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ORLANDO (CBS4) ― The Florida theme park known for bringing the sea to Central Florida, SeaWorld Orlando, has unveiled plans for a new water park.

It's called Aquatica and details about the new park were unveiled Monday afternoon.

Aquatica, which opens in March of 2008, is being built across from the current Sea World Park and Discovery Cove. It's the first new theme park to open in Orlando in seven years.

It's described by officials as a whimsical, one-of-a-kind water park that only Sea World could create. It blends up close animal experiences, waters from serene to extreme, high-speed thrills and wide, sandy beaches.

"SeaWorld is famous for immersing guests in the mystery of the sea and its animals," said Jim Atchison, executive vice president and general manager of SeaWorld Orlando. "Aquatica takes this immersion to a new level, inviting guests to play in, over, and under the water itself."

Aquatica is nearly 60 acres of lush landscape inspired by the vivid color, stunning flora and carefree personality of the South Sea Islands and is reminiscent of the rugged beauty of New Zealand, Australia and New Guinea.

There are crystal-blue rivers that wind through hidden grottos and refreshing waterfalls, while rich greenery and bright flowers adorn towering rock formations.

Live animals in the park include Commerson's dolphins, brilliant macaws and colorful fish.

Aquatica features 36 water slides, six rivers and lagoons, and more than 80,000 square feet of beach area.

The park's signature attraction plunges riders in clear tubes through a crystal-blue lagoon with black-and-white Commerson's dolphins.

"Guests feel as if they are flying beneath the sea among these beautiful animals. While similar in coloration to SeaWorld's icon, Shamu, these dolphins are also distinctly different. In addition to being much smaller, they are also fast, agile swimmers - making them the perfect inhabitants for this lively park," said Atchison.

Another signature attraction: Two immense wave lagoons create the world's only side-by-side wave pools that can be operated independently or together.

Though side-by-side, each lagoon offers a very different experience: one with crashing waves and 5-foot swells, the other with a gently rolling surf. Nine different wave patterns can be created throughout the two pools, with the ability to generate one immense wave, or even "dueling" waves.

Winding rivers throughout Aquatica also offer two different journeys. One river carries guests through gentle waterfalls, past exotic birds and into an undersea grotto with thousands of colorful fish. An adjacent river offers pure thrill, jetting riders through rolling rapids, rushing geysers and racing waters.

Colorful eight-lane racing slides, triple-drop raft rides, double inner tubes, and a 6-story family ride round out the mix of thrills.

Even the littlest swimmers will enjoy one-of-a-kind attractions at Aquatica. One of the world's largest interactive water play areas includes a colorful rain fortress that towers 60 feet above a 15,000-square-foot pool. The entire family can zoom together on slides and blast water cannons. In a separate children's pool, even those Aquatica guests not old enough to walk can still slide down tubes with Mom and Dad in specially built rafts.

There are personal cabanas on the wide sandy beaches and even beachside water service.

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