first visit to seaworld next weekend, taking a 3 & 6 year old, any rec's?

[tsmith76]

We've decided at the last minute to go to Orlando next weekend.

We are going to do all day friday at seaworld

and all day Sat at Magic Kingdom

We've never been to Seaworld, any tips/input appreciated

Because it is such a short trip we are going to stay offsite. Any tips on a good deal? Somehting on the 3 star level?

 

[writerriann]

I wasn't prepared for exactly how much hotter it seems at Sea World. The difference is that most of the attractions are outdoors so you don't get that benefit of "cooling off" on a ride. We were boiling.

I would very much suggest seeing the Shamu show - my 3 year old got a huge kick out of it when we went. Clyde and Seamore is cute too. You can't possibly make all the shows so make sure you pick what will appeal to your kids' ages.

 

[RabFlmom]

We've decided at the last minute to go to Orlando next weekend.

We are going to do all day friday at seaworld

and all day Sat at Magic Kingdom

We've never been to Seaworld, any tips/input appreciated

Because it is such a short trip we are going to stay offsite. Any tips on a good deal? Somehting on the 3 star level?

Get there when the park opens. Get a map and plan your shows. There is a lot of walking so you may want a stroller for the 3 year old.

Definite must sees.....

Believe(Shamu and whales), Clyde and Seamore-get there at least 15 minutes early to see the mime who is really funny, Pets Ahoy, and Blue Horizon (dolphins and divers), Wild Arctic to see the polar bears, belugas and walrus, Shark encounter for the acquariums, and sharks.

With the kids you will want to give them time to play in the kids area and ride some of the rides there. You could also feed dolphins, sea lions, or rays but the fish is kind of expensive ($7 for 3 fish to feed dolphins and only people who buy fish allowed in the area.)

There will be long lines for the coaster and Atlantis so I would skip them to maximize on what the kids get to see and do.

It might still be really crowded this weekend so you might need to get to stadiums a half hour to 45 minutes early to see some shows.

I listed all the don't miss for us, but doubt that all could be seen in 1 day this weekend. Just do what you can and enjoy the day. Next time your in town get the 2nd day free and spend 2 days.
If you are from Florida, the fun pass is a great deal for us locals, too.

 

[MinnieForMe]

Bring the kids bathing suits and let them play in the splash area in Happy Harbour. If you are not set on seeing everything then relax and let them play the afternoon away. It's a nice break from the lines at Magic Kingdom.

If you want to cool off Pets Ahoy is a cute animal show with a/c. If they are still Elmo fans, I would suggest Elmo and the Bookaneers. It's a cute pirate show with Elmo focusing on learning to read.

 

[LetsDoDisney!]

We are also doing SW for the first time at the end of April. DS3, me and DH.

Is there less of a need for a 'touring plan' here than at Disney? Also, would we need to be there at opening or can we sleep in and still see most everything?

It will be the last week of April, so crowds *should* be lesser than during the Easter craze.

 

[MinnieForMe]

Hi:
We were very surprised two year's ago when we went to SeaWorld the last week in April and the crowds were so bad that we couldn't move. It felt busier than our days in Disney. We returned the next week and it was completely quiet. We are heading there the same week as you this year and we are hoping for quiet. We will not have a touring plan as we visit quite frequently.

I am an excessive planner for Disney but try to relax at SeaWorld. I would definitely figure out the shows you WANT to see and make a gameplan for seeing them. The Shaamu show (at least the 3ish one) fills up quickly so I would suggest getting there at least 45 minutes early. We've managed to just walk into the other shows. We are always there at park opening and close the park so I have no advice as to whether or not you should sleep in. I can tell you that the coaster and Journey to Atlantis had walk on lines 20 minutes to closing.

 

[dolphinslady]

We have been staying at the Quality Inn on I drive and love it, very affordable. Clean and very friendly. I wanna say it's less than fifty a night. 7600 International Drive.

When we had Disney passes we would stay at the Disney value resorts because they offer so much entertainment and have fairly good food in their courts. They are usually around a 80 to 100 a night. But worth it, it's fun there. I recommend the All Star Movies but we've stayed at them all and have enjoyed them all.

As for SW...you def wanna take a stroller. You can rent one but they are pricey and uncomfortable. You are allowed to take in snacks, water, etc. Little ones need those and we learned it's much cheaper and healthier to take our own. You can also buy a refillable soda cup for about seven bucks.

Shows: Pets Ahoy is a nice show when you're hot cuz it has A/C. And it's cute. Gotta see Shamu...Believe is nice but Shamu Rocks is the bomb if you are there that late. (it's right before the park closes). Blue Horizons is a must see, absolutley beautiful. Clyde and Seamore are always cute, especially because they don't always cooperate, makes it funny. I would not recommend Allure for the kids, boring for them.

Activities: Happy Harbour is awesome for that age group. The six year old may be able to go on the Shamu roller coaster, depends on height. My seven year old twins went on it about 15 times last time, they are too short for Kraken. They also have a bounce house and other cute kiddy rides over there.

Eating: Definitely recommend Mango Joe's outside of Shamu Stadium for the price. Fajitas, chicken fingers, etc. If you wanna get a little more fancy, recommend Shark's Underwater Grill. Nice experience for first timers, just very pricey. Seafire Inn has nice burgers and salads. I do not like the Spice Mill. Dine with Shamu is pricey too, heard it was good, plan on doing that this year.

One day at SW is hard to fit everything in, esp. at that age. I'm sure the 3 year old will take a nap so def get a stroller somehow.

Have fun! I love it there and wish I could go every day. Just bought two year passes, gotta love living in Florida!

Take care,
Cheryl

 

[Metro West]

Is there less of a need for a 'touring plan' here than at Disney? Also, would we need to be there at opening or can we sleep in and still see most everything?

It will be the last week of April, so crowds *should* be lesser than during the Easter craze.

That depends upon whether you want to do most of the shows or not. If you do, get there early because the show times are scattered all over the place. If you aren't concerned about doing the shows, sleep in and do what you can.