SeaWorld San Diego’s long-awaited, all-new, inspiring Orca Encounter will debut this summer highlighting SeaWorld’s majestic killer whales in a documentary-style format featuring a three-story, first-of-its-kind infinity screen and a natural rugged coastline setting complete with towering pines and picturesque waterfalls.
Orca Encounter moves far ahead of using conventional animal videos and static displays through the unique combination of a live presentation layered with a digital environment. This new presentation will allow SeaWorld to share its 50-year knowledge of killer whale behavior and care in a way that has never been done before.
“By combining a live orca presentation with an extraordinarily enhanced and augmented digital environment, we will immerse our guests in the mysterious world of the killer whale, which most people would never get to experience,” said Brian Morrow, SeaWorld’s vice president of theme park experience and design.
A highly specialized team made up of orca behaviorists, engineers and researchers and writers spent nearly a year creating Orca Encounter. The result is an astonishing learning experience that will engage guests on an unprecedented educational and inspirational level.
“Guests may see a natural breaching behavior by the whales, and then on our new massive infinity screen they’ll see the same behavior by a killer whale in the wild enabling them to draw an even deeper connection to the orcas,” said SeaWorld San Diego orca behaviorist Kristi Burtis. “Our visitors will also hear how scientific research on killer whales at SeaWorld is benefiting wild populations.”
The unparalleled state-of-the-art technology of the nearly 140-foot-wide screen will also give guests the feeling they have actually stepped into an X-ray of the majestic orca. They’ll see every characteristic of the whale, from its pectoral flipper to tail flukes and more, in an up-close and personal way as opposed to the fleeting glance that only a lucky few will ever get in their lifetimes.
“The latest technology and educational techniques now allow us to also witness the amazing bond between humans and our orcas,” said Burtis. “It’s so important for as many people as possible to understand and appreciate orcas, which is key to the conservation of these extraordinary creatures in the wild.”
“They are at the top of the food chain; and literally they are in every ocean in the world, yet they are unseen by the vast majority of humans,” added Burtis. “Orca Encounter is the best chance most will ever have to see, study and appreciate them. We hope our guests will be inspired to take action to protect wild animals and wild places.”
The debut of Orca Encounter at SeaWorld San Diego reinforces the company’s commitment to educational and natural orca presentation. SeaWorld parks in Orlando and San Antonio will move to this new presentation by 2019.
For more details regarding SeaWorld San Diego’s largest attraction roll-out in history, click here!