Feeding Animals at SeaWorld/Dine With Shamu

[angelicamy12]

My boyfriend and I are heading off to Orlando NEXT WEEK (happy dance!) and want to do a few things we haven't done before!!

And no, I'm not about to ask if we can share the buffet with shamu! (Despite what the title if this thread suggests! Haha!)

I'm considering doing Dine With Shamu and the penguin tour as these look great but we may not be able to afford them. Does anybody know if these can be booked on the day, if there is availability? We are going once at the start of our holiday and once at the end so might have some money left over.

Another thing I loved doing last time was feeding the dolphins...I read somewhere you can feed the sealions too. Is this true and, if so, anyone know how much it costs? Can you feed any other animals there?

 

[angelmom27]

Dont know about dine with shamu but as for animal feedings. Yes you can feed the dolphins, sea lions, sharks, and sting rays.
I can't remember cost I think it was around $5 a tray. The sharks I seem to always miss so that one I have no clue. The other two we always end up buying the deal of like 5 trays for $20 and stuff with my large family. The dolphins I know is $7 per person. They changed the rules a while back and everyone who enters the fedding area has to pay $7 for a tray of food.

 

[AlliF75]

We've done all the feedings. The most enjoyable for us was definitely the dolphin feedings - everyone got a touch but yes everyone entering the dolphin area did have to have a tray so figure on $14 for the two of you. String rays were definitely cool for the $5 tray. You can share the tray too.You may get wet though. Skip the shark feeding as you just toss the food into the shark pool and more often than not the bigger fish ending up getting the food. Sea lion feeding was okay, really just tossing fish at them. Watch out for the birds!! And if you have a AP you get a discount on the feedings too.

 

[foxxxy83]

We did 'Dine With Shamu' a few weeks ago and really enjoyed the experience. It was just myself and my DS aged 6. It was my 30th in Aug but I'd been in and out of hospital for most of the time between Feb and Sept so we did it as one of a few celebratory things. I'd requested to sit tank-side when I'd booked so they'd granted that request but also have me a "slab" (there is no other word for it!) of chocolate Celebration Cake with a candle and got the killer whale (all the killer/Orca whales are Shamu apparently!) to give me a "Birthday Splash".. thankfully for me, the whale must've aimed wrong because a lady on the next table down got SOAKED instead! (I guiltily found that hilarious! lol!)

You check in at the Underwater Viewing Area for the Killer Whales approx half hr before your dining time where they give you a number. They then take a pic of you in a random spot on the path leading up to the 'Dine With Shamu' building. A host/hostess then takes your number from you and escorts your party to the table corresponding to your number. Ours was 16 and I believe it's the first 20 that are tank-side but I may be mistaken on that (I'm sure if I am, someone on here will be able to correct me on it). Your server comes and takes your drinks order and tells you to go ahead and get some food from the buffet. The food wasn't the best but typical buffet fare... a few different types of pasta, couple of different types of chicken, bbq ribs, hot dogs, salad, a few different types of cake for dessert etc. Then the trainer came out and introduced us to our whale and went on to do a REALLY GREAT show for approx half hr where you saw the whale perform a few different tasks/behaviours as instructed to by the trainer. The show was REALLY informative and the trainer seemed to TRULY LOVE the whales as well as his job! The buffet was open for another hr or so after the show had finished and you could go back as many times as you liked (it was continuously being restocked so was very rare they were out of anything). Tea, Coffee (and I believe Hot Cocoa was available) as well as soda and Dasani water was complimentary but, as with all buffets, you have to pay for alcoholic drinks.

All in all, this is something I would DEFINITELY recommend doing but possibly as a "special one-off" esp if you can get tank-side seating!!