ORLANDO, Fla. — SeaWorld Entertainment said “adverse weather” was once again the cause for a drop in attendance at its theme parks this summer. That’s according to a third quarter earnings report the Orlando, Fla.-based company released Wednesday.

The company said about 7.1 million people visited its parks in the three months that ended Sept. 30, a 2.8% decline from the same period the year before. SeaWorld said the dip was mostly due to “unusual and significantly adverse weather” across its markets, specifically pointing to “unusual heat, cold, rain and/or fallout from Canadian wildfires” as examples.

“Our attendance levels are still below the total attendance levels we achieved in 2019 and well below our historical high attendance of approximately 25 million guests recorded in 2008,” SeaWorld CEO Marc Swanson said.

In a call with investors, SeaWorld said it was working on ways to address the impacts of weather on park attendance. One idea being looked at, according to Swanson, is the addition of shade structures and indoor experiences.

In August, the company expanded the inclement weather policy on its admission tickets to include more weather conditions, including extreme heat.

SeaWorld on Wednesday also reported a profit of $123.6 million, down 8.2% from the same quarter last year. Revenue was also down 3% to $548.2 million.

The company also briefly touched on its hotel plans, which have been in the works for years. Although no major details were shared Wednesday, executives said that the locations for the first two hotels have been identified, but didn't disclose where. 

"We look forward to sharing more on these exciting and value creating initiatives and investments in the coming quarters to 2024," Swanson said. 

Executives touted the company’s lineup of upcoming attractions, including Penguin Trek at SeaWorld Orlando, Phoenix Rising at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and Catapult Falls at SeaWorld San Antonio.

The company is also getting ready for its holiday season, which kicks off this month with events like Christmas Celebration and Christmas Town.