Technology Could Replace Animals at SeaWorld and Other Parks

SeaWorld’s just announced the newest attraction for its Orlando water park – and it poses an interesting question about the future of animals in marine parks.

Backlash to the captivity of marine mammals has surged in recent years. Ever since the release of Blackfish (2010), activists and casual visitors alike have protested the likes of SeaWorld using animals such as dolphins, whales, and sharks for entertainment, leading to a decline in attendance at all three of its U.S. theme parks.

Related: Is SeaWorld Getting Rid of Its Killer Whales?

That’s what makes its latest announcement so intriguing. SeaWorld’s Florida water park, Aquatica, just unveiled plans for its new slide, Tassie’s Underwater Twist. Opening in spring 2024, this will see guests travel down a 129-foot long slide, partway through which they enter a bowl where they’ll be surrounded by “lush seagrass meadows, schools of colorful fish, and even the occasional shark.”

This isn’t the first Aquatica attraction to bring guests face to face with animals. Upon its opening in 2008, its primary attraction was Dolphin Plunge – a water slide taking guests through a pool with a pod of Commerson’s dolphins. The lazy river Loggerhead Lane also took guests through the dolphin exhibit. Today, Dolphin Plunge is known as Reef Plunge and involves other sea creatures.

Related: SeaWorld Issued Warning by Government After Dolphin Attacks

The difference between these slides and Tassie’s Underwater Twist? Their animals are real – Tassie’s are digital. Projections and video displays will immerse riders in the underwater world, bringing them face-to-face with marine animals without getting any actual animals involved.

Considering the backlash SeaWorld has received over its use of animals, this could be a sign that its future is, in fact, digital. The theme park group has tried to distance itself from its killer whale heavy image in recent years, focusing more on thrills and rides than actual animal encounters. If Tassie’s Underwater Twist can replace actual animals with technology, why can’t this logic be applied elsewhere?

Related: Shamu’s Out, Drones Are In – A Look at the New SeaWorld

SeaWorld doesn’t need to totally ditch its focus on animals and conservation. With the technology available to theme park attractions in 2023, there’s no reason why it – and similar theme parks across the globe – couldn’t build itself a controversy-free future with additions along the lines of Tassie’s Underwater Twist.

ITM reached out to SeaWorld for comment, but did not hear back by the time of publishing.

Would you visit SeaWorld if it didn’t have animals? Let us know in the comments!

This post is originally appeared on Inside the Magic.