Open water: Park is set for crowds
SeaWorld Orlando reopens today and will cap attendance
When it reopens today after a three-month shutdown, SeaWorld Orlando will cap attendance at about one-third capacity and run on a five day a week calendar to give employees more time to clean, the company’s interim CEO Marc Swanson said.
The parks are “absolutely” safe, Swanson said during his first sit-down interview with the Orlando Sentinel since he took over the company in April in the middle of an economic and health crisis.
“I will tell you, personally, my family is going to be here too. And as a father of three kids, I wouldn’t take my kids anywhere that I didn’t feel was safe,” Swanson said.
Swanson spoke about what SeaWorld visitors can expect when they return, the new safety rules and the company’s future ahead as the turnstiles begin again and the recovery starts.
Orlando’s theme parks are operating in a changed world. The mentality of ushering in massive crowds is gone. Instead, SeaWorld and the other
parks are adjusting their entertainment into a new era where social distancing is the new buzz word and requirement.
Swanson spoke optimistically as he said the company looks ahead to whether popular events such as the Seven Seas Food Festival and its con
cert series can continue this year.
“We’re working in exploring all those things,” Swanson said, pointing to how the food festival is outdoors and spread out around the parks. For the stadium concerts, people could be spaced out in their seats so the show could go on.
No word on coasters
Swanson wouldn’t say when Florida’s newest major roller coasters will open. Originally scheduled this spring before the pandemic, SeaWorld Orlando had planned to open the familyfriendly Ice Breaker coaster while Busch Gardens Tampa Bay has a buzz among thrill-seekers for its upcoming Iron Gwazi.
The company warned in last month’s quarterly earnings call it was re-evaluating which new rides will open this year or be delayed until 2021.
“We’re excited as you. I can’t wait myself, but I don’t have anything to share today,” Swanson said.
Universal Orlando’s theme parks opened last week and allowed visitors to walk-up and visit without advanced reservation although the company had planned to not allow more than 35% capacity. The crowds were noticeably light on the first day back.
SeaWorld’s approach is different.
Annual passholders, fun card holders and those who want to buy ticket that day must make advance online reservations first.
“It’s another safety metric,” Swanson said. “There’s multiple ways we can control capacity. We wanted to make sure we were very clear: This is what we can do for the day. And we didn’t want people showing up if we were overflow or something and having to turn them away.”
So far, the company said it’s seen “high demand” on its reservation system, which Swanson said will remain in place “for the foreseeable future.”
Attendance will be capped around “one-third or so,” Swanson said,
“It’s going to ebb and flow a little bit here and there. A lot of this, we want to see how the park feels, how we can manage everything,” he said.
Extra time to clean
SeaWorld Orlando will only be open five days a week to give employees more time to sanitize the parks. The parks can also be staffed overnight for extra cleaning, Swanson said.
The calendar shows SeaWorld Orlando isn’t taking reservations on future Tuesdays and Thursdays.
“There’s a tremendous focus on cleaning, sanitation, safety,” Swanson said he outlined new safety rules, such as temperature checks, mask requirements for both employees and visitors, hand sanitizer stations throughout the park and visual cues to keep crowds spread out.
Companywide, so far more than 5,300 people — the majority from Florida
—have returned to their jobs as of Wednesday with plans to continue to call more back at the Orlandobased company that operates 12 theme parks in five states.
Virtually all — 95% — of the company’s employees were furloughed without pay by April 1, thrusting them into the state’s unemployment system that many criticize as slow to pay and confusing.
“Furloughing our employees was absolutely the hardest decision we’ve ever made,” Swanson said, who has worked for the company about 20 years. “Having been at the company a long time, I know many of these people. I’m friends with some of these people. … I appreciate everything they do. They’re so passionate about working here.”
Swanson said he planned to be out at Thursday’s opening day to greet employees and say thank you.
When asked whether the company will have to lay off employees, Swanson said that depends on how many visitors return to SeaWorld theme parks.
And Swanson believes they will return, he said.
An annual pass or a oneday ticket are cheaper than Disney World or Universal, which Swanson calls SeaWorld a good deal for its value. Plus the majority of visitors drive to SeaWorld theme parks, a silver lining as many tourists are hesitate to fly during the pandemic.
Swanson was previously the company’s chief financial officer but twice in the past two years, he has been called in as the interim CEO amid leadership turnover. The last two permanent chiefs resigned abruptly after only working at the company for several months, citing disagreements with the company’s board.
When asked if he wanted the interim removed from his title, Swanson said he was focused for the immediate job ahead — the parks reopening.
“That’s what I think about every day,” he said.
“I will tell you, personally, my family is going to be here too. And as a father of three kids, I wouldn’t take my kids anywhere that I didn’t feel was safe.”
Marc Swanson, Sea World interim CEO