After an unexplained delay, SeaWorld San Diego is set to open its newest attraction, Jewels of the Sea: A Jellyfish Experience, next month.
Tuesday, the theme park announced in a press release that the jellyfish exhibit, which is said to have one of the largest jelly cylinders in the country, will open March 15. Annual will get early access to the attraction, starting March 12, a spokesperson said.
The attraction is a first-of-its-kind exhibit for any of SeaWorld’s marine parks, and is described as both entertaining and educational.
“This exhibit represents a true milestone for SeaWorld, showcasing our commitment to innovation, conservation and education,” San Diego Park President Tyler Carter said in a statement. “We can’t wait to welcome guests on this extraordinary journey, where they will experience the captivating beauty of jellyfish up close, while learning about the vital role they play in our oceans.”
Housed in the park’s former Clydesdale barn near Journey to Atlantis, the jellyfish exhibit is designed to allow visitors to view different species of jellyfish — Moon Jellyfish, Pacific Sea Nettles, Upside-Down Jellyfish, and Comb Jellies — up close in three galleries.
In the Realm of Jellies gallery, visitors can see Upside-Down Jellyfish, touch a water globe filled with moon jellies and learn about the tentacled creature’s life cycle. Guests can then walk through a 10-foot-tall living archway of moon jellies and check out a 14-foot-tall aquarium in the Jellyfish age gallery. The Medusa Gallery, which is described as the exhibit’s finale, features LED visuals that create an immersive, digital experience with a lens to the deep sea.
The Jewels of the Sea attraction is included with the price of park ission, although visitors can opt to pay $49.99 to book a walking tour, led by an expert aquarist, to learn more about how the park propagates the marine animals and to touch a jelly.
The jellyfish exhibit was first announced in September 2023 and was expected to open last year. The opening was postponed without the company providing an explanation for the delay. In the interim, SeaWorld San Diego went through a management shakeup with Carter replacing previous park president Jim Lake last year. Lake left the company in March.
“We’re committed to providing the jellyfish the highest standards of care while also ensuring each detail of the exhibit is perfect and ready to exceed guest expectations when we open,” SeaWorld spokesperson Tracy Spahr said when asked about the postponement.
The opening announcement follows closely SeaWorld San Diego’s settlement with the city of San Diego over unpaid rent during the pandemic. The company paid the city $8.5 million at the end of January, putting the legal matter to bed.
