Our friends at SeaWorld issued some great tips yesterday about taking photos of the new TurtleTrek exhibit. I’ve taken the liberty of copying them here as it’s a good thing to remember for not only Turtle Trek but anytime you are in front of glass or plexiglas at any theme park!
Some guests have a little photo trouble when they are trying to snap pictures at Turtle Trek. The above picture is of a rescued sea turtle named Stitch, but you’ll notice the camera flash reflects in the plexiglas, ruining the photo.
When you’re trying to shoot through plexiglass, think of the surface like a mirror. If you point the flash straight towards the plexi, the light will reflect straight back towards your camera causing a reflection and ruining the image.
However, an easy way to solve this problem is to take a step or two to the side so you’re shooting through the glass at a slight angle. The light will still be able to pass through the plexiglass, but it keeps the reflection out of view.
Now you can capture a ton of reflection-free photos of all the sea turtles at Turtle Trek. And we have many other great underwater places to practice your new skills — the manatees at TurtleTrek, dolphins at Dolphin Underwater viewing, rays and sea life at Manta and the jewel of the sea aquarium at Journey to Atlantis. Now let’s see what you got, post your best shots on our Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/FloridaLeisure!
Today was a big day at SeaWorld Orlando as the theme park continues it’s quest to become the finest theme park in the Central Florida area. Not content with already being the place to go during the Christmas period, SeaWorld’s President Terry Prather (pictured above) opened the fabulous new TurtleTrek attraction. Turtle Trek is the only attraction of its kind in the world and this morning we got chance to attend the Grand Opening ceremony.
TurtleTrek, is a superb new addition to the fabulous park and it offers a unique blend of up-close encounters with manatees and sea turtles. It also features state-of-the art entertainment, which makes for a real adventure and a first-of-its-kind 3D 360 degree dome theater film that completely surrounds guests and gives them a fully immersive experience.
Guests enter the attraction and visit the first of two massive naturalistic habitats, home to gentle manatees and gliding sea turtles, learning along the way what makes each species so precious. Families then enter a domed theater and what happens next has never before been seen and is a first at any theme park in the world.
Inside the dome, guests don special 3D glasses and are then surrounded by a hyper-realistic, 3D 360 degree film that takes them on the amazing life journey of a special sea turtle named Nyah. The experience is all around guests and even above them – not just in front of them or only on one screen. It’s this all-new and immersive way of showcasing a sea turtle’s epic adventure that is the heart of TurtleTrek. And for the first time, SeaWorld guests are given a turtle’s eye view of the ocean’s wonders.
TurtleTrek is as inspirational as it is astounding. There’s a call-to-action at the end of the experience as SeaWorld urges guests to join in with conserving the world we share. “Do a little, do a lot, but join us and do something to help the world and its animals,” said Brian Morrow, the attraction’s chief designer. “TurtleTrek is about the everyday heroes who can make a difference in nature.”
As guests leave the dome there’s even more for families to enjoy. Families can compete in a fun and educational “Race for the Beach” video game that plays out on massive video screens outside the new attraction. Also, TurtleTrek’s gift shop is unique in the way it continues the attraction’s inspiration and guests will see exactly how a portion of each dollar spent benefits in-the-field research to help save animals.
Further and starting at TurtleTrek, SeaWorld and all its parks are eliminating plastic gift bags within the next year. SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment will be the largest theme park operator to make this commitment. The eco-friendly move will save an estimated 4 million plastic bags per year from both entering landfills and impacting wildlife. SeaWorld routinely rescues marine wildlife such as endangered sea turtles that sometimes mistake plastic bags for a favorite food such as jellyfish.
Starting Saturdays 14 April through to 5 May you have the chance to celebrate the food, fun, sights and sounds of Latin culture at SeaWorld’s annual festival Viva la Música. The festival features live concerts by internationally renowned Latin musical artists. Viva la Música festival starts at 12p.m. and concerts start at 3p.m.
SeaWorld Orlando animal rescue team received two hawksbill turtle hatchlings earlier this week. Both are approximately two months old with the first being found at Melbourne Beach and the second in Cocoa Beach.
The first turtle was found by a tourist and was dropped off at the Sea Turtle Preservation Society in Melbourne Beach, Florida. It weighs only 2 ounces and is nearly 3 inches long. The turtle was in lethargic and weak condition when it arrived.
The second turtle was found in Cocoa Beach and also brought to the Sea Turtle Preservation Society. It weighs 2.5 ounces and is just over 3 inches long. This turtle was covered with algae and fauna, as seen in the photo.
Both hatchlings were brought to SeaWorld for examination and continued care, including, feeding, giving fluids and around-the-clock observation and monitoring. Due to their age and size, they’re living in a small brooder where the temperature is kept at a constant 84 degrees. They are in the water several times throughout the day but also spend time dry in order to conserve their energy. The turtles are taken home in their brooder each night by a turtle expert (aquarist) for middle-of-the-night feedings.
It’s a tough journey ahead but both turtles are looking better and are showing positive signs. Hawksbill turtles are endangered due to human exploitation and habitat degradation.
This year, SeaWorld Orlando has rescued 10 sea turtles and released three. For more than 45 years, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment has helped animals in need, ill, injured and orphaned. More than 20,000 animals have been rescued by SeaWorld’s experts to date and the animal rescue team is on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Taking a break away from all the amazing golf action here in Orlando this week, we decided to change the frantic pace by finding out a little more about the newest attraction at Discovery Cove… Freshwater Oasis.
Freshwater Oasis is an all-new attraction featuring wading adventures and face-to-face encounters with playful otters and curious marmosets and it’s set to open in the spring. The new area is designed with a rainforest canopy above and sparkling-clear springs below and that make it a natural fit within Discovery Cove’s tropical atmosphere. It will be a great place to relax and explore. You’ll also be able to wade, wonder, swim and float in the water-filled trails. No matter where you turn, you’ll find endless discoveries. Freshwater Oasis is included with admission to Discovery Cove, an all-inclusive tropical getaway and the only place to experience the most exciting animal encounters the world has to offer.
Also, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment has released news that attendance across it’s chain of parks climbed 5.3 percent in 2011 — to about 23.6 million visitors in all. It is the company’s first year-over-year increase since 2008, when it opened Aquatica in Orlando and SeaWorld Parks President and Chief Executive Officer Jim Atchison said the company’s flagship park, SeaWorld Orlando, had a record year in 2011.
It’s something I’m not surprised by as the theme park has revitalized itself through some excellent events and shows. Without doubt, SeaWorld Orlando is THE place to go to at Christmas time and it has supplemented this with a great Bands, BBQ and Brew program. Of course, SeaWorld is known for it’s Shamu show and that has also helped boost the park together with new attractions like Manta.
A day at SeaWorld is more relaxing than the crowds you’ll often see at the Walt Disney World theme parks and the flow of the park means the whole family gets the opportunity to unwind and enjoy. SeaWorld is also an opportunity for learning and it has some excellent animal care programs such as the dolphin and sea lion up close tours.
Four smokin’ hot fun weekends of Bands, Brew & BBQ at SeaWorld Orlando came to a close yesterday afternoon as American Idol winner Scotty McCreery took the stage to entertain a bumper crowd.
Bands, Brew and BBQ really is establishing itself as the must go to event at this time of year as SeaWorld puts on a fabulous afternoon of slow paced entertainment to relax and enjoy. Dozens of craft and international beers were on hand as well as the chance to fire up the taste buds with BBQ style food from several favorite local restaurants.
The event ran in parallel with Busch Gardens Tampa who enjoyed sizzling live performances from award-winning country and classic rock artists like Lynyrd Skynyrd, Bret Michaels (above right), 38 Special and REO Speedwagon, while here in Orlando we got to enjoy the likes of Foreigner, Trace Adkins, Kenny Rogers, Doobie Brothers, Gary Allan, Sara Evans and Ronnie Dunn.
Make sure you plan a trip to Orlando for next years event…it promises to bigger and better! And, the entertainment is included in a normal day’s admission to the park… you can’t beat that!
More photos from Scotty McCreery in concert and Bands, Brew & BBQ here
This morning I wandered along to SeaWorld to take a preview of the new, first of its kind attraction, Turtle Trek. It was an interesting visit that lasted around 45 minutes as I took a look at the new state of the art dome that will house the animated film that guests will no doubt come to love and enjoy.
The fully domed theater has a powerful stereoscopic projection system and that allows for a seamless, 3-D virtual environment that goes all around the dome, including over the heads of guests. A fine silver coating on the dome allows each screen to focus the projection light back toward the guests and each fleck of silver is like a tiny mirror.
The 3D/360 degree film will showcase the epic journey of one sea turtle. No animal’s life journey is more extraordinary than that of a sea turtle. From hatching on a beach and then making a mad dash to open waters to the dangers and hazards they face as they mature and return to the very same beach where they lay their own eggs, their tales of life underwater have in the past been very difficult to tell.
In the same way that Sea World brought attention to the plight of the manatee, the park will showcase the vulnerable sea turtle when the attraction opens in the spring of 2012. The animated film will play its part in this and it goes well beyond the concept of high definition or even virtual reality as each frame of the film has approximately 26 million individual pixels … more than 13 times what is normally considered “high-definition.” The film will be shown at 60 frames per second which is twice as fast as the human mind can register movement and combined with the dome and the powerful projection system, the result will be one of the sharpest and most spectacular 3-D films ever created.
The movie began on the artist’s drawing board and every movement of every creature was animated independently, from our hero, the sea turtle, to thousands of fish right down to the smallest anemone. More than 12 species of sea animals will be brought to life in the movie and the astonishing thing is that the movie is actually two films that run together simultaneously to create the 3-D effect.
The six minute movie really will be incredible and you won’t find it on Netflix anytime soon… as it is nearly 950GB and would take you nearly three months to download even if you had enough storage space available. In fact, to give you some idea of how huge it is, if you were to try and create a full length film at this resolution and complexity, it would take you nearly five years to download!
34 projectors and 360,000 lumens of light will fill the 3-D, 360 degree movie dome and that’s more than 15 times a typical digital movie theater projection system. Nearly a kilometer of fiber optic cable carries the video date to the projectors and the sound system includes 22 discrete audio channels that will be mixed on site. This then allows for 3-D sound and pinpoint placement of audio effects.
Pretty neat eh? Well consider this, your own surround system at home will usually be a 5.1 arrangement with 5 sound channels and 1 channel for low frequency effects… the sound system at TurtleTrek is 18.4 and is rated at an amazing 32,000 watts!
So that’s the dome and the movie but it’s only part of the allure of TurtleTrek as the whole experience will feature two massive, naturalistic saltwater and freshwater habitats which will be the home to both sea turtles and manatees. Turtle Trek will become home to a variety of adult and juvenile sea turtles, including hawksbill, Kemp’s, loggerhead and green sea turtles. Guests will be able to view these exquisite creatures gliding past them from above or from a below water window. The manatees, believed to be four West Indian manatees to be housed in the location, can also be seen from above or below the water as they swim or graze on a leafy snack. Each of the gentle giants in the exhibit will have come from the SeaWorld rescue program.
Sea turtles are truly a global species found in temperate and tropical seas worldwide and they have survived in the seas for over 200 million years. The TurtleTrek residents though, have been deemed non-releasable by the Florida government, due to genetics, illness or being orphaned. Since 1973, SeaWorld Orlando has rescued, cared for and returned hundreds of endangered manatees and since 1980 it has returned more than 1,200 sea turtles back to their natural waters.
It really is a fantastic effort and SeaWorld is determined to continue educating the public while helping ill, injured, orphaned and abandoned animals in need. To date, over four decades of SeaWorld activity has seen more than 20,000 animals rescued by the park’s animal experts including whales, dolphins, sea lions, manatees, sea turtles and birds… essentially, the equivalent of helping one animal a day, everyday, for 45 years. It’s why we at Florida Leisure are proud to support SeaWorld and their incredible staff. It’s also why we emphasize a visit to SeaWorld Orlando as both adults and children benefit from the experience. Not only is it fun, but it is very educational and you can’t help but learn something about the world we live in.
We look forward to the opening of TurtleTrek and look forward to bringing you more news and stories from SeaWorld Orlando… so keep checking back on this blog every week!
We’re excited to share the first of many “webisodes” about the different aspects of TurtleTrek, opening this spring at SeaWorld Orlando. From this overview of the dome construction to animation and the animals you’ll find here, these videos will give you an insider’s look into how this amazing attraction will come to life.
Remember, TurtleTrek is going to be the world’s first 3D, 360-degree domed theater experience that takes you on a sea turtle’s incredible journey and invites you to become an everyday hero.
With an all-new festival featuring awesome concerts by LazyTown, Max & Ruby, the Doodlebops and Choo-Choo Soul and tons of family-friendly fun and activities, SeaWorld Orlando is the place for kids, starting today and all other Saturdays through February 4.
Super Kid Savings
This is a celebration that really is just for kids! And that means not only will kids have the most fun-filled experience enjoying the concerts, but there are numerous special offers too. On event days, parents can rent strollers at half-price, and the following items are free for kids with each paid adult: all-day dining deal and free Penguins Up-close, Dolphins Up-close or Behind-the-Scenes tours.
The concert lineup includes:
Saturday, January 14 LazyTown
Things are upside-down in LazyTown! Stephanie, Sportacus and others take kids on a fun journey while also promoting healthy lifestyles for children in a positive and catching way.
Saturday, January 21 Max & Ruby’s Musical Playdate
Celebrate the universal nature of sibling relationships in Max & Ruby’s Musical Playdate. Max & Ruby never quite want the same thing and their plans always collide – with hilarious results. Featuring upbeat and original songs, this playdate is sure to have the whole audience singing and hopping along!
Saturday, January 28 Doodlebops’ Musical Playdate
Get movin’ and groovin’ with the Doodlebops, a real favorite of all kids. Rock stars DeeDee, Rooney and Moe sing their favorite songs, tell their wackiest jokes and show off their funkiest dance moves.
Saturday, February 4 Choo-Choo Soul with Genevieve
Starring Genevieve Goings, Choo-Choo Soul allows parents to enjoy the same music their kids do. Featuring soulful and current renditions of the ABC’s, 1-2-3’s, and learning how to be polite, Choo-Choo Soul is a diverse and incredibly hip duo, teaching children through music on an animated train.
Concerts are included with park admission, with show times at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. at SeaWorld’s Nautilus Theater. Guests will need to pick up concert tickets across from Nautilus Theater in order to attend the shows. Tickets will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis starting at 9 a.m. each event day.
And, “Just For Kids” has even more fun in store!
Shamu’s Party Zone
Located at Lakeside Patio, this happening spot lets kids sing, dance and play the day away with a DJ spinning to a kid beat while bubbles float overhead. There are loads of interactive games, too, and kids can sit down for a face-painting session or make a sea-themed sand art souvenir with jewels and sea glass in the shape of dolphins, tropical fish, turtles and starfish. The Shamu character and others will be on hand for meet and greets, dancing and photos. (Please note: there will be a small fee to participate in face painting and sand art).
Elmo and Abby’s Treasure Hunt
Sesame Street’s Abby Cadabby and her friends Elmo, Cookie Monster, Rosita and Grover are off on a treasure hunt—and all kids are invited to come along! This 25-minute show will get everyone laughing and cheering along at SeaPort Theater.
Breakfast with Elmo and Friends
Elmo and his Sesame Street friends will perform a short song and dance number and then visit every table for an up-close meeting at this amazing breakfast buffet. Cost is $29.99 for adults and $24.99 for children ages 3-9. Times are 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. at SeaFire Inn at The Waterfront. This fun-filled breakfast also includes reserved seats at the concert of the day – attending the 8:30 a.m. breakfast includes reserved seats at the 11 a.m. concert, and the 10:30 a.m. breakfast includes reserved seats at the 2 p.m. concert.
With an all-new festival featuring awesome concerts by LazyTown, Max & Ruby, the Doodlebops and Choo-Choo Soul and tons of family-friendly fun and activities, SeaWorld Orlando is the place for kids, Saturdays January 14 – February 4.
Super Kid Savings
This is a celebration that really is just for kids! And that means not only will kids have the most fun-filled experience enjoying the concerts, but there are numerous special offers too. On event days, parents can rent strollers at half-price, and the following items are free for kids with each paid adult: all-day dining deal, sky tower ride, and free Penguins Up-close, Dolphins Up-close or Behind-the-Scenes tours.
The concert lineup includes:
Saturday, January 14 LazyTown
Things are upside-down in LazyTown! Stephanie, Sportacus and others take kids on a fun journey while also promoting healthy lifestyles for children in a positive and catching way.
Saturday, January 21 Max & Ruby’s Musical Playdate
Celebrate the universal nature of sibling relationships in Max & Ruby’s Musical Playdate. Max & Ruby never quite want the same thing and their plans always collide – with hilarious results. Featuring upbeat and original songs, this playdate is sure to have the whole audience singing and hopping along!
Saturday, January 28 Doodlebops’ Musical Playdate
Get movin’ and groovin’ with the Doodlebops, a real favorite of all kids. Rock stars DeeDee, Rooney and Moe sing their favorite songs, tell their wackiest jokes and show off their funkiest dance moves.
Saturday, February 4 Choo-Choo Soul with Genevieve
Starring Genevieve Goings, Choo-Choo Soul allows parents to enjoy the same music their kids do. Featuring soulful and current renditions of the ABC’s, 1-2-3’s, and learning how to be polite, Choo-Choo Soul is a diverse and incredibly hip duo, teaching children through music on an animated train.
Concerts are included with park admission, with show times at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. at SeaWorld’s Nautilus Theater. Guests will need to pick up concert tickets across from Nautilus Theater in order to attend the shows. Tickets will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis starting at 9 a.m. each event day.
And, “Just For Kids” has even more fun in store!
Shamu’s Party Zone
Located at Lakeside Patio, this happening spot lets kids sing, dance and play the day away with a DJ spinning to a kid beat while bubbles float overhead. There are loads of interactive games, too, and kids can sit down for a face-painting session or make a sea-themed sand art souvenir with jewels and sea glass in the shape of dolphins, tropical fish, turtles and starfish. The Shamu character and others will be on hand for meet and greets, dancing and photos. (Please note: there will be a small fee to participate in face painting and sand art).
Elmo and Abby’s Treasure Hunt
Sesame Street’s Abby Cadabby and her friends Elmo, Cookie Monster, Rosita and Grover are off on a treasure hunt—and all kids are invited to come along! This 25-minute show will get everyone laughing and cheering along at SeaPort Theater.
Breakfast with Elmo and Friends
Elmo and his Sesame Street friends will perform a short song and dance number and then visit every table for an up-close meeting at this amazing breakfast buffet. Cost is $29.99 for adults and $24.99 for children ages 3-9. Times are 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. at SeaFire Inn at The Waterfront. This fun-filled breakfast also includes reserved seats at the concert of the day – attending the 8:30 a.m. breakfast includes reserved seats at the 11 a.m. concert, and the 10:30 a.m. breakfast includes reserved seats at the 2 p.m. concert.
