Sea World on a Sunday

[ConnieB]

Is Seaworld like Disney on the weekends, significantly more crowded? We are driving to California on a Saturday and I can't decide whether to do Sea World first and then Disney or the other way around. We'll be doing 2 days at Sea World (or one day and then something else in San Diego), and 3 days in Disneyland...a very short trip for us since we normally do a week plus at Disney alone.

We aren't really planning to do any of the rides at SeaWorld but we definitely want to do as many of the shows as we can fit in.

So...which is better to do on a Sunday?

 

[sonnyjane]

I would do Sea World first. A crowded Sunday at SW is not as bad as a crowded Sunday at DL.

You don't say when you're traveling, but right now there are only four animal shows at Sea World - Blue Horizons, Believe, Pets Rule!, and Sea Lions Live. There is also a Sesame Street show, but no animals. There are at least two showings of each during the day on weekends. I don't think you'll have any problem doing that on a Sunday and you won't need two days at Sea World, especially if you're not doing rides. I know I have read about other people spending two days there and I just can't imagine what they do. I live here in San Diego and go fairly often but I only pop in for a few hours. My husband and I went on a Sunday a few weeks ago and saw all four shows and a few other exhibits in three hours. Spend a few minutes on their website looking at the calendar for the day you'll be going and see the show schedule and you should have no problem. If you go in the summer when there are night shows, that might extend your day, but you can always come during the day, take a break, then come back to the parks at night to see the different shows.

Also, you will want to end your trip at Disneyland, not at Sea World. Disneyland kicks SW's behind, so you want to end your trip on a high note!

 

[ConnieB]

Thanks so much for all the great information! The calendar isn't showing the shows yet for our dates (April 30-May 6) yet.

 

[starshine514]

We usually spend 1.5-2 days at Sea World, but that may just be us. We like to ride some of the rides, see all of the major exhibits, catch all the shows (and the Blue Horizons show twice - which is a requirement with my girls), and spend an hour at the tide pools, meet the characters, visit the bay of play, etc...I guess you can see why we need 2 days!

Sea World is more crowded on the weekends, but not so much that you still can't tour sufficiently. I know you said you weren't interested in rides, but I do recommend Journey to Atlantis (go right after it opens, usually 1-2 hours after park opening. It will be listed on the times guide on the back of the map), I don't think Disney has anything like it. If you aren't riding rides, the crowds don't make that much difference, except for waiting in food lines...

 

[Huff]

Sea World can get busy but never as crowded as Disneyland. Even on a busy day you just have to arrive a bit early for shows and you'll easily get a seat. For the sea lion show note that the show really starts 15 minutes before posted as they have a great preshow and the stadium will be filled earlier than expected because of this.

There are only 5 rides not counting the small kids ride area. Journey to Atlantis rarely gets a line more than 15 minutes long except on holidays. Shipwreck Rapids will almost always have a 30-45 minute line mid-afternoon on a sunny day. Mornings and after dark theres usually no line although it usually doesn't open until late morning. Wild Artic rarely has a long line. Only on very busy days and even then only mid-day.

The other 2 rides are the sky tower and the sky tram. They are not free but are inexpensive. Both rarely have long waits.

The exhibits are all walk thru so no problems with crowds there.

Longest waits are often at the 3D Seseme Street movie which can be 20-30 minutes for the next show. The kids ride area has a few rides for toddlers and can get long lines until evening.

For our trip we will be going to Disneyland first for 4 1/2 days then 2 1/2 days in San Diego for Sea World and beach. Main reason for Sea World 2nd was that Sea World is open late in the later part of our week. That gives us more time to visit the beach and head to Sea World in the early afternoon.

 

[ConnieB]

Whew...now I'm extra glad that Sea World isn't as busy as Disney on Sundays. Just read that the AIDS Walk Orange County is the Sunday we'll be there (May 1)...and this walk is expected to bring 30,000 people walking through Disneyland and DCA that morning. I realize that's not 30,000 in the park, but how many of them might be...or family that is waiting for them. I just hope they all go home Monday, lol.

Thanks for all the details on the rides and everything, great help!