Busch is to start month long opening for Orlando park on March 1.

Aquatica will open to the public March 1, followed by back-to-back grand-opening celebrations in early April for that water park and a new attractions area at one of its sister parks, Busch Gardens-Tampa Bay.

Opening festivities for the new, 59-acre Aquatica will last more than a month, allowing Busch Entertainment to combine its April 4 grand opening with one the next day for Jungala, the new attractions area in Busch Gardens. In addition, Busch Entertainment plans an April 4 global fundraising celebration known as Wildnight for the SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund.

Aquatica will be the first full-size theme park to open in the Orlando area since Busch opened its Discovery Cove tropical-resort park in the summer of 2000. Company officials have said Aquatica would be able to handle up to 16,000 visitors at a time, making it the highest-capacity water park in the state.

Formally known as Aquatica SeaWorld's Water Park, the South Pacific-themed park will combine conventional water-park attractions such as tube slides and wave pools with some of the attractions found in sister parks SeaWorld and Discovery Cove , such as lush tropical landscaping, animal encounters with creatures ranging from tropical fish to Commerson's dolphins, personal cabanas, and -- during peak seasons -- beachside food and beverage service. The park will feature 36 water slides, a high-speed river ride with rapids, and an 80,000-square-foot beach.

The 4-acre Jungala area will combine jungle habitats for Bengal tigers, orangutans and other animals with jungle trails alongside and above those exhibit areas as well as waterways, towering trees, three new attractions and two new restaurants.