How are Summer Nights Time at SW?

[Magalex]

We are planning on a Sea World vacation next summer(end of June 2014). We would like to visit when they are offering the Summer Night Hours. What kind of shows and/or attractions do they have in the evening? We will be staying at the Fairfield Inn or the Springhill Suites. What are your favorite parts of SW in the summer? Yes we are planning on Aquatica too. Our DS will be 13.

 

[MondaysChild]

We just got back and the main difference seems to be later hours, fireworks (A very small show) are part of Shamu Rocks, there is an additional nighttime sea lion show. They had a dance party with their characters the last hour of the park too. We love sea world. It is hot there in the summer, so be prepared!

 

[Magalex]

Thank you for the information. We are regular June visitors to WDW so we will be so prepared for the June weather. That is one reason we want to go when they are offering later hours so we don't have to tour during the hottest time of the day or we can break it up over several days. I got so excited when I noticed the promotion for Summer nights. We love Sea World but have stayed away over nine years because we have to visit over summer and at the beginning of summer they start with hours like 10-6 or 10-7. I didn't want to go for one day and force ourselves to tour all day, be melting and trying to get our money worth out it.

 

[RabFlmom]

We just got back and the main difference seems to be later hours, fireworks (A very small show) are part of Shamu Rocks, there is an additional nighttime sea lion show. They had a dance party with their characters the last hour of the park too. We love sea world. It is hot there in the summer, so be prepared!

The shows are different than the day time shows. Sea lions tonight is a parody of the other shows and attractions in the park and is always funny. Shamu Rocks is usually only offered in the summer and nights when the park stays open till at least 9.

It is also a good time to ride the rides whenevery onne is in Shamu Rocks and waiting for the fireworks.

 

[LisaRae87]

If you can go twice during summer nights - do it!

There only the 2 night shows, small fireworks show and a dance party near the exit..

BUT!! The Sea Lions Tonight show is simply hilarious if you are somewhat familiar with the other shows at Sea World, I saw it for the first time a few weeks ago and simply loved it, I think I was nearly in tears at one point.

It has been a few years since I saw the Shamu Rocks but it was pretty neat when I did see it. It is a bunch of tricks set to Rock music, high energy and lots of fun. Granted less fun than it used to be when the trainers were allowed in the water with the whales but that is a totally different topic.

I say go twice because - during those shows, the rides are pretty much walk on. We managed to see Sea Lions Tonight and ride Kraken twice and Manta without a wait.. Could have walked right onto Manta again but my daughter wanted to go up to the dance party which was much less crowded before Shamu Rocks was over.


Me personally, if I was only going for one day - I would see One Ocean during the day and skip Shamu Rocks in the evening to get in on the rides without much wait and spend the day working on seeing all the other shows. The normal day time sea lion show is also great so if you can squeeze it in I would.

 

[Magalex]

Wow I am so happy to read such love and positive remarks about Sea World's summer nights. Our DS enjoys roller coasters so to hear about Manta and Kraken are open during the evening hours is great. He already has pointed those out on the website

 

[LisaRae87]

Wow I am so happy to read such love and positive remarks about Sea World's summer nights. Our DS enjoys roller coasters so to hear about Manta and Kraken are open during the evening hours is great. He already has pointed those out on the website

Kraken is a good coaster but Manta is honestly one of my all time favorite coasters out of any theme park I have been to. Riding at night was such an awesome experience as well.

 

[bull2saintleo]

Summer Nights is great, but it seemed very lackluster this summer. If I remember correctly, there were 2 Sea Lions Tonite shows as well as 1 Shamu Rocks.

I went last night and not only did they cut out 1 show of Sea Lions, the show started at 815pm with Shamu Rocks beginning at 9pm. It was a mad dash to get from Sea Lions Tonite (which I might add is my favorite) that ended about 835pm all the way to Shamu.

I sure hope they reconsider their plans for 2014 as it was almost impossible to see both shows in one night based on this schedule.

 

[LisaRae87]

Summer Nights is great, but it seemed very lackluster this summer. If I remember correctly, there were 2 Sea Lions Tonite shows as well as 1 Shamu Rocks.

I went last night and not only did they cut out 1 show of Sea Lions, the show started at 815pm with Shamu Rocks beginning at 9pm. It was a mad dash to get from Sea Lions Tonite (which I might add is my favorite) that ended about 835pm all the way to Shamu.

I sure hope they reconsider their plans for 2014 as it was almost impossible to see both shows in one night based on this schedule.

I just looked at their calendar online and it appears that all but one or two nights of the remaining summer nights have the shows starting an hour apart. So SLT at 8 and SR at 9. One night had SLT at 8:15. I also remember looking online when planning my most recent trip and seeing that a few select nights had 2 show times for SLT so perhaps there is some rhyme or reason to it that I am not noticing but it leaves some hope for next summer as well.

 

[MondaysChild]

We went for four nights last week and the shows were either 45 or 60 apart for the sea lion and shamu show. I liked going from one to the other. Timing was perfect for us. I like not waiting too long for the shows to start. But there isn't time to stop along the way and do much else except maybe a game in the kids area. We love sea world.

Oh I want to add my daughter is 5. We walked one night with another family with 2 kids in strollers. We were the last out of the sea lion show and still made it in time for shamu. So if you go direct you can make both shows n one night unless the place is so packed that shamu rocks fills up early.

 

[Magalex]

We are planning on buying the Sea World + Aquatica tickets directly from the official website. With those tickets admission is unlimited for our stay, which I love because then we can mix up our days and evenings and not feel rushed.

 

[Magalex]

Oh I do have a question about dates of Summer Nights. Do the "summer nights" always start near June 22(which is the first date listed for this year). So I can make my airfare arrangements when SouthWest opens up airfare for June. No matter what trip we are taking we buy our airfare way in advance.

 

[LisaRae87]

Oh I do have a question about dates of Summer Nights. Do the "summer nights" always start near June 22(which is the first date listed for this year). So I can make my airfare arrangements when SouthWest opens up airfare for June. No matter what trip we are taking we buy our airfare way in advance.

I don't know specifically but I feel like it always starts in the end of June, which is strange because Busch Gardens Tampa starts much before that