United Parks & Resorts Plans Expansion of Licensed IP at SeaWorld and Busch Gardens Beyond 2026

United Parks & Resorts is broadening its intellectual property (IP) strategy for its theme parks, with plans to introduce more licensed entertainment properties beyond the 2026 Howl-O-Scream events. During the company’s second-quarter earnings call on August 4, CEO Marc Swanson disclosed that United Parks is engaged in multiple active discussions to bring additional IP to its parks in innovative ways, although he did not specify which properties or parks would be involved.

Historically, United Parks has developed Howl-O-Scream around original haunted houses, scare zones, and characters, with limited use of licensed entertainment. This approach is set to change significantly in 2026 through a partnership with Sony Pictures, which will introduce the franchises "I Know What You Did Last Summer" to SeaWorld parks and "Anaconda" to Busch Gardens.

Swanson described licensed IP as a "significant opportunity" for Howl-O-Scream, noting that early ticket sales for the 2026 event are already outpacing last year’s figures across the company’s parks. The incorporation of established movie franchises brings recognizable imagery and built-in audience awareness, potentially attracting new and incremental visitors and enhancing the marketability of seasonal experiences.

This move is part of a broader pattern of United Parks experimenting with external entertainment properties. In 2025, SeaWorld partnered with The Pinkfong Company to feature Baby Shark and Pinkfong appearances at its three U.S. SeaWorld parks. The collaboration returned to SeaWorld Orlando in summer 2026 with a live show, character greetings, themed food, and merchandise available through September 7. The original announcement highlighted Baby Shark as a means to connect with families in a new way.

Licensed characters also play a role in United Parks’ Christmas celebrations. Characters from the classic television special "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," including Rudolph and Bumble, have appeared at SeaWorld and Busch Gardens holiday events for years. These characters support meet-and-greets, themed areas, and seasonal merchandise. SeaWorld Orlando currently lists Rudolph and Bumble among its Christmas Celebration experiences.

Together, these partnerships create a recognizable seasonal progression: Baby Shark targets young families during summer, horror movie franchises expand Howl-O-Scream’s appeal in the fall, and Rudolph reinforces the nostalgic family atmosphere during the Christmas season.

Howl-O-Scream’s upcoming integration of licensed franchises represents the most aggressive extension of this strategy to date, as it introduces well-known IP into an event traditionally defined by original creative content.

Looking ahead, guests at SeaWorld and Busch Gardens can anticipate seeing familiar characters and stories as part of their seasonal experiences, reflecting United Parks’ evolving approach to theme park entertainment.

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