Disappointed

[chrisv]

In Previous years Seaworld has given free entry to Allied military and as long serving members of the British armed forces my daughter and husband requested a free pass not knowing this offer was no longer available. We already had purchased our tickets but waited with them in line to get theirs. A staff member at the ticket booth said in a very surly manner " you can't get that anymore because you are Outsiders!" This was so disrespectful and I was disgusted with the manner and wording so I complained to a supervisor. Although she agreed this was disrespectful and it was not acceptable to use such a term and would speak to the staff member, her facial expression and body language was like "who cares". Why then do they honour all US and allied forces in the Shamu show, yet do not educate staff to be more respectful at the entrance. It put a sour note on our visit and we will not be visiting again. My daughter did get 10% discount but thought the park very poor value for money as did we. They need to train their staff better. They weren't the only ones we saw with unfriendly faces. That said it's not all staff and there were some very friendly enthusiastic people working with the penguins.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

I am sorry to hear that you encountered a less than spectacular employee at the park gates. That certainly started out your visit on a negative note.

I would always caution anyone who is hoping to take advantage of any kind of promotion (such as free tickets to military families) to double-check their eligibility prior to their vacation to ensure there are no negative surprises such as the one you experienced. Those kinds of offers do change (or are discontinued) from time to time.

We don't find the park to be poor value for the money at all. In fact, its one of our favourite parks in all of Orlando, and we enjoy it much more than any of the 4 Disney theme parks. Different strokes for different folks, for sure, as we find that the combination of awesome shows, fantastic rides, children's aera (Shamu's Happy Harbor) and amazing exhibits (the aquariums, the animal feedings, etc.) make for a park that has something for everyone: boy or girl, old or young, thrill seeker or not. Seaworld also offers affordable annual passes, free admission with a Discovery Cove visit, pay-for-a-day/play-all-year with their Fun Card, and an affordable all-day dining that's open to everyone.

We just returned from a two-day visit to SeaWorld in August, and it was absolutely awesome. Friendly staff from the restaurants to the rides to the gift shops. One small issue with a parking gate agent, but otherwise, I can't find fault in any other employee. Hopefully you just visited on an off day. I am glad you reported it to a supervisor so with a little luck, the employee in question will be dealt with appropriately and another guest's experience will be a positive one as a result.

 

[919Florida]

I agree with Gina on this one. While it was wrong how the person at the ticket booth treated them that way with those words. No excuses for that. But as with any promotion it should always be checked before trying to take advantage of it. The policies and promotions are always changing.

As for the value of the park I cant disagree more on that. I go to the park at least once a week because I find it exciting and so much fun. I never get tired of it. The animal interactions are amazing and getting to see them or touch them. Its fun. The park has very affordable dining plans compared to other parks, refillable mugs at a very discounted rate, ticket discounts and so on. Its a very clean park and beautiful landscaped. It truly goes above and beyond in my book. but that's my opinion

 

[dominiondad]

It's certainly unfortunate they were treated with anything other than the utmost respect. That said, I would encourage them to be happy with whatever benefits they received in the past and the 10% they saved this trip. Keep in mind many of us pay full price every time. My wife is an IED expert for DOD as a civilian and has traveled overseas in support of that mission. I have spent over 15 years in federal law enforcement to include a tour in the Middle East. I was a firefighter for five years before that. All of that experience equals exactly zero discount and Disney, Sea World, and other parks. I'm not complaining, I just sometimes think that those who receive these discounts forget there are a lot of other hard working people out here paying full price.

 

[Ragnarok]

Sorry to hear about your experience.

I'm an Air Force Veteran so whenever I go to Seaworld I always check here: http://wavesofhonor.com/ for whatever deals they have. It's usually just for active duty but they recently started 50% off for Veterans. Read the fine print because I was about to purchase but I'm not going until February and tickets must be used by end of December.