.

The bottom of the tower is only run on the busiest days of the year and its kept empty because they don’t wanna staff it no clue what’s happening with the pond and they switched from the pop music early this year and it is a massive improvement.

 

[Wild Atlantis]

Here is a list of all the broken effects and theming elements in the park, organized by attraction and the last time they were functional.

(Explorers Reef)
1. Themed lighting 2019
2. Shark egg display 2019
3. The wave
4. Half of the metal detectors

(Ocean Explorer)
1. Themed lights 2019
2. Interactive training pod game 2020
3. Aqua Scout 2023
4. Entrance sign Lights 2020
5. Orca VR 2017

(Electric eel)
1. Themed lights 2019 (working briefly in Christmas of 2023)

(Journey to Atlantis)
1. The misters around the ride sign and entrance pathway, 2022
2. The 2 fountains surrounding the ride entrance, 2015
3. The waterfall in the queue entrance room, 2015?
4. The 2 screens in the queue line 2024
5. The pillar in the middle of the outside part of the queue, 2015?
6. The Misters on the lift hill 2022
7. The fountain of water over the ride's first drop that would part for the ride vehicle. 2024
8. The Water jets that people could pay for, 2024
9. The water jets that would shoot over the boat, 2019
10. The water effects in the room before the elevator, 2015?
11. The elevator screens 2015?
12. The Water geysers after the 2nd splashdown 2023
13. The on-ride photo station 2023
14. The rides' themed lighting package/ The Atlantic Ignites show 2019

(Arctic rescue/wild Arctic)
1. Led station screen, 2023
2. Animal audio makers 2023
3. Led sign at Exit 2023
4. Themed lights 2019

(Orca Encounter)
1. Orca skywalks 2023
2. Orca pool rockwork 2010

(Dolphan point/Dolphan stadum )
1. Dolphan point pool rockwork 2010
2. Blue Horizons Beams 2015
3. Sloth exhibits and aviarys 2020

(Rescue JR)
1. Climbing structure slide 2019
2. Climbing structure tube to the boat 2012?
3. Water splashpad tubes 2022
4. Basketball game behind the arcade 2023

(Turtle reef)
1. Boat below the sign 2024
2. turtle link tracker screen 2022
3. themed lights 2022

(Manta)
1. Themed lights 2019
2. Water splashdown jets 2023
3. Flamingo food dispenser

(Emperor/pengin encounter)
None to begin with for the ride
1. The water in the beginning 2012

(Ship wreck rapids)
1. Piano water jets 2018
2. Queue Story Signs 2020
3. Box water jet 2024
4. Water buckets over the ride 2023
5. Water falls to the side 2020
6. waterfall over ride track 2024
7. Flamingo exhibit 2024
8. Submarine aquarium 2020
9. Shipwreck Reef Cafe banner 2020
10. Half of the pay for water jets 2023?
11. Turtle exhibit themed framing 2021

(Sky Tower)
1. Pond below the tower 2024
2. Lower level of tower (last time constantly used in 2019, still used occasionally)
3. Pre Tower Photo 2019
4. Tower ticket booth 2019
5 Lights around the ride queue and exit 2019

(Bayside area)
1. Tidal Twister plot and tide pools 2023
2. Freshwater aquarium 2019
3. Themed lighting 2019
4. Food stands (various dates)
6. Many burned-out light bulbs
7. Various aviaries around the park were removed from 2020-2024
8. Garden Pond