United Parks Guide 2026-27: SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, Sesame

United Parks’ theme park business spans 13 parks across the United States and Abu Dhabi.

FloridaSeaWorld OrlandoOrlando, with Aquatica Orlando and Discovery Cove. Opened 1973 Busch Gardens Tampa BayTampa, with Adventure Island. Opened 1959

Virginia and PennsylvaniaBusch Gardens WilliamsburgWilliamsburg, with Water Country USA. Opened 1975 Sesame Place PhiladelphiaLanghorne, near Philadelphia. Opened 1980

TexasSeaWorld San AntonioSan Antonio, with Aquatica San Antonio. Opened 1988

CaliforniaSeaWorld San DiegoSan Diego, on Mission Bay. Opened 1964 Sesame Place San DiegoChula Vista. Opened 2022

Abu DhabiSeaWorld Yas IslandLicensed, run by Miral. Opened 2023

Keeping track of what’s going on at a company this size isn’t easy, so below is my dashboard of the major announcements across SeaWorld, Busch Gardens and Sesame Place. Pick a park for more details and my guides there.

Jump toParks New in 2026 Coming in 2027 Seasonal Events Earnings Guides News

Pick a Park

SeaWorld OrlandoSeaWorld Orlando, Aquatica Orlando and Discovery CoveOrlando, Florida. Opened 1973New in 2026Expedition Odyssey: Fire & Ice

Busch Gardens Tampa BayBusch Gardens Tampa Bay and Adventure IslandTampa, Florida. Opened 1959New in 2026Lion & Hyena Ridge

Busch Gardens WilliamsburgBusch Gardens Williamsburg and Water Country USAWilliamsburg, Virginia. Opened 1975New in 2026Verbolten: Forbidden Turn

SeaWorld San AntonioSeaWorld San Antonio and Aquatica San AntonioSan Antonio, Texas. Opened 1988New in 2026Barracuda Strike

SeaWorld San DiegoSeaWorld San DiegoSan Diego, California. Opened 1964New in 2026An all-new Shark Encounter

Sesame Place PhiladelphiaSesame Place PhiladelphiaLanghorne, Pennsylvania. Opened 1980New in 2026The Winter Warm-Up Lounge at A Very Furry Christmas

Sesame Place San DiegoSesame Place San DiegoChula Vista, California. Opened 2022New in 2026A Christmas Tree Maze at A Very Furry Christmas

SeaWorld Yas Island, Abu DhabiAn indoor marine life parkAbu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Opened 2023New in 2026Its first Spooky Sea-son Halloween event

United Parks owns its 12 U.S. parks. SeaWorld Yas Island in Abu Dhabi is built and run by Miral under a license from United Parks. The Sesame Place parks use the Sesame Street name and characters under a license from Sesame Workshop.

New at United Parks in 2026

2026 seasonSeaWorld OrlandoChangedAquatica Orlando: Several million dollars in park-wide upgrades, per the park’s president: arrival, refreshed guest spaces and dining.

March 2026SeaWorld San AntonioNewBarracuda Strike opened, billed as Texas’ first inverted family coaster.

May 22, 2026SeaWorld San DiegoNewAn all-new Shark Encounter opened, with 11 shark species, a new entrance and an overhead walkway.

May 25, 2026SeaWorld OrlandoChangedExpedition Odyssey reopened as Expedition Odyssey: Fire & Ice, with a new story through Arctic volcanoes and glaciers.

May 30, 2026Busch Gardens WilliamsburgChangedVerbolten reopened as Verbolten: Forbidden Turn, a multi-launch family coaster with a new story and effects.

June 12, 2026SeaWorld OrlandoNewNighttime animal presentations returned with Electric Ocean, with a new drone show before the Ignite fireworks.

Summer 2026SeaWorld San DiegoNewNighttime animal experiences were added for the summer.

2026Busch Gardens Tampa BayNewLion & Hyena Ridge opened, a habitat for five young male lions and two hyenas, more than double the old space.

Sept. 11, 2026SeaWorld OrlandoSeaWorld San AntonioSeaWorld San DiegoNewThe first film-licensed haunted houses at Howl-O-Scream: I Know What You Did Last Summer: The Final Catch, at SeaWorld Orlando, San Diego and San Antonio. My guide

Fall 2026SeaWorld Yas IslandNewIts first Spooky Sea-son Halloween event. My guide

Nov. 6, 2026SeaWorld OrlandoReturnsMiracles, the holiday orca show, returned for Christmas Celebration. My guide

Nov. 7, 2026Sesame Place San DiegoNewThree things the park calls all-new at A Very Furry Christmas: a nightly Grand Illumination of a 24-foot tree, a Christmas Tree Maze and the Merry Monster Game Show. My guide

Nov. 12, 2026SeaWorld San AntonioReturnsMiracles, the holiday orca show, returned for Christmas Celebration. My guide

Nov. 13, 2026Busch Gardens WilliamsburgNewThe Queens of Christmas, a new Christmas Town show. My guide

Nov. 14, 2026Sesame Place PhiladelphiaNewThree new things at A Very Furry Christmas: The Nutcracker with Elmo & Tango at Elmo’s Studio Theater, Elf Training with Big Bird & Snuffy, and the Winter Warm-Up Lounge inside Elmo’s Pizza Kitchen. My guide

Coming to United Parks in 2027

2027Busch Gardens Tampa BayChangedMardi Gras isn’t on the 2027 events list. January and February bring Adventure Days, which is new, and Real Music, Real Masters.

Jan. 9, 2027SeaWorld OrlandoSeaWorld San DiegoNewOcean Discovery Days, a new January event, takes the place of Inside Look.

2027Busch Gardens Tampa BayBusch Gardens WilliamsburgSeaWorld San AntonioReopensThe water park reopens after sitting out the 2026 season.

2027SeaWorld OrlandoComingSEAQuest: Legends of the Deep, a submersible family ride. The company’s annual report listed it for 2026, and its Nov. 5 earnings release lists it for 2027.

2027Busch Gardens WilliamsburgComingReturn to Corkscrew Hill, a motion theater ride in Killarney that the park bills as the first of its kind in North America, continuing the Corkscrew Hill attraction that ran from 2001 to 2009.

Announced at IAAPA, Nov. 2026Busch Gardens Tampa BayComingThe park’s next attraction, which United Parks said Nov. 5 it would announce at the IAAPA conference later in November.

Seasonal Events at Every United Parks Park

Each park’s main seasonal events, at their next dates as of this page’s last update. Where a park has posted only months, the months show. Each park’s page lists its full year.

Winter and Mardi GrasBusch Gardens WilliamsburgMardi GrasFeb. 12 to March 7, 2027SeaWorld San AntonioMardi GrasSelect dates, Jan. 23 to Feb. 7, 2027SeaWorld San DiegoMardi GrasSelect dates, Jan. 23 to Feb. 21, 2027SeaWorld San DiegoLunar New YearFeb. 6, 2027

Spring FestivalsSeaWorld OrlandoSeven Seas Food FestivalSelect dates, Jan. 29 to May 16, 2027Busch Gardens Tampa BayFood & Wine Music FestivalFeb. to May 2027Busch Gardens WilliamsburgFood & Wine FestivalApril 22 to June 20, 2027SeaWorld San AntonioSeven Seas Food FestivalSelect dates, March 25 to May 23, 2027SeaWorld San DiegoSeven Seas Food FestivalSelect dates, Feb. 26 to May 2, 2027Sesame Place PhiladelphiaElmo's SpringtacularSelect dates, April 10 to June 20, 2027Sesame Place San DiegoElmo's SpringtacularMarch 26 to May 23, 2027

Summer NightsSeaWorld OrlandoElectric OceanMay to Sept. 2027Busch Gardens Tampa BaySummer NightsMay to Aug. 2027Busch Gardens WilliamsburgSummer of WonderJune 25 to July 29, 2027SeaWorld San AntonioElectric OceanSelect dates, May 28 to Sept. 6, 2027SeaWorld San DiegoSummer SpectacularSelect dates, May 28 to Sept. 6, 2027Sesame Place PhiladelphiaSesame Summer SplashJune 21 to Sept. 6, 2027Sesame Place San DiegoSesame Summer SplashMay 28 to Sept. 6, 2027

HalloweenSeaWorld OrlandoHalloween SpooktacularAug. to Oct. 2027SeaWorld OrlandoHowl-O-ScreamSept. to Oct. 2027Busch Gardens Tampa BayHowl-O-ScreamSept. to Oct. 2027Busch Gardens WilliamsburgHowl-O-ScreamSelect dates, Sept. 10 to Oct. 31, 2027SeaWorld San AntonioHowl-O-ScreamSelect dates, Sept. 10 to Oct. 31, 2027SeaWorld San DiegoHowl-O-ScreamSelect dates, Sept. 10 to Oct. 31, 2027Sesame Place PhiladelphiaThe Count's Halloween SpooktacularSelect dates, Sept. 18 to Oct. 31, 2027Sesame Place San DiegoThe Count's Halloween SpooktacularSept. 11 to Oct. 31, 2027

ChristmasSeaWorld OrlandoChristmas CelebrationSelect dates, Nov. 6, 2026, to Jan. 4, 2027Busch Gardens Tampa BayChristmas TownSelect dates, Nov. 13, 2026, to Jan. 4, 2027Busch Gardens WilliamsburgChristmas TownSelect dates, Nov. 13, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027SeaWorld San AntonioChristmas CelebrationSelect dates, Nov. 12, 2026, to Jan. 4, 2027SeaWorld San DiegoChristmas CelebrationNov. 13, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027Sesame Place PhiladelphiaA Very Furry ChristmasSelect dates, Nov. 14, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027Sesame Place San DiegoA Very Furry ChristmasSelect dates, Nov. 7, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027

United Parks Earnings and Attendance

$506.5 millionTotal revenue, third quarter of 2026, down 1.1%

6.5 millionGuests in the third quarter, down 4.7%

$205.1 millionAdjusted EBITDA, down 5.1%

$78.29Revenue per guest, up 3.8%

Attendance fell about 320,000 guests in the third quarter, and United Parks put most of it down to unfavorable weather, calendar impacts and a decline in international visitation, plus a planned cut in promotional admissions that amounted to more than 100,000 visits.

CEO Marc Swanson said total pass sales were up almost 8% in the quarter and that the 2027 pass product base was up over 15% as of Oct. 31.

Quarter	Total revenue	Attendance	Adjusted EBITDA
Q3 2026	$506.5 milliondown 1.1%	6.5 milliondown 4.7%	$205.1 milliondown 5.1%
Q2 2026	$483.3 milliondown 1.4%	6.1 milliondown 2.9%	$195.5 milliondown 5.2%
Q1 2026	$278.3 milliondown $8.7 million	3.2 milliondown about 171,000 guests	$58.0 milliondown $9.5 million
Q4 2025	$373.5 milliondown 2.8%	4.8 milliondown 2.6%	$115.2 milliondown 20.3%
Q3 2025	$511.9 milliondown 6.2%	6.8 milliondown 3.4%	$216.3 milliondown 16.3%

From United Parks’ quarterly earnings releases, filed with the SEC. Each change is against the same quarter a year earlier. Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP measure the company reports.