Sea World at Christmas

[wishesUT]

Hi Everyone,
We are planning a December trip to Orlando and want to do a day at Sea World. I have been to Sea World in San Diego many times, but Orlando will be a first for us. I have noticed that the park hours change on the weekends in December and they are open until 11. What special events do they do on the weekends that aren't going on during the week. Would we do better to go during the week or on Friday when they have extended hours. What shouldn't we miss? Also, do you always stay in the park to eat or do you go off-site to a restaurant?

Thanks!

 

[KBF]

Hi Everyone,
We are planning a December trip to Orlando and want to do a day at Sea World. I have been to Sea World in San Diego many times, but Orlando will be a first for us. I have noticed that the park hours change on the weekends in December and they are open until 11. What special events do they do on the weekends that aren't going on during the week. Would we do better to go during the week or on Friday when they have extended hours. What shouldn't we miss? Also, do you always stay in the park to eat or do you go off-site to a restaurant?

Thanks!

The extended hours will have all the christmas themed night shows. Shows like the killer whale show, "Shamu Christmas Miracles" the sealion show, "Clyde and Seamore countdown to Christmas" the ice skating show, "Winter Wonderland on ice" and the fireworks show "Holiday Reflections". These shows are different than the day shows, so maybe if you wanted, you could do a weekday at Seaworld to do everything including day shows. And then come back on a weekend day just at night to see the Christmas themed shows.

 

[wishesUT]

The extended hours will have all the christmas themed night shows. Shows like the killer whale show, "Shamu Christmas Miracles" the sealion show, "Clyde and Seamore countdown to Christmas" the ice skating show, "Winter Wonderland on ice" and the fireworks show "Holiday Reflections". These shows are different than the day shows, so maybe if you wanted, you could do a weekday at Seaworld to do everything including day shows. And then come back on a weekend day just at night to see the Christmas themed shows.

Thank you. How different would you say the Christmas shows are from the regular daytime shows?

 

[ElaineMarch]

I was there in mid Dec last year, and I thought it was really done well. I think it was a weekday and they were not open to 11 but had most of the Christmas activities in early evening. I saw the Shamu and clyde and Seamore Christmas shows and thought they were very different from the daytime shows, very cute. The Polar Express ride at the Arctic area was great! They did not have fireworks the night we were there, but they did have a Christmas tree light show in the lagoon that was absolutely beautiful! Just grab a spot on the railing of the walkway from Shamu Stadium to the front of the park. We got a great spot right along the railing as the show started and had a great view.

It was very cold when we were there, so a suggestion if it is cold when you go is to buy/bring a blanket to fold up and sit on. All the show seating is metal benches and were freezing. We saw other people doing this and they had a good sized fleece seaworld christmas blanket for about $15 and it was the best money spent that day. If you have not been before the Sharks Underwater Grill is a great place to eat but is a bit expensive. They had a holiday menu that wasn't to bad (included app,entree and desert) We love Seaworld and the holiday decorations throughout the park were great.

 

[wishesUT]

I was there in mid Dec last year, and I thought it was really done well. I think it was a weekday and they were not open to 11 but had most of the Christmas activities in early evening. I saw the Shamu and clyde and Seamore Christmas shows and thought they were very different from the daytime shows, very cute. The Polar Express ride at the Arctic area was great! They did not have fireworks the night we were there, but they did have a Christmas tree light show in the lagoon that was absolutely beautiful! Just grab a spot on the railing of the walkway from Shamu Stadium to the front of the park. We got a great spot right along the railing as the show started and had a great view.

It was very cold when we were there, so a suggestion if it is cold when you go is to buy/bring a blanket to fold up and sit on. All the show seating is metal benches and were freezing. We saw other people doing this and they had a good sized fleece seaworld christmas blanket for about $15 and it was the best money spent that day. If you have not been before the Sharks Underwater Grill is a great place to eat but is a bit expensive. They had a holiday menu that wasn't to bad (included app,entree and desert) We love Seaworld and the holiday decorations throughout the park were great.

Great tip about the blanket. Thanks so much for the suggestions.

 

[Calypso522]

I agree that it gets colder at night than you would think in Orlando during the Christmas season! I had on pants, tennis shoes, tall socks, and a moderately thick coat on Dec. 10th last year and I was absolutely frozen! I've been to the Christmas events at Seaworld Orlando, Disneyland, Disney World, Knott's, and Busch Gardens Williamsburg. Honestly, I enjoyed the Seaworld Orlando Christmas shows the best! Definitely worth seeing all of them! The daytime shows are great too, but make sure to see the christmas themed ones! We got the refillable hot chocolate mug and enjoyed the cheap refills!

 

[edamethyst]

We went right on Christmas Day last year and it was not that crowded at all. The Christmas shows were great. At the late Shamu show they had a saxophone player walking around playing Christmas carols. Shamu Claus was walking around for pix and it snowed by the area he was at for sit down pix. We got the food plan and had breakfast, lunch and dinner on it. It was a great day.

 

[wishesUT]

Thank you everyone! It sounds like everyone agrees that the Christmas shows are a must see. I'll have to look into the refillable hot chocolate mug too. If we're there later in the evening I'm sure that will come in handy.

 

[MinnieSummer]

We did SeaWorld three days before Christmas last year and were amazed. The shows were wonderful, the crowds minimal, and the atmosphere was so festive. Once it starts getting dark and the Christmas shows start it incredible. It is now on our "Christmas Traditions" list. I would definitely bring a blanket though. We froze.

 

[petals]

Ba I can't wait to go to Florida in November to see all this Chirstmassy stuff. So excited reading about it all

 

[wishesUT]

Ba I can't wait to go to Florida in November to see all this Chirstmassy stuff. So excited reading about it all

I agree! It sounds wonderful and a bit lower key than running about all over WDW.

 

[MinnieSummer]

It is was definitely a bit lower key but every bit as well done as WDW if not better. With all the budget cuts on the holidays at WDW I felt that SeaWorld stepped it up and should definitely be getting the recognition it deserves -- I just don't want everyone to discover it and have the crowds move over there. I also really enjoyed the Christmas show at Island of Adventure at Universal. Unfortunately the rest of the park wasn't all that Christmassy. Our annual Christmas trip needs to be a bit longer to fit in all the must sees we discovered last year.