Where have the dolphins gone!?

[NightRider785]

In the following commercial,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5hXN_g6 ... re=related
you may notice dolphins. Anybody know when there was dolphins there and when/why they got rid of them??

[BP317]

The Wilderness Theater in Yukon Territory, which is still there but no longer used.

[Coaster Justin]

I'm assuming they got rid of The Dolphins of "Animal Protest Groups" and The "Limited Seasonal Operations".

[monsterfan99]

^Have to imagine cost was a huge issue.

[tp41190]

Seems like there were a lot of parks that had dolphin shows in the 70s but were all shortly lived. I know Cedar Points dolphins started to die off. Their last living dolphin was killed due to chocking on a used condom floating in the pool left by employees....go figure at CP

[acquaz10]

GAdv still has one.

[DiveMachine]

we got 2 dolphins, and some sea lions, in the smallest possible location, lol

[Galvan]

Its pretty safe to say that the dolphins shown in that ad 30 years ago are long since dust.

[BP317]

^Have to imagine cost was a huge issue.

Ive always wondered if that show was done by the park and they owned the animals or if the show was leased out. Either way i'm pretty sure the animals were brought in seasonally, I can't think of any offseason animal facilities there ever were at SFGAm. Also makes me wonder what Sea World was thinking building a park in Ohio (which ironically was sold to Six Flags).

[monsterfan99]

^Sea World in the midwest was a brilliant idea, putting it in Ohio was the stupid part. Always surprised they never went the Shedd route somewhere with the Sea World brand.

[tillenterprises]

I remember the dolphin show, and after they no longer had the dolphins, they had a high-diving show there, as well as an animal show with exotic birds and stuff. I don't think they've used the wilderness theater for years now. Too bad. However that area would be a nice place for a new medium sized coaster, flat or dark ride if they're not going to ever reopen the theater again. I think a star flyer tower would be good there- since it's kind of a "hidden" area off the main path, you'd be able to see it above the trees. Plus, it would be fun flying high over the flume rides!

[NightRider785]

Where is the theater? Is there a ride that you can see it from, up in the air and see what it looks like now and such?

[FParker185]

It's right next to loggers run station, you basically just about walk though it during fright fest to get to Necropolis. It's still a complete theater with a stage, large seating area, etc. Up until pretty recently they always had the cheerleader competition back there until they moved it to Southwest when they dropped regular shows there. I'd guess one of the flumes would give a good aerial view, haven't ridden either flume in probably a decade but I think Yankee Clipper is the closer one with elevated trough.

[BLADE]

Where is the theater? Is there a ride that you can see it from, up in the air and see what it looks like now and such?

You can see it going up the lift hill on Iron Wolf.

I remember watching this show as a young lad back in the Marriotts days. It could get pretty hot sitting in the sun, especially the earlier shows when the sun was in your eyes or to your side from the south.

[tribar]

im pretty sure you can see it from Spacly's Sprocket Rockets

[Doma]

I remember the dolphin show, and after they no longer had the dolphins, they had a high-diving show there, as well as an animal show with exotic birds and stuff. I don't think they've used the wilderness theater for years now. Too bad. However that area would be a nice place for a new medium sized coaster, flat or dark ride if they're not going to ever reopen the theater again. I think a star flyer tower would be good there- since it's kind of a "hidden" area off the main path, you'd be able to see it above the trees. Plus, it would be fun flying high over the flume rides!

I also saw the dolphin show as a kid. You could still see the entrance to this area inside the kids area at the very back behind the fence, the kids area where the kids coaster is, as late as last season.

[zjohn1988]

[Ilovthevu']

You can see this theater very easily during Fright Fest taking the trail. It's on your left hand side. The problem I see with the theater is that it's small, and as people have said - it's hidden. If they moved Logger's Run entrance to the ride a bit to the left instead, they probably could make the theater less hidden, but at this time and point, it's not worth it really. They aren't even using the Southwest Territory Ampitheater for anything except those concerts once and awhile, or maybe those bands in the park.

Now, why is the Dolphin show gone? I think it goes back to what Monsterfan said - cost. Think of the food those animals must eat every single day, and I don't know what they do with them during the winter either. Plus, they have to get trainers that know what in the world they are doing that cost big bucks to pay. From wikianswers in regards to food: "An adult male typically eats about 20 pounds of fish, while a nursing mother can eat upwards of 40 pounds of fish daily!"

I wouldn't be surprised if they sent the dolphins to the Lincoln, or Brookfield Zoo afterwards. Really, they could be still alive. It's say they can last almost 40 years.