Sea World's Aquatica

[R***@aol.com]

I had no idea this place was even under construction and now it opens
in a couple months...

http://aquaticabyseaworld.com/

Be sure to check out the gallery....I think it looks pretty cool and
am looking forward to checking it out. It's like they combined
Typhoon Lagoon with an aquarium....neato..


http://www.raymation.net

[T***@aol.com]

Post by R***@aol.com
I had no idea this place was even under construction and now it opens
in a couple months...
http://aquaticabyseaworld.com/
Be sure to check out the gallery....I think it looks pretty cool and
am looking forward to checking it out. �It's like they combined
Typhoon Lagoon with an aquarium....neato..
http://www.raymation.net

I don't know. I drive by it every Friday night and it looks
no better than Wet and Wild. You know, crappy.

[P***@aol.com]

� � � � � �I don't know. I drive by it every Friday night and it
looks

Post by T***@aol.com
no better than Wet and Wild. You know, crappy.

Nothing could be worse than Wet and Wild!
Not only is it unattractive from the curb, once inside it is jam
packed and ugly. It does have some good rides though, but that is not
the reason I go to water parks.

[t***@aol.com]

Sea World making a water park on the surface seems like a great idea,
and the idea of using some live animals is also cool. However the
live animal thing is done exactly like this in Atlantis down in the
Bahamas and I am not sure who the hell they are targeting as an
audience exactly.

You see Wet and Wild is for locals. It is not pulling one single
family away from Disney or likely even Uni. It may get a few out of
towners on long trips but they are a non factor. DIsney keeps people
locked on property with the idea of running to Typhoon Lagoon or
Blizzard Beach for a half day, then back to the parks. It is easy and
simply if you are on property. But who exactly is going to DRIVE to
Sea World for a water park? I just can't see anyone caring to do
that. Maybe if they package it with Uni tickets or something perhaps.

I know Discovery Bay has not exactly been a smashing hit but it offers
a UNIQUE experience and one that may be worth driving for... but a
standard water park? come on.

Sure, it has the hook of the fish but the truth is that while who whip
through the tank for a half a second you will not see anything. I do
like the grotto fish tank deal but again, it is not enough to get
people off DIsney property for and is likely not crazy and wild enough
for the locals. It may very well be in no mans land.

It just seems odd to me on a few levels but maybe they know something
we don't.

[P***@aol.com]

< just can't see anyone caring to do
that. Maybe if they package it with Uni tickets or something
perhaps.>

I see it as another perk offered in those inclusive annual tickets
that let you into Sea World/Universal/Busch or whatever the selections
are, appealing as you say to the local audience almost exclusively.
If Potter can whet the ticket appetite maybe another water park will
help too. if it fits into the total scheme somehow. And also a
consderation........it may plump up a package when marketing to
groups........which is the reason I had to visit Wet and Wild in the
first place., it was sold as part of a package. Disney's Backyard
Barbeque is another attraction that sells to groups. I suspect they
do a lot of overseas ticket sales by tour operators to fill that
place.

[9Lanterns]

Trav is right on this one, it looks HORRIBLE in person and nothing at
all like what the concept art promised.

I have watched this thing grow up over the past year, because the
eighth floor of my building literally overlooks the construction
site. We go up there all the time to look down on it and see how it
is progressing. It is all brightly-colored generic plastic tube
slides, some weak "back-yard fort" architecture, and some modest
landscaping. Maybe one or two of the slides actually have some unique
features, but the vast majority of this park reeks of Wet and Wild.

That, and I hate the title "Aquatica."

As coincidence would have it, I'm going to Typhoon Lagoon tomorrow,
which I haven't been to in probably 5 or 6 years. Looking forward to
trying out Slush and Gusher.

-Shane

[R***@aol.com]

I've never been a big slide fan myself. Its the lazy river I'm
interested in. Before we had kids we would go to Typhoon Lagoon and
spend about 3 hours in the river..just floating around. Its the most
relaxing park experience. Guess we'll have to wait to see how
Aquafina shapes up....if the lazy river is awesome like that one
photo...im so there....

http://www.raymation.net

[T***@aol.com]

...I hate the title "Aquatica."

So do I. You've got to wonder why they didn't just call
it "Aquarius." Did they think it was too New Age-ish?

[T***@aol.com]

You see Wet and Wild is for locals. �It is not pulling one single
family away from Disney or likely even Uni. �It may get a few out of
towners on long trips but they are a non factor.

I don't know where you get this idea. On any given day,
when the weather is mild or warm, the park is packed with Brits, none
of which is a Local. As you drive by you can just hear the sound of
bleached skin crisping in the sun, like bacon.

[[e-mail]]

Post by R***@aol.com
I had no idea this place was even under construction and now it opens
in a couple months...
http://aquaticabyseaworld.com/
Be sure to check out the gallery....I think it looks pretty cool and
am looking forward to checking it out. It's like they combined
Typhoon Lagoon with an aquarium....neato..
http://www.raymation.net

Looks like it will be a cool (pardon the pun) attempt to make a multi-
day visit attractive.

[t***@aol.com]

Post by ***@awol.com
Looks like it will be a cool (pardon the pun) attempt to make a multi-

day visit attractive. <<<

A multi Day visit to where exactly? Sea World?

Really? I mean Sea World as it is is not a full day by a long shot,
now they are going to ask people to come back for a second day SOLEY
for a water park? I don't think most out of towners feel it is a wise
use of money to fly to Orlando and stay at an expensive hotel simply
to then waste the time at a water park. This is the type of thing
that works if you are at Disney for a week and feel you have a half
day to spare at one of the water parks, or if you are in a captive
resort like in Hawaii or somewhere like that and you simply never
leave the grounds. I just don't see people wanting to devote a day to
this.

[9Lanterns]

" I mean Sea World as it is is not a full day by a long shot"

For that matter, HALF a day is really stretching it, unless you
include Discovery Cove. I've got nothing against Sea World, but it is
not even on Universal's level in terms of a destination. I don't
think it tried to be, but with this new water park, maybe they're
trying to play on a bigger stage. It kinda hurts that BG is an hour
and a half away, as the two Busch parks could have helped each other.

Btw, I completely agree with Ray that Disney's waterparks just KILL on
the theming, ambience, and atmosphere. Sorry to hijack an Aquatica
thread with Disney stuff, but I had forgotten how much I love Typhoon
Lagoon. For Ray, it's the lazy river, which is awesome. For me, it's
the wave pool. I could spend several hours in that bad boy. I prefer
TL to Blizzard Beach, simply because of the relaxed island feel, but
both of them are fantastic parks. I'd compare them this way:

Ambience Winner: Typhoon Lagoon. It is hard to find fault with
either park's theming, they are just both brilliant. But I personally
give the slight edge to TL because of the lush landscaping, fantastic
rockwork, and old wooden bridges and fences. I love BB's look as
well, but the glaring snow doesn't feel as relaxing.

Lazy River: Blizzard Beach. Again, this is a really close race, but
Blizzard Beach has cool ice caverns and set pieces. It seems just a
tad more elaborate than TL's cave and sets.

Wave Pool: Typhoon Lagoon. This is a clear winner for TL. The best
thing at the park.

Body Slides: Blizzard Beach. BB actually has longer, more elaborate
slides. TL's are older and not as fun. In fact, they're kinda bumpy
in spots, not very slick and smooth.

Tube Slides: Blizzard Beach. Same problem as the body slides. TL's
are WAY too short and the tube sticks to the walls a lot.

Speed Slides: Typhoon Lagoon. I know Humunga Kowabunga is shorter
than Summit Plummet, but it's not as painful. Thus, more fun.

Family Raft Ride: Blizzard Beach and it's not even close. This
slides is a monster and never seems to end. Just great great fun.
TL's is over in like 10 seconds.

Uniqueness: Typhoon Lagoon. Blizzard Beach does have a chair lift
and that fun toboggan racing slide, which is nice. But it can't
compete with Crush-n-Gusher (a blast, literally), and Shark Reef. And
Mt. Mayday beats Mt. Gushmore in scope, not to mention that the boat
balanced at the peak simply looks cooler than a ski jump.

What it boils down to is, if you like a lot of good slides, Blizzard
Beach is the best. If you're more into ambience and relaxing, Typhoon
Lagoon is the best.

-Shane

[t***@aol.com]

Well Shane... several of the things that you like best about TL will
soon be trumped at this Sea World park so perhaps there IS something
to it after all.

I mean Aquatica will have a DOUBLE wave pool which I must admit I have
never seen anything like that before. It also looks to have a really
strong lazy river with a trip
through an aquarium and all of that. In fact these elements of the
park look very well themed (if artwork can be trusted). My confusion
comes with the mix of these themed
island elements with brightly colored, romper room looking slides
typical of Wet-N-Wild.

Regardless I don't quite know who they are going after here but there
are elements that look to beat the now aging Disney water parks.

[R***@aol.com]

Yeah if Typhoon Lagoon was near my house (and maybe it could be one
day...remember when there was talk of building them around the
country) I would literally go there every week. I'm a big tropcial-
Hawaii-Adventureland-pirate fan so that park is one stop heaven for
me. For immersive theming you cant get much better than Disney's 2
water parks...


http://www.raymation.net

[t***@aol.com]

Wow, the shots of the actual opened park look jut dreadful... much
much worse than even my lowered expectations so much what the art
looked like.

This looks like some crap you would find in the Wisconsin Dells (a
tacky tourist trap area with tons of water parks) NOT something that
could compete in the Orlando market.