SeaWorld has filed plans for a 504-room hotel near its Orlando theme park. The hotel would include restaurants and retail space.
The company has submitted a developmental plan review application with Orange County for the ‘Starboard’ project, which involves building the 15-storey hotel.
According to the filing, the hotel would be constructed on a 29-acre lot behind the theme park‘s southeast corner along Central Florida Parkway and International Drive. It would have six parking levels with around 747 parking spaces.
The filing includes a site plan, which reveals the hotel would include a rooftop bar with a terrace, as well as restaurants and a lounge, conference space, a fitness centre, and retail space.
SeaWorld has been planning to add a hotel for some years. During an earnings call last month, CEO Marc Swanson said: “As we mentioned last quarter, we are refining our design planning on our first hotels, and we expect to begin opening in 2026.”
Last year, Swanson said: “We continue to make progress with our plans to design and build hotels to complement our park offerings.
“We have engaged multiple consultants and industry resources to evaluate a number of site and facility concepts as we further develop our strategies.”
Unlike Disney, Universal and Legoland resorts in Florida, SeaWorld Orlando does not include a hotel. Its other parks across the US do not offer accommodation, either.
SeaWorld hotels to open from 2026
Meanwhile, SeaWorld Orlando is opening the new Penguin Trek coaster in spring 2024. The park’s first family launch coaster is made by Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M).
It features an indoor and outdoor track that ends in the park’s penguin habitat, and boasts two launches and speeds of up to 43 mph across a 3,020-foot track.
Penguin Trek will be SeaWorld Orlando’s eighth coaster and follows the launch of Pipeline: The Surf Coaster.
Images courtesy of SeaWorld
