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SeaWorld California
& Aquatica California
San Diego, CA
SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment
Ride Rehabs - The following dates are subject to change
Journey to Atlantis - NOW CLOSED through Summer 2025
Tidepool Twist - NOW CLOSED through TBD
Arctic Rescue - NOW CLOSED through TBD
Rescue Rafters - NOW CLOSED through TBD
Electric Eel - Sept. 2 through Sept. 12
Riptide Rescue - Sept. 8 through Sept. 12
Tentacle Twirl - Sept. 15 through Sept. 19
Octarock - Sept. 29 through Oct. 3
Shipwreck Rapids - Oct. 27 through Nov. 2
Emperor - Nov. 10 through Nov. 21
Arctic Rescue - Dec. 1 through Dec. 12
Electric Eel - Dec. 16 through Dec. 18
See Arctic Rescue (2023) in Action Here
Click Here to read our review of Howl-O-Scream 2023
 Park News - (8/6/2025) SeaWorld San Diego announced that the long closed Bayside Aquarium will finally reopen this week on August 8th with a newly refreshed exhibit space tucked away below the park’s Bayside Amphitheater. Back in the old days this was known at the Marine Aquarium back when it first opened in 1965.
Featuring both fresh and saltwater species the new Bayside Aquarum will provide intimate encounter with some rare species such as the engaged axoloti, the camouflaged wobbegong shark, a California two-spot octopus, brown-banded bamboo sharks, coral cat sharks and reef fish.
(6/15/2025) It appears that the reopening of Journey to Atlantis has been pushed back for an unknown period of time. Previously the park had a reopening date of June 20th posted on their website, but this has now been removed and replaced by the message that is it just “Opening Soon!”
(6/3/2025) So what’s new at SeaWorld San Diego this summer? Apparently cheap beer is back. According to a press release from the park guests age 21+ can purchase a cold beer for just .75 cents from the park’s High Tides Brew location from 11am until closing.
It also sounds like a number of new small shows and experiences are coming for the summer in addition to the previously mentioned new Jewels of the Sea: The Jellyfish Experience attraction. New this summer will be “The Rhythm of the Reef Parade” and “BMX Blast! Powered by BODYARMOR Stunt Show” experience. A new “Baby Shark Experience” attraction will come to the park for a limited time this summer as well. Returning this summer will also be the Enchanted Wonders Fireworks show, Pirates Ahoy! The Battle for Mermaid Cove, and the Shamu and Crew: Together Again Live Performance Show.
On the ride sides of things I’m happy to report that the Bayside Skyride has reopened, though we don’t quite have a date as to when Journey To Atlantis will reopen to guests just yet.
The park will also host a series of concerts on Saturday evenings from June 21 through to August 23. Follow this link to see the lineup.
2025 - Journey To Atlantis Update / Jewels of the Sea: The Jellyfish Experience - (8/24/2025) You can find a video showcasing the latest update to SeaWorld San Diego’s Journey To Atlantis attraction below. Unfortunately, for a long as the ride was closed, the updates may mostly go unnoticed by all but the park’s biggest fans. There have been changes in the queu’s theming that tries to set up a new backstory, and some new audio clips that play as you go up the first lift and reach the top turn before the first drop. The biggest changes, as expected, lie as the boats go inside the base of the tower and queue up for the elevator lift to the top for the finale. This includes some projection mapping effects on the stone wall depicting mer-people and the arrival and pending attack of a Kraken monster. More audio warning of the pending Kraken attack as you enter the dark elevator lift before you “escape” from the top into the roller coaster plunge finale.
Now behind the scenes, it has been said that the attraction received a number of needed technical upgrades, including a complete replacement of the attraction’s control system itself. So the good news is at least that mechanically the ride has undergone a fairly complete refurbishment and should be around for guests to enjoy for years to come.
The truth however is that the park kind of set themselves up for a bit of guest disappointment by promoting that the long closure would bring about some major upgrades, new theming and a new story when it reopened. Those familiar with the ride however know that it is almost entirely outdoors, which puts a severe limit on just what the park can do in terms of upgrades and new theming. JTA in San Diego is often unfairly compared to the original version in Orlando that is mostly an indoor attraction compared to the California version that is entirely outdoors, with the exception of the elevator lift segment. To do more with JTA in San Diego would require something more extreme, such as the enclosing of the entire finale track area, which just isn’t going to happen.
So with that in mind, I can only say to enjoy Journey To Atlantis for what it is… and not for what it isn’t.
(8/23/2025) While it was expected to reopen near the start of the Summer, SeaWorld San Diego has announced that the new and updated version of Journey To Atlantis finally reopens to guests… TODAY!
“The reimagined Journey to Atlantis fuses heart-pounding drops and exhilarating splashes with fresh, dynamic storytelling. Both longtime fans and first-time riders can prepare for an unprecedented underwater adventure where they will dive into an epic new chapter in the Atlantis legacy. Featuring an immersive queue experience, spellbinding LED lights, stunning projection mapping, and mesmerizing water effects, the excitement begins as soon as guests enter the attraction. The ride features a transformative pre-lift and elevator adventure unlike anything you’ve ever experienced on a previous quest to Atlantis.”
(6/15/2025) It appears that the reopening of Journey to Atlantis has been pushed back for an unknown period of time. Previously the park had a reopening date of June 20th posted on their website, but this has now been removed and replaced by the message that is it just “Opening Soon!”
(5/19/2025) SeaWorld San Diego has confirmed that Journey to Atlantis will be reopening… “soon”. Yeah… unfortunately they don’t have a solid date yet, so I guess keep a close eye on the park’s social media channels for a date when they’ve got one. In the meantime, they did have some new descriptions about the new changes that have been made to the attraction.
“Both longtime fans and first-time riders can prepare for an unprecedented underwater adventure where they will dive into an epic new chapter in the Atlantis legacy. Featuring an immersive queue experience, spellbinding LED lights, stunning projection mapping, and mesmerizing water effects, the excitement begins as soon as guests enter the attraction. Guests will be awed by a transformative pre-lift and elevator adventure unlike anything you’ve ever experienced on a previous quest to Atlantis.”
“The new narrative will incorporate The S.E.A. Collective (Science. Exploration. Adventure.), a daring crew of young scientists and explorers, who arrive in San Diego’s Mission Bay determined to uncover Atlantis’s ancient secrets. Throughout the queue, guests will overhear mission chatter from the S.E.A. Collective and view expedition maps and hints to find the mythical Kraken—an ancient sea monster feared for centuries who has awakened and is ready to strike Atlantis. SeaWorld’s global enthusiasts will recognize the S.E.A. Collective from their adventures throughout SeaWorld Abu Dhabi as well as Infinity Falls at SeaWorld Orlando and should be on the lookout for allusions and references nodding to those adventures.”
“The story unfolds in three immersive chapters—Discovery, Descent, and Escape—taking guests on a thrilling journey. In Discovery, the queue becomes a hub of S.E.A. Collective research, with mysterious maps, bold theories, and murals of Atlantis’s rise and fall. Guests learn about the city’s builders—Mermaids and Atlanteans—who now guard it from ancient threats. In Descent, riders board a boat to explore the sunken city, only to face a dramatic Kraken attack brought to life with projection, lighting, and water effects. Finally, in Escape, riders race to the surface in a vertical elevator climax, ending in an exhilarating splashdown. The family-friendly ride features both flume and coaster elements, culminating in a large splashdown. Riders board eight-seater boats and experience a chain lift hill, turns and a final drop into a splash pool. This hybrid flume-coaster ride has a height requirement of 42 inches and offers something for the whole family, blending coaster thrills with captivating storytelling.”
(2/19/2025) SeaWorld San Diego has set the official opening date for the park’s new Jewels of the Sea: A Jellyfish Experience. According to Blooloop the new attraction is now set to open on March 15th, 2025, which was pushed back from an originally intended 2024 opening timeline.
(1/27/2025) SeaWorld San Diego offers up some new details for the park’s newest additions coming in 2025. The new Jewels of the Sea: A Jellyfish Experience will feature “a variety of jelly species, beautiful storytelling and a kaleidoscope of colors and shapes in three unique galleries. This remarkable exhibit features a 10-foot-tall acrylic archway living of jellyfish, one of nation's tallest jelly cylinders in the country at 14-foot-tall, as well as a touchable globe of cascading water and jellyfish and a host of shareable, bespoke photo-op moments for families and adults alike. The piece de resistance is the exhibit's finale, a stunningly immersive, virtual gallery with walls and ceiling covered in LED digital video panels that display captivating oceanic scenes. Ranging from calm waters to dynamic, energetic crescendos and 360 explorative experiences, guests will be whisked away to an interactive playground that they can enjoy time and again.”
As we also mentioned, Journey To Atlantis will return in 2025 after having been “reinvented, paying tribute to the original beloved version while adding new elements to create a more exciting and immersive experience than ever before. The new Journey to Atlantis will emerge with a refreshed storyline, as well as new water elements and special visual effects and new show elements that pay tribute to the original attraction while making it better than ever.”
(11/2/2024) A bit more information has been revealed as to the current planned long-term closure of Journey to Atlantis at SeaWorld San Diego. According to the local news the park has closed the 20 year old attraction (2004 - 2024) to reopen it in 2025 after making an “update” to the ride experience.
SeaWorld says the updated Journey to Atlantis, the park’s first roller coaster, will be adding a refreshed storyline and adding new theming, water elements and special visual effects “to create a more exciting and immersive experience than ever before”.
If you’ve ridden the first Journey to Atlantis in Orlando, you know that the Florida version was given a very large dark ride style experience in addition to the coaster/flume fun thrills, while the San Diego version was essentially cut back to be an almost entirely outdoor flume experience. The one exception to this rule was the unique indoor elevator lift segment inside the central tower that happens just before the high speed finale. Going back to the initial plans for the attraction, there was always the intention to make this lift segment a more highly themed experience, but budget constraints and technology limitations of the time always made it so whatever they did try to install here over the years go mostly unseen and unheard, so I'd love to see this area finally fleshed out.
Here is a fun fact most guests don't know about… Journey to Atlantis in San Diego not only underwent a number of physical revisions throughout the planning phase, many of which included more indoor sections and traditional indoor lift hills, but an overhaul to the entire THEME and STORYLINE of the ride experience was heavily considered. Rather than stick entirely with the more Greek Mythology oriented concept, a few other story-lines were also in the works, some of which were tied to some of the alternate layout concepts. As I recall, a very strong favorite that almost made it once the final layout was given the green light in San Diego was one that would have tied Extraterrestrials to the mythic lost city of Atlantis.
Now here me out… because the attraction was in development from the late 1990 until the first shovel broke ground around 2002, and at the time one of the hottest entertainment properties on TV at the time was The X-Files on the FOX network that ran from 1993 to 2002. An official license was not expected (though I’m sure someone in the corporate office probably looked into it) but the floating artifacts in the lagoon that your boat slowly circles around after the first splash-down before returning to the tower was once envisioned as a crashed UFO sticking up out of the water, surrounded by bubbling water and steam vents. Alien forces were at work here, affecting the very currents of the water to pull your boat from here inside the Atlantis tower itself, which would have had a bit of an alien technology makeover inside. Once inside the riders were essentially ‘captured’ within the tower, and a beam of light would come down from the top of the shaft, pulling your boat into the air and scanning everyone during the hidden elevator style ascent to the top. In the end, I don’t think there would have been any actual aliens present there, but I think the story was that it may have been a piece of ancient alien technology left behind still running on auto-pilot, essentially scanning the boats for any sign of lost Atlantean DNA signatures, once at the top, and upon getting a negative scan for the designed DNA traits, the boats were kicked out at the top of the tower and sent on the final wild roller coaster style ride back to the bottom. I think the raw idea was that if any lost tribes of Atlantis were found, the Atlantis tower would then beam a signal home for a rescue mission to be dispatched to pick-them-up, but given the presence of the crashed UFO in the water out front, that last rescue mission may not have gone as planned.
Anyway… that’s what I recall hearing about first hand a quarter-century ago when I still lived in San Diego. The San Diego park has always had a bit of a semi-hidden obsession with the idea of alien technology… as you may recall how the park’s old Mission: Bermuda Triangle ride ended with a mysterious other-worldy rescue energy coming from the depths of the trench. Maybe another day I’ll talk more about a planned coaster concept where Manta sits down that was approved and then canceled at the last second in 2008/2009 when the economy hit the skids. This would have involved a launched coaster with aquatic themed cars that would eventually launch into a large show-building and take a deep dive to the bottom of the ocean for an encounter with the unknown! Think of it as an underwater themed version of what eventually was realized as Verbolten at Busch Gardens Williamsburg and you’ve got a pretty good idea of what was planned and the timelines involved at both parks.
So back to San Diego… what else is planned for 2025 other than a jazzed up Journey To Atlantis? Would you believe… Jellyfish? Yeah… what was supposed to be the big new attractions for 2024 was never built, as the park was focused more on building their new main entrance and now Jewels of the Sea: A Jellyfish Experience has now been confirmed as being a 2025 attraction for the park that will be installed inside of the former Clydesdale barn, not far from Journey to Atlantis. This isn’t the first time a new attraction was planned for the former Clydesdale barn structure, as you may recall the very short lived Submarine Quest ride, which despite the name took riders into the sky on an elevated track around the immediate area, and then encouraged kids to play with touch-screens on-board rather than take in the view. Ummm… yeah… I’m not surprised they let that concept go in conjunction with major flaws with the ride system itself that came up, but since then I think the former barn building has simply sat quiet and forgotten.
(9/29/2023) SeaWorld San Diego is getting a new attraction in 2024 called Jewels of the Sea: The Jellyfish Experience. According to the press release, this new exhibit will be added to the park’s Ocean Explorer area, which is immediately to the right after you enter the park.
“Glowing with an ethereal light, Moon Jellyfish, Pacific Sea Nettles, Upside-Down Jellyfish, and Comb Jellies will gracefully glide through the water, showcasing their hypnotic movements that seem almost unworldly. The experience features an 18-foot-tall cylinder, among the tallest jelly cylinders in the country, and a five-foot diameter sphere jelly habitat with water that pours from the top and sides for guests to touch. Guests can have the perfect photo-opp with a 10-foot-tall acrylic living arch of jellyfish for guests to walk through for views from multiple angles. ”
2026 - New Shark Encounter - (8/19/2025) SeaWorld San Diego announced plans to launch an all new version of the park’s famous Shark Encounter attraction for Spring 2026. “As one of the park’s most iconic and awe-inspiring animal exhibits, the ALL-NEW experience will transport guests into a breathtaking aquatic environment—inviting them to explore the ocean like never before and discover the remarkable beauty and power of sharks. The current Shark Encounter has closed to begin work on this exciting renovation.”
“Sharks have long captured our cultural imagination, and this thrilling new exhibit invites guests to challenge conventional perceptions through a fully immersive 360-degree experience—from watching sharks glide overhead to feeding them. Guests will encounter mesmerizing new species of sharks, alongside a diverse array of marine animals and fish, expanding the current exhibit into a truly unforgettable journey beneath the waves. Through a captivating underwater journey featuring cutting-edge multimedia and revitalized habitats, adults and children alike will be immersed in an environment that elevates both the thrill and educational value of every visit and encourages them to return and discover something new about their favorite shark species.”
On a side note, the park has also launched sales of the 2026 Fun Cards that include not only unlimited visits for all of 2026, but you get the rest of 2025 as well. Visit the official website for more information and Fun Card pricing.
2027 - Flying Theater - Speculation - (3/20/2025) So what does the future have in store for SeaWorld San Diego? Chances are that the next major attraction to come to SeaWorld San Diego in 2026 or 2027 will be a copy of the Expedition Odyssey flying theater attraction opening this summer at SeaWorld Orlando. Just as in was for the original Wild Arctic simulator attraction, the plan will be to have guests ride the new Flying Theater and then exit and be able to walk through the Wild Arctic animal exhibit.
While in Orlando they are simply just transforming two of the former three simulator bays into new flying theater attractions, the Wild Arctic when it was originally built as Mission: Bermuda Triangle had four simulator bays, along with a pass-through hallway in-between bays 2 and 3, to allow guests who didn’t care to ride a way to still see the exhibit.
Now, you may be wondering how they will be able to do this with the Arctic Rescue coaster now in place, but that shouldn’t be a problem as the installation of Arctic Rescue only took over the left two simulator bays, leaving the right two bays (3 & 4) inactive and guests have been using the pass-through hallway to still access the Wild Arctic animal exhibit ever since they closed the simulators down.
With the right two bays still in place, my guess is that as long as guests enjoy the new Expedition Odyssey flying theater in Orlando, it wont be long before the budget is approved to move forward with a clone for San Diego. After all, the filming, editing and programing for the new attraction will already be complete, so all that needs to be done is to buy and install the new ride hardware from Mack Rides.
???? - Thg Next Roller Coaster - (10/5/2023) Screamscape is hearing that long term planning may have begun to add yet another roller coaster to SeaWorld San Diego. The early rumor is that they may have asked B&M to come up with a layout for a Wing Coaster. Given that the park has a sensitive relationship with the local governing agencies, especially when it comes to building anything with height, I would suspect that if SeaWorld San Diego were to build a B&M Wing Coaster, they would take inspiration from Thunderbirg at Holiday World, which uses a magnetic launch system rather than a lift hill.
Another great possibility, and one that would definitely tie into the California surf culture, would be for the San Diego park to build a copy (or near clone) of the Pipeline Surf Coaster that opened at the Orlando park earlier this year (see video below). This next-gen stand-up coaster is themed like a giant surf board and also uses a magnetic launch to keep the action fast and low when needed. The real surprise is the hidden piston built into every restraint unit that quite literally lifts the riders off their feet for a true Hang 10 moment of airtime at the peak of every hill that is guaranteed to make you squeal with glee.
Stay tuned!
New Attraction Footage -
2023 - Arctic Rescue - (7/3/2023) Screamscape was invited to send a local member of the crew down to give the new Arctic Rescue roller coaster at SeaWorld San Diego a spin. The video below shows off a POV of the coaster in action from the front row and from the back as it passes through three launch zones throughout the journey.
Howl-O-Scream 2023 Review -
(10/4/2023) Screamscape was invited to try out this year’s Howl-O-Scream event and I decided to send in my good friend Andy to check it out. For a little history, back in the day, growing up in San Diego, Andy and I would often frequent all the haunts we could find in town, which included several years of visits to the city’s once famous ‘Scream in the Dark’ haunt, the Haunted Museum and others from years past. They managed to shoot an awesome video for us that captures all the fun of Howl-O-Scream and sent back a quick review as well, so enjoy!
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SeaWorld opens its doors to sirens and slaughterhouses in 2023's Howl-O-Scream, featuring 5 haunted mazes, multiple vignette areas, spooktacular cocktails, roaming haunts, environmental effects, and dark rides. Contained in the southern section of the park, SeaWorld has concocted a trail of screams and haunts worthy of adults and children alike. Honestly, it takes a brave child to deal with what we had to endure. Some of this is NOT for the faint of heart. SeaWorld claims "nowhere is safe!" - and that is true as actors dressed as monsters can startle you at every turn. That is, unless you don a magic blinking medallion (available for
$15 within the park) to guarantee a spook-free experience.
For those brave souls who wish to venture further, the park provided Five (Count-em!) Five themed mazes of jump scares, curated scenes, animatronic ghouls, sparking chainsaws, and more. Within the various themed encounters careful attention to detail was taken, making sure you were looking in the wrong place so that the live ghouls could get the drop on you.
For the extremely observant- there are no less than TWO hidden speakeasies nestled within the haunts (don't forget the password: "Gauntlet"). Fiendish, yet delicious cocktails were available inside including frighteningly authentic "blood bags" filled with what we hope was a cocktail and not the real thing! Collectable, color-changing skull mugs were also purchasable.
Along the dark, smokey paths between mazes were a motley assortment of various monsters to keep you on your toes. Also speckled throughout your adventure are themed "Vignettes" like mini-musicals to enjoy while eating, drinking or planning your next move:
Dark Coasters! What's scarier than a 14-story vertical drop? The turn after- in pitch blackness! When you can't see it coming, it's even scarier. The park offered three coasters of various fear levels to satisfy guests, Emperor, Arctic Rescue, and Electric Eel. A great way to end your visit to the creepiest seaside spectacle you've ever seen this side of the pacific! We were truly taken to another world that hardly seemed like the park we visited a few months earlier.
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