Budweiser Re-Ups for Military Tribute at Theme Parks

Budweiser has extended a program in tribute to members of the U.S. military that provides service personnel and their families free admission to most Worlds of Discovery theme parks.

The “Here’s to the Heroes” program commenced in 2005 has enabled approximately 3.5 million members of the U.S. armed forces, foreign armed forces in training in the U.S. and members of coalition forces in Iraq or Afghanistan free entrée into the disparate parks operated by Anheuser-Busch InBev. The current program is the fourth such initiative from Anheuser-Busch, which has entertained an estimated total of 6 million service people and their families since the first Gulf War.

Busch Entertainment operates nine Worlds of Discovery in the U.S., including SeaWorld Florida and Discovery Cove in Orlando, SeaWorld California in San Diego, SeaWorld Texas in San Antonio, Bush Gardens Africa and Adventure Island in Tampa, FL.; Busch Gardens and Water Country USA in Williamsburg, VA.; Sesame Place in Langhorne, PA.; and SeaWorld’s new Aquatica water park.

The program does not include Discovery Cove or Aquatica.

“The program is intended for one purpose only, to send a message to our men and women in uniform that Anheuser-Busch InBev recognizes their sacrifice and is grateful for their service,” Fred Jacobs, spokesman for Busch Entertainment Corp., said “We extend the program because so many of our soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen continue to serve in difficult and dangerous circumstances, including combat in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

The extension also recognizes that troops deployed abroad for long tours of duty may only have brief respites to spend in the U.S. with their families and visit theme parks for recreation, Jacobs said.

Inactive, standby and retired reserve members and military retirees are not eligible for the program.