SW, Aquatica and Busch Questions

[JustAKid]

Sea World:

1. Is the all day dining really a good deal for a family of 5? We'll be paying around $175 for us - will we REALLY eat that much money worth of food?!

2. For Sea World, does one need to be there at "rope drop"?

3. Can you explain the dolphin feeding to me? It's $7 to get in, per person, with 3 fish each...right? Can one buy more trays then that?

4. What about seals and rays? Can we still feed those? How much are those?

Aquatica:

How busy is this bad boy? I may choose to skip it. I know it comes with the price of admission to DC, but I don't know...seems like it will be a little bit on the stressful side? Not that anything here isn't, but I was hoping for this to be a bit more of a chill day. Thoughts?

Busch Gardens:

1. Anyone do the Serengeti Safari? How was it? Were you only able to feed the giraffes, or were there other animals, too?

2. Do you think the extra $ to do this park is worth it? I have never been, but there is nothing really calling me aside from the Serengeti Safari.

Thanks for any help, y'all!

 

[angelmom27]

Sea World:

1. Is the all day dining really a good deal for a family of 5? We'll be paying around $175 for us - will we REALLY eat that much money worth of food?!

2. For Sea World, does one need to be there at "rope drop"?

3. Can you explain the dolphin feeding to me? It's $7 to get in, per person, with 3 fish each...right? Can one buy more trays then that?

4. What about seals and rays? Can we still feed those? How much are those?

Aquatica:

How busy is this bad boy? I may choose to skip it. I know it comes with the price of admission to DC, but I don't know...seems like it will be a little bit on the stressful side? Not that anything here isn't, but I was hoping for this to be a bit more of a chill day. Thoughts?

Busch Gardens:

1. Anyone do the Serengeti Safari? How was it? Were you only able to feed the giraffes, or were there other animals, too?

2. Do you think the extra $ to do this park is worth it? I have never been, but there is nothing really calling me aside from the Serengeti Safari.

Thanks for any help, y'all!

All day dining is worth it. Not sure if you have bought your tickets yet but currently SW has an online offer if you pay gate price for your tickets all day dining is add for free. You can go through the line as many times and get any combonation of entree, side/dessert, and drink. You get one of each everytime. They also have breakfast.

You don't have to do rope drop but we always like to get there at opening and then get breakfast and start the day. It helps if you are only doing one day there.

Yes you are correct about the dolphin price and fish count. I skipped due to the new policy so I am not sure if you can buy extra trays. I don't see why not but SW could say otherwise.

Yes there is still feedings for rays, seals and sharks. We always do the rays and its $5 for a tray of shrimp. Forget how many we get. We didn't get to do the other two the last time.

We have never done AQ.

BG we love but I am a roller coaster junkie so we go for all aspects. If you like the rides and love to see the animals then I would go. They too are also offering free all day dining or even 2nd day free.

I read in your AQ / you bought DC tix so that is how you have your park tix I would still do all day dining though. Especially if you go when its hot you will like the free refills on your souvenier mugs or even unlimited bottles of water.

 

[anorman]

We loved AQ when we went for the first time last year. It's one of my favourite water parks! The fast "not so lazy" river was a blast! I couldn't get my kids out of it! I almost couldn't get out myself......literally!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

We are big fans of Aquatica. We have been twice in August and once in December (Christmas Eve Day). When is your visit?

Christmas Eve day was DEAD......it was almost like having the park to ourselves. August was busy but manageable. The lazy river, the double wave pool, and Roa's Rapids (the tubeless lazy river mentioned by the PP.....the best waterpark feature EVER) are all great places to be when the slides are at their busiest mid-day.

Get there early, ride the feature slides first, then spend the afternoon chillin' in the above areas until the crowds thin later in the day and you can easily resume sliding again. We would not hesitate to recommend or return.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

Sea World:

1. Is the all day dining really a good deal for a family of 5? We'll be paying around $175 for us - will we REALLY eat that much money worth of food?!

2. For Sea World, does one need to be there at "rope drop"?

3. Can you explain the dolphin feeding to me? It's $7 to get in, per person, with 3 fish each...right? Can one buy more trays then that?

4. What about seals and rays? Can we still feed those? How much are those?

Aquatica:

How busy is this bad boy? I may choose to skip it. I know it comes with the price of admission to DC, but I don't know...seems like it will be a little bit on the stressful side? Not that anything here isn't, but I was hoping for this to be a bit more of a chill day. Thoughts?

Busch Gardens:

1. Anyone do the Serengeti Safari? How was it? Were you only able to feed the giraffes, or were there other animals, too?

2. Do you think the extra $ to do this park is worth it? I have never been, but there is nothing really calling me aside from the Serengeti Safari.

Thanks for any help, y'all!

We just returned today and visited Sea World and Busch Gardens.

We were at Seaworld this past Monday April 1.
We arrived about 10 minutes after opening and left the park about 9pm.
We seen every show, rode every ride, we fed the dolphins, stingrays and seals. $5-7 a tray.

We ate breakfast before we got there to save time , ate lunch and snacks at the park and grabbed fast food on the way home.
We bought the multipark ticket for SW and BG so the meal deal would have cost $32.99 an adult , I believe. $17.99 a child.
I have a 14 yo DS and he didnt even come close to eating $30 worth of food. Plus we would have had to eat at least 2 meals there to make out, maybe even 3.
For us thats too much down time. We didnt come to SW to eat. If we stopped 3 times for meals we would have never fit everything in.

BG:

We didnt do the Safari but did inquire. Its $40 per person. It took us 2 days to do everything we wanted to at BG.
My kids and I are roller coaster and ride fanatics though.

We seen 2 shows(ice show and critters show) Again , we ate lunch and just bought some snacks at the park. We ate breakfast before arrival and dinner on the way home.

We visited BG on April 2 and 5. The 2nd was really crowded. The 5th it rained in the AM so may have kept some people away.
We arrived at 9:30 (park opening) both days. We left at 6pm both days.

There are many animal demonstrations at BG as well as animal displays. Some days they have procedures you can watch at the animal care center too.
There is so much more there than I ever thought.

 

[disneyred]

I have just started to read up on these threads , so please bare with me as I am learning !

regardings : SW, Aquatica and Busch Questions

are each of these 3 parks requiring separate tickets ? can i pick and choose which one I want to go to ? or is it a package deal for all 3...and you go as you please ?

 

[angelmom27]

I have just started to read up on these threads , so please bare with me as I am learning !

regardings : SW, Aquatica and Busch Questions

are each of these 3 parks requiring separate tickets ? can i pick and choose which one I want to go to ? or is it a package deal for all 3...and you go as you please ?

You can buy all kinds of tix. You can buy all 3, just 2 or just 1. They have all kinds of options. It all depends on what you are looking for. The OP I believe is doing a day at Discovery Cove which includes 14 days of unlimited access to SW, AQ, and BG.