Discovery Cove & SeaWorld & Aquatica on a Budget

[gds191]

Hi all,

TLDR: Is it true 2 adults and a 2 year old can visit Discovery Cove, Seaworld 2x, and Aquatica across 4 days in January 2025, with parking, for under $400 after tax?

I am trying to plan a trip for January or February 2025 on a budget. I don't need it to be as cheap as possible, but I do want to be smart about the purchase if I can help save $ for other activities (or all-day-dining) while there. It's for a family of 3, two (married) adults and a 2 year old child. It will be a 6 day trip, of which I would like to accomplish the following:

Day 1 (likely a Thursday): No activity
Day 2: Discovery Cove (Jan+Feb seems like Friday is a good day for a discounted rate)
Day 3: SeaWorld (parking a rental car)
Day 4: Aquatica (parking a rental car)
Day 5: SeaWorld (parking a rental car)
Day 6: No activity

I'm not too worried about getting deals on flights, hotels and rental cars - I'm used to to that. For the parks though, it seems like this could be over 50% off if I'm smart about it. Here's my plan, and can someone who understands more about how these parks work confirm if this makes sense or if I'm missing something here?

The Plan:

I will wait until Black Friday when they historically have around 50% off deals for the parks, presuming that they will have the same deal again, and purchase the following from the Discovery Cove website for each guest:

Adult #1 (me): ~$170: Day Resort Package + 3 Parks (for free parking)
Adult #2 (my wife): ~$160: Day Resort Package + 2 Parks
Child 2 and under: 2 And Under Package (free but needs to be booked)
With the purchase of the above tickets from the Discovery Cove website, it claims to include "14 days of unlimited admission to SeaWorld and Aquatica during your vacation"

If I am reading that right, it means this one paid admission to Discovery Cove, registered to my "day 2", would allow us to, for free, access Seaworld 2x and Aquatic 1x on days 3/4/5 as outlined in my plan. If I'm reading this right, it's significantly cheaper than any other avenue of getting the tickets and parking for my 4 days of park visits. In fact, it allows all 3 of us to go to 4 days worth of parks for under $360 after tax. It seems too good to be true, so I'm expecting the community to say I misread something regarding the deals.

If this is all correct though, any idea how much it would be to add all day dining at Seaworld for each of the 2 Seaworld days? I inquired via a contact form on SeaWorld's website, but haven't heard back yet.

Thanks everyone.

 

[CAPSLOCK]

Not sure about the 2yo, but otherwise you're spot on. The DC is effectively really cheap when you use the ticket for several days at the other parks. When the Black Friday SW deals drop, check out Undercover Tourist pricing on the DC tickets too - you can save another good bit over buying direct from SW.

For the All Day Dining plan, there are generally deals around Black Friday - last few years they have offered "buy one get one half price." I'd also suggest the Dine with Orcas one of your SW days, especially if they also have it on sale during Black Friday. That is a really good way to get nice close time seeing the orcas, and IME the best way to see them other than the show. I usually do 1 day of the All Day Dining then the second day as Dine with Orcas lunch (then either checking out festival booths or eating dinner on the way back to the hotel). I have not heard good things about the All Day Dine @ Aquatica but we also don't spend the whole day there.

Because extra days are no additional cost, you could also pop into SW or Aquatica on your arrival or departure day, if desired. If you go to another park before your DC day, your e-mail DC confirmation will work for your parking pass. After your DC day, your DC lanyard is your parking pass at the other parks. Note you can also go to more than one park a day if desired.

 

[MommyinHonduras]

Just wanted to add, look at booking a package that includes hotel since you will be in that area for your trip, it can be a really good deal sometimes as some hotels are book x # of nights, get a night free. Packages include all the things you mentioned wanting plus priority seating at the shows (which just means show up 2 minutes before show and still get a good seat which is great with a younger child)

 

[Mikey15]

We go to Discovery Cove an SW every Florida trip, and it’s always been most cost effective for us to buy the package that includes SW/Aquatica for 14 days too. We use it at least twice, either two days at SW or 1 & 1.

We buy from UT during sales (SW/DC direct charges a bunch of fees) and always get at least 1 “Ultimate” version that includes free SW/AQ/BG parking. This year we both got the Ultimate because we’re planning a Busch Gardens trip for the first time in years, and it was still only ~$370 for the two of us!

 

[BarlowFamily]

I think this is a great plan! You've got some good tips and advice above.

We did something similar for Spring Break this year. DS9 had an extra long break, so we were able to make it a 9 night/10 day trip. Booked the Discovery Cove dolphin swim with 3 park ticket for all of us. Your idea for just one of you makes complete sense. Good way to save a little. We spent two nights in Tampa to visit Busch Gardens. We got there at opening for two days and were able to see the entire park, clockwise day 1 and counter clockwise day 2. I know this doesn't apply to your trip, but it might help someone else.

We then moved up to Orlando for 7 nights at Marriott's Harbor Lake. Discovery Cove was towards the end of our week. Which means we had to use paper tickets all week...doing DC first would be nice to have the lanyard and something other than a flmisy paper printed at home. We went to Sea World on three different mornings and saw the entire park this way. We picked a different area for each morning and were able to even repeat things we really liked. We saw all the shows and did everyhing except the dolphoin interaction (since we were going to DC). Rope dropping Sea World is much easier than WDW. We got there about 30 minutes before opening, parked super close in the basic parking lot and walked to a short line at the entrance. We packed a few snacks and left each day around lunch time. We don't particularly like the Sea World food, find the food lines long and slow when we've tried and are frustrated with the 5% surcharge they add. However, BOGO black friday all day dining would convince me to eat at the park. Half price tastes better. The two days you have planned at Sea World should be plenty of time to go to all the shows and animal exhinits and Sesame Street area for your 2 year old.

We went to Aquatica for the last few hours on 3 different days. The crowds do thin out a little, but man was this place packed! I don't think you'll have those same crowds in January or February. And the kids play areas aren't something that involves long lines so that makes any "crowds" more bearable.

Depending on how late you arrive and how early you leave, I would add some Sea World or Aquatica time to those days. Even popping into Sea World for a show and checking out some animals. Or if its an especially warm day, a little time swimming at Aquatica. Whatever is best for your family of course. We discovered on this trip that we really enjoyed the low stress, no crowd mornings and afternoons doing activities at our resort. No melt downs. No over spending. It was a fantastic Spring Break. The day at Discovery Cove was the best too. We all loved it and can't wait to go back. One day. Have a great trip gds191!

 

[CAPSLOCK]

SeaWorld Black Friday "presale" is on their website now:
https://seaworld.com/orlando/limite...Email_NonDynamic_TP1_11042024&et_rid=24449054

Includes 50% off All Day Dine (a better deal than the last few years).

 

[BarlowFamily]

Thanks for sharing the link! That all day dining half off is really tempting, especially since it doesn't expire until one year after purchase date. Now I'm looking around trying to find Busch Gardens Williamsburg black friday deals. Might have to wait a few days

 

[wendlle]

Thanks for sharing the link! That all day dining half off is really tempting, especially since it doesn't expire until one year after purchase date. Now I'm looking around trying to find Busch Gardens Williamsburg black friday deals. Might have to wait a few days

Discovery cove will have some too. I'm waiting for theirs, then will get the all day dining at Seaworld. I may even splurge and get a cabana for our Aquatica day.
Although the prices for May are really high

 

[jujubiee4]

I think this is a great plan! You've got some good tips and advice above.

We did something similar for Spring Break this year. DS9 had an extra long break, so we were able to make it a 9 night/10 day trip. Booked the Discovery Cove dolphin swim with 3 park ticket for all of us. Your idea for just one of you makes complete sense. Good way to save a little. We spent two nights in Tampa to visit Busch Gardens. We got there at opening for two days and were able to see the entire park, clockwise day 1 and counter clockwise day 2. I know this doesn't apply to your trip, but it might help someone else.

How did you guys like it? We are flying to Tampa in April/May and thought maybe we would visit Busch Gardens.
Kids(15-21). i thought it would be something different but looking at some reviews I wonder if i made the right
choice. We are going to Discovery Cove/Disney afterwards. How was the drive? thanks

 

[wendlle]

How did you guys like it? We are flying to Tampa in April/May and thought maybe we would visit Busch Gardens.
Kids(15-21). i thought it would be something different but looking at some reviews I wonder if i made the right
choice. We are going to Discovery Cove/Disney afterwards. How was the drive? thanks

Busch Gardens in Tampa is great. If you like coasters there are some amazing coasters, we also enjoy the animals and the food at the park.
I'm not sure what the reviews are but I wouldn't take those too seriously, people complain about anything these days.

 

[Yoshi]

When you visit Busch Gardens seems to make a huge difference in how good of a day it will be. A weekday during the school year with no educational events like physics day is great with very low crowds and walk ons or very short waits for rides. I often visit for 90 minutes - 2 hours on those days and can get 6 or more rides in easily, more if I only stay in 1 area of the park and just focus on a few of the rides and go to the multiple times each.

Saturday's throughout they year are almost always crowded (Sunday's are not as bad but still crowded) and anytime local schools are closed are usually very crowded as well with all the locals that have fun cards and annual passes. Part of the problem is the operations are not great with rides like Iron Gwazi taking as long as 4 - 5 minutes to dispatch a train and other coasters not running the maximum amount of trains even on crowded days. In 75+ visits to the park since 2021, I have seen Sheikra using both loading stations once.

 

[jujubiee4]

Busch Gardens in Tampa is great. If you like coasters there are some amazing coasters, we also enjoy the animals and the food at the park.
I'm not sure what the reviews are but I wouldn't take those too seriously, people complain about anything these days.

One of my kids loves animals and and her bday so thought we would try it. I'm looking at the addons
for the animal "experiences". Any recommendations? Also how was the drive going back to Orlando(WDW)...
that is if you drove to or back. Thank you

 

[wendlle]

One of my kids loves animals and and her bday so thought we would try it. I'm looking at the addons
for the animal "experiences". Any recommendations? Also how was the drive going back to Orlando(WDW)...
that is if you drove to or back. Thank you

I haven't done any of the add ons at Bush Gardens, we always take the free bus there and back, it's a nice trip.

 

[keishashadow]

We are going to Discovery Cove/Disney afterwards. How was the drive? thanks

The drive from Tampa to Orlando always seems to be worse than the other way lol

In all seriousness, you never now re the traffic due to accidents. Either there are a ton of them that snarl/stop traffic on route or we just manage to hit it wrong nearly every trip.

 

[jujubiee4]

The drive from Tampa to Orlando always seems to be worse than the other way lol

In all seriousness, you never now re the traffic due to accidents. Either there are a ton of them that snarl/stop traffic on route or we just manage to hit it wrong nearly every trip.

Thank you. In all honesty it was so much cheaper for the family to fly into Tampa and then I figured we could
finally hit Busch Gardens. I just figured "only" hour half ride the next day to Orlando. Of course now Im starting
to read how awful the traffic will be. Now im trying to figure do we drive to WDW first thing in the morning? Wait
until 11-12? Drive at night after finishing Busch? Is traffic bad no matter what time? lol

 

[Mikey15]

Thank you. In all honesty it was so much cheaper for the family to fly into Tampa and then I figured we could
finally hit Busch Gardens. I just figured "only" hour half ride the next day to Orlando. Of course now Im starting
to read how awful the traffic will be. Now im trying to figure do we drive to WDW first thing in the morning? Wait
until 11-12? Drive at night after finishing Busch? Is traffic bad no matter what time? lol

People talk about I-4 like it’s the 405 and
No, it’s not wall to wall 24/7. Traffic going BG back to Orlando in the evening was unremarkable the last time we did it.

Frankly the issues with driving in central FL, while real, are caused by an unholy mix of local drivers with frightened, nervous, or lost tourists. It’s not really the same traffic volume problem / gridlock that people deal with in “real cities.” End result can feel similar, of course, but for I-4 I’d say the worst parts are really from north of downtown to, say, the Disney Springs & outlets turnoff at 535/Apopka Vineland.

I say that and then I pull up a traffic map and it looks like I-4E is currently jammed between Polk City & Celebration tho so sometimes, yes, that Tampa to Disney stretch can be a problem. It doesn’t help that unlike the Orlando area, there’s few alternative routes to take to dodge a backup in the I-75 to 429 stretch.

 

[keishashadow]

It doesn’t help that unlike the Orlando area, there’s few alternative routes to take to dodge a backup in the I-75 to 429 stretch.

exactly, there are a few spots heading east(north) where u can hop off an exit & folllow surface road to skip an exit or two if traffic is crawling

the south runs slowly, lol kidding aside...

they seemingly take a looong time to clear accidents off highways vs the north

In all honesty it was so much cheaper for the family to fly into Tampa and then I figured we could
finally hit Busch Gardens. I just figured "only" hour half ride the next day to Orlando. Of course now Im starting
to read how awful the traffic will be. Now im trying to figure do we drive to WDW first thing in the morning? Wait
until 11-12? Drive at night after finishing Busch? Is traffic bad no matter what time? lol

its truly hit or miss we make the drive a handful of times a year, admittedly increases our odds of running into issues

traffic has always been steady for us from TPA airport to BG, nothing unexpected there

there is some traffic in evening heading north from BG area less than AM only left that time a couple of times, all without issue

more traffic in the morning, with folks heading up to orlando and possible commuters Mixed in

i tend to allow 1-1/2 to 2 hours to reach wdw resort from TPA rental counter usually, it close to or under an hour...as long as no accidents on the way

like having extra unscheduled time on arrival, no fun to start wdw portion of trip rushed,

 

[jujubiee4]

People talk about I-4 like it’s the 405 and
No, it’s not wall to wall 24/7. Traffic going BG back to Orlando in the evening was unremarkable the last time we did it.

Frankly the issues with driving in central FL, while real, are caused by an unholy mix of local drivers with frightened, nervous, or lost tourists. It’s not really the same traffic volume problem / gridlock that people deal with in “real cities.” End result can feel similar, of course, but for I-4 I’d say the worst parts are really from north of downtown to, say, the Disney Springs & outlets turnoff at 535/Apopka Vineland.

I say that and then I pull up a traffic map and it looks like I-4E is currently jammed between Polk City & Celebration tho so sometimes, yes, that Tampa to Disney stretch can be a problem. It doesn’t help that unlike the Orlando area, there’s few alternative routes to take to dodge a backup in the I-75 to 429 stretch.

Living in So Calif. There is traffic all the time. So when I read folks saying Traffic is bad I think
Calif bad or Florida bad? lol I use to think there was a difference but maybe Florida has
caught up lol. Thank you for your perspective.

 

[steve_rob]

We've probably driven from Orlando to Busch Gardens about five times (and obviously the return journeys as well) and I can only remember getting snarled up in traffic once and that was on a return trip that until we reached about 5 miles before Celebration had been relatively smooth sailing. Turned out to be the unholy combo of a closed lane up ahead, an accident at a junction and just general large amounts of traffic coming out of Disney that had backed everything up. Even then we were rarely stationary (which is always the marker for me of how bad it is exactly) instead just crawling along at about 5mph for 20-30 minutes or so. All of the rest of our trips were fairly uneventful.

Most times we go to Busch Gardens on a weekday outside of holidays and try to plan to arrive at the car park at about park opening time, so we're maybe through the actual gates about 10-15 minutes after they open. That has always worked fairly well for us.