SeaWorld Orlando Harnesses Earth's 'Elemental Power' for Reimagined Attraction

Orlando (IAAPA NEWS) - SeaWorld Orlando is about to turn up the heat at their Expedition Odyssey flying theater.

Opening last summer, the Mack Rides flying theater will soon be entering a new era with a complete thematic refurbishment into Expedition Odyssey: Fire & Ice. A new ride film, showcasing both the icy Arctic, as well as the region’s geothermal volcanoes—along with a revamped queue experience and updated ride profile—will give guests something to look forward to later this spring.
 

Development of a New Narrative

The combination of animals and environmental elements is a unique story for SeaWorld Orlando to share. “Expedition Odyssey is telling a story in a way that we've never done before,” Jon Peterson, park president, tells IAAPA News. “It's storytelling that's going to bring those worlds together that makes the life we see in the Arctic, and the life that we see around it—and all the animals that we connect our guests with every day—onto a ride platform that is just incredible.”

Boots-on-the-ground leadership looked to maximize the opportunity for a ride that isn’t even a year old. “You look at things and say, ‘Hey, how do we make that the next level? How do you turn that into tomorrow's wow moments?’” Peterson explains. “We're taking something that Mack built—an incredible platform—and we're going to take that platform and turn it into Fire and Ice. The heartbeat of the park is what makes the park what it is. And when you walk the park and feel it, you know where it's great, and you know where you can make it greater.”

 

Inside the Decision to Upgrade

Park officials spotted an opportunity to showcase the capabilities of the flying theater system in a greater way. “It was less about working with Mack to change what was there,” explains Justin Newton, vice president of project delivery. “It was more about opening up what was always there. [In] this film, everything is intentional, like from low water level flights, to grand vistas, to how the animals unveil themselves, and pairing that with the ride system, so you really get the full dynamic motion of it.”

The refresh will bring a more immersive story. The exterior show building will receive theming enhancements. The facade is set to reflect more of the Arctic research base aesthetic that is found inside the experience’s animal habitat. The Expedition Odyssey facility is home to beluga whales, walrus, and penguins that guests can view above and below the waterline inside the multi-story facility. New props will line the queue to enhance the experience, while aspects of the new film will allow guests to feel as though they are on a journey to a research base at the North Pole. 

The enhancements will create a cohesive experience that encompasses the entire attraction and adjacent plaza. Other neighboring Arctic elements include the Ice Breaker roller coaster from Premier Rides and Altitude Burgers quick service restaurant.

“Right now, you know you're getting on a ride and you know you're going into a screen,” Newton says. “Our goal is to make all that go away, where you feel like you're just loading on to a research drone.”

IAAPA’s Influence

Peterson recognizes the importance of being an IAAPA member, which he believes connects the operator with a vast network of manufacturers and suppliers that work hand-in-hand with SeaWorld to create new attractions that promote the park’s mission. “SeaWorld works with every one of the developers for rides and platforms and different ideas for the parks, and IAAPA brings that forward for SeaWorld,” Peterson says. “We appreciate that as we work with every ride platform to figure out our next generation, what's going to be the newest thing that we're going to put in, we also ensure that that ties back to our mission to care for animals; to inspire our next generation. That's really important when we build something, it's telling the story to tie you back to why SeaWorld and the environment are so incredibly special to us.”

Developing New Memories

The refreshed ride and accompanying animal habitat will provide a unique experience that SeaWorld guests won’t soon forget. The combination of animal conservation and a refreshed and memorable ride system will enhance the guest experience for years to come. 

“SeaWorld Orlando is about two great things: incredible, exciting thrills for all of our guests and the animals that we know and love—and we love to bring those together,” says Conner Carr, corporate vice president of rides and engineering. “Exhibition Odyssey: Fire & Ice will create an incredibly thrilling and exciting adventure as they get to go and see places that they may never get to see in their entire life, except during their visit here at SeaWorld Orlando.”