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SeaWorld have launched a new GPS unit called Shamu’s Smartguide that guests can use to maximise their visit to the park.

The handheld device will give guests access to:

• a park map
• the inside scoop on all of the shows and attractions
• discounts on food and merchandise
• zoological insights into the parks animals and their habitats

While SeaWorld isn’t a particularly difficult park to navigate you do need to do a lot of criss crossing back and forth to see all of the shows - if this unit helps make life easier then it’s definitely worth the $18.25 plus tax. The animal insights will also help while away the time spent sitting in the bleachers waiting for the shows to begin.

Shamu’s SMARTGUIDE is a Global Positioning System, “GPS unit” that will help you to plan and maximize your day, by providing you with the most informative guide of our park. This unit will provide you with an interactive digital park map that will assist you in navigating your way around the park, providing ease and convenience in locating all our facilities for just $18.25 (plus tax). Stop by our Information Counter just inside the park for more information.  Quantities are limited.  Park admission is required and not included.

On June 25, 2008 the Great Wheel Corporation announced the construction on the Great Orlando Wheel; an iconic observation wheel. The Wheel is scheduled to open in 2010, and will be a towering 400 feet tall offering panoramic views spanning 25 miles.

The Wheel will be located next to the Orlando/Orange County Convention Center which isn’t far from SeaWorld (I know we’ve gotten lost around their a couple of times!).

There will be 24 air-conditioned flight capsules fixed to the Wheel’s outer rim. The 38x16 feet capsules will carry up to 40 passengers. Guests will be free to walk around within the capsules to enjoy the views as the Wheel rotates.

Each capsule has its own audio visual system and can be reserved for business meetings, birthdays and even weddings!

Each ride will last 30 minutes - and the Wheel moves so slowly that Guests can enter and exit while it rotates. Unlike the London Eye the Orlando Wheel will be complimented by a huge 80,848 square foot flight terminal housing unique restaurants, cafes, bars and shops. The terminal will surround the Great Orlando Wheel like a giant infinity sign.

“As one of the world’s most popular tourism destinations, Orlando provides the ideal location for North America’s first Great Wheel,” said Florian Bollen, chairman of Great Wheel Corporation. “Passengers aboard the Orlando Wheel will experience a unique and ever-changing perspective above this vibrant landscape, soaring to heights unattainable anywhere else in the region.” When asked about the nearby 400-foot-tall Sky Tower at Seaworld, Bollen replied, “The Wheel is a whole different experience. Because it’s round, the Wheel offers changing views all the way around.

“This iconic attraction will come to be recognized as a window to Orlando, reflecting the unique culture and landscape of this vibrant destination to the millions of people that visit each year. This iconic attraction will cast a stately silhouette,” Bollen added. “In the future, it will be difficult to imagine a postcard of the Central Florida skyline that does not include the Great Orlando Wheel.”

Now I’m definitely adding this to my list of things to do on our 2010 trip!

Here’s the launch video if you’re interested:

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Thrill seekers may previously have been disappointed with SeaWorld’s coaster offering - but all this is set to change in the summer of 2009 when Manta: Ride the Flying Ray is set to open at the Orlando park

Inspired by the underwater flight of powerful stingrays, guests will fly face-down underneath the belly of a coaster shaped like a giant manta. With a wing span of 12 feet SeaWorld is billing this “the most graceful flying coaster ever created”.

Gliding, swooping and diving at up to almost 60mph riders will find themselves just inches from the water as the Manta’s wings skim the waves. “The sensation of Manta 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

The 140-foot-tall attraction will be located inside the main entrance, and will become a park icon with its unique design.

The new coaster boasts four inversions on its 3,359 feet of track so it will not be for the faint-hearted. If like me you’d prefer to keep your feet on solid ground then there is still plenty to see at this new attraction. Floor to ceiling windows will offer face-to-fin encounters with 300 rays, from shark rays to leopard rays as well as thousands of fish and other mysterious creatures

“This ride is uniquely SeaWorld,” said Dan Brown, vice president and general manager of SeaWorld Orlando. “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.

Manta is set to open in the summer of 2009 - and I can’t wait to see it.

Related articles

• SeaWorld’s waterpark Aquatica opens for a passport members sneak peek
• Navigate SeaWorld with Shamu’s Smartguide
• Orlando Great Wheel Plans Unveiled

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The guys over at Orlando Attractions Magazine have posted a great Aquatica video from the opening day at the park. If the crowds are anything to go by it’s going to be a popular place for tourists and locals alike. If you’re planning on visiting in the near future I’d get there before opening time in order to secure a lounger and get a few slides in before the lines form!

Watching the video makes me wish we had a trip planned this year - it looks like a lot of fun - check out the face of the little boy watching the dolphins when he suddenly sees people in the slide tube - just priceless!

You can watch the video here on the site or head over to Orlando Attractions Magazine for a high definition version.

For those of you who haven’t heard of the magazine - it’s well worth subscribing to for a monthly fix of news and updates for the theme parks in the Orlando area, including Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and SeaWorld.

Video courtesy of Orlando Attractions Magazine

Tags: SeaWorld, Aquatica, Orlando Attractions Magazine

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• Manta: Ride the Flying Ray at SeaWorld Orlando