Must Do's at SeaWorld Orlando if usually go San Antonio?

[Golden Rose]

We've been Sea World San Antonio pass members for most of the last 6 years, and we've been often and done everything there except the rides, most things many times. We've also been to Aquatica San Antonio a couple of times.

Since we have Sea World San Antonio platinum annual passes right now, and this is our first trip to Orlando in years without WDW annual passes, we decided we take a day for Sea World.

We will have an 8 year old and a 2 year old with us. The 9 year old doesn't like thrill rides and the 2 year old is too small for them. Both kids absolutely love looking at animal exhibits, and some of the shows.

What should we be sure to see and do? We'll only have one day, and we don't know how long the toddler will last. The only thing I'm certain Orlando has that San Antonio doesn't is Wild Arctic, and I don't know how scary it is, and if it is appropriate for a cautious 8 year old and a fearless 2 year old.

 

[angelmom27]

My son has been addicted to youtube videos of SW and from what I have seen all your shows are different from ours.

Wild artic will be fine. Since you have the LO you will have to do the non motion side. You sit in a room with a movie screen. The short clip is the view of what you would see if you were on a helicopter going to the artic. There are some action parts where there is snow and avalanches and stuff. Then you walk through the animal exhibit. You will see the baluga whales, walruses and a polar bear. You see the top view first and then go down and see the underwater view. Definitely a must do. If you are a bit leary you can just walk straight through the movie part and exit to the exhibit. We have seen lots of people do that.

 

[dvc_john]

Blue Horizons (Dolphins, and sometimes whales) is IMHO the best show at any of the Seaworld parks.
I haven't seen it at San Diego since they changed the dolphin show there to Blue Horizons, and I don't know if they've changed San Antonio either. But for me, it's a 'not miss' show, no matter how many times I go to Orlando.
(The whale segment of the show is hit or miss. Not even sure if they do it anymore since I haven't seen it in a very long time.)

If you like coasters, then Manta is a 'not miss'.

And I prefer the Atlantis ride in Orlando over the Atlantis ride in San Antonio. (If you ride, don't sit in the front seat.)

Be sure to get your Platinum seating in Blue Horizons, One Ocean, Clyde and Seamore, Allure, and Pet's Ahoy (if you go to any/all of those), as well as your dining discounts.

You'll get free parking for sure, but I'm not sure if you'll get free preferred parking. (I have Orlando Platinum Pass, and I get free preferred parking at Seaworld Orlando, Busch Gardens Tampa, and Busch Gardens Williamsburg, but at Seaworld San Antonio and Seaworld San Diego I just get free regular parking.)

 

[LisaTN]

Wild attic isn't scary, but I'm not 100% sure the 2yo can ride it. But you can skip the simulator ride and watch the movie in a theater room instead.

I took my 4yo a couple weeks ago and we didn't do the "thrill" rides but did all the happy harbor kids rides, a few exhibits and three shows before leaving at 3:30pm

We started by grading straight to feed the dolphins at 9:15... That lasted about 15 minutes and then we made our way to blue horizons. Watched the 10am Blur horizons.

We did the wild attic exhibit next.

Left there for Happy harbor rides... Rode about half of them (jazzy jellies, shamu express and the carousel) before heading to One ocean (shamu show)

From there we did the rest of the happy harbor rides (swishy fishes, the crab one... And another I can't remember).

Them we ate lunch.

Went to the shark encounter and then the Clyde and Seamore show (a little cheesy but my daughter LOVED it.)

Left there and went to Turtle Trek, fed the stingrays and then DD had her face painted before we left.

We were able to do all that by 3:30