In a place as big as New York City, there’s always something to buzz about. While many may think the presidential visit to Broadway is the main topic, thousands of others are talking about the Texas on Tour visit to South Street Seaport this weekend. SeaWorld San Antonio is part of this initiative to bring more visitors to our state by introducing them to what the great state of Texas has to offer.
The tour, which will make stops at events around the USA this year, has some really interesting features for would-be visitors to “try before they buy.” The experience includes Texas trivia, an interactive kayaking experience in 360, and a chance to “picture yourself in Texas” complete with a souvenir photo….and it’s all free!
Our team has been there this week; too, with some of our popular ambassador animals to give visitors a glimpse of what their visit to SeaWorld might be too. New Yorkers are pretty savvy when it comes to naming the animals and asked lots of questions of Robert Trejo and Jason Baca, our two animal experts. Our visit included a morning show appearance with Pix11′s Larry Hoff. We had so much fun with Larry on the set; we’re hoping he will be inspired to make a visit to Texas.
Texas on Tour is a unique marketing initiative, one that should make our state proud. SeaWorld is proud to sponsor it, too. Special thanks to Red Peg Marketing, the team who keep the tour moving, for assisting with photos.
I was at a dinner the other night and mentioned that we are in our summer hiring mode right now.So when someone asked me what type of people we were looking for, I started thinking about our employees.They range in age from 16-85 and are brown, white, black, red, yellow, or any mixture thereof.They like screamo and grunge and classic rock and Christian music and opera and metal.They are high school dropouts and they have college degrees.They will work for three months or retire 30 years from now. They live in the subdivision across the street, drive in from Boerne or LaVernia or fly in from Thailand.They worship God, Buddha, Allah, Christ or nothing at all.They are here for money, fun or just to have something to do in their spare time.They love the rides.They love the animals.That to me is the 2nd greatest thing about SeaWorld; there is no “type” of person we hire.We just ask that people be outgoing, and friendly and interact with our guests—we’ll teach them everything else they need to know.I’ve never been in any other environment that had this much diversity or really focused on the positives. School’s almost out; summer’s just around the corner and we’re open full-time. If you think you fit our “profile”, we’d love to meet you. Call us at 210-523-3112 so we can talk.
(Oh yeah, #1 greatest thing about SeaWorld for me is getting to see those glorious animals all the time.)
The anticipation is growing. You are strapped in, heading up to the top of the coaster lift. You hear the familiar clacking and clanging all coasters make before that amazing first drop… then… nothing. The train just stops. What happens now?
It’s really rare for this scenario to happen at SeaWorld San Antonio , but our team members are ready for those few occasions when a coaster comes to a stop for any reason. All SeaWorld Ride Operations team members attend a series of Ride Scenario trainings on just what to do if and when they face this situation with guests.
When a coaster stops working, the rides team for each coaster does their best to get the ride up and running safely as soon as possible because, let’s face it, who wants to miss out on the great rides at SeaWorld. Due to all of the safety features built into coasters these days, something as small as a power blip can shut down a ride.
Now the procedure isn’t to escort guests off the ride just any time. If it looks like guests will be waiting longer than 7-10 minutes, then the team begins escorting guests off the ride; that’s what they were practicing again last night, escorting guests off the ride. Keep in mind, these team members have been practicing these different scenarios, on average, several times a month since January.
The team members took turns, on their respective rides, role playing the escorts and the guests on the ride. It was interesting to watch because the team members actually asked questions and reacted similarly to what I would expect if I were on the ride in this situation. They gave each other feedback and even coached one another.
These are some of the most recent additions to our Aviculture department. Most people don’t realize the time and commitment it takes to raise one of these cute little guys, but I hope to give you some insight into the process.
We have chicks being born at differing times of the year. Because our birds come from all over the world, we have baby ducks, flamingos, penguins, etc., year-round. You never know what you might see on your next SeaWorld visit.
Right now, we are hand-rearing the Swainson’s Mountain Blue Lorikeet in the picture above. We are also taking care of a Lady Ross’s Turaco, and various species of waterfowl.
Depending on the species, we will help out by incubating the eggs and hand-raising the individual, particularly if they are new parents. Lorikeet chicks are born with closed eyes and few or no feathers, so they need lots of care. Zoo people refer to this as an altricial bird.
From the time the lorikeet eggs are laid, it will take 3-4 weeks for the chick to hatch. Then, once hatched, one of our skilled Aviculturists will take on the task of hand-raising this bird. This requires him or her taking the chick home for round the clock feedings (24-7). This is also a fun time for family members!
After two weeks, the chick will be growing and able to stay at SeaWorld (to the dismay of our families as they grow attached to the little guy!). He will be kept in a “baby room” which we call the brooder room, as he continues to grow. During this whole time, the chick is fed a specialized bird formula which will change as he grows to accommodate his dietary needs.
At two months, the little guy’s feathers start to appear. He’ll become fully feathered, or fledged, in four months. By 6-8 months, he will be introduced to the rest of the flock at our Lorikeet Aviary at SeaWorld. Then, guests will get the chance to see what feeding a lorikeet is like!
Check out some of our favorite baby birds in this Flickr set.
Today marks the start of our camp staff training for both day and resident camp staff.As I stood in front of the eager group this morning, I discussed with them the impact they will have on children, tween, and teen’s futures this summer.SeaWorld San Antonio camp programs have produced veterinarians, animal care keepers, animal trainers, and of course education managers.Above is a video of a few young women, of which three attended our camps, remembering back to their time spent at SeaWorld/Busch Gardens Adventure Camps.
While it was great to remember previous campers, it was even more inspiring to think about what will become of our campers this year.Will we have a future marine biologist, a future killer whale trainer, or a future camp counselor?It was obvious to me from the start that this group of dedicated team members is ready to take on the task of inspiring today’s youth to make a difference.
Great White Ride Operations Team Members prepare to be escorted down the ride.
The anticipation is growing.
You are strapped in, heading up to the top of the coaster lift. You hear the familiar clacking and clanging all coasters make before that amazing first drop… then… nothing. The train just stops. What happens now?
It’s really rare for this scenario to happen at SeaWorld San Antonio , but our team members are ready for those few occasions when a coaster comes to a stop for any reason. All SeaWorld Ride Operations team members attend a series of Ride Scenario trainings on just what to do if and when they face this situation with guests.
When a coaster stops working, the rides team for each coaster does their best to get the ride up and running safely as soon as possible because, let’s face it, who wants to miss out on the great rides at SeaWorld. Due to all of the safety features built into coasters these days, something as small as a power blip can shut down a ride.
Now the procedure isn’t to escort guests off the ride just any time. If it looks like guests will be waiting longer than 7-10 minutes, then the team begins escorting guests off the ride; that’s what they were practicing again last night, escorting guests off the ride. Keep in mind, these team members have been practicing these different scenarios, on average, several times a month since January.
The team members took turns, on their respective rides, role playing the escorts and the guests on the ride. It was interesting to watch because the team members actually asked questions and reacted similarly to what I would expect if I were on the ride in this situation. They gave each other feedback and even coached one another.
I volunteered to be escorted off the half-way point on the Great White’s lift. Wow, even knowing what was happening, it was still a bit of a shock when the coaster stopped. The team members came quickly to let me know about the “situation” and explained the procedures. They were very cheerful and smiled to put me more at ease. You can tell they really wanted to make sure I was ok. I had at least four different team members apologize for the interruption in my “day at the park” and make great suggestions for things to do in the park. They were spot on.
I certainly was reassured and they helped me feel calm. I was also awed by the team members’ ability to stay calm, especially when walking us down from such heights. I love coasters, but I’m not the biggest fan of high places. There’s a completely different experience from riding the Great White and walking down the stairs next to the track. And the Steel Eel? Can you imagine walking down from the top of the lift, almost 150 feet in the air, on stairs where you can see the ground?
But after participating, I trust the Ride Operations team 100 percent to be able to step in when needed. I could keep writing for days about all of the things that these team members have to learn to make sure our guests have a safe and fun time, even if I just talked about the Ride Scenario trainings alone. Keep watching this series for more about what SeaWorld team members do to ensure coaster safety!
May 23, 2009 by JanetWarner • Comments Off Posted in News, Photo Sets
Jessica Amesquita (L) and Andrew Santellan (R) take the oath at SeaWorld
What a great military day at SeaWorld San Antonio. I have always been honored to be the military representative for our park but today could not have made me prouder. SeaWorld hosted a special swearing-in ceremony at Shamu Theater today.
Imagine this. On this bright, sunny morning, 175 young men and women are sitting in the front rows of the theater. Families are seated and getting their cameras ready to capture this moment. Everyone in the theater gets on their feet as the flag of the United States comes into view. What a wonderful sight to see the flag held high by Leslie, a SeaWorld trainer, on Shamu. (I don’t think I was the only person with goosebumps.)
Marine Corps Colonel Mark Rayfield came on stage to administer the Oath of Induction. Cameras flashed as the young people raised their right hand and swore to serve and protect our country. I saw fathers bursting with pride, mothers with a little tear in their eyes and young brothers and sisters waving little flags. Our other park guests cheered and showed their support for the newest members of our armed forces. What a great pre-show for Believe!
I am so proud to be a part of a company that supports our troops. The company’s “Here’s to the Heroes” program, sponsored by Budweiser, provides a single-day’s free admission to any one SeaWorld or Busch Gardens park, Sesame Place, Adventure Island or Water Country USA for the service member and as many as three of his or her direct dependents. Over more than one million service members and their families have visited our parks under this program. This tribute program was launched in February 2005 and has been extended through 2009. Check it out here.
What a fantastic start to the Memorial Day weekend. Take time to thank somebody who protects your freedom.
Jan
To see more photos of our event, visit our Flickr site
SeaWorld Park Operations team member Rudy is delivering service with a smile as he does his part to keep SeaWorld sparkling clean for guests in this week’s photo of the week, taken by Adventure Photographer Kevin Barton. To see more photos of the week, visit our Flickr site.
When you work at SeaWorld, you get to meet all sorts of people. Some you connect with, even if you don’t meet them in person. In this case, I recently connected with Marla Taviano, a blogger, zoo aficionado and writer. Oh, and she’s a mom whose family is on a quest to visit 52 zoos in 52 weeks.
That’s how I connected with Marla, when we were discussing her SeaWorld visit. Like many requests from working media, I made sure her family had tickets and forgot about her! Until the day of her visit, when I noticed a lot of chatter in the Twitter stream from park guests. Sure enough, it was Marla and family. They were having a great time.
So I asked Marla how a mom who writes about family-oriented topics got involved in her zoo quest. Here’s what she had to say:
I’ve written four books, but they’re all on marriage and parenting,” Marla said in an e-mail. “I really wanted to write something that my whole family could get involved with–and something that anyone could read and enjoy. So, we embarked on this Big Quest, and I’m writing a book about our adventures–the family bonding, the great people we’ve met along the way (we stay with old friends and people I’ve met through my blog), the stunning animals we’ve seen and gotten to interact with, and the excitement of facing such a big challenge together.
How did she come up with this idea?
I really, really have the itch to travel the globe–an African safari, the Amazon rainforest, Australia. But we don’t have the money, and we have three small children. I didn’t want to wait 15 years to live this dream. So, I decided–why not start now? Today’s zoos are like mini-continents. They’re recreated African plains and South American rainforests and oceans brought to land. That’s one way we can see the world without spending a lot of money or leaving our kids behind!
Her family has covered a lot of “continents” since they started in August 2008. Marla has reported on my hometown zoo in Cleveland-go Metroparks!-and she’s been to our “sister park-zoos” at Busch Gardens Tampa and SeaWorld Orlando and plans to finish at the Columbus Zoo this August. I don’t know if it’s deliberate or not, but Columbus Zoo is home to the famous zoo advocate and my dear friend, Jack Hanna. An appropriate finish.
I really appreciate Marla’s zoo reports and think other families will enjoy them too. Since June is officially Zoo and Aquarium Month, I urge you to take a look at Marla’s reports and plan a trip to your local zoo or aquarium.
Wave TV is SeaWorld’s bi-weekly video feature program created for team members. Wave TV debuted in 2005 and was originally conceived to showcase park events for team members as they rode the shuttle bus to their workstation. Last year, this award-winning communications program moved to the SeaWorld YouTube channel; now everyone can share the program. Check out what’s new behind the scenes at SeaWorld San Antonio.
