Stick with Disney Parks or add SeaWorld

[sandy77d]

Our trip is early June with my husband, two 10 year old daughters, and me. Our current plan is 3 days at MK, 1 1/2 day at Epcot, 1 day at HS, 1 day at AK, and one resort day (Poly). My husband loved SeaWorld as a kid, so we started talking about Sea World. Would you drop a MK day to go to SeaWorld, drop the resort day for SeaWorld, or neither? Our family is split - two of us want SeaWorld and two of us do not.

 

[Hibiscus]

Assuming it's one parent & one kid on each side, I'd let Team SeaWorld head over there while the other two people enjoy the resort. Everyone wins.

 

[Crystal824]

Assuming it's one parent & one kid on each side, I'd let Team SeaWorld head over there while the other two people enjoy the resort. Everyone wins.

I agree with this.

 

[Mainemama]

And assuming you do that (split up), I would keep the resort day... You will need a break! But you could go I to the park after dinner. Then, the sea world folks just subtract a park (probably MK). I haven't done Sea World. I am on the stick with Disney side.

 

[NH-to-FL]

DW and I enjoy an occasional visit to Sea World. Since we are not into the roller coasters we have found that SW is a 1/2 day park for us. By getting there for rope drop and with some careful planning around the show times we have been able to wander the park, see most of the major shows, and be on our way by early afternoon.

Assuming it's one parent & one kid on each side, I'd let Team SeaWorld head over there while the other two people enjoy the resort. Everyone wins.

That sounds like a good idea to me.

Wishing you a magical trip!

 

[LBlovesM&WDW]

We were excited to see Sea World Orlando, having been to San Diego and Ohio. We were so disappointed. We barely saw any animals, had to traipse back and forth to see shows (far) and the wait for the new penguin exhibit was four hours(did not wait). We thankfully paid half price because we all looked at each other and said "let's go back to Disney".

 

[DOOM1001]

Sea World is a great park,even not doing the coasters all the shows and attractions are at least a full day.MK is obviously a great park with lots to do but 2 days is plenty,for me its no contest,do a day at Sea World.

 

[InStitchesinNE]

Several years ago we went to SW for a day in the middle of our Disney vacation for the same reason, my husband had loved it as a kid. We were SO disappointed! We took a MEARS shuttle, which was expensive and rather a pain what with driving around to other resorts to pick up people, it just took FOREVER! I definitely would go with Uber or rent a car if you go. And it was expensive for the five of us for one day, and the food there was expensive and gross. I don't mind paying theme park prices for food, but at least at Disney there are better options.

All this would have been fine if we had enjoyed it, but it was really pretty boring. The trainers don't get in the water with the whales now, there's no water ski shows, all of the stuff my husband loved as a kid. My kids enjoyed the playground the most (they were too young for the roller coasters, which are actually pretty great). Between transportation, admission, food, and souvenirs for the five of us, it was close to $1000 for the day! We could have done so much more with that money at Disney.

I recommend you look at what the shows actually are now (if you haven't already) because this is not the SW of your husbands youth.

 

[jessicadisneygirl]

I agree with PPs who had a let down at SeaWorld. I remembered loving it as a kid, and we enjoyed SeaWorld in San Diego ten years ago. But our last trip to the one in Orlando that was tacked on to a Disney trip was a bust. The displays were shabby and the rides were too. The shows were watered down. We wished we had chosen a day trip to Universal instead, or just stayed at Disney.

 

[Paigesmom2013]

I would vote go to Sea World because I wonder how much longer it will be open to enjoy. I also used to go to Sea World in Ohio so it had a lot of nostalgia for me and still reminds me of school field trips. My hubby and I enjoyed it.
I will say that it was very hot and sunny when we went September 2013 so bring those misting fans.

 

[kj2mom]

I guess I am going to turn this thread a little, we went to Disney/Sea World in July (it was my 13 year old son, 13 year old daughter and me). We had 2 days in MK, 1 AK, 1 EP, 1 HS and 1 Sea World. If you ask my children their favorite day they say Sea World. They loved the roller coasters, they loved the shows (we saw Sea Lions, dolphins, whales then night time whales). We had dinner with Shamu which was fabulous. The only thing I wish I had known about (of course I read all about it after returning but didn't know about it before) was the dolphin encounter. My daughter was all about the dolphins and if I had known we could have done the encounter I would have done it in a heartbeat. When I realized what it was it was too late. We spent the entire day there open until close and while we couldn't fit the Pets Ahoy show into the schedule we did get to see all of the others. I am soo glad I decided to head to Sea World for one of the days.

 

[justmeinflorida]

I'll through my two cents in and say stay at Disney or do Universal but then again we're Plantinum Pass members for all the Anheiser Busch parks and frankly we're bored with them. We've decided that after the holidays we're going to cancel our passes because there's really nothing more for us to see there. Nothing ever changes, the food sucks, the rides are OK and the shows are a pass. Since becoming Seasonal Pass members to WDW we see how much fun an amusement park can really be. After we cancel our passes we're getting Universal annual passes.

 

[Dis703]

I haven't been to SeaWorld in a few years now because I haven't been able to justify the cost of 1 day to SW over adding another day to Disney. But we will get around to it when the kids are older. I agree with pp that if only 2 of you want to do it, maybe those 2 could go on the resort day. But we easily do 10 days at Disney and have never had a down day. Maybe a few hours one day at the pool but never an entire day. Even with small kids we don't find it necessary and we want to get in every minute of the parks that we can.

 

[ArwenMarie]

SeaWorld is a great park. I would try to fit it in somehow.

 

[ArwenMarie]

Meant to add...you should take a look at their tours and see if anything interests you. We did the Dolphin Encounter...it was only $15 per person...so worth it! You can buy the tickets online before you go. Next time we go I want to do the Sea Lions and Seals tour.

http://seaworldparks.com/en/seaworl...exclusive-park-experiences/dolphin-encounter/

 

[MrsDuck]

I'd stay at Disney. But, if it's a parent and a kiddo that wants to go, split up and let them do their thing while you do yours!

 

[Docmum]

Our trip is early June with my husband, two 10 year old daughters, and me. Our current plan is 3 days at MK, 1 1/2 day at Epcot, 1 day at HS, 1 day at AK, and one resort day (Poly). My husband loved SeaWorld as a kid, so we started talking about Sea World. Would you drop a MK day to go to SeaWorld, drop the resort day for SeaWorld, or neither? Our family is split - two of us want SeaWorld and two of us do not.

I have been to Sea World twice in the last couple of years, I have to admit, and I am not proud of it! Yes, I wanted to see the Orcas, this was my fault. If I had known then about Orcas in captivity what I know now I never would have gone there! So, from my familys point of view: stay with Disney and enjoy, without any feelings of being guilty concerning the whales and dolphins in captivity!

 

[5kidsmommy]

I would vote go to Sea World because I wonder how much longer it will be open to enjoy. I also used to go to Sea World in Ohio so it had a lot of nostalgia for me and still reminds me of school field trips. My hubby and I enjoyed it.
I will say that it was very hot and sunny when we went September 2013 so bring those misting fans.

I grew up in San Diego so that was the Sea World I regularly went to but we lived in Ohio when the one there was still open and it was such a lovely little park. I have fond memories of taking my oldest son there.

I vote for the two that want to go going.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I have been to Sea World twice in the last couple of years, I have to admit, and I am not proud of it! Yes, I wanted to see the Orcas, this was my fault. If I had known then about Orcas in captivity what I know now I never would have gone there! So, from my familys point of view: stay with Disney and enjoy, without any feelings of being guilty concerning the whales and dolphins in captivity!

Disney has marine mammals in captivity as well. And a lot of other large land animals too. Just sayin'

 

[momof2n2]

Sea World was the center of our vacation 2014. We had a blast. It's almost a two-day park! But I'd drop a WDW day in a heartbeat for SW.

http://disboards.com/threads/a-bit-of-a-seaworld-review.3288841/