SeaWorld Ends Orca Breeding

[IzzyB]

Dang, I'm wrong. I thought their attendance started to dip in 2011, it wasn't till 13

Nope. Their downfall was because of that dumb movie. Now some can say that Disney also had a down year in 2014, so it could have been also tourist pattern changes, but the movie for sure did the most damage to them. Which to me is just awful because the movie was filled with mostly stretched truth and lies. But companies still have to take these things seriously because of public perception.

 

[Teebin]

There's a difference between "I like SeaWorld" and "Screw those social justice warriors!"

Aah... that is the argument. My bad and I apologize to testtrack.

 

[JungleSkip]

Nope. Their downfall was because of that dumb movie. Now some can say that Disney also had a down year in 2014, so it could have been also tourist pattern changes, but the movie for sure did the most damage to them. Which to me is just awful because the movie was filled with mostly stretched truth and lies. But companies still have to take these things seriously because of public perception.

Even without the movie, I still stand by the fact that SeaWorld is not competing in the attraction marketplace.

Parents see things like WWoHP, Minions, Transformers, SDMT, NFL, etc and their kids get excited. Kids like animals, no doubt, but they like their favorite characters more.

 

[Kraken&Manta]

As a note to what I said earlier, HSUS =/ Humane Societies. HSUS is similar to the other national animal rights groups that are corrupt organizations. Certainly not as bad as Peta, but not good by any measure.

2) SeaWorld was dying way before this. Let's not act like this is the first nail in the coffin
Manby is basically the only reason I could see SeaWorld even having a shot of surviving moving forward. Like it or not, SeaWorld has been dying long before the recent activist attacks. They've trailed behind Disney and Universal in offering good attractions. Period. Without good attractions, you're not going to get the people. They haven't been offering good, state of the art attractions in a long, long time.

This, 100%. And I'm willing to go even further back and claim the seeds of SeaWorld's destruction lay in InBev's purchase of Anheuser-Busch back in 2008. Without AB's resources the parks were far more open to attack from Peta-like groups and further had a more important need to turn a profit. At this point in time, I don't believe a publicly owned SeaWorld can successfully operate as a conservation focused company. It would really need some rich company or billionaire who cares about the environment as AB did.

I'd really like to hear the Orca handlers' opinion on this.

 

[IzzyB]

This is an Orlando centric board and not all things SeaWorld is Orlando. I see it like this, they'll invest in the expanded plusses up tanks and turn the orcas into nothing more than an Aquarium attraction. Sea Lion and dolphin shows outside of SeaWorld are much more numerous and harder to target just SeaWorld alone. How many zoos in just the US have a seanlion show of some sort. Oh, they will go for those next because the underlining issue is captivity in general but SeaWorld is less of White Whale for targeting. I don't like the HSUS part. Didn't need them. What is jot spoken is Seaworld is saying this is their last generation of whales that they had breed. It was going to have to happen due to inbreeding issues anyway but I'll place a small 6 park wager that "Opportunities" arise for SeaWorld to take in more Killer Whales in the future from around the world, other countries like Russia and China will plow ahead with little regard of what brainwashed soccer moms in SoCal think. You don't invest the money that they will invest in these structures without some kind on backstop in mind, you just don't announce it.

The end game I have always saw with Manby going to SEAS was for him to stabilize SEAS and then buy Herschend.

If theycan pull off aquarium rooms at their resorts, They'll print money on those. It'll be the Seaworld equivalent of a savanna view room at AKL. Imagine the Polynesian style huts like the new ones at Disney's with actual clear water and fish under a glass floor like the real ones in south Pacific.

I do agree with rescuing Orcas. Sea World is really talking up their rescue efforts, so I can totally see more Orcas coming their way from that program. They said they will have Orcas for decades and I don't see them going away for a very long time. They will build enclosures and "shows" that will help them, keep Shamu for decades, and they will be the premier care facility for Orcas so whenever one needs a home, everyone will push for Sea World to take the Orca.

I don't agree with the Human Society partnership. I think they needed this. Because they made a deal with them. Stop the breeding program and we won't go after you. Which means their other animals are safe from them. Now PETA is a different story HOWEVER having the Human Society behind them will make the public side with Sea World and say PETA are extreme idiots. So public perception will be MUCH better which is what they need.

The more I think about this, this was a really good move how they did it and how they announced it. I saw the piece on Fox News where the CEO and Human Society talked about it. it was done very well. Still said I will lose my Christmas show. I guess 2016 and 2017 I will have to go a lot. I imagine b y 2018 construction will prevent the Christmas show from happening.

Even without the movie, I still stand by the fact that SeaWorld is not competing in the attraction marketplace.

Parents see things like WWoHP, Minions, Transformers, SDMT, NFL, etc and their kids get excited. Kids like animals, no doubt, but they like their favorite characters more.

Would their attendance have gone down a little? Maybe, but I don't think it would have been the huge drop it was. Look at Disney, it dropped in 2014, but it has recovered and doing way better now and that is without any real new offerings. I think it is #3 in Orlando, but I don't think it would have been so far back without the movie.

 

[ChrisFL]

I think this is the right move by Sea World.

Yes, Shamu and the killer whales have always been the symbol of Sea World but they've been trying to update their image for years now anyway, as the whole adventure park thing started (before they got rid of that tagline).

Since Blackfish, having a killer whale show was always going to be a thing that made guests uneasy, I think, and changing it to the large habitat of killer whales who don't do stunts/tricks will be just fine.

Yes, it was a corporate decision, but look how long they waited to make this announcement. They could have backed off as soon as the movie became popular, but they stuck to their guns as long as possible.

They have all of the opportunity to re-invent themselves now and get improved P.R. for the changes they make.

 

[Scott W.]

As for this move. I think it will be overall good. But I am sad to see it happen. I will admit I love the shows and will very much miss the Christmas Shamu show. I also think the kids won't be as into the animals with the shows gone. So I am hoping that the new educational shows really are able to capture the kids. Because one of the reason the kids love the animals and care about them so much is from things like Sea World. So I am hoping the direction they go in still captures the hearts of the kids.

Reading this has just made me a little sad inside knowing that when I have kids, they won't get to see a Shamu show in person. I've always been on and off the fence about Orcas and dolphins at SeaWorld but I remember seeing Shamu when I was younger and loving it. You can go to Disney and Universal and see 30ft King Kongs or world class AAs at Disney but SeaWorld was the real deal.

 

[Jon84]

As much as they are stopping breeding, and changing the habitats/shows, they are still going to be a huge part of the parks.

Their youngest Orca is 1 year old, their Orcas are going to be around for the next 50ish years if they all live a full life.

This is a massive business decision as with no new breeding, their Orcas will get older, and tired which will leave them with some very ill looking Killer Whales. The new habitats will improve the look of the park for the next 50 years, which I am all for.

 

[Jon84]

I remember seeing Shamu when I was younger and loving it.

My sister in law was genuinely upset when I told her that the original Shamu died years ago.

People genuinely think there is still an Orca called Shamu.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Aah... that is the argument. My bad and I apologize to testtrack.

No hard feelings.

--------

To claim SW has one or two issues is an over simplification, like saying a boxer lost a match without a KO due to one bad round. Blackstone, InBev, weather, bad attractions, blackfish, and more have caused issues. A theme park is more than the sum of its attractions yet at the same time its most important asset. SeaWorld has to adapt and change to the world now, whether it's one it helped create or not. "Fighting" or stubbornness is a great way to destroy the company. Simply because some music and whales don't jump doesn't mean the park is doomed.

 

[Mad Dog]

As a note to what I said earlier, HSUS =/ Humane Societies. HSUS is similar to the other national animal rights groups that are corrupt organizations. Certainly not as bad as Peta, but not good by any measure.

This, 100%. And I'm willing to go even further back and claim the seeds of SeaWorld's destruction lay in InBev's purchase of Anheuser-Busch back in 2008. Without AB's resources the parks were far more open to attack from Peta-like groups and further had a more important need to turn a profit. At this point in time, I don't believe a publicly owned SeaWorld can successfully operate as a conservation focused company. It would really need some rich company or billionaire who cares about the environment as AB did.

I'd really like to hear the Orca handlers' opinion on this.

Your AB selling out to In Bev purchase is a good point. Between in Bev, & then Blackstone, taking more out of the chain' parks than they put into them, they started a flat to downward trend. I used to go to Busch Garden's Williamsburg every year, but since the Busch family was out of the operation, that park too has been very troubled with either flat or downward attendance. And there was no PETA pressure in that situation. BGW has a few small animal shows,not sea oriented though, and they weren't really controversial. So certainly the Blackfish documentary had some effect on the three Seaworld parks, but there is a lot more to the story than that.

 

[Scott W.]

My sister in law was genuinely upset when I told her that the original Shamu died years ago.

People genuinely think there is still an Orca called Shamu.

My wife asked when Shamu was coming out during the show when they were announcing the names and ages of the orcas. I didn't have the heart to tell at the time.

 

[Mad Dog]

My wife asked when Shamu was coming out during the show when they were announcing the names and ages of the orcas. I didn't have the heart to tell at the time.

Yes, and those whales certainly had a lot of value. I remember when SeaWorld sold their Ohio park. The park stayed intact but SeaWorld took their Orca with them. That non Sea World owned park, even though it had everything present except for the Orca, started a steep downward trend until it's original theme all but disappeared. I don't think that drastic of a situation will happen in Orlando. These are different times and different mindsets. But it does illustrate how essential the Orcas' were in the past.

 

[Plastic Person]

This needed to happen. The world is moving on, and I think they've just about saved themselves.

 

[JungleSkip]

Your AB purchase is a good point. Between AB, & then Blackstone, taking more out of the chain' parks than they put into them, they started a flat to downward trend. I used to go to Busch Garden's Williamsburg every year, but since the Busch family was out of the operation, that park too has been very troubled with either flat or downward attendance. And there was no PETA pressure in that situation. BGW has a few small animal shows,not sea oriented though, and they weren't really controversial. So certainly the Blackfish documentary had some effect on the three Seaworld parks, but there is a lot more to the story than that.

I went to BGW about once a year during/right after college. Noticed a distinct slide in quality from 2011 onward

 

[Disneyhead]

This will last long enough for the activists to move on. Then SeaWorld will find a reason to restart the breeding program.

 

[Disneyhead]

I went to BGW about once a year during/right after college. Noticed a distinct slide in quality from 2011 onward

Where did you go to college?

 

[WAJAS]

This will last long enough for the activists to move on. Then SeaWorld will find a reason to restart the breeding program.

I can see this happening. Minimum like 8 to 14 years from now though.

 

[JungleSkip]

Where did you go to college?

Virginia Tech

 

[Donald Razorduck]

This will last long enough for the activists to move on. Then SeaWorld will find a reason to restart the breeding program.

It will be outsourced. Like I said, they'll be a new home for other captive Orcas from other parts of the world and they'll frame it as saving them them as they would surely die if released.