1st time to Sea World and Aquatica (Not to be missed ATTRACTIONS?!)

[jennipooh]

It is just ds (10) and me....
During our upcoming trip, we are venturing out and visiting both Sea World and Aquatica. This will be our first visit beyond WDW and I have tons of questions. (In fact, I have 3 Threads addressing these: "Getting There?!", "Food?!", "Not To Be Missed Attractions?!")

First of all, I think I have picked good days to visit each (I hope so, because Disney ADR's are all done!). We will be staying at a WDW Resort 8/25-9/7. We will visit Sea World on Thurs. 8/27 and we will visit Aquatica on Tues. 9/1. These days are listed as 7's on Touring Plans for WDW. I hope they will be good days at SW and Aquatica Does anyone know if there are good/bad days to visit these two parks?

Big Question:
What are the Attractions at each park you consider to be favorites, "NOT TO BE MISSED?" We have one full day to explore each park and I would also like any touring tips you might have.

TIA

 

[TitanBrett]

It is just ds (10) and me....
During our upcoming trip, we are venturing out and visiting both Sea World and Aquatica. This will be our first visit beyond WDW and I have tons of questions. (In fact, I have 3 Threads addressing these: "Getting There?!", "Food?!", "Not To Be Missed Attractions?!")

First of all, I think I have picked good days to visit each (I hope so, because Disney ADR's are all done!). We will be staying at a WDW Resort 8/25-9/7. We will visit Sea World on Thurs. 8/27 and we will visit Aquatica on Tues. 9/1. These days are listed as 7's on Touring Plans for WDW. I hope they will be good days at SW and Aquatica Does anyone know if there are good/bad days to visit these two parks?

Big Question:
What are the Attractions at each park you consider to be favorites, "NOT TO BE MISSED?" We have one full day to explore each park and I would also like any touring tips you might have.

TIA

The key to Sea World lies in starting your day with a well thought out plan to see all the shows. If you miss one it can often throw your whole day off. I would plan on getting there and doing Manta and Kraken immediately to get them out of the way. From there do your show schedule as planned. I tend to start with the Dolphin show and work through the park in a clockwise fashion viewing the exhibits in between walking to shows. For example a day for me might look like this:

Manta
Kraken
Stingray lagoon
Dolphin Viewing
*Dolphin Show
Penguin Encounter
Seal Exhibit
*Clyde and Seamore Show
*Pets Ahoy
Shark Encounter
*Alure
Stables
Polar Bear Exhibit
*Shamu Rocks

*=Scheduled Shows

This plan usually works out with the daily schedule. Sometimes you run into trouble with hitting C & S, Pets Ahoy and Alure in that order. But if you do it right you can end up at the Shamu Rocks show near the end of your day. Which is a great way to end a day at Sea World.

 

[ADisneyQueen]

We were there a few years ago and my kids fav. were Shamu rocks, Cylde and Seamore and Pets Ahoy. Just an FYI that Pets and Allure are inside so you can cool off. SW can be a hot park. We are going later this month and I am trying to plan our days so that we don't walk as far and have an outdoor show followed by something indoors. We went in Oct. and it was steamy.
I read your other post about transportation. Sometimes the rentals have special days where you get $10 per day for the weekend. National has one for this month. I would think your dates would be cheap for rentals, but you may have to do your SW/AQ days back to back.

 

[SandrA9810]

My favorites are Pets Ahoy, Sea Lions Tonight, Shamu Rocks. And Believe is pretty good as well. I also like the penguin encounter, wild artic, string ray petting.

And Sea Lions tonight is early enough that you can watch it, and still make it to the other side to watch Rocks!. Since it's only the two of you, it'll be easy to get in and out, and as well find some good spots for seating. Sometimes me and Kari will sit one in front of the other on the end of a row. And it's still easy enough to talk to each other.

Sometimes after the Believe show, people that work the carnival games will hand out tickets to play that wire thing... the one with the spiral wire that you have to get the bar all the way down without touching the spiral. I've done it a dozen times now and still haven't won. But some people do. And it's free.

And definatly look into eateries before you get into the park. Unlike Disney where you can pick up a burger or hot dog anywhere, each place sells something different.

And well a full day at the water park, you'll have plenty of time to do everything. Over and over again. Of course it's very tempting to do like day and half at sea world before heading to Aquatica. Or slip Aquatica in the middle of each day. The bus shows up like every 5 minutes and drops you off by the entrance to each park.