Penguin Awarness Day

Happy Penguin Awareness Day!

Penguins are arguably some of the cutest creatures on the planet. Some love them for their way-cute waddle. Others admire the way they cut through the water with ease. The more formal types might like that they’re dressed in black in white every day! I can’t decide which of their adorable characteristics I love more! I just know  that they are some of my personal favorites, so much so that for my birthday this past year, all I wanted was a chance to get up close and personal again with one at SeaWorld.

I’ve been missing my little friends for months while the Penguin Encounter has been taken down, and the new Antarctica… Empire of the Penguin is under construction. The first-of-its-kind family ride will transport guests into an Antarctica penguin’s world.

Quick fact break: Not all penguins live in cold temperatures.

Goofy me with a grin that says I LOVE PENGUINS!

Our family has spent literally hours in Penguin Encounter, and we were fortunate enough to have been picked a number of times for a behind-the-scenes “meet and greet” with the stars. In the Encounter format there were “Penguin Talks” at 2 p.m. in the afternoon. If you were in there and paid close attention to the educational presentation, you were given the opportunity to “win” a trip backstage. My son (soon to be 6) has never been more proud of Mama than when I poked my hand up the fastest and then (whew!) answered the question of the day(s) correctly. I’m not kidding when I say that I felt like I was on a game show. There was a LOT of pressure from my short fellow SeaWorld fan to meet those penguins!

Julie Scardina, Animal Ambassador and Brian Morrow, Corporate Director of Creative Development

Now we’re ramping up for the all-new experience. It started when I went to the media preview in November, 2011. Julie Scardina, animal ambassador, was there to greet us and Brian Morrow shared all the exciting news… How it’s going to be the “coolest” (literally!) theme park attraction in the world… and how guests will experience a state-of-the-art interactive ride that makes the adventure different each time.

We’re getting a taste of the fun with the new SeaWorld app: SeaWorld’s Antarctica (available in iTunes, with Android platform coming soon). On it you’ll find penguin facts, a fun photo game (check out my little guy as an explorer here), and info about the seven-city Epic Voyage campaign being launched in New York City. Street teams will ensure people can “follow the freeze” as teams visit malls and consumer travel shows. I’m trying to figure out what city I can visit to participate in the ice dome, photo ops, Antarctica games and (my favorite) live penguins. They’ll also have a Coca-Cola Freestyle machine serving Coke products which, as you know, is our family favorite.

Quick fact break: ALL penguins live naturally in the Southern hemisphere).

If you’re as penguin-obsessed as our family, you’re no doubt donning some sort of penguin item in honor of penguin awareness. I have on my penguin necklace, a gift from my son (maybe for getting those questions right!). I’m saving our matching penguin T-shirts for the grand opening of Antarctica… Empire of the Penguin. I may, however, have to sport ALL my penguin garb if I’m luck enough to #jointhevoyage with the Epic Voyage tour.

SeaWorld Unveils Antartica: Empire of the Penguins Vehicle

The new ride car for Antarctica: Empire of the Penguins was revealed this morning at the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions’ (IAAPA) Expo 2012 in Orlando. The state-of-the-art adventure ride puts visitors closer than ever to hundreds of kings, gentoos, Adelies and rockhoppers.

Set to open Spring, 2013, Antarctica: Empire of the Penguins will be the coolest ride in the WORLD!

World Penguin Day

Today, April 25,  is World Penguin Day, not to be confused with Penguin Awareness Day which January 20. In honor of their special day, get ready for the 2013 opening of Antarctica –  Empire of the Penguin!

Antarctic will be the coldest theme park attraction in the world, at a chilly 30 degrees. Guests will ride on an 8-person “boat” right into a close-up interaction with gentoos, rockhoppers, adelies and kings. Park insiders confirm an experience that will be “up close to say the least.” A friendly guide, a young gentoo penguin, will lead the exciting journey.

What’s it like for penguins in their frozen world, the coldest and windiest continent? Visitors will be able to catch a glimpse into their beautiful, but sometimes dangerous, environment.

The penguin “realm” will include not only the new attraction, but a new penguin habitat, gift shop and a restaurant.

Terry Prather, SeaWorld Orlando’s president is excited about their largest ever expansion. “Only SeaWorld and its parks can take you on these journeys or bring these experiences to you!”

Antarctica… Empire of the Penguin at SeaWorld, Orlando

Today SeaWorld Orlando announced the biggest expansion in their history! One of the “coolest” attractions is Antarctica… Empire of the Penguin. Set to open in 2013, Antarctica will take guests to the bottom of the world in a family-friendly ride which promises to be the “coldest attraction in the world.”

Antarctica, the continent, is locked under 9,000 feet of ice. SeaWorld’s Antarctica, will offer guests a taste of that harsh climate, in small doses, of course. (This is the Sunshine State, after all!) Insiders tell of “intense” up-close interaction with the penguins including “pop up” windows of some sort where visitors will be inside the actual habitat.

Julie Scardina, animal ambassador to SeaWorld/Busch Gardens, was on hand to introduce the family-friendly attraction. “Antarctica is a harsh environment even if you are a penguin,” she explained. Ever the conservationist, Julie talked about sustainable seafood and other ways we can reduce our “footprint.” “We can all make a difference and become Everyday Heroes!”

The ride is described as a “closer-than-ever” interactive experience and an incredible family adventure. Viewing the frozen world “through the eyes of a penguin,” guests will sense the beauty and drama of their sometimes dangerous world.

Don't Worry!

Although some have been concerned about penguin withdrawal during construction, Brian Morrow, Corporate Director of Creative Development assures penguin pals like myself that there will be opportunities to see “some” of the penguins while the expansion takes place. “Don’t worry!” he assures. Many of the birds will be at the sister parks, but guests will not have to go “cold turkey,” er “penguin,” at the Orlando, Florida park. A temporary habitat will allow Spheniscidae Spectators a “penguin peek” until the new exhibit opens.

Spheniscidae Spectator

SeaWorld is known for taking guests into an amazing underwater world they can’t experience on their own. Antarctica… Empire of the Penguin continues that tradition,  and then some!

You know it’s gonna be cool!

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