As we were planning our Florida vacation, we knew that the Disney princesses and LEGOLAND were high on our Mini Macaronis' wish list. But, another place that we chose to add was SeaWorld Orlando.
I do follow the news, but I also know that our 6-year-old has long been fascinated by the ocean and its creatures. Whether it's reading books, watching the Oceans DVD or Planet Earth series on TV, he's riveted by sharks and whales. What better place to take him than to see all of these magnificent animals up close.
We started with the path that led to Stingray Lagoon - animals they had seen before at aquariums we have visited, but they were still excited to get hands-on. You could choose to feed the rays, touch them or just watch. We all admired the different sizes, colors and patterns, showing how different nature can be within the same animal.
A couple of notes about this area that also applies to Dolphin Cove. Younger kids will have trouble reaching into the pools, so be prepared to help hold them, and for clothing to get a little wet as the walls are usually wet and the animals like to splash!
Turtle Trek was an attraction my husband was looking forward to and was a very cool opportunity to learn more about sea turtles.
Another highlight is their new attraction, Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin which opened recently. This attraction features a short ride (similar to the ride at Hershey's Chocolate World) that has options you could choose: one in which your car rocks/spins, or just a regular gentle ride. Our family split up and did both and those that rocked/spun said it still was pretty gentle.
During the ride, you meet an adorable character penguin and see short clips of his life. At the end of the ride, you enter into SeaWorld's version of Antarctica (and yes, the exhibit is COLD, so grab jackets or sweatshirts!).
The highlight for my Mini Macaronis though was Dolphin Cove, where they had the opportunity to feed and pet the dolphins. We went there early in the morning, not realizing that there are only special feeding times and that you need to arrive early to guarantee a spot. There is also a separate fee for each person participating, although one chaperone is allowed in free with a young child.
If you're aren't feeding the dolphins, you still can get up close and take great photos, but may not have the chance to actually touch one. If your party separates, and you have a long lens on your camera, you can get good photos across the cove. If you're taking young children to do this, be aware of the birds in that area that love to go after your fish!
And what would a visit to SeaWorld be without a visit to see their orcas. Shamu Stadium was under renovation during our visit, but we had an even cooler experience - getting to see them up close underwater. We saw a female with her calf and two other whales participating in what they called melon bumping that is a behavior seen when they are in the wild as well.
There is plenty more to see at SeaWorld Orlando, like sharks, sea lions and shows, plus a variety of rides, including Shamu's Happy Harbor for little ones. We did take time to ride Journey to Atlantis at the end of the day, a tall log flume ride, and so glad we did. I won't spoil the fun if you haven't ridden it before, but you can come out varying degrees of wet!
We ate two meals in the park, lunch at the Spice Mill (my favorite of the two) and dinner at the Seafire Inn. Both places had good food and kid-friendly options like pasta, chicken tenders and hamburgers, while also offering a variety of choices for adults. SeaWorld does offer an All Day Dining Plan, and we were able to add that to our tickets that we had purchased ahead of time through AAA and it was definitely a money saver for us.
Throughout the park, navigation was fairly simple, although it is a long walk from one end to another, so plan your day strategically. You may also want to consider a stroller for preschoolers who normally might not need one. There is a SeaWorld app that can help you navigate the park and find the nearest food and restrooms.
Learn more about SeaWorld Orlando by visiting their website.
Disclosure: I received some complimentary tickets to SeaWorld Orlando to facilitate this review. However, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
