Help - Sea World Newbie in a Panic!

[newtodis]

Well maybe not quite a panic, but a mini anxiety attack! A couple of years ago, DH came home from work after we'd just moved about 1000 miles from "home" and said "let's go to Disney this weekend" and we were off. I'd read some stuff here on the DIS and had an idea of what I thought to expect (which of course it was nothing like I'd thought) and have been so prepared for every trip since (5 in two years). I kind of feel like I've got the planning down for Disney (I know where to find info, have threads saved and stuff like that).

Well, I just got a text saying "how about Sea World this weekend?" since I'd mentioned that we didn't have anything at all to do all weekend long. Now I'm in that panic I had a couple of years ago. The "down side" to this is I was a stay at home mom then (since we'd just moved) and don't have all day to read the DIS.

I got on the Sea World site and fuond a hotel/ticket deal for $315 for the hotel for Friday and Saturday and Sea World tickets. That seems to be cheaper than getting something on Hotwire and buying Sea World tickets (by about $150). I know DH wants to go to Sea World - he mentions it every Disney trip but I can't give up a "Disney day" to see animals (perhaps that's why I'm not an AK fan....) that I can see at the zoo or aquarium. He sounds gung ho about this....I've been getting a LOT of texts!

We're only about 4 1/2 hours away so it's not too bad at all to drive down there. (I also have to add the disclaimer that if we already had our annual passes for our trip later this year we'd be at Disney no question)

So, tell me about Sea World - good, bad and ugly. Where can I go to quickly find info??? Quickly is the key. I'll probably have about an hour tonight to look stuff over before he'll want me to let him know what I think....then if we go, I'll only have tomorrow night to plan and pack on Thursday. I honestly have NEVER looked into Sea World before at all so I don't even know what there is to do there. I've got two little ones - 3 and 5 - is there anything for them to do other than look at the animals?? DS3 loves Crush and Nemo and Bruce the Shark so I think he'll be happy. What are my "must dos" for the time we're there????

Thanks so much for any help you can give me!! If we go, it will be only Sea World for all day Saturday and Sunday until it's time to go home (we usually leave about noon to head back). Ok gotta scoot....late for a meeting already!

 

[Tillikumtrainer]

okay first Breathe!!!

You could have gotten a hotel like the howard johnson im paying $184 for the 4 nights im staying there. Seaworld is a great place and its an easy park to get through, the shows are spaced out with enough time- there is a main guest service in the park plus the employees are helpful too. Best thing is to get there early the park opens promptly at 9am. I suggest hit the major rides, catch a shamu show mid afternon the whales are more active at that time. Dont you worry everything will be okay.

here is a park map so you can get a sense of what to expect and plan your route: http://www.wdisneyw.co.uk/photos/swmap08.gif

To also plan your day for shows click the day your going to see the show schedule (remember for good seats, get there 35-40 minute before the show starts): http://www.seaworld.com/ParkHours.aspx?locID=1

My orlando Blog: http://aquaticorca.wordpress.com/20...-with-belugas-and-dining-with-orcas-last-day/

 

[Tillikumtrainer]

lol double post

 

[newtodis]

Thanks! I just have a lot on my plate this week so I'm not sure which way to head today.... I certainly don't want to show up and be wandering around figuring out what to do and where to go....if we can figure it out before hand, I'd prefer that.

The cheapest place I could find rates on line for was the "package" deal through the Sea World Website. I checked Hotwire, Orbitz and Travelocity and couldn't find anything any cheaper than that. Again, I was in a hurry so if I get time tonight to look for a better deal, that's even better!

 

[Poohbeck]

If you would like to feed the dolphins, I would suggest getting there at park opening, get a map once in, and then hightail it over to the dolphin area.

They only let a numbered amount of people in to feed them at certain intervals. It's $7 per person to feed them and everyone going in to the area must pay the $7 to get in to this area. They have photographers staged across the lagoon to take your pics, which of course you can buy $$ later.

Other than that, the must see's are the dolphin show, sea lion show and Shamu show. There are two coasters too!

Keep the questions coming.
We just go back from Orlando on Sunday and went to SW twice. The lines were WAY DOWN!

 

[SandrA9810]

my prefence of shows.
Believe
pets ahoy
sea lions - clyde and seamore take pirate island
blue horizon
allure
and since you have little ones, there's new seasame street show at pet's ahoy theatre, two shows in the morning only.

You have to split your shows into two days, the times just don't allow you to catch all of them at once.

My favorite veiwings of animals.
Penguin encounter - 2pm is p-talk, where a trainer talks to the guest about them and taking care of them.
Wild artic - with little ones, you'll have to do the walking version, don't worry you're not missing much.
Shark encounter
dolphin nursery - this right next to the bakery on the right.
Manta aquarium
sea lions
dolphin underwater veiwing. Don't go past the upper petting area unless you're willing to pay for food. Lots of broken, impatient hearts here.
Manatee veiwing, don't forget the alligators just outside it.
The horses next to the terrace.

You can skip atlantis, totally not worth it. Manta is amazing if you like coasters at all. Both coasters do child swap.

Happy harbour is great for letting them burn off some eneregy. Well worth it to keep the kids happy and exuahasted.

If you only live a few hrs away, it might be worth it to spend the money on a passport. Get two parks and include aquatica. The kids will love a swim break from your disney trips. Plus the perks. And you'll find yourself doing lots more theme park breaks when you aren't paying to get in. Payflex is a wonderfull thing too.

I recently booked a hotel through hotwire. 40 per night at 3 star, which wound up being the holiday inn suite, one bedroom with full kitchen. Comfy pillow top mattress. And just a 10 min drive to sea world.

 

[newtodis]

Thank you guys so much! It was "shower night" last night at our house so it was crazy trying to get home, get dinner and get the boys through showers and homework and everything else so I didn't have a lot of time to look at anything. I'm still up in the air and it seems like DH's still leaning towards it. A couple of friends might join us as well...he found a 3 BR condo for like $79 a night so that's worth it and more than enough room for us to stay in the same place.

Tell me more about the annual pass...do you really think we'll use it that much? I saw the flex pay thing too - do you know the monthly payment or how that works?

Thank you all so much for all of your help!! I so appreciate it!

 

[SandrA9810]

i think it's about 8-10 bucks per person per month. There's no upfront fee. And they will bill your credit/debit card each month on the same day. After your contract is up, you go month to month, meaning you can cancel anytime. But your price will never increase. Even if ticket prices goes up. So for a family of 4, you can enter only paying 40 some odd dollars.

It gives you free parking, and 10% off food and beverages at all the parks you can get into.

When i was living in miami as a disney passholder, about once or twice a month, we said, lets go to disney this weekend. No planning, just on a whim. Pay for a tank of gas, 40-50 bucks, a hotel night, 30 bucks, and some food, 20 bucks, and had ourselves a grand ol time.
If you go at least once a month, or 24 times in two years, you're paying 8 bucks to be there and enjoy yourself. Plus you're saving 12$ each time on parking.

I live a few mins away, and every time i go through the toll plaza, i think, there's another monthly payment. I pay 14 for the four florida parks. And if i go like 20 times that one month, i've more than paid for the ticket in parking alone.

Aquatica doesn't quite compare to TL or BB, but if you're spending 52$ each time you visit disney for a water park day... It makes aquatica a little more appealing when you can get in for free. Plus there's enough top do to make a day fun. And most kids don't care whats there, as long as there is water.


You'll have fun. Animal kingdom is the bottom of my list of parks, but i do enjoy sea world and BG.

 

[mindondisney]

We visited Seaworld in March for the first time. We bought Adult Passports and fun cards for the kids. The passports give you a % off your food and souvenirs. We also bought the meal deal for one of the two days and used the heck out of it to get our money's worth. The bottled waters alone added up to make it worthwhile.

The shows are very short but it seems as if you wait in the stands quite a while before they begin. I actually preferred seeing the seals, aquariums and stingrays more because we spent a long time watching them. I would ride Manta first thing as later in the day the line is so long.

Have a great time. We are looking forward to going back next month.

 

[newtodis]

Thank you all so much! I so appreciate it. We didn't go at the last minute like I'd originally thought but we're now planning on going over Memorial Day weekend. My "plan" right now is to spend Saturday and Sunday at Sea World and have breakfast Monday morning at Cape May Cafe so we can have a little bit of a Disney fix. I like the option of the 2 year pass...it's super cheap for us and we can fit in some Sea World time while we're there for 10 days in Nov/Dec and not worry about paying for it.

One other question about the passes - are they similar to Disney in the sense that if I loose one, it can be replaced? Two years is a long time for me to keep track of something I'm not using all the time...

 

[loveysbydesign]

okay first Breathe!!!

You could have gotten a hotel like the howard johnson im paying $184 for the 4 nights im staying there. Seaworld is a great place and its an easy park to get through, the shows are spaced out with enough time- there is a main guest service in the park plus the employees are helpful too. Best thing is to get there early the park opens promptly at 9am. I suggest hit the major rides, catch a shamu show mid afternon the whales are more active at that time. Dont you worry everything will be okay.

here is a park map so you can get a sense of what to expect and plan your route: http://www.wdisneyw.co.uk/photos/swmap08.gif

To also plan your day for shows click the day your going to see the show schedule (remember for good seats, get there 35-40 minute before the show starts): http://www.seaworld.com/ParkHours.aspx?locID=1

My orlando Blog: http://aquaticorca.wordpress.com/20...-with-belugas-and-dining-with-orcas-last-day/

Thanks for sharing the info!
I don't see Manta on the map...where is it situated and if we want to ride it should we go there first thing?

 

[loveysbydesign]

my prefence of shows.
Believe
pets ahoy
sea lions - clyde and seamore take pirate island
blue horizon
allure
and since you have little ones, there's new seasame street show at pet's ahoy theatre, two shows in the morning only.

You have to split your shows into two days, the times just don't allow you to catch all of them at once.

My favorite veiwings of animals.
Penguin encounter - 2pm is p-talk, where a trainer talks to the guest about them and taking care of them.
Wild artic - with little ones, you'll have to do the walking version, don't worry you're not missing much.
Shark encounter
dolphin nursery - this right next to the bakery on the right.
Manta aquarium
sea lions
dolphin underwater veiwing. Don't go past the upper petting area unless you're willing to pay for food. Lots of broken, impatient hearts here.
Manatee veiwing, don't forget the alligators just outside it.
The horses next to the terrace.

You can skip atlantis, totally not worth it. Manta is amazing if you like coasters at all. Both coasters do child swap.

Happy harbour is great for letting them burn off some eneregy. Well worth it to keep the kids happy and exuahasted.

If you only live a few hrs away, it might be worth it to spend the money on a passport. Get two parks and include aquatica. The kids will love a swim break from your disney trips. Plus the perks. And you'll find yourself doing lots more theme park breaks when you aren't paying to get in. Payflex is a wonderfull thing too.

I recently booked a hotel through hotwire. 40 per night at 3 star, which wound up being the holiday inn suite, one bedroom with full kitchen. Comfy pillow top mattress. And just a 10 min drive to sea world.

My kids LOVED Atlantis! I did go on it too but wore a poncho as the 1st time they rode it with dh they were soaked

 

[JLR]

Thanks for sharing the info!
I don't see Manta on the map...where is it situated and if we want to ride it should we go there first thing?

Manta is essentially right there when you enter the park - you cannot miss the big blue track.

I don't know how the lines are other times, but the line was never significant at Manta when we were there. I think others are intimidated by it.

 

[newtodis]

Alright...I hope we LOVE Sea World....I just committed us to 2 year passes and have the e-tickets sitting on my desk!!!! Invites are at home in the kid's rooms just waiting for them to find out we're going to Sea World (and Disney to have breakfast one day!!!)