Chinese robotaxi provider WeRide cleared in Calif. to test with passengers
WeRide has 12 active vehicles and will operate in San Jose and nearby areas, state regulators said.
SeaWorld Orlando: New Fun Card good through end of 2025
SeaWorld Orlando is again rolling out its Fun Card deal, although this time, a purchase allows admission to the theme park for the rest of 2024 and all of 2025.
The current Fun Card price is $137.99. A version that also includes Aquatica water park is $198.99. A SeaWorld news release says that price is available for a limited time, but it does not indicate an end date. Single-day tickets to SeaWorld are now selling on its website for $68, although that offer ends Aug. 18. The regular one-day price is listed as $139.99.
The Fun Card comes with block-out dates. There are seven sprinkled through the end of 2024 for SeaWorld and 19 days in 2025 that are no-gos. The Fun Card does not include parking at the parks. The deal is valid for residents of the U.S. and Canada.
The park also announced its event lineup for next year, which includes Seven Seas Food Festival, Bands, Brew & BBQ, January’s SeaWorld Inside Look experiences, Guy Harvey Weekends, Halloween Spooktacular and others. (Fun Card does not include Howl-O-Scream, an after-hours, extra-ticket Halloween event.)
GM signs 15-year solar energy deal that will power 3 U.S. plants
GM’s Lansing Delta Township Assembly and Lansing Grand River Assembly plants in Michigan and Wentzville Assembly in Missouri will benefit from the Aug. 15 solar power deal in Arkansas.
Hold on, Orlando — National Roller Coaster Day nears
National Roller Coaster Day is Friday, and Central Florida is a smart place to celebrate it. Between Orlando, Lake Buena Vista and Kissimmee there are 33 coasters in operation, from the flattest of kiddie rides to the dramatic tall, fast, thrilling attractions.
SeaWorld Orlando is marking the occasion with a Quick Queue Hunt in which park visitors look for 50 VIP passes that give fast access to its coasters. It’s also offering annual passholders two rounds of behind-the-scenes tours of Penguin Trek, which opened this summer. Those tours will be held at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., with eligible folks signing up at the SkyTower Tour Desk. There is limited availability, and the slots will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.
For everyone else, we’ve created a list of Orlando-area coaster superlatives. The first part involves things that can actually be measured: speed, height, age. And we’ll use the statistics from the Roller Coaster Database to rank the top three in the categories.
VW hires labor relations exec from GM ahead of UAW talks
Christena Wilson, who was human resources and labor relations site director at GM’s assembly plant in Arlington, Texas, will take charge of VW’s upcoming negotiations with the UAW in Chattanooga.