Where to eat at SeaWorld?

[busy mom]

Any recommendations??? We are not sure if we want table or counter service, so any suggestions would be great.

Also - Any "must have" treats/goodies that we can only find in SeaWorld?

thanks!!!

 

[NeverlandClub23]

We always eat at Seaport Pizza. It's counter service and they have pretty good pizza (fries, not so much). The main reasons we always eat here is that it's indoors (which in FL weather it's nice to get out of the rain and have A/C during the hotter months), the seating area is nice and big (and is actually pretty with lots of wood beams and wooden booths), lots of booths along the big windows which is nice to people watch, watch any outside performers, and the water area, and with the back to back show schedule at Sea World and trying to fit all of the shows in a day it's almost impossible to do anything other than counter service. They also have chicken tenders and salads too.

 

[ADisneyQueen]

We went to SW on 12/26 and 27 and were not very happy with their food. The seafire inn was OK, but really expensive. We brought in some of our own drinks and snacks to help with costs. At SF inn, our lunch was over $40 for 2 adult and 1 child meal, strawberries and drinks. I was so glad to get to WDW and the dining plan.

 

[Metro West]

Any recommendations??? We are not sure if we want table or counter service, so any suggestions would be great.

Also - Any "must have" treats/goodies that we can only find in SeaWorld?

thanks!!!

I usually eat at The Terrace Cafe which is the old Hospitality Center. The sandwiches are excellent especially the roast beef sandwich and the potato salad is to die for!

 

[wtrmlnlabs]

Not really answering your question exactly and I don't know when you are going but...
I hadn't read very many good reviews about anything at SW so we ate a nice breakfast and took some snacks with us. We were there Dec 13th, so it was open till 8 I think, if you were going for a shorter day it'd be real easy, longer day harder maybe. We were so busy watching shows and looking at everything no one complained about being hungry that the snacks we brought didn't fix. The only problem we had was our stroller had broken and I left our drink cup in the stroller -- in the hotel so we used water fountains for our drinking... REALLY could have used our cup holder! Then we grabbed something to eat when we left. Everyone was happy with their meals for the day and we didn't feel ripped off by park prices!!!

 

[RabFlmom]

We always eat at Seaport Pizza. It's counter service and they have pretty good pizza (fries, not so much). The main reasons we always eat here is that it's indoors (which in FL weather it's nice to get out of the rain and have A/C during the hotter months), the seating area is nice and big (and is actually pretty with lots of wood beams and wooden booths), lots of booths along the big windows which is nice to people watch, watch any outside performers, and the water area, and with the back to back show schedule at Sea World and trying to fit all of the shows in a day it's almost impossible to do anything other than counter service. They also have chicken tenders and salads too.[/QUOTE

Sounds like you are talking about Voyagers Wood-fired Pizza where they used to have the pizza. Pizza is now served out of the old Smokey Creek building(over by Manta) and the tables are in the pavilion and under the trees -all outside. haven't had pizza since they moved but heard no fries with it now and pizza not as good as in previous years.

Voyagers (Smokehouse now )serves the BBQ which we have always loved.

You can also get really good fajitas(enough for a couple kids for about $7 or $8 if they will share) at Mango Joes The Spice Mill has huge roast beef and ham etc. sandwiches on really good bread . (we share because too big for us to eat alone)
If they offer the food for a day it is the best deal in town. You get all the meals you want to eat in a day(1 entre, dessert or side, and drink),drinks, and snacks throughout the day for just less than $30!

For us we like the food at SW so much that sometimes we just go there to eat and leave just like we go to AK and leave without doing a lot.

 

[NeverlandClub23]

Oh no! Thanks for the info! The last time I went to Sea World was July '08 so I hadn't realized it had changed! I don't do BBQ so looks like I won't be eating there again.

I agree with a PP about the sanwiches at the old Hospitality place. I split one as a snack and it was actually pretty good.

Oh also to the OP, if you don't want to eat inside SW there's a Cracker Barrel about 2 minutes away.

I've never had a snack or anything at SW that wasn't standard amusement park stuff (i.e. Shamu bar, popcorn, funnel cake, etc.) so I can't help there. Actually, I've been pretty much no help!

 

[Inkmahm]

Last time we were at SW we ate at the sitdown restaurant at the shark tank. Don't remember the name, but the food was really good! Not cheap, but good.

 

[alexmics]

We ate at "Chicken N Biscuit", a bit like "Kentucky fried chicken" it was fine, they have also got a place called "Smokey Creek Grill" and the food smelt delicious. I seem to remember picnic tables dotted about though so you would be fine taking your own.

 

[persimmondeb]

I mostly avoid eating at Seaworld when possible, since their food is really painfully expensive (makes Disney seem a relative bargain), and mostly just okay. Sharks Underwater Grill, however, while still expensive, is very good, and a really cool experience. We did it last visit for appetizers and desserts, and kept it not too much over a hundred for 6 of us, and thought the experience well worth the money, and the food quite good.

 

[Dolphina]

I loved the hot dogs at shamu stadium. *yummy* but that's more like a snack, but it was enough for me as I had a big big breakfast at the hotel and never felt hungry during the day.

 

[xenole]

Well, Seaworld are doing a $29.99 eat as much as you want all day deal at present, or is this permanent?

I went to possibly the Seafire Inn? (next to the pearl divers) and had a burger, fries, Pepsi and carrot cake and that came to over $15. Didn't see any straws for the drinks either.

I suppose if you got there first thing, and had 2-3 meals, that $29.99 deal would work out well although not sure if it includes drinks at the 6 or so places it can be used at.

Had a cookie and a smoothie from somewhere else as well and that wasn't cheap to say the least.

Seaworld would be better if you just handed your credit card over at the gate and let them help themselves!

 

[NeverlandClub23]

Seaworld would be better if you just handed your credit card over at the gate and let them help themselves!

So true! I end up spending so much money there and it's mostly on food for THEIR animals! I could spend hours feeding the stingrays . I agree, I think that would be a good deal if you're there for multiple meals. We usually get there at 10-11, eat lunch about 12-1, do everything we want by 5-6 and then get dinner outside or at one of the WDW resorts.

 

[FLOIR]

I went to possibly the Seafire Inn? (next to the pearl divers) and had a burger, fries, Pepsi and carrot cake and that came to over $15. Didn't see any straws for the drinks either.

If it was next to the divers and you had a burger, it was probably Spice Mill

 

[RabFlmom]

Well, Seaworld are doing a $29.99 eat as much as you want all day deal at present, or is this permanent?

I went to possibly the Seafire Inn? (next to the pearl divers) and had a burger, fries, Pepsi and carrot cake and that came to over $15. Didn't see any straws for the drinks either.

I suppose if you got there first thing, and had 2-3 meals, that $29.99 deal would work out well although not sure if it includes drinks at the 6 or so places it can be used at.

Had a cookie and a smoothie from somewhere else as well and that wasn't cheap to say the least.

Seaworld would be better if you just handed your credit card over at the gate and let them help themselves!

AS previous poster stated you probably went to Spice Mill for your lunch. Never had a burger there but their roast beef sandwich was really good and so is the salad.

As for the all you can eat meal deal.....covers 1 entre, side, and drink whenever you go in one of the 6 restaurants. You can get just a drink anytime throughout the day or snacks or eat 6 meals if you want to. It is a good deal if there from 10- in the morning till 6 or 7 and eat lunch and dinner in the park. We usually stay for supper because we like the food there and it is easier than going elsewhere unless we are heading to the MK for fireworks.

As for SW being expensive and just handing over the credit card? Name a vacation spot that involves a theme park that doesn't do the same. LOL We do not pay to get into the Disney parks, but even without going to a sit down meal there we tend to spend a couple hundred dollars for the day and we get a discount at most places there. We have passes for SW so with the meal plan we spend $90 for the 3 of us and that's it unless we buy something in one of the shops.

 

[kathy884]

I personally think for being a theme park, the food at Sea World is quite good. In general I prefer the counter service food here to counter service at Disney. Lines can be long, though, and I think take longer than the Disney lines. One of the earlier posters mentioned the Hospitality House. For getting served cafeteria style, what they offer is pretty decent, and I've also found that this place is less crowded than it used to be when they offered free beer (making it a pretty good choice). I find the seating comfortable too, and depending on the time of year like the break sitting down inside too (just like an earlier poster mentioned). There is outdoor seating also. I think the BBQ place and Mango Joe's are half way decent too (Again I'm talking for a theme park). I travel high season and think the lines go awfully slow at both these places, though, and there is only outside dining. (My food standards for a theme park may be lower than some of you -- Our local theme park is Six Flags, and they have absolutely horrible overpriced food that I avoid whenever I can, making all of the Sea World food selections a "breath of fresh air".)

 

[f86sabjf]

if we're pulling an allday trip we eat breakfast at home or the Bakery at Sea world. The we eats at Sharks Grill around 130pm by the time we finish most of the heat and crowds start thinning a bit. That will usually get us through the day. Oh yeah another stop at the bakery on the way out for the next days breakfast and a cup of hot cocoa . We've had great food at the Hospitality house as well . We avoid the Seafire Inn like the plague. We've never gotten a decent meal out of there and finally gave up.

 

[Minnie's Mate]

I'm taking my son with his Cub Scout Pack to SW in February. This is the spend the night in Sea World program and pizza will be provided for the evening meal and I believe breakfast is included on the Saturday morning. We will spend the day Saturday in SW but will probably not tour the park as a group so we will be on our own.

It sounds like the Shark Grill might be the restaurant with the fewest complaints on this thread so that might be our choice for lunch. Do I need to make reservations since it will just be the two of us or will we be able to walk in the last weekend of President's week? Also, is their meal plan really worth $30 and is it the same price for children (9 yrs. old) or is it cheaper for kids? And what would be a good second choice for dinner. We will be leaving SW and going to my Mom's in the Villages an hour north of Orlando so I thought we would just eat in the park before we left.

Thanks for any advise you might can offer. My wife and I went to Sea World in Dec. 1997 and that is the only time I have been to SW.
I'm taking my son with his Cub Scout Pack to SW in February. This is the spend the night in Sea World program and pizza will be provided for the evening meal and I believe breakfast is included on the Saturday morning. We will spend the day Saturday in SW but will probably not tour the park as a group so we will be on our own.

It sounds like the Shark Grill might be the restaurant with the fewest complaints on this thread so that might be our choice for lunch. Do I need to make reservations since it will just be the two of us or will we be able to walk in the last weekend of President's week? Also, is their meal plan really worth $30 and is it the same price for children (9 yrs. old) or is it cheaper for kids? And what would be a good second choice for dinner. We will be leaving SW and going to my Mom's in the Villages an hour north of Orlando so I thought we would just eat in the park before we left.

Thanks for any advise you might can offer. My wife and I went to Sea World in Dec. 1997 and that is the only time I have been to SW.

 

[RabFlmom]

IMHO if you are going to be there all day and eat lunch and dinner in the park, I would get the all you can eat all day meal plan. I would skip Sharks-will cost you almost the same for that one meal. Kids do get a few dollars off on the plan and can eat the adult menus. It covers all your drinks and snacks for the day, too as long as you get them at the 6 restaurants included in it.

We generally get the BBQ for lunch or dinner from Voyagers( about $20 a piece) and then decide whether to have fajitas( about $10 a piece) which are really good from Mango Joes or sandwiches ( can't remember price of sandwiches cost($8.99? but they are huge) from the hospitality house or Spice Mill which are really good. During the day we probably get about 4 bottles of water each($2.50-$2.75 a shot if buying), a couple sodas(figure at least $2.50-$3 for them) , and fruit( around $3) several times in addition to the 2 meals so it is well worth the money to us. For theme park food it is as good as the sit down food at Disney restaurants IMHO.
Meals may be a little more expensive, but they aren't usually just burgers and fries at the curb service restaurants at SW. We like the variety.

OP asked about a snack not to miss......not exclusive to SW and not covered in the All day meal plan----I love the strawberry waffle cones and the bakery has some really good treats, too.

 

[lilys.mom]

Along these same lines we were thinking about heading to downtown disney for dinner after our day at sea world...my husband loves rainforest for some reason...anyways how far is DTD from sea world???? had also thought about doing dine w shamu lunch...we have a DD who is 3??? any opinions.......please! Thanks.