See SeaWorld’s Halloween Spirit with SeaWorld’s Halloween Spooktacular!

Orlando theme parks love to go all out for the Halloween season. You’re sure to find a Halloween activity that suits you at your favorite park. Unfortunately, some of these events may not be suitable for children and might be too scary for even some adults! But don’t worry, there is still plenty of Halloween fun the entire family can have at the parks and your Halloween doesn’t have to be scary at all. For a bit of a twist, how about spending your Halloween under the sea? SeaWorld Orlando plans to do just that with SeaWorld’s Halloween Spooktacular.

The entire SeaWorld Orlando theme park will be converted into a Halloween paradise fit for the entire family. Starting October 3rd at 12 noon, families and children will be welcomed into an undersea Halloween wonderland. As a special treat, you can even come in costume to get into the Halloween spirit at this great event. Admission into the SeaWorld Halloween Spooktacular is included with the cost of admission, so why not try to get some great discount SeaWorld tickets before you get to the park? You might want to save up for some of the cute SeaWorld merchandise available inside.

There are a number of great activities at this fun-filled event. There will be 15 different treasure stations where you can trick or treat for some great candy. Around 35 great costumed characters like Gummy Worm Wanda, Salt Water Taffy and Swedish Fish Suzy will be wandering around the park for some tricky fun. If you’re a Sesame Street fan you will love the Countdown to Halloween Live Musical Stage Show. All of SeaWorld’s shows will be given a Halloween twist and this one is no different. Count Von Count will join Elmo and Friends for a countdown to Halloween show full of music and fun the kids will surely love. Shamu’s Happy Harbor will also get into the Halloween and autumn spirit with pumpkins and scarecrows all around. Last but certainly not least, SeaWorld is even offering a Spooky Sleepover that includes a pizza party, snacks and a continental breakfast—what better way to spend Halloween than sleeping over at a theme park that’s all decked out for the occasion?

This event will run until October 31st, so look to DWTickets.com for the best deals on SeaWorld Orlando admission and get ready for some great Halloween fun.

Manta Will Open for Sneak Preview

You’ve been waiting all spring, and now, SeaWorld Orlando is rewarding you for your patience. The aquatic theme park will be opening its new roller coaster Manta early for a special sneak preview this Tuesday, May 5 (Cinco de Mayo). Manta will open at noon that day, as well as every day afterwards through the week until at least the following Sunday, May 10. Though guests should be prepared for periodic closures, it’s still a great chance to ride the ray before it officially opens.

Manta’s official opening date is May 22, but rumors have been circulating for a while now that the ride has come together so quickly and so well that guests will likely get to ride it for limited hours leading up to May 22.

“A lot of the locals and residents want to experience this before summer,” said SeaWorld spokesperson Nick Gollattscheck.

The sneak preview announcement was actually first made by Shamu via Twitter, who pronounced, “I have decided to open Manta early. Tuesday, May 5 at noon. Yes, I have that kind of pull. When you speak of me, speak well.” Needless to say, Shamu’s not a modest killer whale.

Manta will be a first for SeaWorld in many ways – though it’s not the park’s only roller coaster, it will be the first flying roller coaster of its kind in the park and in the world. Riders will begin by climbing into traditional seats and harnesses, but soon enough they’ll see what makes the ride so special as the entire seating assembly rotates forward, positioning riders horizontally.

From there, they’ll soar over the park like a Manta ray, flying headfirst at 56 mph. The coaster features a track-twisting pretzel loop, in-line spins, a close call with a waterfall, and a wing dip just inches from the water that throws out a 14-foot high, 60-foot long spray of water.

Adding on to the incredible experience is Manta’s aquarium; while waiting on line for the ride, guests will get a glimpse into the underwater worlds of tropical fish and rays. Floor to ceiling aquariums will showcase rare leafy sea dragons, colorful clownfish, and mysterious sea anemones. Smaller guests will even get to ‘pop up’ into an aquarium and come face-to-face with the aquarium’s inhabitants – which include three hundred rays and a massive Pacific octopus, which creeps along the interior of Manta’s saltwater habitat.

“Manta takes what SeaWorld does best – animal encounters and thrill rides – and blends
them to create something you can’t find anywhere else in the world,” said Dan Brown,
SeaWorld Orlando’s general manager. “Manta’s actually the next generation of what makes
Orlando so much fun. Orlando is the must-do vacation this summer, and Manta is the must-see."

So what are you waiting for? Get your first look at the must-see attraction of the summer, and grab your discount SeaWorld tickets from DWTickets.com. We can’t imagine a better way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo than by riding a manta ray at SeaWorld.

Get Closer to Your Favorite Animals with SeaWorld Tours

If you want to go get up close and personal with marine animals, go behind the scenes to meet a penguin, and plunge into the realm of the shark, chances are that a regular trip to SeaWorld Orlando just isn’t going to do it for you. But don’t fret! Those who want to experience the Orlando theme park in a truly unique way can try one of SeaWorld’s brand new tours. Perfect for those who have seen and done everything at the park or want a truly memorable trip out of their visit, these new 2009 tours blend adventure and education into an amazing day of fun with the animals.

First, there’s nothing like getting a close look at the inner workings of SeaWorld on the Behind-the-Scenes Tour. On the tour, guests will visit SeaWorld’s Rescue & Rehabilitation Center, explore a polar bear’s hidden den, come inches away from a penguin, and interact with a small shark. Best yet, ten percent of each tour admission is donated to the SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund.

For dolphin and penguin fans, SeaWorld offers the Dolphin Spotlight and the Penguin Spotlight tours. The first offers the opportunity to learn from SeaWorld’s animal care specialists about what it’s like to work with dolphins. Guests will go backstage to the Whale & Dolphin Stadium and witness training sessions with the Atlantic bottlenose dolphin. Then they’ll get to practice what they saw at SeaWorld’s Dolphin Cove during a special training session.

During the Penguin Spotlight, guests will meet some of SeaWorld’s amazing puffins and penguins. They’ll learn about caring for these amazing birds from aviculture experts while exploring SeaWorld’s Penguin Encounter.

And for extra special visitors to SeaWorld, there’s the VIP Tour and the Elite VIP Tour. On the former, guests will embark on exhilarating thrill rides, enjoy spectacular shows and find out what it’s like to feed dolphins, sting rays, and sea lions. They’ll even get close to everyone’s favorite killer whale during Dine with Shamu, a poolside lunch.

On the Elite VIP tour, similar fun abounds with Manta, SeaWorld’s new flying coaster set to open May 22. Guests will get splashed by an 11,000 pound whale, encounter amazing animals, and meet a tuxedo clad penguin. The day finishes with dinner at the Sharks Underwater Grill.

But that’s not all; SeaWorld also offers Animal Connection Programs, which offer incredible opportunities to interact with amazing animals and experience up-close encounters. There’s the Beluga Interaction Program, which allows guests to step into the Wild Arctic’s chilly 55 degree water and come face-to-face with the beluga whale, and the Sharks Deep Dive, which puts guests into a wet suit and a Sea Trek helmet and plunges them underwater for a close encounter with more than 30 sharks.

All these amazing tours and programs require an additional ticket and can be reserved via SeaWorld’s website. However, SeaWorld admission isn’t included in that ticket and is required. So if you want to experience SeaWorld in a whole new way while saving money, be sure to visit DWTickets.com for discount SeaWorld tickets. And check out the park’s behind-the-scenes adventures and animal encounters for an adventure you’ll never forget.

Dolphins Make Amazing Bubble Art at SeaWorld

It’s common knowledge that dolphins are some of the most intelligent animals in the world; they can be trained to perform amazing tricks and tasks, and if size is any indicator, the simple fact that the adult bottlenose dolphin’s brain is 25% heavier than a human brain says a lot about how smart they are.

Since research on the dolphin mind is limited, though, scientists have never been able to make any conclusive claims about whether the animals are truly intelligent or not. However, the happy-go-lucky residents at SeaWorld Orlando are proving just how brainy they are with a new skill that they learned all on their own.

It’s been known for some time that dolphins are able to communicate with one another. However, what’s less commonly known is the fact that dolphins can apparently learn from one another; several of the dolphins at SeaWorld Orlando have demonstrated this ability by the fact that they now know how to blow beautiful underwater bubbles using their blowholes. And not only can they blow bubbles, but they can also manipulate and play with them. It’s an amazing and breathtaking thing to see, and the skill is getting a lot of attention from trainers, spectators, and media outlets alike.

“If you had a balloon at home and you flex and play with the end of it to make different sounds – [the dolphins] can do that with their blowhole…They angle their heads so that it comes up perfectly straight to create a ring,” said SeaWorld’s dolphin trainers.

What makes it all even more amazing is that a few years ago, only one dolphin had this bubble-making capability; apparently, however, that dolphin taught the others. Three months ago, the trainers noticed that many more of the animals had picked up the skill, and today, they can be seen blowing bubbles, elongating them or making them smaller, and even spinning them and swimming through them.

“It’s like a little halo at first and then they just push it and it gets smaller,” said a trainer. “They either take their rostrum or head and move it in a circle to make [the bubble] bigger.”

The dolphins even try to “steal” bubbles from one another, and one dolphin will pop his bubble creation if another dolphin tries to take it away – as if to say, “No, that’s my toy, you can’t take it.”

This amazing story has been featured on ABC News, and in response to the interest, SeaWorld even put out a new blog to keep up with dolphin news. But park fans and dolphin lovers can go in person and see the animals’ amazing talent for themselves at SeaWorld. There, in Dolphin Cove, the animals can be seen frolicking, blowing bubbles, and playing with them in the underwater viewing area.

So if you haven’t been to SeaWorld in a while, you’ll want to get your SeaWorld tickets from DWTickets.com in order to see this amazing dolphin skill. It’s an incredible sight to see, and who knows? You might even discover the secret of how they do it!

Viva Hispanic Culture with Viva La Musica at SeaWorld

If you’re looking for a festive celebration, you’ll definitely find it this time of year in Orlando; Universal Orlando is kicking up the fun a couple notches with its Mardi Gras celebrations, and SeaWorld and Busch Gardens recently had their own version of the festival with the Bud & BBQ event. But the Worlds of Discovery parks aren’t stopping there; as springtime begins to heat up the Orlando air this month, SeaWorld and Busch Gardens will also be turning the temperature up a few degrees with its Viva La Musica Festival, taking place on Saturdays and Sundays from March 7 through March 29.

A great event celebrating Hispanic culture at its best, Viva La Musica will spice up the usual fare at SeaWorld and Busch Gardens with live performances from a different award-winning Latin artist each day. In addition, guests will be able to enjoy the flavor of the heritage with popular Hispanic food as well as authentic arts and crafts. The fun starts on Saturdays at SeaWorld and Sundays at Busch Gardens, with the festival starting at 11 am and the concert beginning each day at 4 pm.

At SeaWorld, the Viva La Musica Festival will kick off this weekend with a performance from El Gran Combo on March 7, who will thrill the crowds with their legendary Puerto-Rican flavored salsa. On March 14, Tito El Bambino will take the stage with his reggaeton hits. On March 21, the world renowned “Princess of Salsa,” La India, will perform salsa hits from her Grammy-award winning career. And on March 28, the festival will wrap up at SeaWorld with a concert from Fonseca. At Busch Gardens, El Gran Combo will return to launch the concert series on March 8. On March 15, Puerto Rican reggaeton duo and 2008 Viva La Musica Festival performers RKM & Ken-Y will take the stage. On March 22, the popular meringue group Grupomanía will perform. And the festival will conclude on March 29 with Columbian band Guayacan, who’ll perform exhilarating salsa songs.

And to cater to the parks’ Hispanic guests, Busch Gardens and SeaWorld will be offering exclusive Spanish Language tours on the days of Viva La Musica. At SeaWorld, guests will be able to experience the Viva Behind the Scenes Tour, a 90-minute tour of the park that includes animal interactions and a behind the scenes look at animal habitats. Busch Gardens will offer two Spanish tours, the Viva La Musica Serengeti Safari, a 30-minute Serengeti Safari, and the Viva La Musica VIP Experience, a 5-hour group tour hosted by a Spanish-speaking tour guide. The Experience will include reserved seating for the day’s concert, a complimentary Latin lunch, front of the line access to most major rides, and a Serengeti Safari.

The tours cost extra, but admission to the Viva La Musica festival is free with a regular Busch Gardens ticket or SeaWorld ticket. So sign on for an amazing cultural celebration by getting your tickets today at DWTickets.com. Whether you’re Hispanic or not, you’ll be sure to enjoy the fiery beats and tasty Latin fare, along with all the usual rides, attractions, and shows of SeaWorld and Busch Gardens.

Jack Hanna to be at SeaWorld

One of SeaWorld Orlando’s most popular and beloved guests is returning to the park this November: celebrity animal expert Jack Hanna. Hanna, who was a guest at SeaWorld last year, is coming to the park for a special Jack Hanna Weekend on November 8th and 9th. Don’t miss Jack as he brings some of his exotic feathered, furry, and scaly friends from all over the world.

Hanna has been a valued guest at Anheuser-Busch Adventure Parks for some time, and has made several television appearances with animals from both Busch Gardens and SeaWorld. Hanna first got his start working in a veterinarian’s office, where his love of animals led him to opening a pet shop, and then, eventually, directing the Central Florida Zoo in Sanford, Florida. Five years later, Hanna was named director of the zoo in Columbus, Ohio. While bringing the Columbus Zoo to new heights and increasing attendance with new programs and events, Hanna was invited to appear on Good Morning America and eventually The Late Show with David Letterman. It wasn’t long before he became a celebrated animal expert and wildlife correspondent, and his media appearances took up too much time from his director position at the zoo. He was appointed to Director Emeritus of the Columbus Zoo in 1992, and in 1993, he became host of Jack Hanna’s Animal Adventures, a nationally syndicated television series. After ten years of success with this program, Hanna decided to start a new unscripted show, Into the Wild, where he and his family travel all over the world in search of interesting animals and cultures. Into the Wild recently won a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Children’s Series.

While SeaWorld Orlando already features a host of fun and exciting animals such as sea lions, dolphins, polar bears, walruses, whales, manatees, and orcas (including the famous Shamu), Jack Hanna’s visit to the park is a great opportunity to see some new animals, especially those that aren’t necessarily aquatic. Hanna has been known to appear with animals such as bald eagles, tigers and leopards, alligators and crocodiles, hyenas, armadillos, and more. Hanna often brings animals that are endangered species in order to educate people about the problems they face, such as over-hunting and habitat destruction.

Jack Hanna will be returning to SeaWorld again in late February with the Jack Hanna Animal Adventures. It will be a different show with all-new animals, so don’t miss Hanna this November if you can help it. The show is included in the ticket price, so there’s no reason not to get your discount Sea World tickets at DWTickets.com right now! Whether it’s with Jack Hanna’s November or February visit, all his fun and interesting animals will have you roaring with excitement!

Wheel of Fortune LIVE at SeaWorld Orlando

Wheel of Fortune fans will be excited to learn that the show is coming to SeaWorld Orlando! The gameshow, which is currently in its 26th season, will be taping four weeks of shows in Orlando for its Family Week. The tapings will take place on December 11th, 12th, 14th, and 15th, and are scheduled to air in 2009.

In the meantime, you might also catch the show taping various promos and commercials all over Orlando Florida in order to promote the broad range of places the city has to offer during the shows. Sources say you might see Vanna and Pat filming in Winter Park shops, cafes, and galleries, the Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes Resort, and Harry P. Leu Gardens.

During the episodes, Vanna will be featured at SeaWorld, swimming with beluga whales, talking to sea lions, and getting some face-to-face time with Shamu. The shows will also highlight SeaWorld’s newest water park, Aquatica.

If you’d like to try your hand at being a Wheel of Fortune contestant, be sure to stop by Seminole Towne Center on Saturday, October 4th, and Sunday, October 5th. The Wheelmobile, a 39-foot Winnebago, will be on site from 2 pm to 6 pm, looking for the perfect Central Florida residents to be their latest contestants. Look for the Wheelmobile in the grassy portion of the Center’s parking lot, adjacent to the United Artist Theaters and Sears Auto Center buildings.

To be a contestant, all you have to do is fill out an application and wait for the show to begin. The Wheelmobile staff will select applications at random, and if you’re lucky, they’ll call you on stage for a brief interview and a version of the Wheel of Fortune Speed-Up Round. Even if you don’t get called back, players will be awarded prizes such as Wheel of Fortune hats, t-shirts, and duffle bags. After all the players have been called up, a select few will then be chosen to participate in a final round of auditions, which will take place in Orlando at a later date in October. Applicants must be 18 years of age or older, and the show is especially looking for mothers and sons or daughters, fathers and sons or daughters, and siblings.

Wheel of Fortune, which was created by Merv Griffin, first aired in 1975 and is the longest-running syndicated game show in American television history, as well as the most watched since 1984. Since its debut, Vanna White and Pat Sajak have hosted the show, in which contestants spin the wheel for a chance at solving a word puzzle and winning up to $1,000,000 in cash.

Be sure to buy your SeaWorld tickets now so you can catch an episode of one of America’s most beloved game shows and be a part of the Wheel of Fortune fun.

Busch Parks Openings Are On The Horizon

The Anheuser Busch theme parks in Central Florida are prepping for an exciting spring season with the opening of a brand new water park in Orlando and the introduction of an innovative and fresh animal habitat at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. Lucky for you, DWTickets.com can hook you up with tickets to be one of the premier visitors to these great new additions to the Central Florida vacation scene. We are your number one source for cheap theme park tickets to great Anheuser Busch parks like Sea World, Busch Gardens, and Discovery Cove.
Add to that already impressive list of great attractions Aquatica, an innovative water park that combines the two things SeaWorld does best: water and animals. Aquatica is the first full-sized theme park to open in Orlando since Discovery Cove starting serving guests back in 2000. It is also the first water park to come along since Blizzard Beach opening at the Walt Disney World Resort. But Aquatica is far from being your average water park.

Of course Aquatica has all of the adventurous attractions you would expect to find in a modern water playground: wave pools, tube rides, and 36 different water slides! In true SeaWorld fashion, however, this new-fangled aquatic extravaganza dishes out unique animal interactions in a tropical South-Pacific atmosphere with personalized service in private cabanas on an 80,000 square foot beach. It’s the crazy fun of a water park combined with the relaxation of a tropical island resort. See why we can’t wait for the public soft opening on March 1?

Across the state at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, they are getting ready to unveil their newest adventure, the long-awaited Jungala. This four-acre addition to the Congo area of the park will completely immerse guests in a dense jungle atmosphere while leading adventurers down woody paths past waterfalls and towering trees to the hidden habitats of Bengal tigers, orangutans and other exotic creatures.

The grand opening of Jungala is scheduled for April 5. The night before, Busch Gardens will host the “Jungala Gala.” Guests at this annual benefit can be the first to explore “the only jungle world that plays with you” while raising money for the nonprofit Sea World & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund.

If you were not already planning an Orlando vacation this spring, you now have two great reasons to start arranging one. And DWTickets.com is the only place to get all of the discount theme park tickets you will need.

Valentines Day at Sea World Orlando

Located in between the Universal Orlando and Walt Disney World Resorts is another theme park that is unlike any other in Central Florida Sea World Orlando. This theme park resort offers guests a different experience than either of its competitors, as it gives them a look at sea creatures and land-based animals living in their natural habitats, and combines that with rides, shows and other attractions suitable for the entire family. So, if you are looking to spend your Valentine’s Day with hundreds of loveable animals, Sea World just may be the place for you!

If Sea World Orlando is among your top destination options for Valentine’s Day with your loved one, then DWTickets.com may help you push it to the top of your list. DWTickets.com has exclusive discounted offers on tickets to Sea World that you can’t get anywhere else! These deals are unbelievable and unbeatable, so be sure to purchase them now by clicking here!

No Valentine’s Day would be complete without a good meal, and Sea World Orlando has tons of options to choose from. The Sharks Underwater Grill will not only give your taste buds something to remember, but it will also entice your sights at this one-of-a-kind restaurant. SeaWorld’s chefs serve up world-class entrees, from blackened sea scallops, filet mignon, pan-seared snapper and more, and while the food here is unforgettable, what you are sure to remember is the more than 50 sharks that are swimming just inches away from you at this unique underwater dining establishment.

SeaWorld may have the only restaurant where you can dine with sharks underwater, but they also have another dining option that is unique to only SeaWorld Orlando. At SeaWorld Orlando’s Backstage at Believe… Dine with Shamu, you can enjoy a delicious buffet meal backstage at the new Shamu show, Believe. Meet killer whale trainers and see Shamu from a completely different vantage point as a VIP guest for the price of $37 for adults 10 and up and $19 for children ages 3-9.

Or, if you are looking for a dinner and show all in one, we would like to suggest the Makahiki Luau. As the sun sets over the harbor, the Seafire Inn (located at The Waterfont district in Sea World) celebrates this authentic Polynesian festival that is filled with the exotic sights, sounds and tastes of the Pacific Isles. Pacific Island dancers fill the evening with live music, colorful wardrobes, traditional dance and delicious island cuisine that can only be found at Sea World Orlando. While this show requires an additional ticket, you can also find these tickets at a discounted rate courtesy of DWTickets.com. Click here to make your reservations today!

Of course, Sea World Orlando is not only a place to enjoy a feast – they also have some of the best shows and attractions in all of Central Florida. You and your significant other can enjoy a ride on one of the best roller coasters in America, Kraken, see Shamu the killer whale in Believe, or tickle your funny bone at Clyde and Seamore Take Pirate Island. Whatever you choose to do on Valentine’s Day this year, you can’t go wrong with a trip to Sea World Orlando!

Post-Christmas Partying at Sea World Orlando

The holiday hustle and bustle is in full bloom all over Orlando, and the big day is barely a week away. If you will be in Orlando for the holidays, you will see first hand that the week of Christmas is one of the busiest times of the year at the theme parks. The crowds are some of the biggest, but so are the exciting events. In fact, some of the parks have special post-holiday happenings that can only be experienced during this last week of the year. One thing you can experience all year round, though, is the great prices on theme park tickets you will find right here at DWTickets.com.com! SeaWorld Adventure Park Orlando has more than one special post-holiday planned this year, and they are sure to delight all of the park guests.

Sea World has some great holiday events including Shamu Christmas…Miracles and the Polar Express Experience that have been in action all month. But the day after Christmas brings a new nighttime finale to SeaWorld’s center lagoon. Mystify is like no other show. It presents the audience with the amazing vision of marine creatures swimming across 60-foot mist screens over the lake, fire dancing on the water and a fabulous fireworks display to end the night. The spectacular new show will be closing the park nightly from December 26-30.

Also appearing for a short time is Breakfast with Elmo and Friends. Park guests can start the day with a delightful breakfast buffet and enjoy spending time with Elmo, Big Bird, Grover, Zoe, Ernie and the Cookie Monster. Park admission and reservations are both required for the breakfast, which has two seatings each morning at 8:30 and 10:30 from December 26-31.

Also still open to guests through January 1 is the Makahiki Christmas Luau, where guests can enjoy the “ancient holiday traditions of the Pacific Islands.” This event also requires reservations, but park admission is not necessary.
When park admission is needed, DWTickets.com.com is the place to go for cheap theme park tickets whether you are visiting SeaWorld, Busch Gardens or any of the Orlando area attractions. At Christmas and in the coming New Year, DWTickets.com.com is your number one source for discount SeaWorld tickets. We are also your best resource for Orlando theme park news and information, so visit us often for all of your Orlando vacation needs