Ray Reef

Following the closure and removal of the Thrillseeker roller coaster in May 2002,[1] several proposals were made for the site. In 2005, a seal exhibit, aptly named Seal Rocks, was proposed for the area.[2] From 2006 to 2008 the site was home to the temporary Sea World Eye.[3][4] Following the removal of the Sea World Eye in 2008,[4] a hippopotamus attraction was proposed for the site.[5] In September 2008, work began on the site for a yet-to-be-named ray exhibit.[6] By October, the name of the exhibit was announced to be Ray Reef.[7] It was originally scheduled that the exhibit would open on Boxing Day 2008 (26 December 2008), however, a number of delays forced it to open on 14 January 2009.[8][9]

Ray Reef consists of a large lagoon pool and a smaller pool which together are home to more than 100 rays.[9] The Ray Reef area is located under large shade cloths providing shade for guests and rays alike.[10] The whole lagoon is divided in two by a rock wall. The smaller pool contains smaller rays whilst the larger pool contains larger rays.[11] Species within the exhibit include eagle rays, bluespotted stingrays, estuary stingrays and giant shovelnose rays.[9] For a set fee, guests are able to purchase fish to hand feed the rays.[9][12][13] Circling the main lagoon are a series of educational billboards which provide a variety of information about rays and their environment.[14]

• Stingray Lagoon at SeaWorld Orlando, a similar style of exhibit

• Media related to Ray Reef at Wikimedia Commons
• Official website