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I've spent a total of 3-1/2 days in the Orlando park, most recently in October 2000. This section is based on those trips and feedback from many area residents and frequent visitors (thank you all!). Since I have no continuous exposure to this park I can only fine-tune the information based upon the input of others.
On my visits, I covered the park from a visitor's perspective. I've also spent time talking to employees throughout the park, which was invaluable in providing a lot of the Florida content. Since I'm most familiar with the San Diego park (noted as SWSD throughout this section of the guide), some of the descriptions will be comparison-contrast.
Note: Prices shown here are as listed on my most recent visit. Use them as a general reference. If you find them to be different on your trip, please send me feedback so I can update them. Where you see prices in the form $44 (35), the first price is for adults (10 and older); the price in parenthesis is for children 3-9. Children 2 and under are not charged for park admission, tours, or for the Polynesian Luau.
The Orlando area is a major tourist destination. Most vacationers are there for Disney World and go to Sea World as an off-day trip. Popular lodging choices are on International Drive, Highway 192, or on Disney Resort property. The local attractions are spread out over a very large radius relative to each other. You may be more than 15 miles away from Sea World if you're on Disney property or staying in one of the economy hotels on 192.
Sea World is about 8 miles northeast of the Disney Resort. Most larger area hotels have a shuttle that services Sea World (and Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure). This may be your best option. During the Summer months, parking can be difficult. It's nice to be dropped off right next to the front gate. The downsise is that the shuttle's schedule may not fit with yours. Taxi rides are another alternative but will be fairly costly; fugre about $25 from the Disney Resort area.
Ok, so maybe you're going to drive, since you went to the trouble to rent a car. From the North (near Universal Studios area), it is most convenient to go South on International Drive. Directional signs guiding you to the park are sparse, and in the confusion of trying to figure out what other drivers are doing on I-drive, you may miss your turn-off. If you have a passenger (or several), appoint the person riding shotgun as the official Sea World navigator, whose duty is to watch the signs.
For those arriving from the South, it is much less complicated. There is a Sea World offramp from the Eastbound I-4 that drops you off quite close to the entrance. Turn right and follow the easy to find signs.
Sea World's Sky Tower is visible for some distance and serves as a good landmark for your approach. If you are unfamiliar with the area, I suggest you stop at your hotel's front desk for directions both for driving to the park and for your return. If you're reading this section before you leave on your vacation, stop by the Auto Club office and pick up an Orlando area map; you'll find it indispensible.
Regular parking is $6. Preferred parking is available for double that. I don't mind a short walk if it means I can save half the price of lunch; besides, if you get there early you'll get a decent space. For those stuck in the farther reaches of the parking lot, you'll be happy to learn that tram service is provided.
General admission is $47.95 plus tax for adults ($50.35 total), $38.95 for children 3-9 (41.29 total). Admission is half price if you are an annual pass holder at any other Anheuser-Busch theme park.
Sea World Orlando has been featuring a second day free ticket offer; validation is at the Annual Pass Processing Center just inside the entrance gates. You may return at no charge (other than for parking) any time within seven days after your first visit. Such a deal! By, the way, this applies to discounted admissions as well, so those of you who hold passes at other A-B parks can enjoy Sea World for only $12.50 a day! The Second Day Free program may be a limited-time offer.
Annual passes are $75 plus tax for adults, $65 for kids. They also have a combo pass for Sea World and Busch Gardens Tampa for $119.95 ($104.95 kids), and a $149.95 ($139.95) pass that adds the Adventure Country water park across the street from Busch Gardens. Additionally, they offer multi-day Orlando FlexTickets that are good at Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, and Wet 'n' Wild water park. Prices vary.
An Impressive Entrance
As you approach the entrance gates, the first thing you will notice is a beautiful harbor scene to the left. This exhibit partially extends into the area near the shuttle drop-off area. Look closely and you may see animals in the water. No, they're not real, but they do make for a nice photo opportunity before you even enter the park. Nice touch!
After you get through the gate, you walk through a seaport fishing village setting consisting of shops plying various wares such as souvenirs and ice cream. I didn't feel that this was in-your-face marketing, though. It was instead quite charming that they made it all fit so well.
The first thing I noticed was how many trees there are. Trees and foliage restrict the view around the park to about 300 feet in any direction, except around the lagoon. This was actually pleasant; it made the park feel much more like part of the surroundings, more like a city park.
Make your first stop the information desk to pick up a park map. Their Information Center is the home of Tour Reservations (to the left) and Dining Information (to the right) as well. If you're interested in eating at Bimini Bay Café (one of my favorites), make your priority seating reservation early; they fill up quickly.
While I was there, I talked at some length to the person at the Tour Reservation counter. There are four different behind-the-scenes tours. Tours are scheduled to last 1 hour and cost $6.95 for adults, $5.95 for children. Annual Passholders pay half the posted price. I have been on the first two of the below listed tours:
Of course, tours are subject to change. They have been changing the format and length of the tours according to guest interest.
You can also make reservations here for Beer School. This topic is one of my political hotspots.
Special note: Tours are accessible to those with disabilities. Be sure to inform the person at the tour counter so they can make the appropriate arrangements. For example, the Polar tour includes a backstage bus ride from Wild Arctic to the Penguin Encounter. The accessible buses have a chair lift on the driver's side.
They also have something called Adventure Express. It is a 5-1/2 hour experience that supposedly encompasses many of the elements of the other tours. In addition, you get front of the line privileges for Journey to Atlantis and Wild Arctic, reserved seats for the Shamu show and your choice of the Dolphin or Sea Lion show, and free food for the animals at the Key West exhibit. $55 per person, no AP discounts apply. By showing the information flyer they give you at the parking booth (it also has coupons for nearby attractions), you can save $5. None of these perks have particular appeal to me, and it is a bit too expensive for my tastes, so I can't tell you that it's worth it.
At the right side of the information counter is the Dining Information section. Here you can get priority seating for Bimini Bay Café, as well as making arrangements for the nightly Polynesian Luau from 6:30 - 8:45. See the Food section for more information.
Special note: Vegetarian selections are available at virtually every eating location. Most of them are NOT listed on the menu. An inquiry at the information booth will yield a single-sheet page of the entrees available and where they can be found (though they had none in October). While not extensive, it is more than just dinner salads. Even the Luau can accommodate those wishing to not eat meat. Vegans, however, are more limited as many of the meat-free dishes are not devoid of animal products (cheese, etc). I will post the vegetarian menu selections in the near future.
After seeing how the Florida park cares about those with special dietary concerns, I have sent a couple of nasty-grams to the San Diego park, hoping they will adopt a similar policy. I'm still waiting.
The Shows
Everyone is going to have their own opinion of the shows. Obviously the descriptions I give will be full of personal bias. I try to mention the types of animals used in the show, insofar as I know. The shows are listed in alphabetical order.
Disabled guest accessible areas for shows are not the greatest. Expect a lot of ramp climbing. There are a few spaces in the lower levels at each stadium, but the view is much better from the elevated positions. Some seating is available right in the front, in the SOAK ZONE. Be aware of this if your are steered there but would prefer to stay dry! One welcome change has recently taken place at Shamu Stadium, where the entire walkway (between the upper and lower seating areas) has been reworked to add accessible seating.
Awnings are provided at all of the show arenas. A majority of the seats are in the shade. Depending upon the time of day and the season, the shaded areas will change. The upper level seats are all in the shade. Most of the Soak Zone is uncovered.
One of the niceties at this park: The length of each show is listed on the park map. This is quite helpful in planning your day.
This show is both cute and funny; in my opinion this is the best show in the park. I won't give away the plot, not even spoilers, but I'll tell you that you don't want to miss this show. Arrive at least 15 minutes before show time both to secure a decent seat and to catch the pre-show.
This show features sea lions and an Asian Small-clawed River Otter.
This show is a Polynesian-style dance show. Audience participation is solicited, beware!
This show features various highly-skilled performers performing stunts on the water (skis, jet-skis) and land (bicycle tricks and acrobatics). Its plot centers on an Extreme Games theme. The bits I saw in passing were largely similar to the show in San Diego, which I don't care for, so I've not taken the time to watch it. This does not mean the show is a must-miss. It is fairly popular, and I have heard glowing reports from those who like this sort of thing.
A group of dolphins and whales jump and splash for your entertainment. The show is enjoyable; it's incredible to see just how high these guys can jump. Still, don't expect any deep meaning from this show. There is no plot. :-)
They have a "caretaker" for their lighthouse who warms up the crowd before the show. He also serves as the show's announcer. A surprise occurs during the show, but I won't give it away. Sit in the first 5 rows if you want to get soaked on a hot Summer's day.
This show features Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins and False Killer Whales (Pseudorca Crassidens). Note: This show was down for rehabilitation in early October. Just before then, all of the bottlenose dolphins had been moved across the street to Discovery Cove. I suspect by now the show is back to normal.
This venue does not seem to host a permanent show. In August 1999, they had Commander Ecology's Awesome Adventure playing. They now have Cirque De La Mer. Cirque's name makes it sound like it will be an adaptation of Cirque du Soleil. It's not, but it is loosely based on the concept. It's mostly a variety-type show, with dancing, tumbling, and singing. There are some who rather enjoy the show.
In my opinion, this show is not very good. The worst part is the mime who has a whistle that he blows constantly as the theatre is loading. This is how he "talks." 15 minutes of this, and you're ready to lynch him. It's a nice way to sit down and cool off for half an hour or so, but otherwise I suggest you not go out of your way to see this show. Do see it if you have time in your day's touring.
This show uses trained dogs, cats, birds, and a pot-bellied pig to entertain the crowd. We've all seen dogs that can roll over on cue, but have you ever seen a cat do likewise? There are lots of surprises in this show, but the biggest one may be that the animals in this show were rescued from local animal shelters. They were for the most part considered "untrainable." Ha. A very cute show that surprised me by how good it is. Not quite a must-see.
Jack Hanna is the narrator of this show, whose premise is to educate the public about the habitat and lifestyle of Orcinus Orca, the killer whale. Video is used extensively throughout, with the whales (actually, they are dolphins, but that's another topic) performing behaviors similar to those shown on-screen. Plus, they jump and splash a lot, which is what people really want to see. Don't search for a plot, but do arrive at least 30 minutes prior to showtime to search for a seat.
This show features killer whales.
Sea World Florida claims to have the biggest killer whale stadium in the world at 6.5 million gallons, including the backstage holding tanks and the Shamu Close Up area.
Note: Since I visited in August of 1999, the disabled access has much improved. There are seating areas immediately behind the lower viewing area along the entire width of the theatre, all of them under the cover of the awning. This is the most spectacular accommodation I have yet seen at a Sea World park. There is only one downside: If they send out Tilie, their largest whale, to splash the audience you WILL get wet if you are seated in this area. The safest place in the theatre is on the far right as you face the stage.
The Florida park has two nighttime shows this Summer. Darn, I was hoping for a version of Sea Lions Tonight...
This show is vaguely similar to the daytime show, only set to Rock and Roll. Synopsis: Whales. Jumping. Rock n' Roll. Party atmosphere. Fun. No educational value, but none is needed.
As with the daytime show, Killer Whales are featured.
This show is held on the lagoon, in front of the water ski stadium. The background theme of the show is somewhat lost for most people. There are, however, abundant laser and pyro effects that make it worth watching. Part of the show involves projecting film images onto a water screen (just like Disney's Fantasmic! show). The setup is good to the point that you can see the film well even from seats on the far sides of the stadium on the top level. If it's playing, it is worth watching.
Sea World Florida has several small shows featuring musicians, jugglers, and more at venues that are scattered around the park. The performance areas and times are not mentioned on the park map except in the most vague terms. There are boards located next to the performance areas with show times.
I saw portions of a few of the shows, and heard some of the bands. Not much to say about them, good or bad, other than it was typical atmosphere stuff. They make for a welcome diversion.
Special note: Wild birds in the vicinity of the attractions that sell animal food are very aggressive and can really hurt you. I have personally seen a seagull draw blood in its attempt to steal a fish. ALWAYS keep your food covered, even when walking from the food booth to the interaction area. The best method is to use a short section of paper towel wrapped around the food tray, which doubles as something to use to wipe the slime off your hands. Also, especially at the dolphin and sea lion exhibits, NEVER hold the fish above the water in an attempt to get the animals to jump or perform other tricks. At best, you will agitate the animal (you ARE teasing it, after all). It may bite you. It may decide to take its frustration out on the other animals in the exhibit. You will likely lose your food (deservedly so, in my opinion) to a bird flying up from behind - they're pros at this. Please, keep the animal food in the water where it belongs.
Exhibits are listed in the order you will encounter them when circling the perimeter of the park in a counterclockwise fashion, starting from the entrance.
Animal food, where available, is $3.00, two trays for $5. A $1 discount is given to Sea World Florida passholders.
This is an onstage pool where juvenile dolphins and their mothers are put on public display. There is no opportunity for guest interaction, but there is a handler that is there to answer questions and occasionally interact with the dolphins. While I watched, he first put in a small basketball, then a boat bumper. Besides the cute factor for the viewing public, this allows the mother dolphin to teach her calf how to play.
The dolphins are mostly in the shade, but there is little shelter available for the public and what is there is set back from the tank.
This is a really neat aquarium, with fish from around the world. Many of them are exotic and/or dangerous species, such as pufferfish and seahorses. What I thought would be a 5-minute walkthrough has been a 30 minute visit ever time I've been to this park.
They have three animal exhibits combined into one area known as Key West. Here you will find a viewing area of several sea turtle species, a hands-on stingray and bat ray exhibit (with food available), and a dolphin interaction area (food available). Each of these is listed separately below.
This area has two separate pools containing about 5 or 6 different species of sea turtles. Several interpretive signs in the area identify the different species so you can pick out each one. An exhibit in a small hut shows the effects of man on the turtles' environment, and includes some samples of products made from sea turtles that were confiscated by the Department of Immigration.
There is no shade in this area except for the hut, which is ventilated but not air-conditioned.
This area has several ray species on display, including stingrays, bat rays, and shovelnose guitarfish. Your best bet for being able to touch these creatures is to get there in the morning, or for one of the first two or three periods when the food booth opens. Later in the day, these animals get very people-shy and will skate (no pun intended) around just out of your reach. This entire exhibit is under a canopy.
The dolphin interaction area accommodates more people above the water than at SWSD. It has a beach on the opposite side of the exhibit that really completes the themeing. They have an underwater viewing room that is simply incredible. In my informal measurements, there is at least 80 linear feet of 8-foot high panels in a semi-circular shape. The room has a raised area about 15 feet behind the panels that allows a better view for those in the rear. The entire room is below the surface level of the attraction and provides an excellent view across the tank.
For between $8 and $22 you can buy a picture of yourself feeding a dolphin. Digital camera-toting employees take pictures around the pool and hand a numbered ticket to the guest. Save the cost of two lunches and have a member of your group take your picture for $.45 worth of film and developing.
There is no shade in the interaction area, save for a few portable umbrellas. The underwater viewing area is air-conditioned.
As you enter this exhibit, you are looking down upon the manatee tank on your left. To the right is a display of alligators (they do share a lot of the same habitat in the wild). The tank is pretty large and can accommodate quite a few animals. Even so, I was told that part of the reason the San Diego park got manatees was due to overcrowding in the Florida exhibit.
As you descend the entry ramp, you have the option of entering a circular film viewing room that is about 30 feet in diameter. The film is about the habitat of the manatee and lasts about 3 minutes. It repeats every five minutes. It is very well done and has incredible depth of field, appearing nearly three-dimensional (How did they do that?)
After leaving the film room, you get to the underwater manatee viewing area. The size of this tank is just awesome. There are a few interactive displays explaining manatee anatomy scattered about. It is a multi-level room, and it is possible to sit on the steps leading down to the panels and watch these gentle creatures swim around. So peaceful... I feel a nap coming on...
There is little shade in the upper viewing area. The walkway leading to the lower area is covered and has fans. The lower exhibit area is air-conditioned.
The Polar tour ends here, so it was a natural for a visit. This was the only exhibit where I felt the San Diego park has the edge, with one exception. I believe that San Diego's penguin and puffin habitats are much larger. Additionally, they have quite a few more birds. Noticeably missing in Florida are Emperor penguins. Well, noticeable to a San Diego local, and to a few of the Florida employees. The one outstanding part of this exhibit is the educational section between the penguins and the puffins. SWSD gets a small gift shop where the educational exhibit should be.
This exhibit is huge compared to San Diego's (and the other parks as I've neem told. It allows you to be very close to the animals, almost within touching distance (but DON'T ever try it!). There are several interpretive displays along one of the back walls. The down side of this exhibit is that there is very little shade in this area and it gets quite warm. Plan to visit late in the afternoon as the sun is going down.
The shark exhibits are very interesting places to observe rather strange animal behavior. I'm not talking about the sharks; I'm talking about the humans looking at the sharks. Oh, the exhibits are fascinating, but ever since Jaws, people totally freak out when they see a real shark. Now, put yourself on a moving walkway that moves through an underwater acrylic tube surrounded by some menacing-looking sharks with huge, pointy teeth and tell me your heart rate doesn't increase a bit.
Traffic can move pretty slowly through areas of these exhibits. Visit while the nearby stadiums are full of people watching shows. Be prepared to dash out afterwards when the exhibit gets swamped.
The sharks must share the bill with other animals, including pirahna and wolf eels. It's a pretty intimidating display, and may be downright frightening for the young ones. Use discretion.
This exhibit is entirely indoors, so it's air-conditioned.
This area allows you to get within biting range of their Clydesdale team. The employees here were pretty rude, which bothered me, plus it was a little crowded. No air conditioning, but it is a barn-like structure so it's not too uncomfortable.
Clydesdale's are August Busch III's personal favorite, so you will find them in every A-B animal park, even if they don't fit in to the general theme. Just in case you were wondering how they fit in with the whole killer whale thing...
You'll get to see from several different vantage points Orcas swimming around a tank. It's a really nice way to get an up-close look at these beautiful creatures. The whales who are not performing in the current show are allowed to hang out back here to 'play.' The tank goes back pretty far and is rather deep, giving them plenty of room to exercise.
Wild Arctic is part thrill ride, part animal exhibit. I haven't bothered going on the ride, as it is the same as in California. On my visit in April 2000, the setup now allowed you to bypass the film completely if you entered on the "Walking" side (though this may have been a temporary measure to deal with the crowds).
This exhibit is very well themed, making you feel as though you have landed at an Arctic exploration outpost. The main species on display are beluga whales and polar bears.
The polar bears' names (and ages) are Snow (6), Klondike (6), Johnny (11?), and Liebchen (18, and the way I saw it spelled on one of their documents).
The entire exhibit is air-conditioned; for some people it is downright freezing. A good way to cool off in a hurry, but don't come in if you are wet or you'll be uncomfortably cold in no time.
A description of the ride is available on the Spoilers page.
I won't go into my dissertation on the merits and evils of rides in an aquatic park here; that will be found elsewhere. I'll just stick to simple descriptions.
Besides making a convenient landmark for orienting yourself, this is a wonderful opportunity for getting an overview of the park (and the adjacent Discovery Cove construction). The Sky Tower ride costs $3.00. Florida passholders ride for free.
Wild Arctic is part thrill ride, part animal exhibit. I haven't bothered going on the ride, as it is exactly the same as in California.
This exhibit portion of this attraction is documented in the Exhibits section. A description of the ride is available on the Spoilers page.
Journey to Atlantis is a very interesting concept for amusement park rides. It is part flume ride and part roller coaster. A description of the ride is available on the Spoilers page.
The Atlantis queue is a multiple room design with most of the line ahead of you hidden from view, just like many Disney Park designs. There are misters and fans in the rooms, which help a little when it's hot. Areas in between the rooms are open to the elements (sun, rain) but are thankfully short. A preshow video is shown on the overhead monitors. The backstory is that a Greek fisherman has found the Lost City of Atlantis, and you are going there to visit.
The queue is wheelchair accessible. You will be directed to the unloading area to board. To enter, you must step down into the vehicle. I do not know how much time they allow for boarding, but the party that I saw go through the gates seemed to have been given ample time. When loading guests requiring assistance, the movement of all vehicles in the load and unload areas is halted.
Watch out for the front row if you are concerned about getting wet; though nobody comes off this ride unscathed. If you don't get wet enough on the drop, the people paying 25 cents apiece to shoot you with water cannons will be happy to take care of that.
The exit is past a shop where you can buy a photo of yourself on the ride, then through a gift shop, oh so typical of rides at every amusement park these days. Go into the room to the east and look down, then up. :-)
You can hear this ride from a short distance away, but not very well from outside the immediate area. Because of the extensive foliage, the show building is not visible from many areas of the park, despite its great height.
They have added a new roller coaster in the area behind Pacific Point Preserve. The entrance is next to the Atlantis ride. The coaster has gotten rave reviews for its smoothness, quietness, and overall thrill factor. I'll definitely agree with the former two statements, but as for its thrill factor, I was a little let down. It's basically an out-and-back that consists almost entirely of loops, turns, and rolls.
One of my major concerns about this coaster was how it would impact the sea lions in the nearby Pacific Point Preserve area, as well as nearby show venues. I'm happy to report that my fears were mostly unfounded; screaming guests can barely be heard anywhere but in the Pacific Point area. Even there, the noise level is much lower than that generated by the resident sea lions.
Commentary: Many employees I spoke with fear that the park will continue adding thrill rides and the animals will get lost as secondary to the rides as they do at SW San Antonio or Busch Gardens Tampa. The main reason they are adding these rides, according to an employee I spoke with at length, is to appeal to the mid-to-late-teen market.
Daniel Skinner has a very nice set of photos taken during the construction of Kraken on his Kraken Konstruction page.
Home of the Deli restaurant, a beer sampling bar (free beer, very popular for some reason...), and Beer School. The Beer School area is very difficult to not notice; the volume of the spiel is such that you can hear it throughout most of the pavilion, which I'm sure is the point. I have strong negative feelings about Beer School.
They have a small arcade and games area between the Hospitality Center and Happy Harbor. The arcade has a few video games, plus some test-your-skill plush and prize vendors such as claw games. Operation is on tokens, 3 for $1. The midway games are typical carnival-style: milk-can and ring tosses, water races, etc.
For $5, you get to attack the person standing across from you with water ballons. I can't see the point of you and your friend spending $10 to get wet when you can sit in the front row at the Shamu show and get soaked for no additional charge. Still, they had people lined up to play. Sheesh.
A children's play area that is good for tuckering the little ones out. This place is HUGE! They have a three or four story tall structure with lots of things on which to climb. Fairly loud when it's busy, from all the children screaming.
Special note: Vegetarian selections are available at virtually every eating location. Most of them are NOT listed on the menu. An inquiry at the information booth will yield a single-sheet page of the entrees available and where they can be found. While not extensive, it is more than just dinner salads.
With only a few days in the park, I obviously haven't have the opportunity to sample all eight of the dining locations. There is quite a variety of food available. I walked through a couple of locations just to see their menus. Of note:
Mama Stella's serves a Pizza and Fries combo. It is billed as the ultimate snack food combo. Junk food heaven. Other than that, a couple of pasta dishes, two individual-size pizzas, cheese or pepperoni, and a couple of salads can be had.
Hot dogs for the kids, German sausages and sandwiches for the big kids. Fair prices, noisy venue.
My preferred dining location. Bimini Bay Café is the only table service restaurant in the park. The selections are decent and a fair value. Service is slow (looking at other tables besides my own). Free refills on non-alcoholic beverages.
The Luau just hasn't interested me enough to actually go. The menu is quite a spread, and includes dessert and non-alcoholic drinks. It also includes one complimentary Island Cocktail, which to me implies alcohol, but it may just be some exotic juice concoction. I'm sure you could get a non-alcoholic drink in any case. The cost of the Luau is $35.95 for adults, 25.95 Juniors (8-12), $15.95 kids (3-7) plus tax & tip. Reservations are required; they assign seats in the order they are reserved so make your reservations early. Nationwide (800) 327-2424, Orlando area (407) 351-3600, fax (407) 363-2575.
You can go to the luau without having to pay for park admission. I'm guessing you will have to pay for parking, however.
Gift shops are generally large and have a good variety of merchandise. 22 locations are listed on the guide map. Nearly every show and attraction has its own gift shop with merchandise themed to the area.
Outdoor vending is prolific, but non-intrusive. ODV encompasses portable lemonade, popcorn, cotton candy, plush, and other carts. I did not buy anything from ODV carts but the few at which I looked seemed to have reasonable prices (for a theme park).
In San Diego, Annual Passholders get a discount on all purchases, including ODV. I do not know if the same holds true for the Florida park.
Buildings are large and imposing. Little effort is made to hide them or blend them in with the environment. This seems to be an Orlando-area theme park phenomenon. The colors used on the buildings, whether painted or bare colored concrete, only makes them stand out more.
Most employees were enthusiastic and had little bad to say about the company. I talked at length with both shorter term and long-time employees. They do not seem to have the same kind of staffing problems as we do here. Even seasonal employees were warm and friendly. Maybe it's just because it's Florida, where the population at large is much nicer.
When you fill out a guest comment, it is on a three part NCR (No Carbon Required, a term from the 70's) form, the bottom copy of which is given to you. There is an area to indicate if you wish to be contacted.
Sea World Orlando opened December 15, 1973. The park is around 220 acres. It is the second largest Sea World park. San Antonio is even larger, but much of that is devoted to amusement rides.
The Orlando area is a major tourist destination. There is no way I can give proper coverage to all of the other area attractions. There are just too many. Seriously, you can hardly see all of Disney's major parks in one week. You'll need at least two weeks just to get a taste at what the area has to offer. Major local attractions include:
A little over an hour's drive away, but on opposite coasts, are Kennedy Space Center (a worthwhile trip in my book) and Busch Gardens Tampa. I was told that KSC has now started charging admission ($16 was the figure mentioned). This includes a tour and a movie, which were separate admissions before. Bummer, because the movie wasn't that great but now you pay for it regardless.
Okay, so maybe you want to know a bit more about other A-B theme parks in the area. Busch Gardens is about 85 miles Southwest of Sea World. It too is a bit of a challenge to find; watch the street signs. I recommend getting an Auto Club map, though even then the going is a bit tricky.
They have a very large variety of animals there, doncha know. Take some time away from the (pretty awesome) roller coasters to see them.
