Shamu the whale to swim in the dark

Southern California theme parks will experience a little of the debilitating energy crunch plaguing the Golden State. Disneyland, Sea World, Universal Studios Hollywood and Legoland California will not be spared when blackouts, which could each last up to 90 minutes, roll through the state this summer. The blackouts are the result of deregulation and chronic power shortages. Disney spokeswoman Chela Castano-Lenahan told Reuters that the decision to close the park during a blackout would depend on the duration of a blackout. However, they were prepared for evacuation. “During Y2K planning the Disney resort updated all our emergency preparedness features,” she said. Sea World spokesman Bob Tucker said he didn’t think that his park would be severely impacted. “It doesn’t take much electricity to have Shamu jump through the air,” he told Reuters. Most other parks also are planning to stay open, dealing with the power outages as they happen.