Silver Spring, Maryland, March 30, 2009 - The Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) today announced that The Seas was granted accreditation by AZA’s independent Accreditation Commission.

“The Seas has been awarded AZA accreditation because of its high standards in every aspect of its operations,” said AZA President and CEO Jim Maddy. “Orlando should be proud to have one of the top facilities in North America as a valuable community asset and economic engine.”

To be accredited, The Seas underwent a thorough investigation to ensure it has and will continue to meet ever-rising standards, which include animal care, veterinary programs, conservation, education, and safety. AZA requires zoos and aquariums to successfully complete this rigorous accreditation process in order to be members of the Association, and are required to resubmit to this process every five years.

“Every visit you make to The Seas supports wildlife conservation.” Maddy added. “It’s an opportunity for families to get together and connect with conservation.”

The mission of the AZA Accreditation Commission is to establish, uphold, and raise the highest zoological and aquarium industry standards through self-evaluation, on-site inspection, and peer review. The accreditation process includes a detailed application and a meticulous on-site inspection by a team of trained zoo and aquarium professionals. The inspecting team observes all aspects of the institution’s operation in areas such as animal care (including living environment and daily enrichment), keeper training, safety for animals, staff, and visitors, educational programs, conservation efforts, veterinary programs, financial stability, risk management, visitor services, and other areas. The inspection team prepares an extensive written report for the Accreditation Commission. Finally, top officials are interviewed at a formal Commission hearing, after which accreditation is granted, tabled, or denied. Any institution that is denied may reapply one year after the Commission’s decision is made.

Founded in 1924, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of zoos and aquariums in the areas of conservation, education, science, and recreation. Look for the AZA logo whenever you visit a zoo or aquarium as your assurance that you are supporting an institution dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you, and a better future for all living things. With its more than 200 accredited members, the AZA is a leader in global wildlife conservation, and your link to helping animals in their native habitats. For more information, please visit www.aza.org.

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LOS ANGELES, Calif., (March 30, 2009) – Disney Cruise Line announced today that it plans to reposition the Disney Wonder from its Florida base in Port Canaveral to the West Coast in 2011. The company is working with the Port of Los Angeles to finalize a two-year agreement with a three-year extension option. The contract will be considered by the Port of Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners on April 2, 2009.

If approved, the new Disney Wonder sailings could generate more than 250,000 guests passing through the Port of Los Angeles over a five-year period.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said he is pleased to welcome the renowned family cruise line back to the Port of Los Angeles at San Pedro.

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“Having Disney Cruise Line operating out of the Port of Los Angeles will provide a great boost to the local economy by generating business and tourism revenue in San Pedro and throughout the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area,” Mayor Villaraigosa said. “The return of Disney Cruise Line to our port speaks volumes about our ability to attract world-class cruise lines to the area.”

The addition of a new homeport for Disney Cruise Line is part of the overall expansion plan for The Walt Disney Company. Two new ships, Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy, will arrive in Florida’s Port Canaveral in 2011 and 2012, respectively.

“We are looking forward to returning to the Port of Los Angeles and offering our special brand of family cruises on the West Coast,” said Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Jay Rasulo. “Having a Disney Cruise Line ship based in this region is something families on the West Coast have wanted for a long time, and we’re pleased to bring the Disney Wonder to Southern California in 2011.”

Disney Cruise Line has successfully tested the West Coast market with two summer seasons of Mexican Riviera itineraries from the Port of Los Angeles. The Disney Magic cruise ship first called on the West Coast during the summer of 2005 as part of Disneyland’s 50th anniversary and returned again during the summer of 2008. Disney Cruise Line has not yet announced the details of its itineraries for 2011.

“The return of Disney Cruise Line to the Port of Los Angeles is just one more reason visitors will come to Los Angeles to help our city thrive,” added Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Geraldine Knatz, Ph.d. “The LA area is already home to Disneyland – it’s a natural fit.”

The Port of Los Angeles continues to be one of the busiest cruise ports on the West Coast. Known for its proximity to area attractions, including Disneyland Resort, and ease of convenience for transportation and nearby airports, the Port of Los Angeles provides cruisers with a great experience.

Disney Cruise Line delivers a cruise experience that every member of the family feels was created for their own individual vacation wants and needs. Specifically designed areas and activities for each member of the family allows for both quality time together and wonderful individual experiences. The focus is to allow families to reconnect, adults to recharge their batteries and kids to immerse themselves in worlds of fantasy only Disney can create.

Known for establishing family travel in the cruise market Disney Cruise Line continues to be a leader in the industry. The Disney Wonder was recently named the top large cruise ship experience by the readers of Condé Nast Traveler magazine in the 9th annual “Reader’s Cruise Poll.” The Disney Magic, which was also ranked in the top five cruise experiences in the poll, will embark on a season of limited itineraries exploring Northern Europe and the Mediterranean in 2010. Additionally, the line continues to move forward on the construction of its two new ocean liners at the Meyer Werft yard in Germany.

A PERFECT 10: Mickey Mouse warms up with Super Bowl XLIII MVP Santonio Holmes (left) and 1999 National League MVP Chipper Jones (right) as they exchange their #10 jerseys and autographs March 27, 2009 at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Jones, who plays third base for the Atlanta Braves, is currently playing at the complex’s Champion Stadium during the Braves’ Spring Training season. Holmes, wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers, is training with several of his teammates on the complex’s football fields in preparation for the upcoming 2009 NFL season. (Diana Zalucky, photographer)

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On March 31, 1959, August A. Busch Jr. officially dedicated Busch Gardens, which was, at that time, an admission-free hospitality facility for the nearby Anheuser-Busch manufacturing plant. Fifty years later, the manufacturing plant has long since closed, but the hospitality facility has developed into a bustling Tampa theme park filled with exhilarating roller coasters, beautiful landscapes, and exotic animal experiences.

To mark its successful history, the park has opened an incredible new historical exhibit next to the Clydesdale Hamlet. In the exhibit, guests can browse various displays featuring hundreds of memorabilia items and photographs marking every major event and attraction at the park over the past fifty years. Among them is a 100-foot memory wall featuring a photograph of Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio taken the day she started work at the park’s Zagora Café, a photograph of the day dozens of couples got married as they rode Kumba, and opening day aerial photographs that show the abandoned Army airbase runways that today lurk hidden near Adventure Island.

The park put out a call among its staffers for people to bring in any memorabilia they had lying around, and employees responded in force. One accounting clerk brought in her old belly dancer costume from when she was a snake charmer at the park, while others brought in painted gremlins from the Gnome Village, which had been serving as doorstops in the corporate offices. Other items now on display were dug up from the park’s archives, including conceptual art of rides like Montu, which was initially planned to be a coaster built inside a giant Egyptian pyramid.

The search for memorabilia is still ongoing as the exhibit, which will be on display at least through the end of the year, expands; by this summer, it will include video anecdotes from park veterans and former executives.

The exhibit is certainly a valuable look at the history of a park that has grown to become one of Orlando’s most popular, with six roller coasters, 2,000 animals, and 3,000 employees running the operations. Among the attractions at the Africa-themed Busch Gardens Tampa are Sheikra, North America’s first dive coaster which sends riders 200 feet up, then 90 degrees straight down; Kumba, a breathtaking ride featuring a 135-foot drop, 360 degree spirals, and one of the world’s largest vertical loops; Montu, one of the tallest and longest inverted roller coasters in the world; Gwazi, a wooden coaster with two interwoven tracks; and the Scorpion, featuring a 60-foot drop and 360-degree loop at incredible speeds.

Busch Gardens also offers countless animal encounters, available in habitats like Serengeti Plain, featuring hundreds of exotic African animals; Myombe Reserve, a lush forest filled with gorillas and chimpanzees; the Bird Gardens, containing almost 500 tropical birds; and Lory Landing, a domed habitat showcasing a variety of brilliantly colored birds. These exciting habitats, along with shows, tours, and other experiences, ensure that Busch Gardens will be Florida favorite for yet another 50 years.

If you’ve never visited Busch Gardens, don’t wait until its next bicentennial; make some time to explore this beloved Tampa theme park during your next vacation, and save on your adventure by purchasing discount Busch Gardens tickets from DWTickets.com.

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Comedian Brad Garrett (”Everybody Loves Raymond,” “‘Til Death”) does his best blowfish impression April 1, 2009, alongside two characters from the “Finding Nemo - The Musical” show at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The show is based on the animated Disney-Pixar film “Finding Nemo.” Among the show’s featured characters are “Bloat,” a blowfish (left), who was voiced by Garrett in the feature film, and Nemo (right), a clownfish and star of the film and musical show. Disney’s Animal Kingdom is one of four theme parks at the Walt Disney World Resort. (Gene Duncan, photographer)

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