As a family of ocean and wildlife lovers, we’ve always loved SeaWorld because of its exotic motif and the chance to see a wonderful collection of ocean-based wildlife. I mean, where else can you watch 50-100 penguins hang out, pretending to be statues, pet a stingray, or hang out with dolphins and sharks?
Better yet though, is the fact that SeaWorld, Orlando, isn’t just for animal lovers, as there are also several roller coasters, playgrounds, and live shows.
Roller Coaster Fun
We started our “Day at Sea” at the Manta Ray, which is a new coaster built near the entrance for kids and adults 52″ and up. Upon first glance, the Manta Ray appears as any other coaster does, slightly menacing, but full of fun. It wasn’t until we heard the screams that we noticed the riders weren’t sitting upright, but were face forward in the manner that Superman flies through the sky. We had to do this one!
Although we waited around 45 minutes to get in our seats, it felt like much less, mostly because of the air conditioned waiting area and the multitude of manta ray filled aquariums. This was one of my favorite aquarium areas in the park, and would later prove to be my favorite line as well.
Once we got seated and saw the attendant give the thumbs up, we were instanly hoisted in the air, face forward, and sent like a rocket through a mix of loops, turns, and drops; it was an awesome ride.
Up Close with the Animals
Ready to continue our adventure, we spent the next several hours hanging out with stingrays, dolphins, manatees, and penguins.
These exhibits are great because they get you up close and personal, while also giving you a chance to go underground (where the air is heavily cooled) and watch through the glass. The cold air was a welcome relief to the hot summer sun.
Near the end of our journey, we decided to take a Journey to Atlantis, which was a fun water read in the middle of the park. I’ll admit, had we known we’d spend 90 minutes waiting in the sun, we probably would have chosen a show instead, but in the end, we wound up enjoying the ride, as we got a little wet and got to take not 1, but 2, steep drops into the water.
My recommendation for this one is to get in line earlyor wait until the evening when the sun is less menacing. It will make for a better wait.
We finished our day with a walk along the water, which is my favorite part of the park. With Shamu Stadium on one side, and a gorgeous lake on the other, there was a great open air view of the park in all its majesty.
We were hot, tired, and slightly sore, but it was a great end to the day. Would we visit SeaWorld again? Absolutely, in fact, we plan on buying season passes when we finally arrive in Florida for good.
Final recommendations:
If you’re looking for some inexpensive food and drink, grab pizza from Seaside Pizza, which is both cheap and good. If you’re looking to save money on drinks, buy the big Shamu cup and take advantage of the $1 refills on soda and free refills on water. You can’t beat it.
