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Credit: Aquatica OrlandoSeaWorld’s iconic Aquatica water park evacuated all guests yesterday after the park went into lockdown.
Located in Orlando, Florida, Aquatica is a sprawling water park operated by United Parks & Resorts. Known for its blend of high-speed thrills and family-friendly attractions, the park features everything from wave pools to winding lazy rivers.
Aquatica opened in 2008 and has become one of the most visited water parks in the country. In addition to its landmark attraction, Reef Plunge (previously known as Dolphin Plunge), the park features a wide range of attractions, including the high-speed Taumata Racer, the multi-drop Ihu’s Breakaway Falls, and family favorites like Roa’s Rapids and the massive wave pools Cutback Cove and Big Surf Shores.
Aquatica’s History of Teen Takeovers
Last year, Aquatica made headlines not for its exciting lineup of attractions, but for going into lockdown after a crowd of teenagers took over the park. A fight broke out involving over 100 people, and police were eventually summoned to shut down the situation.
Yesterday, exactly one year after the previous incident, yet another incident saw Aquatica close down early and remove all guests.
A huge crowd of teenagers allegedly attended a planned takeover of Aquatica Orlando on June 12, and “the park ended up shutting down early due to reaching capacity” and “kicked everyone out.”
I guess the teen meetup takeovers from last year are back…
A bunch of teens showed up to Aquatica yesterday (6/12) to “takeover” the park and the park ended up shutting down early due to reaching capacity and kicked everyone out
SeaWorld handled this well! 🙌
I guess the teen meetup takeovers from last year are back…
A bunch of teens showed up to Aquatica yesterday (6/12) to "takeover" the park and the park ended up shutting down early due to reaching capacity and kicked everyone out
SeaWorld handled this well! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/IZThrOwX3t
— Ethan Hershaft (@EthanHershaft) June 13, 2025
Several TikTok users who planned on attending the takeover shared videos about Aquatica closing down before they could reach the park, or shutting down not long after they arrived. Some users noted that they ended up visiting Volcano Bay instead.
Other Controversy Around SeaWorld Guest Behavior
This isn’t the first time that the behavior of young SeaWorld parkgoers has sparked controversy.
In early 2024, TikTok user @tasnimalatout shared a video showing “annoying” teenagers harassing a mime – named by the user as “Tom the Mime” – at SeaWorld Orlando.
After a female teenager purposefully walked into the mime, the rest of the group began to crowd him before mimicking his actions. As the mime grew more frustrated, they continued to follow him around until he grabbed his belongings and walked out of the stadium.
In the caption, the TikTok user added that this kind of behavior is “not nice and not funny.” The video has since racked up over 15 million views and 800,000 likes, with other TikTokers chiming in to condemn the teenagers’ behavior.
One user wrote: “Hope their parents are proud, he’s doing his job, he doesn’t assault anyone while doing it … should [have given] them a slap though.”
Earlier this year, a group of drunken teenagers was also removed from SeaWorld Orlando after Winter Springs High School held its prom at the park. According to Click Orlando, several students arrived at the prom intoxicated, while others snuck small bottles of alcohol into the park. A school spokesperson confirmed that several students became sick at the park.
“Unfortunately, we had several students who were involved in sneaking in small containers of alcohol and others who showed up to this event inebriated,” Winter Springs High School said. “This is not only illegal but incredibly dangerous. A few students have been transported to the hospital due to alcohol consumption.”
In 2022, SeaWorld was sued by a family who claimed that they were assaulted by a group of teenagers and SeaWorld Orlando failed to protect them, even after witnessing the incident. The Orlando Sentinel reported that the four guests filed the $100,000 lawsuit against SeaWorld on February 1, 2022, and that they were allegedly injured due to SeaWorld’s negligence.
The guests who filed the lawsuit were reportedly waiting in line for an undisclosed attraction when a group of teenagers began “acting out.” While the exact cause of the altercation remains unclear, the teens allegedly became physically aggressive toward the plaintiffs. According to reports, the harassment continued after the ride, with the teens waiting to confront the injured guests again. The suit also claimed that SeaWorld staff failed to intervene during the incident, leading to a serious lapse in guest safety.
Older guests have also caused chaos at the park in the past.
A guest sued SeaWorld Orlando in 2024 due to “serious injuries” sustained in the park when they were attacked by another guest during a dolphin show.
“[SeaWorld] knew… or should have known, that numerous crimes, including crimes of violence, had occurred on or near the premises during the months and years immediately preceding May 21, 2023,” the lawsuit stated.
Dhembi claimed that the park should have had security frequently patrolling the premises or had more security staff.
How do you think theme parks should crack down on this kind of behavior?