SeaWorld San Antonio Getting More Improvements as Part of Blue World Project

While SeaWorld was announcing their Blue World project earlier today, they also included some other major upgrades coming to SeaWorld San Antonio specifically. (Check out our full coverage of the announcement here.)

This is definitely some interesting news and it seems that the updates will be bringing the Texas park up to the level of SeaWorld Orlando and SeaWorld San Diego. That said, it definitely feels like more influence is coming from Florida on this one.

So, what can guests expect to see in the future in San Antonio? Not only will the park be getting the massive upgrade to their Orca enclosures and habitats but there's quite a few other changes and modifications coming to the park as well.

An all new Sea lion and Otter show along with a new sea lion habitat is coming as well as a new coastal dolphin habitat and even an all new restaurant will be included in the park's expansion and upgrade plans.

The only information we have so far is the concept art, to the left, that shows what the new sea lion habitat will look like. There's no word on the new show or dolphin habitat as of yet. Some are saying the show could be a version of Clyde & Seamore Take Pirate Island, however.

As for the dolphin habitat? Both +Carrie H.C. and myself feel that it likely will be similar to the one in Orlando. It would make the most sense and definitely fits the bill of a "coastal habitat", so it's probably a safe bet there. The restaurant is a complete mystery for us, we're not sure if it could be an overhaul to something existing or an entirely new dining experience.

So, while the big news is the Orca habitats getting their major overhaul over the course of the next few years, SeaWorld San Antonio is shaking things up in other areas as well. So stay tuned as more information about all of these projects comes out!

SeaWorld Announces Massive Blue World Project

SeaWorld announced this morning that they are about to undertake a massive project to upgrade their Orca habitats in all of their US parks. It was rumored that a big announcement was coming, but this is something else all together.

The project, which their calling the "Blue World Project, will feature the complete redesign of the killer whale habitats. Starting with their San Diego park, construction will begin in 2015.

These new habitats will effectively double the size of the current ones in use. The expansion means they will hold nearly 10million gallons of water, go to a depth of 50ft from the current 36ft and even include the long discussed "water treadmill" system to allow for a more natural ocean current. The surface area will be almost 1.5 acres and with a length of over 350ft, that's bigger than a football field here folks. In addition to the expansion, which is said to cost in the hundreds of millions range, SeaWorld is also pouring an additional $10 million into research.

“Through up-close and personal encounters, the new environment will transform how visitors experience killer whales,” said Atchison. “Our guests will be able to walk alongside the whales as if they were at the shore, watch them interact at the depths found in the ocean, or a birds-eye view from above.”

Curios where it's going? Well the image to the left shows off the area that the expansion will take up and it looks like quite a few changes will be coming due to it as well.

From the looks of the concept art, viewing areas and other spaces for guests and trainers to interact with the Orcas will be greatly improved as well. Some areas are said to be 40ft tall and promise to give guests a glimpse into the habitat like never before.