Is SeaWorld Worth It?
- Beverly
- Oct 30, 2019
- 4 min read
Having grown up going to Disney World for most family vacations, I often wondered if any of the smaller theme parks were worth a visit. Disney sets the bar so high, it’s difficult for other parks to compete.
Of course the question “Is it worth it?” depends on several variables including who you are, who you are travelling with, what your budget is, how much time you have for your vacation, and what types of experiences you enjoy.
Last year I finally decided to give SeaWorld a try. In this post I’m going to give an overview of the park, a few planning tips, and some things I learned, so you can decide if SeaWorld Orlando is worth it to YOU :)
What Type of Ticket Should I Buy?
As you would expect, one option is to purchase a 1 day ticket to the SeaWorld park.
But what you may not know is that SeaWorld Entertainment owns more than just SeaWorld. It also has a nearby waterpark called Aquatica, AND it owns Busch Gardens Tampa and its waterpark Adventure Island. When you book your tickets through you can save money by bundling admission for 2, 3, or all 4 Florida parks. Prices vary based on season so I’ll link the SeaWorld ticket page below.
And if you are a Florida Resident, I would suggest taking a look at the annual pass options. The prices are really quite reasonable and you get some nice perks like parking and dining discounts and even free tickets for guests. And if you want to go all out, the Platinum Pass gives you access to all 11 parks across the U.S.!
How Much Time Should I Plan to Spend at SeaWorld?
Answers to this question are probably going to vary the most. As I mentioned before, it depends on weather, crowd levels, who you are going with, and what type of attractions you would like to do.
The big question is – Do you want to see the shows? Live entertainment is a huge part of the SeaWorld experience. According to their website, shows average 20-25 minutes each. So if you plan to do all 5 shows that’s easily 2 ½ hours of your day, probably more because you’ll have some walking time in between shows and some time getting seated and waiting for them to start.
Billy and I are all about the rides; we actually did not watch a single show during our visit! Crazy, I know! Some people come to SeaWorld JUST to see the whales and dolphins. But everybody’s different. Hence the need for this post.
On a low crowd day, we spent a half day at the park and felt like we did everything we wanted to – all the rides, a few walk through animal experiences, a meal, and a quick look in the shops. If you’re a roller coaster enthusiast and are just here for the rides, you can probably do it in half a day like we did.
On the other hand, if you are excited about both the rides and the shows, or have small children, or like to take a slower pace, or are going on a high crowd day, or want to spend considerable time taking photos and buying souvenirs – any of these factors could easily put you at a full day.
Beyond that, I don’t see many scenarios in which you would need 2 days. Unless you are going during peak season (middle of summer, spring break, or Christmas) and aren’t able to fit everything into 1 day due to crowd levels. Or if you’ve booked a tour (we’ll talk about those shortly).
In my opinion, the average family is going to want to do 1 full day at SeaWorld Orlando.
Attraction Fast Facts
SeaWorld has 3 major types of attractions – rides, shows, and animal experiences.
Rides: 3 roller coasters, 3 water rides, 3 family rides, plus Sesame Street Land filled with lots of attractions and play areas for kids
Shows: 5 shows featuring dolphins, whales, sea lions, and pets
Animal Experiences: 13+ animal viewing areas featuring dolphins, penguins, manatees, stingrays, sea lions, turtles, sharks, fish, birds, and more!
Ticket Add-Ons
A standard single day ticket to SeaWorld gives you access to the whole park and is definitely sufficient for a day of fun. But it’s worth mentioning that there are several experiences that are not included with admission. If you want to take part in any of the following, be sure to add them on when purchasing your tickets.
Sky Tower: Take a ride to the top of this 400 foot tall observation tower, located inside the park. Rides are $5 per person and can be purchased at the Sky Tower location.
Dine with Killer Whales: Make an advance reservation for a dining experience at Shamu Stadium.
Quick Queue: Similar to Universal’s Express Pass, Quick Queue will allow you to skip the lines at select attractions. BUT, before you make this purchase consider (1) what time of year you will be visiting and (2) which attractions accept Quick Queue.
If the lines are already going to be short, there’s no need to spend money on Quick Queue. I recommend checking an online crowd calendar like this one.
Check the list of Quick Queue attractions below to make sure you can use it on the rides you are wanting to experience.
Animal Tours: Go behind the scenes to meet and learn about the animals. There are tons of different options for Animal Tours, link below. Availability is limited so you’ll want to make your reservation well in advance.
What Do You Think?
Is SeaWorld worth it? Let me know if you’re planning a trip or if you’ve been before and have tips to share!
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