SeaWorld San Diego has announced plans for a revamped Shark Encounter, scheduled to open in spring 2026. The new experience will immerse visitors in an underwater setting, and the existing Shark Encounter attraction has been closed to facilitate this renovation.
The refreshed Shark Encounter will be a 360-degree experience with multimedia displays and restored habitats where visitors can watch sharks swim overhead and even feed them. They will encounter different shark species, along with a variety of marine animals and fish.
“This is more than a refresh – it’s a reinvention,” says Tyler Carter, park president at SeaWorld San Diego.
“The revamped Shark Encounter is designed to engage the senses and imagination like never before, bringing guests closer to sharks in powerful, memorable ways. This revitalization is part of our ongoing investment in the park to create innovative, immersive experiences that also support marine conservation and education.”
A 360-degree experience
The revised experience will showcase an impressive variety of sharks, featuring 11 species, including sand tiger sharks, blacktip reef sharks, and the endangered Australian leopard shark, which is part of an AZA Species Survival Plan.
Nearly all species at Shark Encounter are classified as vulnerable or near threatened, reaffirming SeaWorld’s commitment to education and conservation.
Cutting-edge multimedia displays utilise vivid visuals and stories to educate about sharks and help people form a connection with them. An overhead video in the entrance shows sharks swimming above, guiding visitors to the underwater tunnel. At the end, a multi-screen setup shows rare live footage of different sharks in an 8-minute presentation.
Informative signs and storytelling share facts about sharks, bust myths, and highlight SeaWorld San Diego’s conservation work. Visitors can explore a new tank that mimics crashing waves washing into a shallow tide pool, giving a hands-on look at shark habitats.
In a new VIP Shark Tour, visitors will get an up-close look at how SeaWorld’s zoological experts feed and care for the sharks. The tour features access to a brand-new walkway above the shark habitat. It is designed to encourage greater understanding, personal connection, and marine conservation.
SeaWorld San Diego also recently reimagined another attraction, reopening it as a new aquarium with a conservation message. The updated attraction, named the Bayside Aquarium, houses endangered species. It replaces the former Marine Aquarium, which originally opened in 1965 and then closed in 2019.
