Latest news with #ExpeditionOdyssey
Business Insider
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
No more long lines? AI and other new technologies are transforming amusement parks this summer.
It is a truth universally acknowledged: Lines are the worst part of amusement parks. Sure, too many $8 pretzels can gut your budget, but there's something uniquely taxing about waiting in line for a popular ride on a sticky summer day. There might be a fix, however: artificial intelligence. New technology of all kinds is transforming the theme park experience in the United States, helping drive growth in the industry. Among the theme parks leveraging new technology is Legoland. "We're using a technology called Vision AI," Adrian Thompson, operations transformation director for Legoland's parent company, Merlin Entertainments, toldBusiness Insider. "We have cameras placed over our attractions that analyze the number of people physically riding those attractions at any given time. It doesn't identify you uniquely, but it identifies the number of people riding an attraction." Thompson said incorporating AI into attraction line areas allows ride managers to receive data in real time, mitigating potential issues or delays. "If they see anomalies in that data — the number of dispatches has reduced or the queue times have gone up — they can take action at that moment and make changes," Thompson said. "Before, when it was all paper-based, we didn't have access to all that data in real time. You might not have gotten that information until the end of the day, at which point it's too late to impact the guest experience." New tech brings the Arctic to Florida About 40 miles north of Legoland is SeaWorld, where Expedition Odyssey opened to the public last month. Expedition Odyssey is an immersive flying theater ride that transports guests to the Arctic using real footage of the icy landscapes and wildlife. "There's no CGI in it," Conner Carr, the vice president of rides and engineering for SeaWorld and Busch Gardens' parent company, United Parks & Resorts, told BI. "The standard on those ride types has always been to generate with animation or CGI effects for a ride film." Instead, SeaWorld sent teams equipped with custom-lensed cameras and drones on expeditions to the Arctic to capture the videos. "For us, it's not just a theme park experience. It's that zoological aspect, too," Carr said. "We don't want to sit in an office and draw a beluga whale. We want to show them a real one." Although the authentic footage helps set Expedition Odyssey apart from its peers, Carr said there's another reason he refers to it as the "most technologically advanced ride" SeaWorld has ever done. A typical flying theater involves guests entering their seats, enjoying the show, and exiting before another group can enter. Expedition Odyssey uses a rotating main tower that allows guests to load the ride while another is already watching the footage. Once the ride is done, the tower will essentially flip, and the groups will switch places. "This lets us keep the line moving and procedures like you would see on a coaster, but on a completely new type of ride that typically doesn't allow that," Carr said. Carr said another way guests interact with new technology at SeaWorld and Busch Gardens theme parks is by including audio and visual aspects in the line. "That's what Penguin Trek does," Carr said, referring to a roller coaster at the Orlando park. "When you dispatch on the ride, you have special effects and lights that make you feel like you're in an ice cave that's falling." That technology is also found at Busch Gardens, where guests can ride the Phoenix Rising roller coaster, which utilizes media screens, lights, and onboard audio. At SeaWorld, Carr said 3D scanning has become a reliable tool for repairs and creating models. "It is not just roller coaster track replacement. We use 3D scanning all over the place," Carr said. "The technology has been amazing for new projects like Penguin Trek and Expedition Odyssey." Augmented reality is another type of technology becoming more prevalent at amusement parks, including Legoland California and Legoland Florida. The Lego Ferrari Build & Race attraction allows guests to build and test cars, then use augmented reality to scan and race them virtually. Hands-on activities are a priority for Legoland theme parks, where the Ninjago ride uses hand-tracking movements that let riders use hand gestures to test their skills. "The beauty for us is we're always going to do hands-on experiences because it's Lego," Thompson said. Carr said SeaWorld and Busch Gardens have a similar approach, given their animal conservation efforts. "The mission is to inspire and educate right alongside rescuing all the animals," he said. Other theme parks in the United States are also flexing their tech acumen, including Disney, which partnered with Nvidia and Google DeepMind to develop Newton. The open-source physics engine will help robots learn to navigate tasks more accurately. Disney intends to use the technology to enhance the robotic characters in its theme parks to be more lifelike. "This collaboration will allow us to create a new generation of robotic characters that are more expressive and engaging than ever before—and connect with our guests in ways that only Disney can," Kyle Laughlin, the senior vice president of Walt Disney Imagineering's Research and Development, said in a press release. Theme parks are navigating tariffs Although the attractions industry continues to entice guests from around the globe, the volatility caused by the Trump administration's tariffs has become an unpredictable obstacle. "New tariffs will make securing product — like games, plush, and merchandise made outside the United States — more expensive to import. Ahead of the rate hikes, some operators created additional storage space and took possession of goods earlier in the season than what they have imported in the past to avoid paying the tariffs," the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions said this month. The association said the tariffs have also strained the US relationship with Canada, potentially affecting theme park attendance this summer. "Also of concern for several American facilities: a softening in the zest to travel south by Canadians who are accustomed to spending their summers in the United States. The current political climate between the two nations may adversely affect the sentiment to travel in the months ahead," the IAAPA said. However, the uncertainty hasn't stopped companies from steamrolling ahead with ambitious projects. Universal's newest theme park, Epic Universe, opened to fanfare this month in Florida, while Disney announced plans to develop its seventh theme park in Abu Dhabi.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
First look: SeaWorld's Expedition Odyssey flies over Arctic
A new attraction is about to take off at SeaWorld Orlando. Its Expedition Odyssey, a 'flying theater' type of ride will transport visitors, virtually, from Florida to a much cooler clime – the Arctic. We won't see T-shirts that say this, but we could nickname it Soarin' (and Submergin') in the Arctic a la the popular Epcot ride. The big-screen footage comes from several weeks of outings to spy wildlife and wondrous landscapes. The official opening of Expedition Odyssey is May 9, but passholder previews are underway now. Take a second to realize what this is not. It's not CGI. Those are real animals in a real frozen environment. 'We're SeaWorld, and those animals are – even more so in the motion – the most important thing for us. We really wanted to create those moments and that connection with the animals.' said Conner Carr, corporate vice president of rides and engineering for United Parks & Resorts, SeaWorld's parent company. When the polar bear makes eye contact with riders or whales appear on cue from underneath an ice slab, it's luck plus keen editing. 'Because it's nature photography, and they're either there or they're not … You have no idea what's going to happen,' Carr said. 'We got very fortunate, very lucky, and there are some incredible shots that didn't make the film.' Expedition Odyssey passengers sit in double-decker rows of 15 people. Once everyone is secured, the whole seating apparatus – like a giant arm – swivels to face the big screen, which was previously unseen. The curved screen is 50 feet in diameter, and it sort of cuddles the observers and creates that immersive experience that 21st century theme parks crave. We get coast-to-coast ocean and times and a gliding sensations through icy cliffs. When the images become mostly white – a snow shot, for instance – it felt like you could see seams that hold the screen together, though. Busch Gardens plans to spend $40 million on projects Above the rows of seats are ledges that keep folks looking the proper direction (and not at the real-life ceiling), and special effects such as breeze and spritz are built into it. It's light; not a splash zone situation. We're told we won't see the dangling feet of the upstairs riders if you're on the lower level, although the upper level was not in use during the media preview. Yeah, there's motion involved while facing the screen. It's not extreme, and riders are unlikely to think they're about to go upside down. (They don't.) It's a little bumpy at times, and there's a tilted, hanging moment that might give pause to jumpy people. But it helps when hovering – bird's eye view/drone perspective – above the sea and the animal group hugs. It's mostly about a soothing flight sensation. 'Another really difficult part on something like this is filming in a way that still makes a good ride,' Carr said. 'You can go up and sit and make a still film of hours of a polar bear walking around. That's a good IMAX film, but it's not a good ride film.' And yet, creators aim for it to make sense, he said. 'You don't want to go water, and then all of a sudden you're on top of a mountain,' Carr said. 'You want to kind of create that journey.' After the film, which is less than 5 minutes, passengers will pass by animals in real life, starting with beluga whales in recently refurbished habitats. The space maintains the expedition theme and chilly conditions, which guiding visitors past penguins, seals and walruses. New to the space is Uki, a Pacific walrus calf rescued in Alaska. Universal Orlando adds Epic Universe previews for general public • Expedition Odyssey is operating in the space that was home to the Wild Artic simulator ride, which closed with the arrival of pandemic shutdown in 2020. • Among the changes is the refurbished gift shop/exit, which is now brighter and bluer. • Height requirement for the ride is 39 inches. 'So it is fun for your little ones, but it's also fun for your grandparents and people that might not be high-thrill fans, and it really still delivers on that fact that everybody gets to experience it together,' Carr said. (Comparision: SeaWorld's Super Grover Soap Box Derby coaster has a 38 inch height requirement.) • SeaWorld is serious about no loose items. Passengers must empty their pockets, down to keys and wallets, and remove items such as sunglasses. And shoes in the flip-flop/Croc family are left behind too. There are cubbies right before boarding as well as more secure, larger paid lockers at the entrance to the queue. Email me at dbevil@ BlueSky: @themeparksdb. Threads account: @dbevil. X account: @themeparks. Subscribe to the Theme Park Rangers newsletter at
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
SeaWorld's parent company trying to fill 5,000 jobs in U.S.
United Parks & Resorts, parent company of SeaWorld Orlando theme park, is looking to fill more than 5,000 jobs across the country. It is planning a 'summer hiring event' for May 5-9, the company announced Monday. 'The summer season is right around the corner, and we have a great line-up of new rides and attractions, presentations and shows, exclusive experiences offers and craveable food and beverage options for our guests to enjoy,' Marc Swanson, CEO of Orlando-based United Parks, said in a news release. There are full-time, part-time and season positions in the mix, including jobs at SeaWorld Orlando, Aquatica water park, Discovery Cove day resort and United corporate offices in Orlando and Miami. Among the openings currently posted at are bartenders, lifeguards, ride operators, merchandise warehouse workers, zoological specialists and corporate tax director. There are so-very SeaWorld sounding jobs including divers, coral rescue aquarists, filtration mechanics and cabana service ambassadors, although some postings have been up for more than 30 days. SeaWorld Orlando delays Expedition Odyssey ride's debut by a week There also have been posted auditions for pearl divers plus dancers and vocalists for stage shows scheduled for summer. Employee perks include free park admission, complimentary and discounted tickets for friends and family, in-park discounts, employee referral bonuses and ambassador events and previews, the news release says. United Parks has 12 attractions across the U.S., including Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. Epic's ticket sales, hotel bookings strong, Comcast leaders say Email me at dbevil@ BlueSky: @themeparksdb. Threads account: @dbevil. X account: @themeparks. Subscribe to the Theme Park Rangers newsletter at
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Roller coaster injuries top state's quarterly report for theme parks
The majority of theme park injuries in the first quarter of 2025 were related to big roller coasters, according to a state report, although less intense rides and attractions also made appearances. Coasters at Universal Orlando, Walt Disney World and SeaWorld Orlando were listed six times for the January-March period by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The state's major theme parks self-report about visitors who are injured on their rides and require at least 24 hours of hospitalization. Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventures, a coaster that launches into the Wizarding World of Harry Potter area at Universal's Islands of Adventure theme park, appeared three times on the latest report. On Feb. 3, a 33-year-old man had a seizure after experiencing the attraction. On March 8, a 53-year-old man had chest pains after the Hagrid ride, as did a 26-year-old man on March 18. The men in the March incidents had pre-existing conditions, the report says. SeaWorld announces opening day for Expedition Odyssey ride On March 28, a 49-year-old woman fainted after riding the Manta coaster at SeaWorld Orlando. At Walt Disney World, a 73-year-old woman felt nauseated after leaving Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, a spinning indoor coaster at Epcot, on Jan. 21, and a 14-year-old female had abdominal pain after Rock 'n' Roller Coaster at Disney's Hollywood Studios on March 24. A 78-year-old woman felt faint after Star Tours, a simulator attraction, at Hollywood Studios on Jan. 29. A 25-year-old woman had 'seizure-like symptoms' after being on Alien Swirling Saucers in that park's Toy Story Land on March 27, the report said. Less intense-appearing attractions also were in the report. On Jan. 17, an 82-year-old woman fell and injured her ankle as she exited Epcot's Frozen Ever After water ride. At Magic Kingdom, a 51-year-old man felt shortness of breath after Peter Pan's Flight at Magic Kingdom on Jan. 24, and a 68-year-old woman fell and injured her leg after exiting Mad Tea Party (a.k.a. the teacups) at the same park on March 31. Disney: Magic Mirror sings out in new villains show No injuries were reported from Disney's Animal Kingdom, Universal Studios, Legoland Florida or Busch Gardens Tampa Bay theme parks. The state does not receive health updates after the initial assessments. Email me at dbevil@ BlueSky: @themeparksdb. Threads account: @dbevil. X account: @themeparks. Subscribe to the Theme Park Rangers newsletter at
Associated Press
18-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Expedition Odyssey to Open May 1 at SeaWorld Orlando -- A First-of-Its-Kind Arctic Adventure
Cutting-Edge Ride Technology & Breathtaking Real-World Footage bring guests up close with the wonders of the Arctic through the most immersive Arctic experience ever created DOWNLOAD MEDIA ASSETS HERE ORLANDO, Fla., April 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- SeaWorld Orlando today announced the official opening date for Expedition Odyssey, a groundbreaking Arctic adventure debuting May 1, 2025. This first-of-its-kind attraction combines cutting-edge ride technology, breathtaking real-world footage and close-up encounters with Arctic wildlife to deliver the most immersive Arctic experience ever created. Combining dynamic motion, state-of-the-art visuals and real-world animal encounters, Expedition Odyssey is more than just a ride—it's an adventure that blurs the line between simulation and reality. This first-of-its-kind attraction will take guests on an exhilarating journey through towering glaciers, vast tundra and the icy depths of the Arctic Ocean, encountering some of the planet's most awe-inspiring wildlife along the way. Where Thrill Ride Meets the Real Arctic The Expedition Odyssey experience is a next-generation ride system featuring unprecedented range of motion, bringing fluidity and realism to every twist, dive and glide. Exclusive, custom-shot video footage captured in remote Arctic locations offers unmatched authenticity, immersing guests in breathtaking encounters with iconic animals such as polar bears, orcas, beluga whales, seals, walruses and much more. Adventure for Explorers of All Ages Designed to entertain and inspire adventurers of all ages, Expedition Odyssey continues SeaWorld Orlando's tradition of family-friendly thrills with a height requirement of only 39 inches. That means kids and adults alike can embark on this unforgettable Arctic expedition together. It's also all indoors, so rain or shine, this attraction guarantees a cool, thrilling escape for the entire family all year round. From Ride to Reality: Arctic Animal Encounters Await As guests disembark from Expedition Odyssey, the immersive adventure continues with face-to-face encounters featuring real Arctic animals, including beluga whales, seals and walruses. Among the amazing animals is Uki, an orphaned Pacific walrus calf rescued in Alaska, who will make her debut at SeaWorld Orlando in her new habitat at Expedition Odyssey. Rescued by the Alaska SeaLife Center and deemed non-releasable last Fall, Uki arrived at SeaWorld Orlando last September. Since then, expert animal care specialists at SeaWorld have been dedicated to nurturing and supporting her growth. Now, Uki joins the walrus herd in Expedition Odyssey's meticulously crafted Arctic habitat, providing guests a rare and meaningful connection with this extraordinary animal ambassador. For those looking to get even closer to the Arctic animals, SeaWorld offers exclusive behind-the-scenes experiences like the Beluga Whales Up-Close Tour, where guests can stand poolside with these incredible marine mammals, learning firsthand about their intelligence, behaviors and conservation. 'We are pleased to announce the opening date of Expedition Odyssey, an adventure unlike anything our guests have experienced before, combining thrilling, immersive storytelling with powerful, real-world animal connections. The newest addition to our park is unlike anything we have ever done before and brings to life the wonder of the Artic in a way only SeaWorld can do,' said Jon Peterson, Park President of SeaWorld Orlando. Be Among the First to Explore Expedition Odyssey The best way to experience SeaWorld's newest Arctic adventure is with an Annual Pass. Now and for a limited time during the Spring Spectacular Sale, buy an annual pass and upgrade to the next tier for FREE. Pass Members enjoy: Visit to learn more. About SeaWorld SeaWorld is a leading marine life theme park and accredited zoo and aquarium that provides experiences that matter while educating and inspiring guests of all ages to care about marine life. Welcoming millions of guests every year, the parks offer fun and enriching experiences from up-close animal encounters and year-round educational programs to award-winning marine-life-themed rides and attractions, special events, and exciting entertainment. For more than 60 years SeaWorld has advanced the conservation of marine life in and outside its parks through science, education, and exceptional animal care that is Humane Certified by American Humane and accredited by the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. SeaWorld is one of the largest marine animal rescue organizations in the world, helping more than 41,000 animals to date. The SeaWorld Conservation Fund, a non-profit foundation established in 2003, has provided more than $20 million to nearly 1,400 organizations to advance critical research on every continent. A portion of park proceeds goes toward supporting these longstanding conservation commitments. SeaWorld parks are in Orlando, San Antonio, San Diego, and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE). SeaWorld is part of the United Parks & Resorts Inc. (NYSE:PRKS) portfolio of theme park brands. For more information, visit us at Media Contact: [email protected] View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE SeaWorld Orlando
