Florida theme parks including Disney World, Universal Orlando and SeaWorld say they’ll open their gates on Friday after shutting down for Hurricane Milton.

U.S. theme park chain SeaWorld, which has been mired in controversy in recent years over its treatment of killer whales and other marine mammals, has opened a massive new aquatic life park in the United Arab Emirates.

More than six dozen threatened manatees are currently in rehabilitation centers in Florida and elsewhere amid a chronic starvation problem caused by water pollution.

A pilot, two British visitors and a Sydney woman have been identified as the four people killed in a collision of two helicopters over the waterfront on Australia’s Gold Coast.

Two helicopters collided in an Australian tourist hotspot, killing four passengers and critically injuring three others.

After 20-something years, I am now able to tell you how to get to Sesame Street -- and let me tell you, it's not just for kids.

A killer whale has died unexpectedly at SeaWorld San Diego and the reason is not yet known.

Federal health officials say Florida has reported more than 21,600 new cases of COVID-19, the state’s highest one-day total since the start of the pandemic.

On Tuesday, September 29, guests at SeaWorld got a glimpse of something truly special when first-time dolphin mom Bree gave birth to her calf at SeaWorld Orlando’s dolphin nursery, SeaWorld said. The Zoological team, who specializes in dolphin care, is keeping a close eye on Bree and her calf. SeaWorld made the announcement on social media. Bree, the Atlantic bottlenose dolphin, became a new mother recently. Join us in welcoming the newest member of the family.”SeaWorld’s team of veterinarians and animal care experts will provide the newborn dolphin 24/7 care.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida’s unemployment rate dropped a whopping four points in August, according to figures released by the state Friday, bringing it to 7.4 percent. The state reported 46,000 private sector jobs were created in August as 143,000 Floridians returned to work. [View county-by-county unemployment data using the table below]But the state’s economy isn’t out of the woods just yet. The national unemployment rate also dropped by nearly two points in August, now sitting at 8.4 percent. It’s the first time that rate has dipped to single digits since the beginning of the pandemic.

ORLANDO, Fla. – SeaWorld has filed a notice with the state that nearly 1,900 employees who were previously furloughed due to the pandemic are now being laid off permanently. The layoffs included 455 foodservice attendants, 272 park operations hosts and hostesses, 121 performers, 123 sales clerks, and 111 waiters and waitresses, among others. Theme parks across the state have struggled to attract visitors over the last six months because of COVID-19 concerns. SeaWorld closed its Orlando parks in mid-March when COVID-19 cases first started popping up in the region. SeaWorld parks reopened in June with reduced capacity and other safety measures in place.

ORLANDO, Fla. – If you’ve been waiting to visit a Central Florida theme park amid the coronavirus pandemic, SeaWorld’s new ticket deal might be the ticket you’ve been waiting on. SeaWorld Orlando announced a new 2021 Fun Card where park visitors can visit for the rest of 2020 and all of 2021 for the price of $109.99, WKMG reports. There’s also a fun card for Aquatica priced at $79.99 or both theme parks for $164.98. “Just because summer is wrapping up, doesn’t mean the fun stops at SeaWorld and Aquatica. SeaWorld and Aquatica officials recently announced the parks will now be open seven days a week.

Add SeaWorld to the list of amusement parks now closing their doors over coronavirus concerns. On Friday, the theme park joined Disney and Universal Studios in announcing it would shut down for the rest of March as a precautionary measure. Starting on Monday, the company will temporarily close all its theme parks across the country, including SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens in Florida. “We are monitoring this COVID-19 (coronavirus) situation closely and coordinating with public health officials,” the company said in a statement. For more information please visit https://t.co/VJihdaNges pic.twitter.com/M4vJSPfZ5J — SeaWorld (@SeaWorld) March 13, 2020For a complete list of frequently asked questions, visit SeaWorld’s website.

ORLANDO, Fla. – The next time you go to SeaWorld, you could see a major change. Trainers will no longer ride dolphins at the three theme parks. This comes after a nearly year-long campaign by animal rights activists to get the company to prohibit the stunt. It includes riding on the backs of dolphins and standing on their faces. SeaWorld says the phasing out of the stunts will take place over the next few months.

ORLANDO, Fla. – SeaWorld Orlando and its ride developers showed off the ride vehicle for its newest roller-coaster, Ice Breaker, at the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions this week. The ride will give chills to its riders as it breaks the ice at SeaWorld Orlando in spring 2020. Ice Breaker will be located near the parks other attraction, Wild Arctic. The two-person ride vehicle is painted an icy blue color, with hints of broken ice chunk fragments throughout. The ride track is bright orange, with ice blue supports.

Splashing, playing and getting stronger by the day, Cinder the baby sea otter is settling in nicely to her new home at SeaWorld in California. The little otter was found stranded by strong currents near Homer, Alaska, when she was just 5 weeks old. On Sept. 7, Cinder was flown to SeaWorld in San Diego so that she could be cared for in the facility's sea otter nursery. When she is a little older, she will be introduced to SeaWorld's four other female sea otters: Mocha, Coco, Clover and Pumpkin. Fish and Wildlife Service when she was rescued, Cinder will continue to live at SeaWorld.