Seaworld CEO Change
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And layoffs at all the parks as well :blank:
It's not looking good for SeaWorld Parks overall at this point. Hopefully some other company comes in and buys them up at fire sale prices now before they are damaged beyond repair.
There have been people in suits touring SeaWorld recently being led around by execs, so something may be afoot...
It's not looking good for SeaWorld Parks overall at this point. Hopefully some other company comes in and buys them up at fire sale prices now before they are damaged beyond repair.
There have been people in suits touring SeaWorld recently being led around by execs, so something may be afoot...
Often, that is why owners hack the hell out of a company. They want to sell, but they must make it appear a viable business model by cutting staff to the bone. That will only work for a short time however as the product (the park and employees) will eventually begin falling apart from neglect.
You could smell this one from a mile away. Honestly this whole thing isn't because of Blackfish - it stems as far back as the AB/Inbev transition in 2008. Here's just a few of many glaring issues with this company:
1) Poor Employment Model - Puts new hire/ front line employees on a 9-month probationary period, creates high turnover rate. Nobody has ownership of their roles in the company. Healthcare mandate then forces SeaWorld to cut back employee hours in 2013 to a mere 28/hrs a week because the company simply couldn't afford the labor cost. This again created a tremor in the employment makeup which reflects poorly on in-park experiences.
2) Capital Investment Decisions (2010 - Present) - Although Manta opened in 2009, the attraction was developed by the AB team and had nothing to do with the current team. Every decision the park made after that was based on the concept that, since they're in family friendly Orlando, they needed more family friendly attractions. What followed from Brian Morrow and company was a complete and total waste of finances and time.
3) Aquatica - What could of been an opportunity to tie the parks together slipped through the cracks, SeaWorld instead opened up a typical water park with a few animal based thematic elements. The focus should of been on opening a Phase 1 with an emphasis on creating a connection between the dry park and the water park. Although geographically, they sit next to each other, in terms of the way the traffic is distributed they might as well be worlds away.
4) Marketing Approach - This somewhat has to do with the response to Blackfish, and the humanitarian/preachy marketing campaign SeaWorld wasted money on to save face of their brand. The other big disappointment comes from trying to compete with other Orlando theme parks by identifying themselves as a family theme park, rather than providing an alternative to an already saturated market. SeaWorld should of focused their efforts on bringing the thrills of wildlife with modern-day thrill rides, instead they tried to fit them selves into a mold they don't belong in.
I could go on for hours and hours, but lets not forget the past. This isn't necessarily because of Blackfish, I just think SeaWorld executives find convenience in it as a way to explain what simply are bad business decisions in an environment that could of made them a huge hit. I really hope that whoever decides to acquire the park understands the true culture of SeaWorld and doesn't veer down the same path of failure that Jim Atchison, Terry Prather, and Brian Morrow fell so accustomed to.
1) Poor Employment Model - Puts new hire/ front line employees on a 9-month probationary period, creates high turnover rate. Nobody has ownership of their roles in the company. Healthcare mandate then forces SeaWorld to cut back employee hours in 2013 to a mere 28/hrs a week because the company simply couldn't afford the labor cost. This again created a tremor in the employment makeup which reflects poorly on in-park experiences.
2) Capital Investment Decisions (2010 - Present) - Although Manta opened in 2009, the attraction was developed by the AB team and had nothing to do with the current team. Every decision the park made after that was based on the concept that, since they're in family friendly Orlando, they needed more family friendly attractions. What followed from Brian Morrow and company was a complete and total waste of finances and time.
3) Aquatica - What could of been an opportunity to tie the parks together slipped through the cracks, SeaWorld instead opened up a typical water park with a few animal based thematic elements. The focus should of been on opening a Phase 1 with an emphasis on creating a connection between the dry park and the water park. Although geographically, they sit next to each other, in terms of the way the traffic is distributed they might as well be worlds away.
4) Marketing Approach - This somewhat has to do with the response to Blackfish, and the humanitarian/preachy marketing campaign SeaWorld wasted money on to save face of their brand. The other big disappointment comes from trying to compete with other Orlando theme parks by identifying themselves as a family theme park, rather than providing an alternative to an already saturated market. SeaWorld should of focused their efforts on bringing the thrills of wildlife with modern-day thrill rides, instead they tried to fit them selves into a mold they don't belong in.
I could go on for hours and hours, but lets not forget the past. This isn't necessarily because of Blackfish, I just think SeaWorld executives find convenience in it as a way to explain what simply are bad business decisions in an environment that could of made them a huge hit. I really hope that whoever decides to acquire the park understands the true culture of SeaWorld and doesn't veer down the same path of failure that Jim Atchison, Terry Prather, and Brian Morrow fell so accustomed to.
Many of us have agreed with these concepts for a while. It's not Blackfish, it's Blackstone. Williamsburg & Tampa are in the same sinking boat, and they don't have Orcas. It's just bad management bleeding a company dry, just like they did with Universal.
I think the particularly disappointing factor is that they didn't learn from their mistakes the first time. Instead, they turned a blind eye and told themselves that everything would be alright. The best thing that happened to SWP&E in the last 6 years is Falcon's Fury - but even with this project you see a total disconnect between a kick-ass thrill ride and a bedazzled family friendly "land" known as Pantopia. What's so wrong about Egyptian ruins, the Jungle of Congo, or the tribal towers of Stanleyville that they have to change the entire image with made-up/ gayed-up fantasylands? What's really sad is that the Busch Family ran these parks like a hobby - and had so much fun developing them. What has kept them alive since then are the efforts of the past, not the failures of today.
Well said in this sentence. It seems a surprise now that Comcast really has fun with running theme parks.
That said, Blackstone was still part-owner when the first Harry Potter land was built. Curious huh. I am still not sure what to make of it.
- Feb 15, 2012
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This is pretty damn depressing, to those getting laid off I definitely feel for you. Hopefully you all can go to a better park down the road and start anew, heard Disney springs is hiring up to the thousands so hey there ya go
If the money from Antarctica was used for a hyper and a wing rider, I think we would be telling a different story..
It'll likely be full-time and management getting laid off. The majority of front-line workers are seasonal anyway. If you aren't seasonal then you're probably full-time. It's just how SWP&R works. They employ a small % of Part time workers, but it's not even worth it. They actually reduced seasonal employment from 9 months to 6 months as well over the past year as well, so even that got made worse.
Their high turnover rate makes for very low employee morale. It's a much worse situation than Disney's turnover rate with the College Program, mostly because the DCPers are eager to work and for the most part all love Disney. The people that Sea World employs... it's just another job to them. They don't care about it and the company does nothing to make them care.
Their high turnover rate makes for very low employee morale. It's a much worse situation than Disney's turnover rate with the College Program, mostly because the DCPers are eager to work and for the most part all love Disney. The people that Sea World employs... it's just another job to them. They don't care about it and the company does nothing to make them care.
And apparently Atchison is getting a $2 million severance package ... and $440.000 a year for consultation ...
I am not saying Morrow should be on the chopping block, but he should not be project leader, he is like a kid in a candy store ...
As for Aquatica, I love it, yes it is a generic water park but it feels really good and is very well maintained, it does not feel generic ... but yes, they should have the parks connected; would have been great if there was a bridge connecting the two parks ...
I am not saying Morrow should be on the chopping block, but he should not be project leader, he is like a kid in a candy store ...
As for Aquatica, I love it, yes it is a generic water park but it feels really good and is very well maintained, it does not feel generic ... but yes, they should have the parks connected; would have been great if there was a bridge connecting the two parks ...
Annnnd this straight-up pisses me off. Wow, they're really pissing away greatness aren't they. Scott is a great guy and an even better Creative Director.
I kind of figured that would happen and it actually seems like a pretty obvious move for a company struggling so much. They can sell off the other parks to Cedar Fair/Six Flags/whoever and still have their 3 Sea World resorts in Orlando, San Diego and San Antonio (which all have an Aquatica as well).
It minimizes the amount of management they need to worry about employing and they need to oversee less parks that, tbh, really are becoming less and less a part of who Sea World really is. It only makes sense for a company in their situation.
So my Question is today which Employees are Affected from the Layoffs? ( Full or Part or Seasonal) or all Three? cause I have Orientation on the 16th at 8am and it kinda worries me now that I might not even have a Job due to the layoffs even tho I Just got hired by Seaworld even tho I have'nt heard anything about cancellation of Orientation so I should be alright for next Tuesday?
They aren't going to layoff seasonal workers. Part time is not likely either. They actually may try to push Seasonal workers to part-time, as seasonal can work 40+ hours/week, whereas Part-time is capped at 28 hours. I know multiple people in the past year who were offered that and declined because it simply wasn't worth it.
I foresee layoffs coming from full-time front line workers (potentially) and higher-level management types.
Honestly, don't worry about it though. Just do the best you can do, make a good impression and everything should be fine. Keep an ear out though.
- Feb 15, 2012
- 17,126
- 47,026
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