Credit: SeaWorldAn Orlando theme park giant who owns SeaWorld Orlando has been accused of scamming thousands of guests out of their money recently. This has led to the main headquarters being put under the media’s microscope, which could spell trouble for multiple parks.
Related: SeaWorld Orlando Bans All Guests From Re-Entering After Paying, New Policy Decimates Guests
United Parks, Which Owns Seaworld Orlando, Is Being Accused of Scamming Thousands of Vacationers
In a well-written and informative article on bgwfans.com, Busch Gardens Williamsburg’s parent company, United Parks (formerly SeaWorld Parks), introduced a new tipping system at SeaWorld Orlando last month.
Traditionally, United Parks properties with table-service restaurants and full-service bars have offered tipping for waitstaff, aligning with standard practices in the U.S. However, this new system at SeaWorld Orlando extends tipping to counter-service dining locations throughout the park.
After guests pick their food off a serving line and carry it to the cash register to pay, they will be prompted to add a tip. This change has not yet been implemented at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, but it could be introduced if it proves successful at SeaWorld Orlando.
The effectiveness of this new system hinges on several factors. Questions arise about where the tips go, which employees receive them, and whether the full amount of guest tips reach the food service workers.
Internal documentation from United Parks reveals that tips collected at all SeaWorld Orlando food and beverage locations, except bars, Sharks Underwater Grill, Dine with Orcas, and Ports of Call, are pooled into the “SeaWorld Orlando Tipped Pool Program.”
Funds from this program are distributed to the paychecks of food and beverage service ambassadors, bakers, cooks, and culinary trainers working across SeaWorld Orlando, excluding those in the establishments above.
Related: SeaWorld Orlando Gains on Disney and Universal With Latest Announcement
Big Scams Ahead? The Issue With This New System of Tipping
However, the system is not as straightforward as it seems. SeaWorld Orlando differentiates between the “Position Guaranteed Rate” and the “Individual Guaranteed Rate.” For instance, if a food and beverage service worker is currently paid $13 an hour, this becomes their Individual Guaranteed Rate. However, their Position Guaranteed Rate might be $12 per hour, the current Florida minimum wage.
The difference between these rates is subsidized by the tip pool, meaning tips cover the gap between the minimum wage and the pre-existing pay rate. This system effectively reduces the wages SeaWorld Orlando pays to employees. Employees’ take-home pay increases only when their portion of the tip pool exceeds the difference between their Individual Guaranteed Rate and their Position Guaranteed Rate.
For example, if an employee’s Position Guaranteed Rate is $12, their Individual Guaranteed Rate is $13, and they are allocated $1.75 per hour from the tip pool, their pay for that day would be $13.75 per hour.
While this includes an additional 75 cents per hour for the employee, the remaining $1 per hour is effectively saved by United Parks, converting a significant portion of customer tips into cost savings for the company. The SeaWorld Orlando Tipped Pool Program raises concerns about transparency and fairness.
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When customers tip, they expect the money to benefit the employees serving them directly. While United Parks may argue that 100% of the tips go to employees, the reality is that these tips offset what the company pays in wages, essentially allowing customers to subsidize employee pay. This tipping system has been layered on top of a 5% surcharge, which was introduced across much of the United Parks chain in 2022.
The company cited “unprecedented increases in the cost of goods, services, and labor” as the reason for the surcharge. Coupled with rapid increases in in-park food prices, such as a 20% rise in the cost of a bacon cheeseburger at Busch Gardens Williamsburg since 2020, these measures have significantly outpaced inflation. Meanwhile, United Parks has reported substantial profits, far exceeding those seen before the pandemic.
Aquatica Orlando, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, Discovery Cove, Adventure Island Tampa Bay, SeaWorld San Diego, SeaWorld San Antonio, and other former SeaWorld Entertainment theme parks could implement this program in their parks.
Overall, the new tipping system, combined with existing surcharges and price hikes, poses questions about the transparency and ethics of United Parks’ pricing and compensation strategies.
Thousands of guests will be scammed into this new system, which could lead to more folks not wanting to visit SeaWorld Orlando and the many other United Parks nationwide. For now, word of mouth might save someone money the next time they see a United Parks theme park.