Who would be interested in the parks?

So, who would be interested in buying the Seaworld and Busch parks. It has been hinted that Merlin Entertainments Group from the UK would be interested. They have a clutch of parks in the UK including Alton Towers, as well as its Sealife Centres (which are aquariums not theme parks) dotted around Europe. They also own a number of Legoland parks in the US.

What about a counter-bid from the current management of the theme parks, or maybe a direct purchase from the Busch family? We can’t forget Disney and Universal in all of this, but is it likely that the two Orlando giants would be looking to expand at the start of an economic downturn?

From a personal perspective I guess that whoever takes over has a responsibility to maintain the high level of welfare that is shown to the animals in the parks, as well as maintaining the conservation work that is carried out by the Seaworld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund.

Also to return is the Shamu show, “Shamu Christmas… Miracles”. Guests can join Shamu for the holidays during “Shamu Christmas…Miracles.” This captivating show helps guests celebrate the holiday season as a time filled with hope and peace and just possibly, miracles. The 22-minute production comes to life daily from Nov. 12 through Dec. 25 at Shamu Stadium.

The Polar Express Experience and “Shamu Christmas… Miracles” are included in the regular park admission.

SeaWorld’s Makahiki Christmas Luau will be available from Nov. 12 to Jan. 4 (with the exception of Dec. 25). It features island cuisine and ancient Pacific Island traditions. It’s $46 general, $29 for ages 3-9. Theme park admission is not required for the Luau.

A family oriented affair, more akin to Disney’s MNSSHP Seaworld’s Halloween Spooktacular will be running on the following weekends.

October 4-5 2008
October 11-12 2008
October 18-19 2008
October 24-26 2008
October 31 2008

So what are some of the highlights for Seaworld’s spin on Halloween:

Sesame Street Show – Countdown to Halloween Stage Show featuring Count von Count, Elmo and friends.
Trick-or-Treat – Kids can follow the Spooktacular map to 15 trick-or-treat stops.
Frozen Fun Zone – An ice DJ will heat up the area with interactive games and activities.
Themed Characters – Gummy Worm Wanda, Salt Water Taffy and Swedish Fish Suzy are among 35 themed characters roaming the park.

The Seaworld crew are also putting on a themed character break starring Count von Count as well as a family sleepover party.

Click here to visit the Seaworld Spooktacular site.

The London Eye, is now the UK’s most popular paid visitor attraction.

an official announcement for the completion of the project is planned for Wednesday. The Orlando page can be seen at Orlando Wheel.

Following on from the mix of animal/ride combinations at the recently opened Aquatica water park, Manta will Manta will show riders underwater animal habitats and then soar them skywards on a Manta styled flying coaster. Early artwork suggests that you’ll sit under the Manta face down in a hand-gliding position.

Designed to give the ride the feeling of gliding, swooping and diving, Manta will reach a height of 140 feet, top speeds of 60mph moving through four inversions on 3,359 feet of track covering 7 acres of the park. The ride will be constructed by swiss company Bolliger & Mabillard who were also responsible for the construction of Kraken, Hulk Rollercoaster and Duelling Dragons to name a few.

The attraction is to begin when visitors enter a mythical village filled with artisan-created engravings and artwork that celebrate ray legend and lore. In the queue line, visitors will wind through caverns adorned with ray-inspired art in marble, jewels, and mosaics, all hand-created.

If you’re not a coaster fan, then you’ll still get the opportunity to view the aquarium that forms part of the ride, which will be filled 00 rays, as well as thousands of fish and other creatures native to oceans all over the world.

“This ride is uniquely SeaWorld,” Dan Brown, vice president and general manager of SeaWorld Orlando, stated in a news release. “SeaWorld is famous for connecting guests with the sea and its amazing creatures, and Manta does this in a way that has never been done before, creating a true sense of oneness between human and animal.

“The sensation of Manta also will be like none other in the world – guests will be inspired by the grace and power of live rays, then feel as if they, themselves, are gliding through air and water,” said Joseph Couceiro, chief marketing officer for SeaWorld’s parent company, Busch Entertainment Corporation.

So when is all this due to open. Seaworld have confirmed that Manta is due to open Summer 2009.