Press Release from Sea World San Diego

SAN DIEGO (Nov. 13, 2020) – SeaWorld’s fan-favorite Christmas Celebration is back this year with an ocean of holiday cheer across more than 100 acres of outdoor space decked with sparkling lights, decorations, holiday festivities, and an earlier start than ever before! SeaWorld is open as an accredited zoo with limited capacity and enhanced health and safety measures. From sea lions, dolphins, penguins and sea otters, to Santa Claus himself, SeaWorld’s premier Christmas event kicks off November 13 and runs on select dates through January 4, 2021.

SeaWorld is ready to ring in the holidays! Treetops will glisten with twinkling lights at the Sesame Street Christmas Village where families can enjoy physically-distanced photo opportunities with everyone’s favorite furry friends. The ALL-NEW Santa Presents: Christmas Animals Around the World outdoor presentation features live animals (including camels and reindeer), representing how the holidays are celebrated in different parts of the world.

To celebrate the season safely, SeaWorld consulted with medical experts to offer a modified event with required reservations and limited capacity. This seasonal event features open-air entertainment and experiences as well as enhanced health and safety measures, including increased cleaning and sanitation, temperature checks, face covering requirements and physical distancing. Christmas Celebration is included with park admission and is free for Pass Members and Fun Card holders. Tickets are on sale now and advance reservations are required for all visitors to manage capacity. Starting November 16, holiday shoppers can dive into some deep-sea savings with SeaWorld’s “Black Friday” deals including incredible savings on annual passes and Fun Cards.

WHAT’S NEW FOR CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION 2020:

New! Santa Presents: Christmas Animals Around the World: This outdoor presentation at Nautilus Amphitheater is a passport to holiday cheer and amazing animals. The jolliest elf of all, Santa, will share some of his favorite animals (including camels and reindeer) and holiday traditions from around the world.

New! Rudolph’s Movie Experience: See Rudolph and his friends like never before in this shortened retelling of the ultimate holiday classic shown on SeaWorld’s outdoor 150-foot spectacular screen, with physical distancing measures in place. The entire family is sure to get into the Christmas spirit, including a live appearance by Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

NEW! Kwanzaa Festivities: Another new experience for the holidays this year, SeaWorld will celebrate the festivities of Kwanzaa! Taking place on select dates from December 26 through January 1, guests can experience a joyous time of reflection and celebration of African heritage with the nightly lighting of the kinara.

New! Cookies and Photos with Santa: During this all-new premium upgrade experience, participants can join their closest friends and family to enjoy Santa’s favorite snack at a single-party table in an outdoor setting, while Santa tells a Christmas story and kids enjoy activity sheets. A physically-distanced photo with Santa will commemorate the fun.

New! Stocking Stuffer Christmas Trail: Younger guests (12 and younger) are invited to make their merry way around the park to collect sweet treats, small toys and other fun surprises that will drop magically through a chute into their holiday bag (bags will be available for purchase at all gift shops).

New! Christmas Treasure Hunt: For explorers looking for adventure, the Christmas Treasure Hunt is just the ticket! Participants can search the park to find Santa’s gifts for all of his eight world-famous reindeer, marking each location on their map with the correct reindeer sticker. When all have been found, guests can bring their completed map back to the SeaWorld Store to collect a special gift (treasure maps will be available for purchase at the SeaWorld Store).

CHERISHED TRADITIONS RETURN:

Fan-Favorite Live Animal Presentations and Outdoor Exhibits: Guests can enjoy SeaWorld’s worldfamous Dolphin, Sea Lion, and Orca Encounter live educational presentations with physical distancing. They can also visit other outdoor animal attractions to learn about Dolphins, Bat Rays, Magellanic Penguins, Bamboo Sharks, Flamingos, Sea Otters, Seals, Sea Lions, Turtles, and more.

Sesame Street Christmas Village: Here, treetops glisten with twinkling lights! Families and friends can enjoy physically-distanced photo opportunities with everyone’s favorite furry friends in their festive holiday attire.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and his friends Bumble, Yukon, and Clarice will make spirits bright by providing physically-distanced photos for guests to take home and cherish (photo opportunity included with park admission; prints and digital photo files will be available for purchase).

Holly Jolly Marketplace: This seasonal boutique will be filled with Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer gifts, apparel, and keepsakes.

Hanukkah Celebration: Join us as we honor the festival of lights! From December 10 through 18, guests can gather with friends and family in a socially distant experience to view the traditional lighting of the menorah throughout Hanukkah.

Photo Backdrops: Insta-worthy moments throughout the park will make for perfect holiday greeting card backdrops, including the Tunnel of Lights, menorah display at Manta, Santa’s sleigh, a towering sea-themed Christmas tree, the 320-foot Skytower Tree of Lights and many other beautifully decorated displays and vignettes.

Eat, drink and be merry

Guests with a sweet tooth and a hearty holiday appetite will delight in the season as the park’s culinary team presents NEW holiday inspired entrée items such as glazed ham sliders, a delicious winter kale and pear salad, delectable desserts including cinnamon rolls, peppermint cheesecake, and of course SeaWorld’s famous hot chocolate with a range of holiday-inspired candy toppings. Guests won’t want to miss this fan favorite with peppermint crumbles and whipped cream. Grown-ups can get even more festive with one of the park’s new winter cocktail options, or an ice-cold craft beer including holiday limited releases. As always, Pass Members can enjoy special deals and a discount of up to 20 percent on all food and beverage offerings to save more for other fun holiday shopping in the park!

Black Friday Deals:

’Tis the season to shop, and with SeaWorld’s biggest sale of the year, the perfect holiday gift is only a click away. Value seekers can take advantage of these online-only offers Nov. 16–30:

Buy one, get one 50 percent off SeaWorld Annual Pass (includes unlimited admission for the rest of 2020 and all of 2021 with no block-out dates, FREE parking, up to 50 percent off in-park purchases and more)

Buy one, get one 50 percent off 2020 SeaWorld Fun Card (includes unlimited admission* for remainder of 2020, plus all of 2021)

Buy one, get one free single-day tickets

50 percent off Annual and Daily PhotoKey (unlimited digital photos)

Up to $200 off SeaWorld Education Camps *Some restrictions apply.

Best Way to Play

Christmas Celebration is included with park admission for single-day visitors, Pass Members and Fun Card holders. Tickets are on sale now and date-specific reservations are required for everyone. Visitors can take advantage of up to $30 in savings on single-day tickets, or, for an even bigger value, purchase a SeaWorld Annual Pass, which includes FREE parking, up to 50 percent off in-park purchases, access to special rewards and much more. Pass Members can enjoy all of SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration in 2020, plus the exciting lineup of seasonal events in 2021, AND the park’s all-new floorless dive coaster, Emperor, slated to debut next year. Every visit to a SeaWorld park helps support its animal rescue program, with more than 37,000 and counting.

Health and safety

In compliance with state safety guidelines for zoos, SeaWorld, a licensed, permitted and accredited zoo, is operating with enhanced health and safety protocols for cleaning and sanitizing, physical distancing, face covering requirements, and temperature screenings. SeaWorld San Diego is committed to the health and safety of our guests, employees, and the animals in our care. The park has worked diligently with state and local health officials, outside consultants and attraction industry leaders to enhance our already strict health, safety and cleanliness standards. These protocols and guidelines will be modified based on evolving industry standards and methodologies, public health, and governmental directives, and advancing scientific knowledge on the transmissibility of COVID-19. SeaWorld San Diego is excited to continue to provide our guests with fun, inspiring and memorable experiences, while addressing important health and safety needs during this time. For detailed information about the measures that guests can expect when visiting the resort, including key operational changes, visit https://seaworld.com/san-diego/park-info/park-safety/faq/