SeaWorld Giving Away Free Tickets? Park Updates Policy Amid Extreme Temperatures

With the heat rising, SeaWorld is going to desperate lengths to keep people lining up.

By Andrew Roberts

SeaWorld is still open and operating and shifting with the times. According to a new piece in the Orlando Sentinel, the aquatic marine theme park has made some changes to its weather policy to reflect the new climate-affected era we are heading into.

The outlet details the Weather-or-Not Assurance program that allows visitors affected by extreme weather to return to SeaWorld Orlando within 12 months for free. The SeaWorld policy applies to the entire year and when the park is open, covering incidents of rain, lightning, hail, snow, and other conditions. Now extreme heat can be added to the list.

"When guests book and look forward to making memories in one of our SeaWorld parks, we want them to feel fully assured that if Mother Nature winds up having other plans that day – even if for as little as an hour – they will be able to come back another day, on us," Marisa Thalberg, SeaWorld's chief marketing and comms officer said in a press release.

The program does have a few hurdles it needs to overcome before it is executed at the park. If the inclement weather causes early closure of the park or impacts the park operating hours, this will launch the Weather-or-Not ticket. And even if it doesn't close, if a ride or attraction is shut down for over 60 minutes, the program kicks in. The latest addition is solely dedicated to the heat, noting that if temps in the park reach an "index of 110 degrees or above," it will count for the program.

There are a few people and guests who won't be eligible for these complimentary tickets. Pass members, other complimentary tickets, 14-day Length of Stay tickets and Discovery Cove passes. You could also be deemed ineligible if you used a promotional/discount ticket or multi-day ticket. You'll also need your original admission ticket and order number.

The program also applies to the Aquatica water park and other SeaWorld properties in the U.S., with one industry professional telling the outlet this is the norm going forward. "hey're putting it up there out front, and it's showing the guests that you do have flexibility if there is an issue," Dennis Speigel, CEO of International Theme Park Services said. "We're going to see this as part of the hard-core ticket purchasing in the future, whether it's a season pass or whatever it might be, weather is going to be considered...We're going to see the promotion of the newly reinvented rain checks throughout the industry."

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