In the first part of our family vacation which you can read here, I expounded on our experience what we went through in getting ready to come to Florida. But just not Florida. This was Orlando, Florida! Our destination was to visit SeaWorld and see the Shamu/Orca show.
Before flying, I went online to purchase our tickets. I bought the entry tickets with the All Day Dining Deal promo. For $99 per person we could eat all day within an hour. I thought it was a scam, but it was not. It was very true and I think it is a very worthwhile investment. Below are some of my other tips if you are planning to travel with your family.
ARRIVAL AT SEAWORLD
First thing we noticed when we drove to SeaWorld in our rental car is that the entrance was hard to find. So please follow your directions very carefully. If you enter the wrong way you may get your tires puncture. Look for the signs that read, "Do not enter". If they read that, please adhere to their warning. Once you find the main entrance standard parking is $25 dollars.
You can bring water to the park. You may even bring a small cooler. Other parks discourage you from bringing anything to drink. Not SeaWorld. And it is a very good idea because summer time is very hot. Water and drinks are very expensive. The first day we did not bring our own water. The second day we did. Also come dressed for the occasion. I took regular jeans and closed toe shoes. It was a very bad idea. After 20 minutes of walking I could feel my feet sweating profusely and my tenders felt like they were gasping for air. The park is actually very large. In less than ten minutes my children were complaining of getting tired. So I rented a stroller for $25 bucks and I pushed them all through the park. They also rent motorized chairs for $50 dollars each I believe. But I can't quite remember. These are good for overweight people or those that may be handicapped.
As soon as we got to the park we went to eat. Take a map of the park. Sit down and plan how you will explore it. Here is a list of the restaurants that currently serve food for the all day meals promotion. (Some of the other restaurants in SeaWorld do not.)
All Day Dining Deal Restaurants
- Voyager's Smokehouse
- Expedition Cafe
- Seaport Pizza
- Captain Pete's Island Treats
- The Spice Mill
- Seafire Grill
- Mango Joe's
We first ate at the Seafire Grill and then we ate at the Expedition Cafe. When we went to the Expedition Cafe I noticed that just for that meal it totaled over $68 dollars for the four of us. So it was worth it. The food was also very good and tasted fresh. The deserts were also very awesome!
SHOWS AND EXHIBITIONS
We did not do any rides. But they looked like fun and scary. We did not do the rides because my eight year old was afraid, and I don't like to be frightened. All the shows and exhibits are included. Except for some. So please check the SeaWorld Website for more information. Here is a list of the places we visited---
Dolphin Encounter---I bought our tickets online and had them emailed to me. Before we went to the show we had to redeem the voucher at the information desk. This was the second most fun activity we did. For about 15 minutes the trainers talk to us about the dolphins and what they do. Expect to touch them, get wet and take a picture with them. For $25 bucks you can take the photo with you. We also had a chance to feed them. We paid $35 dollars each for the experience. This is the least expensive of the dolphin encounters. If you want to swim with a dolphin you have to pay $200 dollars per person. Something that we did not do.
Feed the Sharks--For $10 dollars you get the chance to throw fish at sharks and see if they feed on them. They actually don't. Most of the 15 fish my kids threw were eaten by the fish. The sharks in the pool were not too hungry. But my kids enjoyed throwing food at the fish even if the sharks did not eat any.
One Ocean---We are so glad SeaWorld Orlando still has the orcas show. I don't agree with everything PETA does. SeaWorld does a lot of good. They have improved the care of the big whales so much. The first day we went, they cancelled the show because of inclement weather. My son was very sad. This was the whole reason why we came to Orlando. But the next day we returned to see if we could get back in. Apparently when a dolphin or orca show is cancelled you can get a rain pass. But you must request it the same day, otherwise you take a chance of not getting in. Thankfully my wife spoke to the manager and he gave us passes to watch the show the next day. Both the dolphin show and killer whale show are free with the purchase of a single day ticket. Just get there early to beat the crowds and get a good seat. Also expect to get wet!!
Overall our experience was a pleasant one. If we ever go back we will go either in the spring, fall or winter. Hopefully by doing that there will be less crowds and there will be less oppressive heat. If we do go back we will take umbrellas or rain ponchos. The weather is unpredictable. It may be sunny in the morning, but in the afternoon there may be a shower or two.
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