SeaWorld San Diego announced a new interactive play, Rescue Jr., coming to the park in Spring 2023.
Rescue Jr. will allow children to become the heroes of the park. In this new interactive play area, kids will learn about animal rescue and rehabilitation in exciting ways. Rescue Jr, makes the first play area like this of its kind in any SeaWorld park. This new play area offers exciting play elements, a splash pad and water features, climbing structures, and rides. In addition, guests will have unique up-close opportunities to see and learn more about rescued animals.
Rescue Jr. play area will contain actual rescue vehicles, an obstacle course, puzzles, fun animal facts, and tips on how to help conservation every day to add to the fun. Aspiring conservationists can also see rescued animals up close, hearing their amazing stories of survival and learning more about how to get involved in helping protect marine animals everywhere. SeaWorld continues to be one of the world’s largest marine animal rescue organizations. SeaWorld has come to the aid of over 40,000 injured and orphaned animals.
“This first of its kind play area is another exciting addition to our amazing educational theme park and puts marine animal rescue at the forefront with our guests. Rescue Jr. is a fun and exciting way for our younger guests to learn about the animal rescue that our dedicated teams do every day, 365 days a year,” said Jim Lake, SeaWorld San Diego Park president. “No matter how young, my hope is that all guests come away with a better understanding of how important it is to be a part of protecting the animals around us and maybe we can be the spark that ignites a passion in kids to become animal rescuers, scientists, veterinarians or conservationists.”
Splash, play and learn with interactive activities
At Rescue Jr. at SeaWorld San Diego, several fun sections have been created for guests’ enjoyment. For example, at the Rescue Bay Splash Zone is Rescue 1, a large boat docked and ready to bring watery fun with it. Surrounding this ship will be a shallow-water rescue training ground and splash pad area. Rescue trainees can test themselves by navigating an aquatic agility course of colorful geometric sculptures and “buoy-like” interactives that spray and splash. Playful fountains will be scattered throughout the area to mimic the occasional wake created in a busy harbor.
Rescue Jr. contains various activities, such as the Rescue Training Obstacle Course. Young adventurers can test their mental and physical ability with the Rescue Training Obstacle Course, a new dry play area with three play offerings. The Nautical Net Climb offers a twisting, extensive network of nets that elevate into the sky leading to one of three training towers that are connected to each other with swaying net bridges and suspended tunnels.
The Breakwater Bounce is a large, enclosed area with an inflated airbag floor for jumping, tumbling, and active fun for young rescuers-in-training. At the Tadpole Play, a large open soft play area allows for curious exploration for our littlest guests.
Rescue Jr. Play Area
Young minds and imaginations will soar at Rescue Jr. Play Yard. This interactive area contains four areas of role-playing. Through activities that encourage and build upon communication, movement, and discovery, children can go through the process of receiving the rescue call to return the animals to their natural habitats. The Play Yard will include talk tubes to accept the rescue calls, a mini obstacle course made of smaller crawl and climb elements to simulate the challenges of conducting a rescue, and playground puzzles and mazes matching sea life and their habitats to symbolize the animal returns.
Young guests can also pretend and get prepared to be part of the Rescue Team in the Mini Rescuer Training Zone. This soft play area is full of ocean-themed play structures where children can sit and play on a rescue boat and plane and climb on a sandcastle, ocean rocks, and a pier. In addition, they can have adventures with dolphins and sea lions.
The Rescue Garage allows guests to get up close and personal with former rescue vehicles like pickup trucks and dinghy boats formerly used in real-life rescues. Integrated among these exciting artifacts are educational graphics and details about the types of missions these vehicles have been used for.
Rescue Jr. Rides
The Rescue Jr. area presents several rides to enjoy. Guests can board Rescue Rafter, a fully equipped Rescue boat, and ride the waves like the dedicated teams at SeaWorld Rescue. These heroes are prepared for any seaworthy situation. Young visitors will be, too, after experiencing the gentle swaying and surprising spins the ocean can bring to their missions.
The Rescue Riders attraction allows riding a colorful Rescue Jr. jet ski and whirling through the air on a big rescue mission. The heroes of SeaWorld Rescue use a variety of water vehicles during their rescue missions, and guests can experience the jet ski operation in this unique aerial experience.
Another family-friendly ride is Tidepool Twist. This attraction offers a twisting, turning journey around a colorful tide pool with guests going around and around with the tide. Before enjoying the ride, guests can learn more through informational graphics about the differences between types of sea life found in tide pools.
See rescued animal ambassadors and hear their incredible stories
At the Rescue Jr. Stage, guests can meet Animal Conservation Ambassadors. Also, they will learn about various unique rescued animals during daily presentations. This fun and educational presentation shares the story of conservation ambassadors, animal care, and rescue. Guests will have hands-on experience with incredible rescued animals, such as marsupials, primates, and reptiles, and learn about their unique stories.
Meet the heroes of the SeaWorld San Diego Rescue Team
The SeaWorld San Diego Rescue Team is on call every day of the year to help pinnipeds, sea turtles, and sea and shore birds in the water and on land. Now, guests can meet the Rescue Team members in person and hear true rescue stories that happen every day in San Diego. The Rescue Team members will make appearances and share the entire cycle of animal rescue, from the call on the rescue hotline through the process of getting to a healthy state and returning to their natural habitats. Stories will range from the sea lion who roamed the freeway to Lefty, the loggerhead turtle with a partially missing left flipper. Guests will walk away informed with valuable tips and information on how to help our oceans and lands by preventing animals from being harmed and needing rescue.
Learn more from one of the largest marine animal rescue organizations in the world
In partnership with state, local & federal agencies, stranding networks, zoos & aquariums, SeaWorld Rescue teams are on call 24/7 to help ill, injured, or orphaned animals needing expert care. The primary goal involves returning healthy animals back to the wild. Rescue Jr. play area will have educational information with details about the challenges that animals in the wild face that often require their rescue and simple steps that the public can take to limit these hazards for animals.
Guests will learn the SeaWorld Rescue team’s process for performing a rescue and what they can do if they find an animal in need. The concept of rehabilitation will be taught in a kid-friendly way leaning in on familiar subjects in interactive play areas. The act of an animal return will be conveyed with various activities and puzzles that will demonstrate the return of an animal to its natural habitat.
Sesame Place San Diego
The new Rescue Jr. area replaces the former Sesame Street Bay of Play at SeaWorld. Sesame Street fans can meet their favorite furry friends at Sesame Place San Diego, the all-new theme park in Chula Vista, just 20 minutes south of SeaWorld. Sesame Place features 18 Sesame Street-themed rides, exciting water attractions, a family-friendly rollercoaster, and a 500,000-gallon wave pool. The park also features an engaging musical play area, an interactive Sesame Street Neighborhood complete with the iconic 123 Stoop, daily live character shows, an award-winning parade, and one-of-a-kind photo opportunities. For more information on Sesame Place, visit http://www.SesamePlaceSanDiego.com.
For more information on events, park hours, and to purchase tickets or Annual Passes, visit SeaWorld San Diego’s website. For more information about activities at other SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment theme park we placed links to other articles below.
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