Merlin Entertainments may not be a household name, but you would probably recognize some of the destinations that it owns around the world, which include the London Eye and many global outposts of Legoland and Madame Tussaud’s. The British company is reportedly interested in buying SeaWorld, but may only want to buy the parks that don’t feature cetacean-based entertainment. UPDATE: Merlin Entertainment now says that it is not in talks with Sea World to buy the whole company or any of its parts. [More]
seaworld
Owner Of Legoland, Madame Tussaud’s Interested In Buying Parts Of SeaWorld That Aren’t SeaWorld
By 10.5.17 — Updated: 10.11.17
Tilikum, SeaWorld Whale From ‘Blackfish’ Documentary, Dies
By 1.6.17
After living for 25 years in captivity at SeaWorld, Tilikum, the orca whale chronicled in 2013 documentary Blackfish, has died, the park announced today. [More]
SeaWorld Ending Signature Killer Whale “Shamu” Shows; Will Stop Breeding Orcas
By 3.17.16
For decades, SeaWorld parks have been associated with the visual of orca killer whales — most famously Shamu — jumping into the air for the amusement of large audiences. But amid growing criticism about the treatment of these animals and the safety of their trainers, SeaWorld has committed to not only ending these shows, but to also cease breeding orcas in captivity. [More]
Hungry Sea Lion Pup Seats Herself In A Booth At Fancy San Diego Restaurant
By 2.5.16
We’ve heard tales of animals taking a walk on the tame side and frequenting human businesses before, but usually we’re talking about bears, more bears, deer, more deer, and other strictly land animals. Things are a bit different in San Diego, where a hungry sea lion pup eschewed the surf and took a table for herself at a fancy seaside restaurant. [More]
SeaWorld Visitors Stuck On Sky Tower Ride For Over 3 Hours
By 12.22.15
Some visitors to SeaWorld in Orlando experienced an amusement park nightmare yesterday as the ride they were on became stuck a few hundred feet in the air. The Sky Tower was on its way back to the ground, carrying about 50 passengers, when the emergency brake malfunctioned and the pod would no longer descend. [More]
SeaWorld San Diego Will Phase Out “Shamu Show” For One With A “Conservation” Message
By 11.9.15
Even amid growing concern about the safety and welfare of both the animals and their trainers, SeaWorld had remained steadfast in defending its signature “Shamu Show,” with commercials and marketing trying to reassure the public that it was doing right by these large and potentially deadly marine animals. Today, the heavily scrutinized theme park company took a step intended to quiet at least some of its critics. [More]
SeaWorld Lawsuit: “Shamu Show” Was A Sham That Masked “Ugly Truth” About Lives Of Whales At The Park
By 5.12.15
Despite attempting to reassure the public that all is well under its artificial seas, SeaWorld continues to face criticism from the general public: A new class-action lawsuit against SeaWorld claims that the park made hundreds of millions of dollars from its “Shamu Show,” all while hiding the truth of how its killer whales were treated. [More]
California Authorities Cite SeaWorld San Diego For Not Properly Protecting Employees
By 5.1.15
Another wave of controversy is washing over SeaWorld, as the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health has handed the company’s San Diego park four citations for not making sure employees who work with killer whales are properly protected. [More]
Mattel Discontinuing SeaWorld Trainer Barbie And All SeaWorld-Branded Merchandise
By 4.24.15
Barbie won’t be training whales at SeaWorld anymore, as reportedly Mattel confirmed that it’s ceasing production of all SeaWorld-branded merchandise, which includes its SeaWorld Trainer Barbies. [More]
Struggling SeaWorld Ousts CEO As Part Of 11-Park Restructuring Plan
By 12.12.14
Struggling theme park and Worst Company in America contender SeaWorld appears to be attempting to revamp its image – starting at the top by replacing its CEO. [More]
SeaWorld Trainers Will Stay Out Of The Water After Park Drops Its Appeal Of OSHA Citations
By 8.20.14
SeaWorld’s orca trainers will stay out of the water following the park’s decision to give up its appeal to overturn a federal appeals court ruling in April. That decision that upheld the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s citations against SeaWorld for various violations, including some linked directly to the death of one of its trainers in 2010. [More]
SeaWorld San Diego Pledges To Double The Size Of Orca Environment, Spend $10M On Research
By 8.15.14
What’s a company that makes its money off captive marine life to do when a documentary stirs up controversy? If you’re SeaWorld, you start coming up with ways to quell the critics: SeaWorld San Diego announced today that it’s going to double the size of its orca environment and spend $10 million in research on killer whales, as well as setting up an independent advisory committee with scientists to supervise its orca program. [More]
SeaWorld Ride Takes Passengers Prisoner Hundreds Of Feet In The Air For Three Hours
By 6.30.14
As if SeaWorld didn’t have enough issues, a fun day at the park turned into an anxiety filled nightmare for nearly 50 people who were stuck more than 200 feet in the air for hours when the ride they were on Sunday lost power. [More]
Anti-SeaWorld Pranksters Tweak Interstate Sign To Express Their Dislike Of Park
By 5.27.14
SeaWorld may have fallen just short of making it to this year’s Worst Company In America Final Death Match, but that defeat hasn’t stopped people who oppose the not-quite-a-zoo-not-quite-a-theme-park from letting the world know they think that SeaWorld, well… sucks. [More]
SeaWorld Employee Accused Of Stealing Cash, Credit Cards From Park Visitors
By 5.16.14
Everyone knows amusement parks are a drain on your wallet — all those snacks to buy, the T-shirt in the gift shop your kid’s just gotta have or she will explode, not to mention the admission price. But police say some visitors to SeaWorld in Orlando saw their money walk away in a less fun manner, alleging that a worker was pilfering visitors’ belongings. [More]
Appeals Court Denies SeaWorld’s Attempt To Overturn OSHA Violation
By 4.11.14
The main reason that people nominated and voted for SeaWorld in our recently concluded Worst Company In America tournament was the controversy — highlighted in the documentary Blackfish — over its treatment of orca whales and, more precisely, the multiple deaths that have been tied to one particular whale. SeaWorld has been fighting workplace safety citations issued following the 2010 death of a trainer, but today a federal appeals court ruled against the park. [More]
Who Will Go Head-To-Head In The Worst Company In America Final Death Match?
April 4, 2014
When the sun rose this morning over the Worst Company In America Salvage Yard, awakening Rusty the lazy junkyard dog who couldn’t scare off a squirrel, four battered, bruised, nauseated, and bed-headed contenders greeted the dawn in contemplative silence, knowing that two of them would be gone by sundown. In their hearts, they hoped to survive the day while the doubting devils whispering in their ears reminded them that a loss could bring sweet relief, an end to the ceaseless brutality of the last few weeks; a victory just meant one more brawl. Now, as we cart the defeated off the battlefield, we leave behind one tournament vet and one WCIA rookie to prepare for Monday’s Final Death Match. [More]
Presenting The Final Four Contenders For Worst Company In America 2014
April 3, 2014
Can it be? Has there really been so much bloodshed is so little time? It seems like only yesterday when the field of contenders stood before you at the opening ceremonies, waving their logo flags while proudly sporting their WCIA sweaters that Ralph Lauren’s distant cousin Kevin designed especially for the occasion. Now the industrial grade carpeting of the Worst Company Padded Playroom is stained with… well, you don’t actually want to know what all is in there; don’t worry, our friend Terry got us a good deal on a cleaning service and you’d be surprised what a well-placed area rug can cover. But back to more pressing matters… [More]
