Sea World

SeaWorld Orlando Florida is one of three SeaWorld marine sea life theme parks (or adventure parks as they are now called) in the US, the others being in San Diego, California and San Antonio, Texas. The SeaWorld park at Aurora, Ohio has been sold to Six Flags.

SeaWorld Orlando opened in 1973 just off International Drive, combining a marine wildlife park with very entertaining shows and a few thrill rides. It can easily provide a full days fun and if you have a multi-day pass, then it is well worth a return visit.

Dolphins performing at SeaWorld Orlando Florida

The park is spread over around 200 acres and is effectively split in two by a large lagoon. Most of the attractions are in one area by the main entrance, with the Shamu Stadium® and Happy Harbor, Atlantis Bayside Stadium where the water ski shows are performed and Wild Arctic® on the other side of the lagoon. The park never seems overcrowded and as you walk around, music is piped out of the lush vegetation alongside the pathways which adds to the relaxing atmosphere.

The Waterfront at SeaWorld

Special Tip

Pick up a combined map and entertainment guide when you first enter the park so you can plan out your day and fit meal breaks and rides etc. around the show times

The latest development at SeaWorld Orlando is a 5 acre Mediterranean styled seaport area called The Waterfront at SeaWorld containing a mixture of shops and restaurants. Look out for the street performers, they put on a very fun show. In fact SeaWorld do very well at entertaining their guests, with special pre-show entertainment at most of the main shows to keep you amused while you sit and wait for the show to start.

Shamu Happy Harbor

The Shamu Happy Harbor near the Shamu Stadium is a just-for-kids giant adventure playground where you can allow them to let off steam if they begin to get bored with the rest of the park.

Penguin Encounter

Here you are transported on a 120 ft moving walkway past an Antarctic landscape containing around 200 penguins including king, gentoo, rockhopper and chinstrap. The temperature is kept just below freezing at 30 degrees and over 6000 lbs of snow falls every day.

Pacific Point Preserve

Recreates the rugged Pacific coastline where you can watch California sea lions and harbour seals and see them being fed.

Manatees, the Last Generation

The manatee (or sea cow) is native to the Florida waters and has suffered as a result of damage to its environment and accidents with speed boats. SeaWorld Orlando is proud of its involvement with the rescuing and care for manatees.

Shark Encounter

SeaWorld Orlando boasts the world's largest underwater acrylic tunnel which allows you to pass through a massive aquarium containing many large sharks including hammerheads. Other aquariums contain barracuda, venomous lion fish and moray eels.

Stingray Lagoon & Turtle Point

At the Stingray Lagoon you can feed and touch the stingrays as they glide around a shallow lagoon. Nearby you will find a pool containing large leatherback sea turtles.

Clydesdale Hamlet

The Clydesdale Hamlet is home to the world famous Budweiser Clydesdale shire horses. Close by is the Anheuser-Busch Hospitality Center where you can sample free Anheuser-Busch beer (you must be 21 or over).

SeaWorld Orlando Florida Rides

I guess you could call the SeaWorld Sky Tower the oldest ride at SeaWorld Orlando Florida. Over the last few years, more emphasis has been put into the ride side of the park firstly with the Mission Bermuda Triangle (later revamped as Wild Arctic®) and then Journey to Atlantis® and Kraken®.

Journey to Atlantis

Journey to Atlantis
[courtesy of SeaWorld Orlando]

Journey to Atlantis

Journey to Atlantis opened in 1998 and is a 'watercoaster', a cross between a flume type water boat ride and a roller coaster (to compete with Pirates of the Caribbean and Splash Mountain at Disney Magic Kingdom).

You start your journey in a Greek fishing village with news that the city of Atlantis has risen again and at the beginning the ride is peaceful enough. You are then chased by evil spirits and the boat is lifted up only to plunge back down again. In total there are a series of five lifts interspersed with two major 60 ft flume ride plunges.

The ride lasts about 6 minutes and there is a 42" height requirement. You will get wet so make sure you keep that expensive camera dry !!

Kraken

The latest ride is a steel tracked roller coaster called Kraken® (named after a mythical sea serpent) which is floorless which means the track is still underneath you but your feet are dangling in thin air as you sit on a pedestal seat. Kraken claims to be the tallest, fastest, longest and wildest roller coaster in Orlando.

Special Tip

There are coin operated lockers situated at outside Journey to Atlantis and Kraken where you can place loose or valuable items before going on the rides.

You will get wet on Journey to Atlantis !!

The ride was designed by Bolliger and Mabillard and opened in June 2000. There is 4170 ft of track and you climb to 150 ft above the park before starting the run. Part of the ride is over water before you descend below ground reaching speeds of 65 mph whilst the coaster loops, spirals, twists and dives around the course for a total of three below ground dives and seven inversions.

Wild Arctic

This is a full motion simulator helicopter ride where you 'journey' to Base Station Wild Arctic® in the arctic circle. Needless to say things do not go to plan and you soon experience perils along the way as you become caught up in a snowstorm. The ride is good but somehow it lacks the fun and style of the Star Tours ride at Disney MGM Studios.

Base Station Wild Arctic is billed as a high-tech research station built around the hull of a 19th century exploration ship. After disembarking you can see polar bears, beluga whales and walruses amongst other exhibits. If you are not up to going on the ride or the queues are too long you can still visit Base Station Wild Arctic by just bypassing the ride.

SeaWorld Sky Tower

The Sky Tower is a dominant landmark both within the park and the surroundings as you drive towards SeaWorld. The 400 foot tower was built when the park first opened in 1973. It has recently been transformed as the centrepiece of the all-new Tower Island and is now surrounded by an ancient stone fortress and a bar overlooking the harbour at The Waterfront at SeaWorld.

It takes six minutes for the capsule that encircles the tower to slowly rotate all the way to the top and back down again. On a clear day you can see downtown Orlando and other area attractions from the top.

SeaWorld Orlando Florida Shows

SeaWorld has got a good balance between exhibits, thrill rides and entertainment in the form of various 'not to be missed' shows running throughout each day. Most shows feature a pre-show to while away the time before the actual show starts.

Do not be disappointed if the animals do not perform as intended, at the end of the day if a killer whale is not in the mood then there is not a lot anyone can do to persuade it otherwise. Sometimes shows are curtailed.

The Believe Shamu Show

When anyone thinks of SeaWorld they think of killer whales and the long running Shamu Adventure was relaunched on May 11, 2006 as the new 30 minute "Believe" show featuring giant video screens all set to a musical score.

Dolphins peforming in the Blue Horizons show

Dolphins performing in the Blue Horizons show

The new video screens move from side to side and rotate during the show, displaying movies and images from above and below the water, giving you amazing views of the action.

The action is set to an orchestral score and tells the story of a young boy who dreams of killer whales. As you watch the boy paddling his canoe out into the ocean on the new giant movable video screens at the start of the show, a killer whale jumps out of the water in the stadium, right on cue; truly incredible timing.

Interspersed with the jumps, somersaults and dives of the whales and their trainers, are testimonials from several of the trainers. For a lot of the show, two whales with their trainers perform synchronised moves, diving deeper and jumping higher than ever before, the trainers cartwheeling through the air after being projected out of the water on the noses of the whales.

Don't forget that if you see in the first 20 or so rows of the stadium then you are likely to get very wet !!

If you have a multi-day pass to SeaWorld, then it makes a great end to the day in conjunction with the firework show.

Special Tip

Remember to arrive at least 20 minutes before the Clyde and Seamore show starts as a mime artist entertains the waiting guests basically by making fun of late arrivals in a particularly non-PC way!!

Clyde and Seamore Take Pirate Island

The Clyde and Seamore show has been through a number of incarnations including a hotel and cavemen. This time it involves lost treasure, pirates and misadventure, but the format remains the same; a mix of corny humour, slapstick comedy and good old fashioned getting wet. Clyde and Seamore, the sea lions are ably assisted by animal trainers, an otter and the latest addition to the cast, a harbour seal.

Blue Horizons

SeaWorld's Key West Dolphin Stadium has now re-opened as Blue Horizons. This new 20 minute show is is much more of a theatrical experience along the lines of Cirque du Soleil and is set to a musical score performed by the Seattle Symphony Orchestra. It tells the story of a young girl, Marina who dreams of swimming with Delphis the spirit of the sea and flying through the clouds with Aurora, the spirit of the sky.

Whilst the Atlantic bottle-nose dolphins and false killer whales jump and dive and interact with the trainers, exotic birds such as macaws, a giant Andean condor and sun conures soar overhead. The cast also includes platform divers, gymnasts on aerial trapezes and wires and bungee jumpers who shoot gracefully in and out of the water, all dressed in ornate costumes representing the sea and the sky.

Pets Ahoy!

A animal circus show where upwards of 100 animals including cats, dogs, birds, rats, skunks and pot-bellied pigs perform tricks such as jumping, hire-wire walking and dune buggy riding. Most of the animals have been rescued from animal shelters.