SeaWorld Orlando is a theme park, and marine-life based zoological park, near Orlando, Florida. It is owned and operated by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, a subsidiary of The Blackstone Group. When combined with its neighbor Discovery Cove and the Aquatica waterpark, it forms a larger entertainment complex devoted to Earth's oceans and the array of life that inhabits them.
In 2008, SeaWorld Orlando hosted an estimated 5.9 million guests, ranking it the seventh-most visited amusement park in the United States and #12 in the world. However, SeaWorld's owners have challenged the estimated figures in the past; in 2007, the estimate was 5.8 million guests, while the park's internal data, normally not released to the public, was closer to 6.2 million guests. A spokesman for Busch Entertainment Corporation again disagreed with the report, saying, "They are wrong across the board."
Unlike most other theme parks, SeaWorld Orlando is not divided into "lands" or sections. There are, however, some distinct areas within the park.
Key West at SeaWorld is designed to mimic the appearance of the city of Key West, Florida. Exhibits in this portion of the park include stingrays, dolphins, sea turtles, flamingos, manatees, and alligators. The stingray and dolphin habitats offer opportunities for guests to feed the animals.
Shamu's Happy Harbor is a children's play area hosted by Shamu, the park's killer whale mascot, that features family rides and a play fortress.
The Waterfront, the newest section of the park, resembles a seaside Mediterranean village and contains shops and restaurants, as well as the park's iconic Sky Tower ride.
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SeaWorld Orlando has a vast array of attractions, including rides and animal exhibits. Two of these attractions actually combine the two, with both a ride component and a separate animal exhibit.
SeaWorld Orlando hosts a number of live shows, many featuring trained animals. During peak seasons (such as summer), the park will offer special shows in addition to the main performances.
During peak seasons, SeaWorld offers a nightly fireworks presentation. The newest production is Reflections, a multimedia show featuring fireworks, dancing fountains and mist screens that is inspired by the musical soundtracks of the park's shows and attractions.
The following is a current list of animals at the SeaWorld Orlando park, as based on an October 2008 Marine Mammal Inventory Report received from the NMFS:
Beluga Whales
Wild Arctic - Aurek (M), Juno (M), Klondike (M), Maple (F)
Atlantic & Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphins
Animal Care - Beetle (M), Madison (F), Naia (F), Sabrina (F), Cosmo (M), Peanut (F)
Whale & Dolphin Stadium - Alejandro (M), Baretta (M), Bubba (M), Clyde (M), Jensen (M), Marble (M), Phil (M), Starbuck (M)
Dolphin Cove - Ajax (M), Alpha (M), Bailey (F), Bossa (F), Calla (F), Damara (F), Hekili (M), Gala (F), Jackson (M), Jag (M), Jenever (F), Lagos (M), Neo (M), Oscar (M), Potter (M), Scott (M), Tiger (M)
Dolphin Nursery - Alia (F), Ariel (F), Dash (F), Griffith (F), Kendall (F), Kendall's calf (F), Lily (F), Starkey (F), Starkey's calf (?), Tasha (F), Tasha's calf (?)
False Killer Whales
Whale & Dolphin Stadium - Jozu (F)
Orcas
Shamu Stadium - Katina (F), Kalina (F), Tilikum (M), Taima (F), Kayla (F), Trua (M), Nalani (F), and Malia (F)
Pacific Walruses
Sea Lion & Otter Stadium - Bruiser (M), Slowpoke (F)
Wild Arctic - Dozer (M), Garfield (M)
Polar Bears
Wild Arctic - Johnny (M), Klondike (M), Snow (F)