Florida – the perfect place for a touching encounter...
SEAWORLD’S latest crowd-puller opened at the end of last month – and is already making quite a splash with visitors.
TurtleTrek in Orlando is a one-ofa-kind attraction, bringing guests up close to gliding sea turtles and gentle manatees. Visitors then get to experience a turtle’s-eye view of the ocean in the world’s first 3D, 360degree movie, in a domed cinema.
The film was created by the same special-effects team that worked on the blockbuster Titanic. It uses technology that produces a picture 13 times more detailed than HD television, giving visitors a hyperreal experience and allowing them to experience an underwater environment that moves all around them and even over their heads.
Through the film, families learn of the hazards and challenges facing the sea turtle through the eyes of a turtle called Nyah. The story begins with her hatching from an egg on a beach and making a mad dash to open water. The film goes on to cover her growth to maturity and eventual return to the same beach to lay her own eggs.
After the movie, visitors can enjoy the fun and educational family game Race For The Beach. The video game allows families to work in groups to help understand turtle migration.
The park’s animal care team rescued many of the manatees and sea turtles visitors will see at the park. About 240 other rescued manatees – and more than 1,200 sea turtles – have been returned to the wild.
At SeaWorld, guests also have the opportunity to dip into the water and interact with beluga whales.
And visitors to the Freshwater Oasis, at SeaWorld’s Discovery Cove theme park, can get up close to playful otters and curious marmosets. Designed with a rainforest canopy above and sparkling clear springs below, Freshwater Oasis is a natural fit within the tropical surroundings of Discovery Cove. The water is not too deep, so you can wade in, swim or float through the habitat of the Asian otters and marmosets.
For some apres-animal exploration, visitors to Freshwater can soak up the Orlando sunshine in the In-Water Relaxation Station – a secluded pool that has chairs in the water. Admission to Freshwater Oasis is included in Discovery Cove’s entry price.
Over in Tampa, on Florida’s Gulf Coast and an hour’s drive from Orlando, is Busch Gardens, one of America’s top theme parks.
Home to more than 2,000 animals, the park has recently launched its Animal Care Centre – which gives visitors a behind-the-scenes look at how an animal hospital works. Admission is free to Busch Gardens visitors. The theme park has also launched a new ride – Cheetah Hunt, a thrilling rollercoaster that passes close to the cheetah observation compound.
Visitors travelling to both Tampa and Orlando might want to take advantage of the 3-Park Ticket, which offers 14 days’ unlimited entry to SeaWorld Orlando, Aquatica (SeaWorld’s Orlando water park with its famous rides and pools) and Busch Gardens in Tampa.
And next year in Orlando, SeaWorld will launch Antarctica – Empire Of The Penguin, the coldest theme park in the world. Visitors will be able to explore the frozen wilderness of Antarctica through the eyes of one of the world’s most loved birds – the penguin.
Antarctica – Empire Of The Penguin will take them on a journey to the most barren place on Earth with a state-of-the-art ride.
And it’s not just Florida that offers an amazing water experience. There’s a SeaWorld in San Antonio, Texas, and earlier this month it opened its own Aquatica. This water park includes three terraced pools and a giant wave pool.