We Can’t Wait to Welcome You Back to Our Parks!

For more than half a century, SeaWorld guests have put their trust in us to not only deliver incredible experiences for them, but to do so in a way that’s safe for them and their families.

Today, the entire world is dramatically redefining what safety means. We’re collectively, and rightfully, hyper-focused on cleanliness and sanitation. Businesses must make necessary changes to their operations to allow customers to easily observe social distancing guidelines, while customers are expecting businesses to do the right things to keep them safe while in their facilities – as they should.

I want to take this opportunity to share with you how SeaWorld is committed to making our parks as safe as possible for you, our employees, and the animals in our care. 

For two months, all 12 of our parks have been temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During that time, we have worked diligently alongside health experts, attraction industry leaders and fellow park operators to make our already rigorous sanitation and cleanliness standards even stronger - because it’s required in the new world we live in. We have developed a comprehensive plan for all of our parks to follow and are committed to keeping you informed of the steps we’re taking to keep you safe.

Here’s what we’re doing to get ready to welcome you back:

• Face Coverings: Employees and guests ages two and up will be required to wear face coverings when experiencing our parks, and we encourage guests to bring their own, if possible.
• Physical Distancing: To promote proper physical distancing throughout the parks, we will install signage and markings throughout our guest areas (including on the ground) to identify appropriate, six-foot social distancing. We also encourage contactless payments and plexi-glass will be installed in high-traffic or close-contact areas to maintain a physical barrier.
• Cleaning and Sanitation: To protect the health and safety of our guests and employees, we will significantly increase both the frequency of cleaning for all key areas of the parks (including employee spaces) and the number of hand sanitization stations across each park, especially in high-contact areas.
• Employee and Guest Temperature Screening: When guests and employees arrive on-property, they must undergo and pass temperature screening using the CDC temperature recommendation of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Work and Sick Policies: We will require our employees to stay home if they are feeling sick. We will also require our employees to follow the most current CDC guidance for self-isolation and symptom-free periods before returning to work.
• COVID-19 Training: Our employees will receive COVID-19 specific training to cover all new enhanced park operating procedures. The training will include the most current guidance from the CDC and other health advisors.

When you come to our parks, some things will look familiar. But many things will be new. Here’s what you can expect:

• Guest Arrivals and Ticketing: Enhanced cleaning protocols will be implemented at arrival areas and for high-contact surfaces. Spacing will also be increased for our touchless turnstiles enabling appropriate physical distancing.
• Restaurants: Restaurants across the parks will include arranged seating layouts to accommodate physical distancing. Tables and chairs will be sanitized with increased frequency, condiment and topping stations will be closed, utensils will be pre-packaged, and guests with refillable products will be provided single-use alternatives. In lieu of traditional menus, single-use paper menus will be used and additional grab-and-go and pre-packaged food offerings will be added. Buffet-style service areas will be adjusted or closed until further notice.
• Retail Shops: In our retail shops and queues, we will have markings for physical distancing and signage directing quests to defined entrances and exits. To minimize contact of items at checkout, bagging and wrapping materials will be given to customers.
• Animal Exhibits and Interactions: In all open animal viewing spaces, we will add markings to queues to indicate required distancing. Certain animal interactions will be modified and only tours allowing for physical distancing will operate. Some tours and interactions will be restricted to one-party at a time.
• Public Spaces: Across the parks and especially in high-contact areas, enhanced cleaning protocols will be implemented. This includes an increased number of hand sanitizer stations, areas with single-direction guest flow, and modified seating in venues to maintain physical distancing and cleaned according to enhanced protocols.
• Rides and Attractions: Queue lines for all rides will have markings for physical distancing and modified seating will be implemented to maintain physical distancing. We will have hand sanitizer available at the entrance and exit of all rides and will increase the frequency of cleaning and sanitizing. Specific protocols will be implemented for water rides for employees and guests and unless play areas meet distancing protocols, they will be temporarily closed.
• Parades and Meet-and-Greets: Depending on the ability to ensure physical distancing for guests and employees, certain components of parades and meet-and-greets, such as those involving guest interactions, character interactions and photo opportunities will be modified or removed.
• Employee Facilities: We have added signage regarding health and safety, more hand sanitizer stations and increased the frequency of cleaning in employee areas.The same enhanced safety standards for guest-facing food and beverage areas will be applied in employee dining areas as well.

We’re confident in our plan and in our approach. Of course, this is a situation that’s changing all the time. We will continue to make the necessary changes in our parks to keep you safe. We will continue to work with local, state and federal authorities and with health officials who are making decisions about when certain communities can reopen, allowing us to make decisions on a park-by-park basis.

We have spent the last two months making sure our parks are ready for your return. We are eagerly looking forward to having all 12 of our parks open and providing our guests incredible and educational experiences.

Without question, we want to welcome you back into our parks; but we also want you safe when you’re here. We can’t wait to see you.

Marc Swanson
Interim CEO, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment

Check out how each park is enhancing their safety requirements:
SeaWorld Orlando - Opening June 11. Click here for details.>
Aquatica Orlando - Opening June 11. Click here for details.>
Discovery Cove Orlando - Opening June 11. Click here for details. >
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay - Opening June 11. Click here for details.>
Adventure Island Tampa Bay - Opening June 11. Click here for details.>
Aquatica San Antonio - Opening June 6. Click here for details.>