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A recovery strategy?

SeaWorld truly is an odd duck of a place. Equal parts amusement park, theme park, and zoological park, it holds an unusual spot in the Orlando line-up. It’s got animal exhibits scattered around a few lightly themed areas, some highly themed areas, and some spots that seem like they’re from a Cedar Fair park. That’s because SeaWorld bends to fit the trends of the local Orlando competition while also maximizing its animal exhibits and bending to the will of various ever-changing owners. 

The result is that it doesn’t match Disney’s storytelling and characters or Universal’s theme and thrills. There’s no beloved character to see or place to visit. It’s not the same as walking into Jurassic Park or Cars Land. SeaWorld is in a perpetual game of catch-up. Predictably following Universal’s Wizarding World and Disney’s New Fantasyland, SeaWorld tried their hand (or, fin?) at a highly immersive little area called Antarctica (unfortunately anchored by an attraction that is seriously lacking). But the park is not united in one identity or consistent quality like Disney or Universal’s parks.

But maybe SeaWorld's got the key to changing that.

The Seven Seas

While the park has had a few lightly themed areas scattered around, they may be sitting on a potential key to changing the rides. SeaWorld’s map points toward its commitment to unifying its park that it just hasn't acted on... yet.

Like Islands of Adventure’s eight themed "Islands" or Epcot’s six pavilions, SeaWorld has divided its park into seven themed “Seas.” The change actually occurred over a year ago (as reflected in our SeaWorld Orlando guide), but few visitors will have noticed much of a difference.

Granted, the actual level of theming hasn’t changed since the "Seven Seas" districting strategy. But consider that this could be a thesis statement. SeaWorld has subdivided its real estate, re-grouping attractions and delivering one consistent message: you can experience the sea in lots of different ways.

Guests enter SeaWorld through the aptly named Port of Entry and disperse into the Seven Seas. The Sea of Shallows features creatures that inhabit shallow beach environments… this includes Dolphin Cove, Turtle Trek, the flamingo exhibit, and of course, Manta and its associated aquarium. Is it a brilliant coincidence that all of the shallow-water animals happen to be in the same section of the park? I guess!

Next is the Sea of Ice – strangely intriguing a name for the area previously referred to as Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin (which, more appropriately, is the name of the headlining ride within the area). Nearby is the Sea of Legends, encompassing the park’s two rides that bring ancient sea stories to life: Journey to Atlantis and Kraken. Both are united in the same ancient-ruins style and look, and just a little bit more “oomph” would make the Sea of Legends area Universal-quality.

The other side of the park is made of the Sea of Delight (previously the whimsical seaside port called The Waterfront) and features the Sea Lion & Otter Theatre, Pearl Diving, and the Sky Tower while the Sea of Mystery contains Shark Encounter and whatever aptly-mysterious program might be placed into the recently vacated Nautilus Theatre.

Lastly there’s the Sea of Fun (containing Shamu’s Happy Harbor) and the Sea of Power, home to the Shamu Stadium and the motion-simulator Wild Arctic (which empties into a polar exhibit featuring beluga whales and polar bears).

What does it mean?

Is SeaWorld down for the count? Truthfully, we don’t know. Their announcement of the Blue World Project was a sweeping and monumental initiative that will systematically rebuild their orcas enclosures to be deeper, broader, larger, more engaging, and more along the lines of what a world class zoo is expected to have.

However, the move was read as an admission of guilt by bystanders and did not resonate as a shining and benevolent move as many hopes. It seems that those who already made their choice (informed or otherwise) are sticking by it regardless of what SeaWorld does. The Blue World Project is probably the biggest expense SeaWorld has ever undertaken, but it didn't win over critics... Does that prove that SeaWorld should stop fighting to win over those who have already made their decision?

SeaWorld’s CEO Jim Atchison just stepped down (possibly against his wishes) in a move that’s widely seen as a good one – a chance for SeaWorld to regroup, rebrand, and re-energize with new strategies. This could be the start. It’s simple, yes. But it’s purposeful. For the first time in a long time, SeaWorld has loosened its stranglehold on the marketing that argues that it’s a really, really good zoo. The company clearly took the time and energy to rearrange its Orlando park around a new thesis statement that it can now act upon...but it needs to go further than a simple renaming.

Shallows, Ice, Legends, Delight, Mystery, Fun, and Power. Each of those words can be used to conjure different images of the same seas, and can be used to group animal exhibits, attractions, stories, and settings into succinct and obvious lands. 

The message that those themed lands send to guests is simple: SeaWorld is a fun theme park that deserves a day of your vacation just like Universal or Disney. Sure, it's got animals. But it's more than a zoo. Explore the Seven Seas! Sure you can learn, but you can also adventure. You can meet animals. You can ride rides. But at SeaWorld, you can experience the legends of the sea, and the mystery of life under the waves, and the fun of exploration, and the power of some of the predators of the ocean. The seas may be delightful, but they're also mysterious. It’s no accident. This is not the world’s most costly zoo anymore. A new strategy and new themed lands.

Conclusion

Again – does this new interpretation of SeaWorld's layout solve the company's problems? No. It’s not even really a start. But it could show a purposeful new direction. It plays up SeaWorld’s identity as a theme park (which it very well ought to be if it wants people to pay $65.00 to get in). It could be the beginning of a new in-park identity that more closely aligns it with Universal’s themed Islands or Disney’s themed lands. It’s something.

The Seven Seas of SeaWorld could be the heart of a refresh; new marketing for a new identity. SeaWorld has lost a lot. It will undoubtedly continue to limp as its bruised, deflated system reels from layoffs, management switches, and unfortunate low-cost, high-return additions that betray the parks' history (see Busch Gardens Williamsburg’s still-unannounced-yet-completely-constructed new roller coaster for 2015, reportedly to feature motocross daredevil theming… in the antique, historical European themed park). 

Redefining a park's themed lands won't fix it or even come close. But at least at SeaWorld Orlando, the pieces are laid for a deliberate shift.

What do you think? Do you like the new concept of SeaWorld Orlando’s Seven Seas? Do you believe that the park should play up its themed lands and develop them into Disney or Universal style areas? Should SeaWorld market itself as a theme park with themed lands, or focus on its identity as a zoo?

 
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Comments

In reply to by Kyron OGorman (not verified)

I love sea world and would go . But to tell the truth if they free the whales all will die in the ocean people need to read about how they will not live they have never been in the ocean or most have not . Look what happen when they freed movie name willie he died because he could not make it . Remember we have animals in zoo should any of then be their but if they were not we would never in a life every see many of then not that its a good thing to be in a zoo . I am big animal lovers and read ans study then and my kids grow up going to sea world and seeing the beaut in then that they would never see .

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