Sea World Packages

[Megsie1000]

We are going in mid-January. Unfortunately, we only get one day at Sea World because we're flying in on a Thursday afternoon then driving down to Port Everglades on Saturday morning to catch a cruise.

We have Thursday and Friday night in Orlando and have decided to do SW on Friday instead of our usual Disney jaunt for something different. I already booked a room at the Springhill Suites for around $100 a night AAA rate. There is no fee for cancellation at this point.

I was looking at the Sea World vacation packages and noticed the Springhill is also one of the hotels available. Has anybody had experience breaking it down - is it really a better deal to book it this way? Or should I just try and find the best discounts for tickets on my own?

Right now they are offering free "dine-all-day" wristbands with the package, if that changes your analysis. :lol

I have already done the math and it appears slightly cheaper to do the package *if* I got the tickets full price and *if* I was already planning on buying the dine-all-day for all 5 of us. But I know there are discounts all the time.

I am also wondering if the dining program is worth it in the mid-winter with the shorter park hours?

Thanks!

 

[Amy162]

Just bumping this up as I was looking into the packages as well. We would be staying for 2 nights after our cruise in January, and for 5 (3 adults/2 kids age 6 and 9), the package is coming to around $670.

If I ordered the tickets online, that alone would be $344. Rack rate on the room is $119/night, so an additional $240, bringing us to $584. This includes the "free" dining package so that would be approximately just under $100 for a full days worth of dining.

I don't feel like it's a huge savings, but when you add in the Quick Que that's included, I think I would come out better in the end by booking a package.

Anyone else have any other thoughts/considerations? Thank you!!!

 

[Marquibiri]

I have not done packages for SeaWorld. I was planning to add it to my trip but decided to go to WDW.

I use vacation packages for Universal, which give me the early entry perk.

The all day dining will not include the best restaurants in the park like the Underwater Sharks grill.

For January, the quick queue will not be necessary. I think that was the only error I made for my honeymoon back in '09. I bought the quick queue online and they did not even have the Quick Queue lines open at the park, pretty slow.

Do you get early access?

Marquibiri

 

[Megsie1000]

It is impossible to tell about the early entry because they say "select dates" but don't tell you which ones. I assume probably not on the one day we will be there.

We are staying at the SeaWorld hotel regardless. Breakfast is included in the price of the hotel and the park hours are limited in January, so I am wondering whether the park will even be open when we want to have dinner. Hence the question as to whether the all-day dining deal (free if you book a package) is really worth it. I only ask b/c obviously that would be a perk I would add into the equation when comparing whether to do the package or not.

 

[Megsie1000]

Also just to clarify, the Quick Queue perk comes with the Sea World hotel, whether or not you book the package. So, if you're staying in any of the Sea World hotels, you should be able to get the Quick Queue regardless of whether you book the tickets, etc through a package plan.

 

[Lynne G]

It is impossible to tell about the early entry because they say "select dates" but don't tell you which ones. I assume probably not on the one day we will be there.

We are staying at the SeaWorld hotel regardless. Breakfast is included in the price of the hotel and the park hours are limited in January, so I am wondering whether the park will even be open when we want to have dinner. Hence the question as to whether the all-day dining deal (free if you book a package) is really worth it. I only ask b/c obviously that would be a perk I would add into the equation when comparing whether to do the package or not.

Though the dates may change, we were at the Fairfield the last week of August and the early entry days were Tuesday and Saturday. But it is not early entry that you think. You go on a very limited tour one half hour before opening, and then are let free in the park when it opens.

 

[Megsie1000]

Oh I see, Lynne. Thank you. That sounds interesting, but after an early flight the morning before, I doubt we will be able to get all the kids up and dressed to get there by 8 even if we had early entry day. And our day will be Friday, so ...

 

[luvmy2babies]

I have a package booked now with Springhill Suites. We will be down in just over 3 weeks. We're going for dd's fall break, so I booked the buy 2 nights get a 3rd night free deal they have right now. But IIRC, you said you only have 2 nights to stay. From what I have read about the All Day Dining deal, you can go up to the designated places any time even if it is just for a snack item or a drink. Someone posted that they went through the line multiple times in a sitting. With the way theme park food, snacks, drinks and meals are priced, and given the fact that unlike Disney World, Sea World does not allow outside food and drinks in unless it's for an infant, I imagine the deal would pay for itself easily, but I plan to post about our experience when we get back.

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

I have a package booked now with Springhill Suites. We will be down in just over 3 weeks. We're going for dd's fall break, so I booked the buy 2 nights get a 3rd night free deal they have right now. But IIRC, you said you only have 2 nights to stay. From what I have read about the All Day Dining deal, you can go up to the designated places any time even if it is just for a snack item or a drink. Someone posted that they went through the line multiple times in a sitting. With the way theme park food, snacks, drinks and meals are priced, and given the fact that unlike Disney World, Sea World does not allow outside food and drinks in unless it's for an infant, I imagine the deal would pay for itself easily, but I plan to post about our experience when we get back.

I did not know that SW doesn't allow outside food or drinks. With four kids we always need to pack at least bottled water, juice boxes, and our kids' preferred snacks. This is making me think a little bit more about how to plan a trip there.I was considering the Sea World packages too, but wasn't sure if it was worth it since we can use our AAA discount for hotel and DH can purchase discount SW tickets through his company. I will have to do some more number crunching now.