Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
295
HOURS
The park is usually open from 9am to 6pm and sometimes later, 365 days a
year. Call
&
800/327-2424
or 407/351-3600 for more information.
MAKING YOUR VISIT MORE ENJOYABLE
Planning Your Visit
Get information before you leave by writing to
SeaWorld Guest Services
at 7007 Sea-
World Dr., Orlando, FL 32801, or call
&
407/351-3600.
ONLINE
Official SeaWorld information is available at
www.seaworldorlando.com
.
The
Orlando Sentinel
newspaper produces OrlandoSentinel.com—it features a Theme
Park Rangers and Tourism Central blog as well as an array of local coverage. You can get
a ton of information from the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau
website,
www.orlandoinfo.com
. Additional information, much of which aimed at the
family set, can be found at
www.travel-insights.com
.
Information for Visitors with Special Needs
The park publishes an accessibility guide for guests with disabilities, although most of its
attractions are easily accessible to those in wheelchairs. SeaWorld also provides a Braille
guide for the visually impaired. For the hearing impaired, there's a very brief synopsis of
shows. Sign-language interpreting services are available at no charge but must be reserved
by calling
&
407/363-2414
at least a week in advance of your visit. Assisted listening
devices are available at select attractions for a $20 refundable deposit. For a complete
rundown on all of your options, head to Guest Services when you enter the park; you
can also call
&
407/351-3600,
or go online to download the park accessibility guide (in
a PDF format).
Best Time of Year to Visit
Because this is a mostly outdoor, water-related park, you may want to keep in mind that
even Florida gets a tad nippy during January and February. January through April is
when crowds are smallest.
7
Best Days to Visit
Weekends, Thursday, and Friday are busy days at this park. Monday through Wednesday
are usually better days to visit because tourists coming for a week go to the Disney and
Universal parks early in their stays, saving SeaWorld for the end, if at all.
Tip:
Be advised
that if the weather report for the day calls for sustained rain, save SeaWorld for another time.
Many attractions here are outdoors or involve—surprise!—water and animals, a combina-
tion that can be lethal in a lightning storm. These close down at the merest hint of storm
activity in the area, which will leave you with a whole lot less to do for your money.
Choose Age-Appropriate Activities
Because it has few thrill rides, SeaWorld has few restrictions, but you may want to check
out the special tour programs offered through the education department. SeaWorld lives
up to its reputation for making education fun. The
Behind the Scenes Tour
offers a
90-minute glimpse into how SeaWorld cares for the animals it rescues (manatees and sea
turtles in particular). The cost is $30 for adults, $20 for children 3 to 9, plus park admis-
sion. The
Dolphin Spotlight Tour
takes you backstage at the whale and dolphin stadium
and behind the scenes at Dolphin Cove for an hour-long tour, where you'll find out just
what it takes to train and care for the park's bottlenose dolphins. The
Penguin Spotlight
Tour
takes you backstage at the Penguin Encounter (the cost for either spotlight tour is $50
