It is with great sadness that SeaWorld San Diego announces that Sumar, a 12-year-old male killer whale, died at approximately 1:45 p.m. today (Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2010). The exact cause of death will not be known until the results of a necropsy are complete. The entire SeaWorld team is mourning his the loss.

The three SeaWorld Parks -- Orlando, San Diego and San Antonio -- invite guests to reconnect with their families, stay late and enjoy all of our summer offerings, including special nighttime (and daytime) shows as part of SeaWorld AfterDark (Orlando) and Summer Nights (San Diego and San Antonio). And this Independence Day, the skies will shine even brighter with fabulous Fourth of July fireworks displays.

Orlando

Today is the first official day of summer -- and that means soaring central Florida temps. But don't let the heat keep you from visiting SeaWorld or Busch Gardens where you can find refreshing fun!

At SeaWorld Orlando, there are many things to do to beat the heat:

We asked our Facebook Fans to post their “top tips” on how to most enjoy a day at SeaWorld. And we were thrilled with the response. These 20 tips below were some of our favorite posts, verbatim from our Fans who know the park best. We hope you'll find them helpful - and for more insider tips, visit Facebook.com/SeaWorld.

1) Do your research and do the backstage interactive experiences. We did the Arctic Experience and there is nothing like feeding a walrus or kissing a whale. Incredible!

-- Kim P.

SeaWorld Orlando's legacy of giving back to the community began within days of the park opening in December 1973 when disadvantaged children were invited to the park for a special Shamu show. Today the Orlando park works with more than 250 community organizations like Canine Companion of Independence, Heart of Florida, and Make M' Smile to spread waves of sharing throughout the community.

According to AAA, more than 31 million Americans are expected to travel Memorial Day Weekend. And many are headed to Central Florida. With that in mind, it's only fitting to share some basic travel tips to make the most of your vacation.

1) Plan ahead
Visit seaworld.com or buschgardens.com to map out your favorite rides, look up show times and plan your day. Make sure everyone plays a role in the planning by encouraging family members to pick their top 3-5 things they want to experience.

Employee Spotlight: Scott McMurtrie

SUMMER AT SEAWORLD ROCKS ... DAY OR NIGHT

Starting this Saturday and to kick off the summer, SeaWorld invites guests to stay for the encore as the parks are open later and feature special nighttime (and daytime) shows, live music and spectacular fireworks. Whether day or night, SeaWorld is the place to be this summer for a one-of-a-kind experience. Special nighttime shows at all three SeaWorld Parks -- Orlando, San Diego and San Antonio -- include: