SeaWorld to Reopen San Diego Theme Park Aug. 28 for Weekend BBQs

(Bloomberg) -- SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. is reopening its San Diego theme park on a limited basis starting Aug. 28, a key milestone in the company’s efforts to recover from Covid-19 shutdowns.

Guests will be able to see shows featuring killer whales, dolphins and sea lions while chowing down on brisket sliders and craft beers. Tickets for the events, which run Friday to Sunday until Sept. 27, are $75 for adults and $65 for kids.

The San Diego park, one of SeaWorld’s largest, got approval to reopen from the county under guidelines that apply to zoos. California is among the last states to still have its theme parks closed due to the coronavirus. Resorts in Florida began reopening in June, but Disneyland in Anaheim, California, and Universal Studios in Los Angeles remain shuttered.

While guests can roam the 40-acre San Diego property, indoor attractions and rides weren’t cleared to reopen. Theme parks have been getting creative as they cope with the Covid-19 crisis, opening partly for food festivals and under very limited capacity.

Orange County, California, where Walt Disney Co.’s Disneyland and Cedar Fair LP’s Knott’s Berry Farm are based, got taken off of a state watch list on Sunday. That clears the way for a greater reopening of schools and businesses there.

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