SEAWORLD SET TO RING IN LUNAR NEW YEAR
Celebration will feature Asian-inspired entertainment, food
and special surprises
SAN DIEGO (Jan. 19, 2016) — SeaWorld® San Diego has a year-long list of reasons to visit the marine park in 2016, and the first is the eleven-day Lunar New Year celebration, kicking off Jan. 30.
The park’s Lunar New Year Festival area will be alive with sights, sounds and aromas celebrating Asian culture. Asian-inspired culinary offerings will tantalize the taste buds and entertaining acts will amaze and delight visitors with cultural performances, such as taiko drummers, lion dancers and the new interactive dragon parade. The Chinese Acrobats of Hebei will amaze the audience with incredible feats agility and grace at the park’s Mission Bay Theater.
At the front of the park and at the Lunar New Year Festival area, guests will be greeted with festive red décor and artwork depicting monkeys, in honor of the Lunar New Year’s astrological symbol of 2016. And in keeping with the Chinese tradition of wishing good fortune and happiness to family and friends, SeaWorld guests who visit the Lunar New Year Festival area and show venues will receive a red envelope with a special gift inside.
Lunar New Year at SeaWorld dates are Jan. 30–31, Feb. 6–8, 12–15, and 20–21. All of SeaWorld’s seasonal events are included with park admission, but the best way to enjoy all the fun is to purchase a 2016 SeaWorld Fun Card, where guests can save $10 on a single-day admission and visit all year!
Here’s a look at the highlights of Lunar New Year at SeaWorld San Diego:
NEW Free Admission Offer: Guests born during the Year of the Monkey can take advantage of an exclusive free admission offer valid Feb. 6–8. Park visitors born in 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992 and 2004 must show their valid ID displaying the year of birth to any ticket window to receive one free single-day admission ticket. Tickets are non-transferable and must be used on the date issued.
Chinese Acrobats of Hebei: Masters of agility and grace, the Chinese Acrobats of Hebei combine Chinese traditions, incredible acrobatics, stunning costumes, Chinese props and a beautiful soundtrack. During 25-minute shows held four times a day at SeaWorld’s Mission Bay Theater, several acts will be performed including lion dancing, hand balance, hoop diving, foot juggling, contortion and chair stacking.
Lunar New Year Festival area: Located just east of the Explorer’s Reef™ arrival experience, the festival area will be brimming with cultural entertainment including taiko drummers, lion dancers and fan dancers at the community stage*. The new interactive stage will feature Kendama, Diablo, Tai Chi presentations and the new dragon parade. There will be games for kids, and at the Wish Tree, guests can write a conservation wish on a red ribbon for a $3 donation and place on the tree. The proceeds will benefit the SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund, a nonprofit organization that supports environmental, research and conservation projects all around the globe. *The community stage is sponsored by Coca-Cola, the official refreshment beverage of SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment.
Asian-inspired culinary offerings: SeaWorld’s Lunar New Year Festival area and Lunar Café will be brimming with Asian-inspired food choices:
- NEW: Asian inspired surf & turf and Teriyaki pineapple burgers grilled hot to order at the Lunar Café.
- NEW: Spicy shrimp pizza, teriyaki chicken pizza and bulgogi beef & egg pizza at the Asian Pizza House.
- NEW: Guests will be astounded with the new, dragon-breath popcorn: a unique recipe that transforms the traditional snack into a cold nitrogen-infused treat.
- Duck lumpia, vegetable spring rolls, pot stickers and bao sandwiches (five-spice pork belly bun with pickled kimchee) at the Spring Roll and Bao Hut.
- Steamy hot ramen with pork or chicken at the Ramen Soup Pier.
- Green tea, shaved snow and sweet lunar stuffed pancakes at the Tea House.
- Stir fry noodles and chow mein at the Stir Fry Cart.
- Turkey legs with hoisin honey barbeque sauce at the Hibachi Grill.
Animal visits: SeaWorld’s ambassador animals will visit the Lunar New Year Festival area for up-close encounters with guests. Animals guests may see include Asian small-clawed river otters, an Asian water monitor and a Eurasian eagle owl.
Red envelopes with surprises: In keeping with the tradition of wishing prosperity and good fortune to family and friends, each guest who comes through the festival area and show venues during Lunar New Year will receive a red envelope with a surprise gift inside. Gifts will vary from a free or discounted culinary sampling to premium seating at Mission Bay Theater for live performances of the Chinese Acrobats of Hebei.
In addition to Lunar New Year, other upcoming seasonal events include SeaWorld Wild Days (weekends March 5-27); Magic Weekends (weekends April 2–May 1); SeaWorld Seven Seas Food Festival (select dates May 7–June 12); Summer Nights (select dates May 28–Sept. 5); Summer Vibes (select dates Jun. 25–Aug. 14 ); all-new Fiestas Patrias (select dates Sept. 3–Sept. 18); SeaWorld’s Halloween Spooktacular® (weekends Sept. 24–Oct. 30); and SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration® (Nov. 18, 2016–Jan. 1, 2017).
SeaWorld is open year-round including holidays. Parking is $16; $11 for motorcycles; $21 for RVs and Up-Close. Admission is $89 for ages 10 and older; $83 for ages 3–9; free for under 3. Promotional offers available online, including the 2016 Fun Card (save $10 on single-day admission and visit all year). Visit www.SeaWorldSanDiego.com or call (800) 257-4268 for hours and information.
About SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc.
SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: SEAS) is a leading theme park and entertainment company providing experiences that matter and inspiring guests to protect animals and the wild wonders of our world.
SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. is one of the world’s foremost zoological organizations and a global leader in animal welfare, training, husbandry and veterinary care. The company collectively cares for what it believes is one of the largest zoological collections in the world and has helped lead advances in the care of animals. The company also rescues and rehabilitates marine and terrestrial animals that are ill, injured, orphaned or abandoned, with the goal of returning them to the wild. The SeaWorld rescue team has helped more than 27,000 animals in need over the last 50 years.
