Dewayne Bevil, Orlando SentinelOpening day at the new Grand Reef attraction at SeaWorld Orlando's Discovery Cove.
MATTHEW ANDREWS/SPECIAL TO THE SENTINELTwo sea lions lean over for a look at Pacific Point Preserve.
Dewayne Bevil, Orlando SentinelOpening day at the new Grand Reef attraction at SeaWorld Orlando's Discovery Cove.
Joe Burbank, Orlando SentinelGuests cheer as dolphins jump in unison during the Blue Horizon show --featuring the dolphins, birds and acrobats, at SeaWorld Orlando, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009. The Blackstone Group, a private equity firm, is rumored to be close to a deal to buy Busch Entertainment Corp., including all of its SeaWorld theme parks, from Anheuser-Busch InBev.
DEWAYNE BEVIL/ORLANDO SENTINELJim Hackworth is one of three men who portray "scurvy pirate mimes" before the "Clyde and Seamore Take Pirate Island" show at SeaWorld. Hackworth has worked at the theme park for 26 years.
Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda, Orlando SentinelPreview of the new Grand Reef at Discovery Cove, on Friday, June 3, 2011.
Julie Fletcher, Orlando SentinelLoggerhead Lane floats guests down a lazy river past exotic birds and exotic fish of SeaWorld's water park, Aquatica.
STEPHEN M. DOWELL, ORLANDO SENTINELMiami Dolphins cheerleader Rosamary is filmed with a bird during the Miami Dolphins calendar shoot at Discovery Cove in Orlando on Wednesday, May 21, 2008.
HILDA M PEREZ, ORLANDO SENTINELNo. 40 on Dewayne Bevil's Top 50 Orlando Theme Park Attractions. Shark Encounter, SeaWorld Orlando. Exhibit pulls guests through a tube running beneath the predators.
FRANK RIVERA/ORLANDO SENTINELShamu takes a peek.
Joe Burbank, Orlando SentinelThe afternoon sun silhouettes guests as they ride on the Kraken at SeaWorld Orlando.
Joe Burbank, Orlando SentinelGuests cheer as dolphins jump in unison during the Blue Horizon show --featuring the dolphins, birds and acrobats, at SeaWorld Orlando, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009. The Blackstone Group, a private equity firm, is rumored to be close to a deal to buy Busch Entertainment Corp., including all of its SeaWorld theme parks, from Anheuser-Busch InBev.
JOE BURBANK, ORLANDO SENTINELNo. 50 on Dewayne Bevil's Top 50 Orlando Theme Park Attractions. Penguin Encounter, SeaWorld Orlando. Tuxedoed creatures swim, stare back at you. Check out the puffins there also.
Joe Burbank, Orlando SentinelGuests cheer as dolphins jump in unison during the Blue Horizon show --featuring the dolphins, birds and acrobats, at SeaWorld Orlando, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009. The Blackstone Group, a private equity firm, is rumored to be close to a deal to buy Busch Entertainment Corp., including all of its SeaWorld theme parks, from Anheuser-Busch InBev.
JOE BURBANK, ORLANDO SENTINELSanta Claus greets a guest at Santa Town during the official opening of SeaWorld Orlando's new Polar Express Experience.
JOE BURBANK/ORLANDO SENTINELManta reaches 56 mph and seats its riders face down.
STEPHEN M. DOWELL, ORLANDO SENTINELMiami Dolphins cheerleader Crystal is filmed with a bird during the Miami Dolphins calendar shoot at Discovery Cove in Orlando on Wednesday, May 21, 2008.
JESSICA MANN/ORLANDO SENTINELSeaWorld joined the Central Florida park fireworks game with ?Mistify? in 2004. In this shot, dolphins are projected onto a water screen in the middle of the show while fireworks explode above. Besides elaborate fireworks, it also incorporates the use of a water screen which has dolphins, whales and other sea creatures projected onto it.
Joe Burbank, Orlando SentinelGuests ride the Manta roller coaster at SeaWorld Orlando, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009. The Blackstone Group, a private equity firm, is rumored to be close to a deal to buy Busch Entertainment Corp., including all of its SeaWorld theme parks, from Anheuser-Busch InBev.
Joe Burbank, Orlando SentinelGuests cheer as dolphins jump in unison Tuesday during the Blue Horizon show featuring dolphins, birds and acrobats at SeaWorld Orlando. The Blackstone Group, a private-equity firm, reached a deal to buy Busch Entertainment Corp., including all of its SeaWorld theme parks, from Anheuser-Busch InBev.
George Skene, Orlando SentinelVisitors enter the Polar Express Experience at SeaWorld on Friday.
George Skene, Orlando SentinelSeaWorld visitors walk near the Polar Express Experience on Friday.
JOE BURBANK, ORLANDO SENTINELStudents from Windermere Preparatory School watch a preshow film before boarding the Polar Express Experience at SeaWorld.
Joe Burbank, Orlando SentinelGuests come in for a landing after riding Manta during the first public sneak preview of the flying coaster, at SeaWorld Orlando, Tuesday, May 5, 2009.
JOHN RAOUX/ORLANDO SENTINELKraken takes a dip at SeaWorld Adventure Park.
Joe Burbank, Orlando Sentinel
JOE BURBANK, ORLANDO SENTINELA shark passes by the cage used in the Sharks Deep Dive experience at SeaWorld's Shark Encounter attraction on Oct. 2, 2002.
STEPHEN M. DOWELL, ORLANDO SENTINELMiami Dolphins cheerleader Crystal is filmed with a colorful bird during the Miami Dolphins calendar shoot at Discovery Cove in Orlando on Wednesday, May 21, 2008.
Joe Burbank, Orlando SentinelThe lighthouse at the entrance to SeaWorld Orlando, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009. The Blackstone Group, a private equity firm, is rumored to be close to a deal to buy Busch Entertainment Corp., including all of its SeaWorld theme parks, from Anheuser-Busch InBev.
JOE BURBANK, ORLANDO SENTINELStudents from Windermere Preparatory School line up during the official opening of SeaWorld Orlando's Polar Express Experience.
Joe Burbank, Orlando SentinelGuests ride the Manta roller coaster at SeaWorld Orlando, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009. The Blackstone Group, a private equity firm, is rumored to be close to a deal to buy Busch Entertainment Corp., including all of its SeaWorld theme parks, from Anheuser-Busch InBev.
JOE BURBANK, ORLANDO SENTINELNo. 21 on Dewayne Bevil's Top 50 Orlando Theme Park Attractions. Journey to Atlantis, SeaWorld Orlando. It's a water ride! It's a coaster! No, now it's a water ride! It's really both -- tricky. (Also: Note the post-ride aquarium area of gift shop).
Joe Burbank, Orlando Sentinel
STEPHEN M. DOWELL, ORLANDO SENTINELMiami Dolphins cheerleader Rosamary is filmed with a dolphin during the Miami Dolphins calendar shoot at Discovery Cove in Orlando on Wednesday, May 21, 2008.
BOBBY COKER, ORLANDO SENTINELNo. 23 on Dewayne Bevil's Top 50 Orlando Theme Park Attractions. Blue Horizons, SeaWorld Orlando. Acrobatic dolphins and divers share the watery stage -- plus birds for good measure.
Joe Burbank, Orlando Sentinel
JOE BURBANK, ORLANDO SENTINELGuests thrill while riding Manta during the first public sneak preview of the flying coaster, at SeaWorld Orlando, Tuesday, May 5, 2009. The coaster features horizontal, face-down seating and reaches speeds of 56 mph from a height of 140 feet.
Joe Burbank, Orlando SentinelGuests are inverted in a loop on Kraken, the extreme roller coaster at SeaWorld Orlando.
Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda, Orlando Sentinel
STEPHEN M. DOWELL, ORLANDO SENTINELMiami Dolphins cheerleader LaTasha is filmed with a dolphin during the Miami Dolphins calendar shoot at Discovery Cove in Orlando on Wednesday, May 21, 2008.
MATTHEW ANDREWS/SPECIAL TO THE SENTINELShamu gets some air time.
STEPHEN M. DOWELL, ORLANDO SENTINELMiami Dolphins cheerleader LaTasha is filmed with a dolphin during the Miami Dolphins calendar shoot at Discovery Cove in Orlando on Wednesday, May 21, 2008.
Joe Burbank, Orlando SentinelGuests arrive at SeaWorld Orlando at the main entrance on Central Florida Parkway, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2009. The landscaping on the entrance includes the Anheiser-Busch/InBev logo (far right).
Joe Burbank, Orlando SentinelStudents from Windermere Preparatory School stand in fake snow during the official opening of SeaWorld Orlando's Polar Express Experience.
Dewayne Bevil, Orlando SentinelA 30-foot icy archway will greet visitors to Antarctica when it opens May 24, 2013.
George Skene, Orlando SentinelA conductor greets guests inside the Polar Express Experience at SeaWorld.
Dewayne Bevil / Orlando SentinelAs riders complete a loop of the Kraken roller coaster (left), work continues on SeaWorld Orlando's next thrill ride, Mako. It is scheduled to open summer 2016.
Julie Fletcher, Orlando SentinelSeaWorld's water park, Aquatica's Whanau Way 5-story slide, 340 feet of slide splashing into a crystal blue pool.
JOE BURBANK, ORLANDO SENTINELStudents from Windermere Preparatory School study polar bears in their habitat during the official opening of SeaWorld Orlando's Polar Express Experience.
JOE BURBANK/ORLANDO SENTINELReach for it at Key West of SeaWorld.
SENTINEL FILESea World joined the Central Florida park fireworks game with ?Mistify? in 2004.
Stephen M. Dowell, Orlando SentinelMiami Dolphins cheerleaders Genesis (clockwise from lower left), Missy, Kayla and Fabiola pose during a calendar photo shoot at SeaWorld's Discovery Cove.
Jacob Langston, Orlando SentinelAna Carolina Borba holds her daughter Maria Claira Borba (6) as she kisses a dolphin at Discovery Cove on June 18, 2010.
Joe Burbank, Orlando SentinelGuests cheer as dolphins jump in unison during the Blue Horizon show --featuring the dolphins, birds and acrobats, at SeaWorld Orlando, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009. The Blackstone Group, a private equity firm, is rumored to be close to a deal to buy Busch Entertainment Corp., including all of its SeaWorld theme parks, from Anheuser-Busch InBev.
Joe Burbank, Orlando SentinelThe entrance of Antarctica's ride is part mountain, part penguin in appearance.
Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda, Orlando SentinelPatrons interact with dolphins at Discovery Cove, on Friday, June 3, 2011.
Matt Mauney, Orlando SentinelWorkers topped out construction of SeaWorld Orlando's Mako roller coaster on Thursday. The thrill ride is scheduled to open this summer.- Dewayne Bevil, Orlando SentinelOpening day at the new Grand Reef attraction at SeaWorld Orlando's Discovery Cove.
- MATTHEW ANDREWS/SPECIAL TO THE SENTINELTwo sea lions lean over for a look at Pacific Point Preserve.
- Dewayne Bevil, Orlando SentinelOpening day at the new Grand Reef attraction at SeaWorld Orlando's Discovery Cove.
- Joe Burbank, Orlando SentinelGuests cheer as dolphins jump in unison during the Blue Horizon show --featuring the dolphins, birds and acrobats, at SeaWorld Orlando, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009. The Blackstone Group, a private equity firm, is rumored to be close to a deal to buy Busch Entertainment Corp., including all of its SeaWorld theme parks, from Anheuser-Busch InBev.
- DEWAYNE BEVIL/ORLANDO SENTINELJim Hackworth is one of three men who portray "scurvy pirate mimes" before the "Clyde and Seamore Take Pirate Island" show at SeaWorld. Hackworth has worked at the theme park for 26 years.
- Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda, Orlando SentinelPreview of the new Grand Reef at Discovery Cove, on Friday, June 3, 2011.
- Julie Fletcher, Orlando SentinelLoggerhead Lane floats guests down a lazy river past exotic birds and exotic fish of SeaWorld's water park, Aquatica.
- STEPHEN M. DOWELL, ORLANDO SENTINELMiami Dolphins cheerleader Rosamary is filmed with a bird during the Miami Dolphins calendar shoot at Discovery Cove in Orlando on Wednesday, May 21, 2008.
- HILDA M PEREZ, ORLANDO SENTINELNo. 40 on Dewayne Bevil's Top 50 Orlando Theme Park Attractions. Shark Encounter, SeaWorld Orlando. Exhibit pulls guests through a tube running beneath the predators.
- FRANK RIVERA/ORLANDO SENTINELShamu takes a peek.
- Joe Burbank, Orlando SentinelThe afternoon sun silhouettes guests as they ride on the Kraken at SeaWorld Orlando.
- Joe Burbank, Orlando SentinelGuests cheer as dolphins jump in unison during the Blue Horizon show --featuring the dolphins, birds and acrobats, at SeaWorld Orlando, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009. The Blackstone Group, a private equity firm, is rumored to be close to a deal to buy Busch Entertainment Corp., including all of its SeaWorld theme parks, from Anheuser-Busch InBev.
- JOE BURBANK, ORLANDO SENTINELNo. 50 on Dewayne Bevil's Top 50 Orlando Theme Park Attractions. Penguin Encounter, SeaWorld Orlando. Tuxedoed creatures swim, stare back at you. Check out the puffins there also.
- Joe Burbank, Orlando SentinelGuests cheer as dolphins jump in unison during the Blue Horizon show --featuring the dolphins, birds and acrobats, at SeaWorld Orlando, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009. The Blackstone Group, a private equity firm, is rumored to be close to a deal to buy Busch Entertainment Corp., including all of its SeaWorld theme parks, from Anheuser-Busch InBev.
- JOE BURBANK, ORLANDO SENTINELSanta Claus greets a guest at Santa Town during the official opening of SeaWorld Orlando's new Polar Express Experience.
- JOE BURBANK/ORLANDO SENTINELManta reaches 56 mph and seats its riders face down.
- STEPHEN M. DOWELL, ORLANDO SENTINELMiami Dolphins cheerleader Crystal is filmed with a bird during the Miami Dolphins calendar shoot at Discovery Cove in Orlando on Wednesday, May 21, 2008.
- JESSICA MANN/ORLANDO SENTINELSeaWorld joined the Central Florida park fireworks game with ?Mistify? in 2004. In this shot, dolphins are projected onto a water screen in the middle of the show while fireworks explode above. Besides elaborate fireworks, it also incorporates the use of a water screen which has dolphins, whales and other sea creatures projected onto it.
- Joe Burbank, Orlando SentinelGuests ride the Manta roller coaster at SeaWorld Orlando, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009. The Blackstone Group, a private equity firm, is rumored to be close to a deal to buy Busch Entertainment Corp., including all of its SeaWorld theme parks, from Anheuser-Busch InBev.
- Joe Burbank, Orlando SentinelGuests cheer as dolphins jump in unison Tuesday during the Blue Horizon show featuring dolphins, birds and acrobats at SeaWorld Orlando. The Blackstone Group, a private-equity firm, reached a deal to buy Busch Entertainment Corp., including all of its SeaWorld theme parks, from Anheuser-Busch InBev.
- George Skene, Orlando SentinelVisitors enter the Polar Express Experience at SeaWorld on Friday.
- George Skene, Orlando SentinelSeaWorld visitors walk near the Polar Express Experience on Friday.
- JOE BURBANK, ORLANDO SENTINELStudents from Windermere Preparatory School watch a preshow film before boarding the Polar Express Experience at SeaWorld.
- Joe Burbank, Orlando SentinelGuests come in for a landing after riding Manta during the first public sneak preview of the flying coaster, at SeaWorld Orlando, Tuesday, May 5, 2009.
- JOHN RAOUX/ORLANDO SENTINELKraken takes a dip at SeaWorld Adventure Park.
- Joe Burbank, Orlando Sentinel
- JOE BURBANK, ORLANDO SENTINELA shark passes by the cage used in the Sharks Deep Dive experience at SeaWorld's Shark Encounter attraction on Oct. 2, 2002.
- STEPHEN M. DOWELL, ORLANDO SENTINELMiami Dolphins cheerleader Crystal is filmed with a colorful bird during the Miami Dolphins calendar shoot at Discovery Cove in Orlando on Wednesday, May 21, 2008.
- Joe Burbank, Orlando SentinelThe lighthouse at the entrance to SeaWorld Orlando, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009. The Blackstone Group, a private equity firm, is rumored to be close to a deal to buy Busch Entertainment Corp., including all of its SeaWorld theme parks, from Anheuser-Busch InBev.
- JOE BURBANK, ORLANDO SENTINELStudents from Windermere Preparatory School line up during the official opening of SeaWorld Orlando's Polar Express Experience.
- Joe Burbank, Orlando SentinelGuests ride the Manta roller coaster at SeaWorld Orlando, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009. The Blackstone Group, a private equity firm, is rumored to be close to a deal to buy Busch Entertainment Corp., including all of its SeaWorld theme parks, from Anheuser-Busch InBev.
- JOE BURBANK, ORLANDO SENTINELNo. 21 on Dewayne Bevil's Top 50 Orlando Theme Park Attractions. Journey to Atlantis, SeaWorld Orlando. It's a water ride! It's a coaster! No, now it's a water ride! It's really both -- tricky. (Also: Note the post-ride aquarium area of gift shop).
- Joe Burbank, Orlando Sentinel
- STEPHEN M. DOWELL, ORLANDO SENTINELMiami Dolphins cheerleader Rosamary is filmed with a dolphin during the Miami Dolphins calendar shoot at Discovery Cove in Orlando on Wednesday, May 21, 2008.
- BOBBY COKER, ORLANDO SENTINELNo. 23 on Dewayne Bevil's Top 50 Orlando Theme Park Attractions. Blue Horizons, SeaWorld Orlando. Acrobatic dolphins and divers share the watery stage -- plus birds for good measure.
- Joe Burbank, Orlando Sentinel
- JOE BURBANK, ORLANDO SENTINELGuests thrill while riding Manta during the first public sneak preview of the flying coaster, at SeaWorld Orlando, Tuesday, May 5, 2009. The coaster features horizontal, face-down seating and reaches speeds of 56 mph from a height of 140 feet.
- Joe Burbank, Orlando SentinelGuests are inverted in a loop on Kraken, the extreme roller coaster at SeaWorld Orlando.
- Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda, Orlando Sentinel
- STEPHEN M. DOWELL, ORLANDO SENTINELMiami Dolphins cheerleader LaTasha is filmed with a dolphin during the Miami Dolphins calendar shoot at Discovery Cove in Orlando on Wednesday, May 21, 2008.
- MATTHEW ANDREWS/SPECIAL TO THE SENTINELShamu gets some air time.
- STEPHEN M. DOWELL, ORLANDO SENTINELMiami Dolphins cheerleader LaTasha is filmed with a dolphin during the Miami Dolphins calendar shoot at Discovery Cove in Orlando on Wednesday, May 21, 2008.
- Joe Burbank, Orlando SentinelGuests arrive at SeaWorld Orlando at the main entrance on Central Florida Parkway, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2009. The landscaping on the entrance includes the Anheiser-Busch/InBev logo (far right).
- Joe Burbank, Orlando SentinelStudents from Windermere Preparatory School stand in fake snow during the official opening of SeaWorld Orlando's Polar Express Experience.
- Dewayne Bevil, Orlando SentinelA 30-foot icy archway will greet visitors to Antarctica when it opens May 24, 2013.
- George Skene, Orlando SentinelA conductor greets guests inside the Polar Express Experience at SeaWorld.
- Dewayne Bevil / Orlando SentinelAs riders complete a loop of the Kraken roller coaster (left), work continues on SeaWorld Orlando's next thrill ride, Mako. It is scheduled to open summer 2016.
- Julie Fletcher, Orlando SentinelSeaWorld's water park, Aquatica's Whanau Way 5-story slide, 340 feet of slide splashing into a crystal blue pool.
- JOE BURBANK, ORLANDO SENTINELStudents from Windermere Preparatory School study polar bears in their habitat during the official opening of SeaWorld Orlando's Polar Express Experience.
- JOE BURBANK/ORLANDO SENTINELReach for it at Key West of SeaWorld.
- SENTINEL FILESea World joined the Central Florida park fireworks game with ?Mistify? in 2004.
- Stephen M. Dowell, Orlando SentinelMiami Dolphins cheerleaders Genesis (clockwise from lower left), Missy, Kayla and Fabiola pose during a calendar photo shoot at SeaWorld's Discovery Cove.
- Jacob Langston, Orlando SentinelAna Carolina Borba holds her daughter Maria Claira Borba (6) as she kisses a dolphin at Discovery Cove on June 18, 2010.
- Joe Burbank, Orlando SentinelGuests cheer as dolphins jump in unison during the Blue Horizon show --featuring the dolphins, birds and acrobats, at SeaWorld Orlando, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009. The Blackstone Group, a private equity firm, is rumored to be close to a deal to buy Busch Entertainment Corp., including all of its SeaWorld theme parks, from Anheuser-Busch InBev.
- Joe Burbank, Orlando SentinelThe entrance of Antarctica's ride is part mountain, part penguin in appearance.
- Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda, Orlando SentinelPatrons interact with dolphins at Discovery Cove, on Friday, June 3, 2011.
- Matt Mauney, Orlando SentinelWorkers topped out construction of SeaWorld Orlando's Mako roller coaster on Thursday. The thrill ride is scheduled to open this summer.
Dewayne Bevil, Orlando Sentinel
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Opening day at the new Grand Reef attraction at SeaWorld Orlando's Discovery Cove.
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player ready...SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment’s Waves of Honor program salutes our military by offering free admission to SeaWorld, Busch Gardens and other theme parks with a valid military ID.
Active-duty personnel are offered free one-day admission per service person and up to three family members per year. Parks on the list: SeaWorld Orlando, San Antonio and San Diego; Busch Gardens Tampa and Williamsburg and Sesame Place in Langhorne.
Log in with Troop ID to see offers, good through the end of the year.
Considering theme park tickets start at $75, that’s a fantastic freebie.
Military personnel and family members, which can get in free without a service member being present, must first verify active-duty status at WavesofHonor.com.
SeaWorld theme parks have hosted more than 6 million of service members since the program began in 2001, according to SeaWorld.
Click here for the deal.
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