First time at SeaWorld for a WDW veteran

[rtphokie]

As a kid I grew up near Disneyland and went several times a year. My wife and I have visited WDW many times and all we usually see of Orlando is the airport and the highway between the airport and our Disney resort. We decided to do it differently this time and went to Sea World with our 1.5 days we had available in Orlando before heading out on a cruise. I'll be back to Sea World some day but my expectations wont be as high.

Dont get me wrong, Sea World is a nice park and a great way to spend a day when visiting Orlando. But if you are a veteran of Disney World and are used to the way Disney does things, you'll have trouble keeping yourself from comparing your Sea World experience to your Disney World experience. The two just dont compare.

Disney parks focus on the overall guest experience. From the rides to the restuarants to the shows to the customer service, it's all about transporting the guest to a different place and/or time using an overarching story as a vehicle. The guest may or may not even know about the story (I'd guess a handfull of Pleasure Island guests could tell you anything about it's backstory) but it's there and it serves to tie things together. Sea World doesn't do it that way. The park is basically one big theme with a couple of variations (European seaport vs. key west). All restuarants seem to be themed like your local Red Lobster.

All Disney parks are designed to have what imagineers call a "weenie" or a large structure near the center of the park which is meant to draw people into the park visually and even emotionally. The park then radiates out from there roughly symetrically. Get yourself back to the weenie and you can get anywhere you need, probably without a map. Sea World has no weenie (the sky tower doesn't count) and it's definately not symetrically designed. The Miami Seaquarium is actually closer to a Disney park in this regard than Sea World is.

It's evident in the shows that Sea World is trying to compete with Disney and Universal. The new Shamu show is definately story driven and is syrupy at times. The producers appear to have been inspired by the Wishes fireworks show at the Magic Kingdom in their design for this show. Despite all the technical aspects and pushing the story along with naration from one of the trainers, the show still leaves plenty of time for the whales and their tricks. I think they got this one right, if they can get the video screens to work consistently that is. This has already taken place at the dolphin show. Too much bungee cord jumping and bad acting and not enough dolphins for my tastes

Where I noticed the biggest differences between Disney and Sea World was the employees. I'm sure there are some good Sea World employees that go out of their way to help guests but the majority that I ran into treated their jobs more like they were working at McDonalds than a major theme park. Walk up to any register at any gift shop in a Disney Park and ask for a map, 99% chance there will be a stack there and you'll get one with a smile and most likely an offer to help you find where you are going and that 1% of the time, they'll get on the phone and get you one immediately. Even the custodians who sweep the streets carry maps in holster on their belt. I lost my Sea World map and went to a gift shop to find another, first I got a blank stare then I was told to walk all the way back to the entrance to get one. I asked a Sea World employee directing people away from the exit of the Sea Lion show towards the entrance when the next show was and got a surly "I dunno" in return. I've never had that happen at any Disney park. You can ask a Disney employee when the 3pm parade is and they'll even tell you to get there at 2:30 to get a good seat rather than point our your mistake. The worst was when I had to ask a Sea World manager (dressed in a shirt and tie wearing a Sea World name tag with some sort of manager position on it) to step out of the middle of the only entrance to the stroller return. He just sort of looked at me wondering why a guest was talking to him.

To Sea World's credit, it is significantly less expensive to get in, get something to eat and get a souvenier than any Disney Park.

 

[tink too]

We've always gone to Sea World as well as WDW - at one time there was only MK, Sea World, Circus World (now closed), Busch Gardens, Cypress Gardens and Wet n Wild in the area.

The best thing is not to compare the two - they are not connected - we treat SW as a totally different experience!

We're from the UK - believe me - there's nothing that can compare to SW over here!

I'm glad you enjoyed SW - and that you may return someday!

 

[mjgruber]

We've always gone to Sea World as well as WDW - at one time there was only MK, Sea World, Circus World (now closed), Busch Gardens, Cypress Gardens and Wet n Wild in the area.

The best thing is not to compare the two - they are not connected - we treat SW as a totally different experience!

We're from the UK - believe me - there's nothing that can compare to SW over here!

I'm glad you enjoyed SW - and that you may return someday!

You are 100% correct, at Seaworld you don't leave with a Headache, sore ankles from getting hit by Strollers, and most of their shows are Stadium Driven, no one step shuffle for hours on end.

If you go to Disney because it is umm Symetrical ( Ever Been to MGM ? Who desgigned that disaster? ) then best of Luck.

 

[DIXIEGMCSM]

SW is a themed park about the "Sea", and is quite well done. You are never going to be able to compare WDW to SW they are themed different. WDW is probably the cleanest park I have ever been to and the architecture is incredible, but SW offers an interactive "ZOO" that is relaxing and slow paced. We never get tired of SW. Not to mention the Hospitality house has some great beer related things to do that you won't find anywhere else! No, it's not about getting drunk!

 

[RabFlmom]

As a Florida resident for over 30 years, I can say we have never had a desire to have a season pass to Disney parks, but had Sea World Season passes for 3 years when the kids were little. We got Fun Passes for Sea world and Busch Gardens the first year they had them and have had the Gold pass for both parks for 4 years. Going to Disney was a once a year thing for us after the first 10 years it was open. Then it got to the point we went if company from the North forced us to go with them. LOL Even when a friend who is management at Disney could get us in free we only took him up on it 1 time. Now my youngest son works there and we do short days at the parks with him sometimes, but we go to Sea world on a regular basis just for fun.

It is just a different experience than anything Disney. I guess it is just more real. And if you really look......it is just like the Disney parks-----basically built in a circle. LOL As my son says" If someone asks how to get to someplace else oin the park he works at you can basically point in either direction and they will eventually get there"

 

[minnie29uk]

I thoroughly enjoyed our first trip to Seaworld last week.But I doubt I will go there again for a good few years...at the moment,I feel like I've seen and done it all there now.I wouldnt want to go back till there are some new shows/exhibits etc.
I have been to WDW several times,got back a few days ago - and am already looking forward to going back next year....I know there are new rides,shows and character meals we've not been to before to explore.It really is Disney that keeps me coming back to Florida,but I did enjoy our first visit to Seaworld,

Lynn

 

[FlaNative]

But if you are a veteran of Disney World and are used to the way Disney does things, you'll have trouble keeping yourself from comparing your Sea World experience to your Disney World experience. The two just dont compare.

All Disney parks are designed to have what imagineers call a "weenie" or a large structure near the center of the park which is meant to draw people into the park visually and even emotionally. The park then radiates out from there roughly symetrically. Get yourself back to the weenie and you can get anywhere you need, probably without a map.

Walk up to any register at any gift shop in a Disney Park and ask for a map, 99% chance there will be a stack there and you'll get one with a smile and most likely an offer to help you find where you are going and that 1% of the time, they'll get on the phone and get you one immediately. Even the custodians who sweep the streets carry maps in holster on their belt. I lost my Sea World map and went to a gift shop to find another, first I got a blank stare then I was told to walk all the way back to the entrance to get one.

To Sea World's credit, it is significantly less expensive to get in, get something to eat and get a souvenier than any Disney Park.

rtphokie is right in one regard: You cannot directly compare SW and the MK. Just because they are both theme parks does not mean all theme parks must be alike. That would be boring. As another noted "WDW is probably the cleanest park I have ever been to" explains a lot. When Disney wants a bird, they build a robot oops I mean an Animatronic Action Figure with a recorded voice for two reasons. First it is operated by the central computer and does its thing at the exact second called for 24/7 and is only fed nice clean electricity. Second, and most importantly, it does not produce what could only be described as Robo Bird Droppings. SW has real animals that eat dead fish and leave some sort of "leftovers". I know most gentle readers here do not want to dive into the Un-PC world that would open up if a poster brought up the subject--how shall I put this--even the Tag Fairy would freak out if I mentioned "whale $#!%" A nature park full of animals will never be a spotlessly clean as a plastic fantasy world. Expect such and yes you will be disappointed.

I find it fascinating that he likes the "weenie" concept "Get yourself back to the weenie and you can get anywhere you need, probably without a map." This tells me what I am sure the Disney psychologists already know. MK Guests are drawn from that segment of society known as The Navigationally Challenged a.k.a public school products who cannot read a map. Or is it nurture, not nature? Does repeated exposure to getting lost in escapist from reality fantasy experiences make one more prone to get lost in your real world experience? Dr. Freud come back, we need you, this is the Big One!

Furthermore I am sure a PhD is waiting for the first one to explain the OPs discourse summed up by "Even the (WDW) custodians who sweep the streets carry maps in holster on their belt. I lost my Sea World map. . ." This is disboard and I know I risk getting hammered by the 95,000 DFans, but I figure most of them never venture into the SW forum. rtphokie makes me wonder: Is it true the masses of MK fans are Map Retention Challenged? Why do so many lose their maps that even the street sweepers must give out replacements? Again, is it nature or nurture for these MK fans?

The OPs remark "To Sea World's credit, it is significantly less expensive to get something to eat than any Disney Park" terrifies me. SW food prices sticker shock me. Telling me the MK is significantly more expensive is not helping me run out and buy a MK passport. Work with me here, D people. I'm trying to talk myself into another visit to the MK. (You can find me over at dismates looking for a Dprincess to help change my mind.)

Like RabFlmom said, "we go to Sea world on a regular basis just for fun". With annual passes. Me too. I am a little embarassed to mention it here in the midst of so many D fans, but I counted and am a little shocked at the ratio. Days since last SW visit: 14. Days since last MK visit: over 10,000. Guess I better hide out here in the SW forum until I change that.

 

[flatline]

SW and BGT's challenges with the park layouts have been with upgrading. the paths wind because the parks have been continuously upgraded and developed. no, they don't have a hub and spoke design to them. but I'll take either of them any day over AK. the AB company actually has animals and conservation first and foremost as the theme and heart to the parks. no matter what AK claims, it is a well-themed zoo.

Conservation Station at AK is a flippin' goat petting zoo. SW and BG actually have programs that take people behind the scenes and live the life of a trainer. it actually has hands-on interaction and encounters any guest can take a part of every day.

whenever there's a marine animal or other animal rescue here, you'll usually see AB park employees at the scene. Mickey never shows up, he's too busy handing out maps to the gift shops.

 

[RabFlmom]

<<<<<at the moment,I feel like I've seen and done it all there now.I wouldnt want to go back till there are some new shows/exhibits etc

Now that is exactly the reason I like Sea world better than the Disney parks. You can go to a show 3 times in one day and it will be different each time. The animals just might not do the same thing or even what the trainer expects them to do. Each time you go back something is different. The polar bears might be playing with something different or even wearing a bucket on their head. The walrus might come up to the window and give you a kiss. The dolphins might be given hoops to play with after a feeding. Things are never the same completely. If you have gone on a Disney ride nothing changes unless there is a glitch. I guess that is why AK is my favorite park, too. It is somewhat different each time you go too.
I think I went to Disney parks 8 times this year after not being there for years. The MK had not changed at all. There were a couple new rides but basically it is the same as when I went in the Spring 1972 . Been there, done that won't go back till I have a little one with me so I can look at it all through their eyes again.

 

[NeverlandClub23]

The best thing is not to compare the two - they are not connected - we treat SW as a totally different experience!

I agree. We go to Sea World for a day during each of our Disney trips (mainly because my Dad works part time at BG in Williamsburg and gets free passes). We love Sea World and think it's a very relaxing way to begin our trip.

Sea World, BG, Universal, Six Flags, King's Dominion (Island), and all other amusement parks are nothing compared to Disney. I used to work at BG in Williamsburg and I have no idea how the CM's stay as friendly as they do at WDW.

I hope you do go back someday but with no Disney expectations. Thanks for your report!!

 

[rtphokie]

If you go to Disney because it is umm Symetrical ( Ever Been to MGM ? Who desgigned that disaster? ) then best of Luck.

The same basic design elements are still there even though MGM isn't strictly symetrical. A mainstreet leading to some sort of icon structure which is roughly in the middle of the park. You can anywhere in the park from that icon structure.

SW doesn't have a focus structure like this in the middle. I found it more confusing that what I'm used to from Disney or Paramount parks.

 

[bapvoeller]

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Update to this reply
Accidently got on the wrong page and didn't realize how old this post was. That's what happens when you don't think and drive on the internet.
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All parks are different and that is what makes them fun!!! You can't compare WDW, Universal, BG, or SW. They all have a different flavor. I currently have season passes to all these parks. We rotate which parks we visit. We have gone to each park numerous times and plan on going back to each of these parks.

If you don't like one of these parks then don't go back! I personally didn't like WDW that much until we started going with my DD. Seeing WDW through her eyes has changed our minds about WDW. My friends often ask me which park is the best, and I always say it depends on what you like. Each particular park has something different to offer.

You also need to take into account the cost of going to these parks. BG, SW, and US/IOA passes are much cheaper than WDW passes. You also get a lot more passholder perks at BG, SW, and US/IOA compared to WDW. The bottom line is we love them all and enjoy being able to go all of them!!!

 

[DOOM1001]

I've never understood why people have to compare one park to another.I pretty much love every park I've been to and when I'm in one park I'm not thinking of how this park is not as good as another one.Disney is Disney, there's no other place like it.But I love going to just about every other park out there whether it be Universal or even Six Flags.In my opinion the AB company is one of the best theme park companies out there,their Busch Gardens or Sea World Parks have some of the best entertainment, rollercoasters and relaxed vibe of any other park out there.Busch Gardens in Williamsburg has been one of my top 3 parks for a long time!!

 

[DTop]

That's interesting, I always get the completely opposite impression. I'm always pleased at the treatment I get from SW employees as opposed to the average Disney employee. I don't mean to imply that DW employees are mistreating anyone but it seems a lot friendlier at SW. There are always the teenage employee in both places who doesn't seem to get it but overall I find fewer of them at SW than DW.
In general the crowds at SW are far less "pushy" than they seem to be at Disney. Maybe it's just that Disney is so much bigger and crowded than SW and everyone is afraid of missing something. I can't even remember how many times I have been banged into or had my foot run over by some careless parent pushing a stroller through the crowd without so much as an excuse me. At times, a day at Disney seems like a day on the subway.
I like being able to walk up to any restaurant in the park and get in instead of going from one to the next only to be told you can only get in without a prior reservation. I don't normally do it but I also like the option of being able to buy a beer if I feel like it unlike MK which is clinging to some hold over prohibitionist policy that the long dead Walt Disney instituted.
I agree, you can't compare Disney to SW. But, that's just my opinion. To each his own I suppose.