The Mission Bay marine park had hoped to resume normal operations after closing at approximately 2 p.m. on Friday, July 31, following an electrical issue that sent smoke billowing from an energy storage unit near the park's parking lot. San Diego Fire-Rescue responded shortly after noon and located smoke coming from electrical equipment. SDG&E later indicated the outage did not appear to originate from its electrical grid but rather from equipment located within SeaWorld itself.
Although power was restored overnight and SeaWorld reopened Saturday at 11 a.m. after delaying its planned 9 a.m. opening, guests soon encountered additional electrical interruptions throughout the day.
Visitors reported waiting for hours in traffic before entering the park, only to find many rides temporarily closed, attractions halted, and intermittent power outages affecting portions of the facility. Some guests told local media they experienced outages while watching shows, while others said restaurants, restrooms, and various attractions became unavailable as operations repeatedly paused.
"We waited in line two hours for them to get the electricity started; once we got in, we only got to see one thing and then the electricity went out again," one guest told FOX 5. Another visitor who had traveled from Sonoma County said the outages spoiled a planned summer vacation with her granddaughter after they were unable to fully enjoy either day of their two-day visit.
By Saturday evening, SeaWorld announced that Jordin Sparks' scheduled 6 p.m. performance at Bayside Amphitheater had been canceled due to the ongoing electrical issues. The concert was part of the park's summer entertainment lineup, and SeaWorld said it hopes to reschedule the performance at a later date.
In a statement posted to social media, SeaWorld said:
"SeaWorld experienced a power outage affecting a portion of the park temporarily. We worked closely with SDG&E to restore power as quickly as possible and appreciate our guests' patience and understanding during this time. The park is currently open and operating. The safety and well-being of our animals, guests, and ambassadors remain our highest priority."
The park added that all animal care systems and life-support equipment remained fully operational throughout both days of the outages.
Friday's incident began just after noon when San Diego Fire-Rescue responded to reports of smoke coming from an energy storage box located near the park's parking lot. Firefighters remained on scene for approximately an hour while crews assessed the situation. During the outage, several rides, including Journey to Atlantis, were left temporarily stranded, with one ride vehicle visibly stopped at the top of the flume before being safely evacuated.
SeaWorld closed for the remainder of Friday, offering affected guests either refunds or replacement admission valid for a future visit. As of Saturday night, the park had not announced whether the same compensation would automatically be extended to guests impacted by the second day of disruptions.
The back-to-back outages come during one of SeaWorld's busiest periods of the year, with summer vacation crowds filling the park and weekend concerts drawing additional visitors. The cause of Saturday's renewed electrical problems has not yet been disclosed, and it remains unclear whether they were directly related to Friday's equipment failure.
SeaWorld has not indicated whether any additional operational changes are expected as repairs continue.
Originally published on August 1, 2026.
