Ready take a trip over to Orlando’s marine-inspired park and need a few SeaWorld tips to get you started?
SeaWorld is a great Orlando theme park that is not only excellent for a family vacation, but perfect for a solo trip! Located just off Interstate 4 and the Beachline Express, you’ll be welcomed by the easy going vibe of this aquatic park. SeaWorld will invite you in with its Caribbean, Polynesian, and even Arctic themes felt throughout the park.
Upon entering the theme park, you’ll be treated with colorful flamingos and even baby dolphins with their mothers.
This sets the tone for an amazing day ahead of you!
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If you’re thinking about doing a theme park day at SeaWorld then you’ll want to follow my best tips below.
Manta at SeaWorld
Try to arrive 30-minutes prior to park opening. It’s the best way to maximize your day, especially if you’re trying to do it all in one day.
If you’re not native to the state, then you may not know that Florida’s weather is mostly hot and humid except for the beautiful months of December, January, February, and March.
The lush greenery area by the Dolphin Encounter or the area near Turtle Trek are two serene sitting places you’ll want to take a quick break at during your day.
This tip is especially important for anyone who is not a fan of huge crowds.
Quiet view of SeaWorld’sMako and Kraken roller coasters.
To prevent frustration, I suggest avoiding holidays, the weekends, and the summer. This is the time that both locals and tourists flood the park. Check out the Undercover Tourist crowd calendar to find the best days to go.
SeaWorld App
Map out the day prior to your visit by downloading the SeaWorld app. This is a great way to make a note of your must do’s and is also a wonderful way to help you see and experience as much as you can if you’re only there for a short visit.
Having the park app will allow you to view the map and get familiar with the layout of SeaWorld Orlando.
Try to get to SeaWorld early and park in the regular parking section. The parking situation at SeaWorld isn’t terrible. Wherever you end up parking, the walk to the front gate shouldn’t be bad at all.
Undercover Tourist offers great deals on SeaWorld tickets. You can also purchase your tickets directly from SeaWorld’s website prior to your visit.
Also think about becoming a SeaWorld Pass Member. Pass Members at SeaWorld Orlando enjoy some really cool benefits like:
Before you head out to the park, you should know what’s included with your park ticket.
Empire of the Penguin SeaWorld Orlando
Your SeaWorld Orlando ticket will include all rides, shows and exhibits, except for the Paddle Boats and the Arcade games.
All this means is that you don’t have to buy a ticket to attend any particular attraction; they’re all part of your admission.
For one low price, you can get a band that allows you to eat at participating restaurants all day. The All-Day Dining Deal includes 1 entrée, 1 side or dessert, and 1 fountain drink, tea or water for each visit.
Basically, an all-you-can-eat day at the park.
These are the current restaurants included:
You’ll want to plan.
Trust me!
This is my go-to SeaWorld itinerary when I want to do a full, out-of-this world solo theme park day! I also recommend this plan for any first-timers hitting up the park.
On a busy day, mostly in the summer, SeaWorld wait times can get long mainly due to the few thrilling rides to choose from when compared to the other theme parks in Orlando. I recommend purchasing the Signature Show Seating + Quick Queue Unlimited.
Reserved one time seats at the following shows and unlimited front-of-the-line access to the most popular rides listed below:
Prices start at $28 per person and can go up depending on the crowd level.
Upgrade your day and do one of SeaWorld’s behind-the-scenes theme park tours. It allows you to get up close and personal with all the unique aquatic life in the park.
SeaWorld Orlando has some of the most intriguing tours in Orlando. I have quite a few that I like and want to do on my SeaWorld bucket list.
Sharks Up-Close Tour Starting at $15.00
You will be able to touch a small shark and learn fact from fiction about the diversity of sharks.
Penguin Up-Close Tour Starting at $69.00 for adults
A 45-minute walking tour about what it takes to care for penguins.
Dolphin Up-Close Tour Starting at $45.00 for adults
A 60-minute tour where you will have the chance to interact with Atlantic bottlenose dolphins.
Behind-the-Scenes Tour Starting at $29.00 for adults
A 75-minute tour on how rescued manatees and sea turtles are cared for.
Private VIP Tour Starting at $199.00
The Private VIP Tour provides your group with its own SeaWorld tour guide for up to 7 hours. It includes insider tips from an expert guide, front-of-line access and reserved seating to rides and shows.
Expedition SeaWorld®: A Guided Tour Starting at $79.00 for adults.
A 6-hour expert guide through SeaWorld. You will also enjoy reserved seats at three of the most popular shows, front-of-the-line access before and after your guided tour, All-Day Dine and more.
Ever thought about dining with sharks?
SeaWorld’s hidden gem
You can do it here and still walk out the restaurant in one piece. The Underwater Grill serves delicious seafood, but I’m a bigger fan of sitting at the bar and enjoying the peacefulness of watching the sharks glide while I sip on my adult beverage.
Explore SeaWorld and learn about the many different animals in this park. There’s a wide variety of sea life all within the gates. Many of the animals are tough to see in your lifetime, so I love how SeaWorld makes sure they educate you on each animal residing in the park.
They also have a strong commitment to conservation by providing financial and scientific support to organizations focused on animal rescue and rehabilitation, conservation education, habitat protection, and species research.
SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund has donated more than $14 million, supporting animal conservation projects on all seven continents across the globe, including coral reef restoration, preventing coastal erosion, habitat protection and simply keeping our oceans clean.
SeaWorld Orlando has some of the best theme park shows you’ll see in the city. They also have their show schedule down to a science. The shows starting from the front of the gate are usually scheduled shortly after each other from the front to back of the park.
One Ocean Show at SeaWorld Orlando
I recommend starting with a show towards the latter part of the part to avoid the crowd.
Each show is a mix of animal training, high-energy performance, and education. You’ll want to get there early to secure your perfect spot!
SeaWorld Orlando has so many nooks and crannies with opportunities to chat with team members. You’ll love just exploring what they have to offer and I guarantee you will leave there with some kind of new information you learned.
SeaWorld has one water attraction with another one opening later this year.
SeaWorld Orlando Journey to Atlantis
This exciting flume roller coaster hybrid allows you to travel through dark, watery passageways inside the sunken city before being thrown down a thrilling plunge into the waters below.
SeaWorld’s all-new river ride Infinity Falls will have you rushing through the rapids as you climb aboard your raft for a journey of discovery down a lost jungle river. According to SeaWorld, you will plunge down the tallest drop of its kind into churning whitewater ending your adventure at Harmony Village.
Do you know what’s in my SeaWorld bag?
If it’s a short day, then I will have my iPhone, lip gloss, sunglasses, hand sanitizer, and mints.
Overall, SeaWorld is a spectacular theme park to visit on your next Orlando vacation. I hope my favorite SeaWorld tips help you out on your next solo or family trip! If you have any additional questions, please feel free to leave them in the comments below.
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Want more theme park tips? Check out the theme park tips page. If you’re thinking about going to Disney alone, then read the top 18 tips. Are you planning an Orlando vacation soon? Read the Orlando Vacation Planning Guide for your next dream trip!
Don’t forget to discover the new magical and mysterious Disney adventure of Pandora – The World of Avatar at Animal Kingdom® Theme Park.
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JOIN NIKKYJ ON THIS SOLO THEME PARK JOURNEY NikkyJ is the author of The Solo Theme Park Traveler's Guide who loves ALL things amusement park related. She was born and raised in Florida which attributed to her passion for theme parks. Instead of rushing over to the thrill rides, like she used to, you may find her in the Italy Pavilion at Epcot enjoying a nice glass of Pinot Noir and a delightful book! NikkyJ enjoys traveling solo to theme parks and wants to show you how you can overcome any of your fears and TAKE THE SOLO THEME PARK CHALLENGE!
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2 Comments so far
JaysonPosted on 7:26 pm - Oct 4, 2018
Grew out tips! I’ve always wanted to go to Seaworld.
NikkyJPosted on 2:13 pm - Oct 17, 2018
It’s a fun theme park!