Wild Arctic Re-opening Date?

[Tiresius]

Does anyone have any information on the re-opening date for the Wild Arctic Ride after the change back from Polar Express? The SW website just says "through January" but I am wondering if there is a trend from prior years, a specific date, any guesses. How long does it take to switch the experiences? (Will we be able to do Wild Arctic even without the ride being open? Or if its still being changed over, does that mean the entire attraction, including the animals, is blocked off?)

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Our very first visit to SW was on January 2nd, 2012. That was the first day after the Christmas Celebration events ended (the final day for the special holiday festivities was January 1st, 2012).

I know the ride was definitely closed that day, and there was a sign at the entrance indicating the closure. As SW newbies, we didn't even know there were animals as part of that exhibit....so I can't confirm if the animal portion was open or if all of it was closed.

 

[Tiresius]

Any updates on Wild Arctic? Is it closed right now? Can you see the animals? With no Shamu, adding no Wild Arctic makes the park thin out a bit.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Any updates on Wild Arctic? Is it closed right now? Can you see the animals? With no Shamu, adding no Wild Arctic makes the park thin out a bit.

According to this link:

http://www.****************.com/rehab-watch/seaworld-orlando

it is closed November 16th, 2013 to January 31st, 2014.

 

[2girlsmom]

When we went in December, the "ride" was rethemed as Polar Express, but you could still go in to see the animals by entering through the gift shop if you opted not to do the ride.

 

[gardener14]

In the past it has definitely reopened around the second week of Jan. If it really is closed for the entire month, i suspect there is other work going on in addition to the conversion back to thr regular attraction.

 

[christophfam]

It was open yesterday.

 

[gardener14]

That's good to hear. I think it reopened a little later than some past years, but it's not much of a delay. I wish the park could have provided a more definite reopening date as in the past so that people could plan their visits accordingly. Simply saying it will be closed through January is vague and doesn't follow past reopening dates or announcements. This year's "operational update" was even more confusing because it stated the attraction was closed through January for it's conversion to Polar Express when in fact the opposite conversion was taking place. It made the whole announcement seem sketchy.

 

[hydrotony]

I was there Thursday the 16th, didn't go to Wild Arctic, but the park map said it was open 10:00 am to 5:45 pm.

 

[gardener14]

Disappointingly, SeaWorld's website still says Wild Arctic is closed through January dedpite it reportedly being open.