SeaWorld for Spring Break 2008

Sunny Florida in 2008 at Sea World is the place to be! It's a wonderful respite from three feet of snow in my front yard in Upper Michigan. Our week-long trip was highlighted by time spent at Sea World in Orlando. Before entering the facility, I got great advice and discounts from locals and frequent travelers. During our visit, I managed to hit on a few pointers of my own. This wonderful oasis from all the hustle and bustle in Central Florida's best Spring Break destination is included with this article.

Buy your tickets before going to Sea World and you'll avoid the lines at the gate AND take advantage of various discounts. As a military veteran, I was eligible for tickets at the nearby Navy Exchange; unfortunately, Sea World was negotiating this package and the tickets were unavailable. Therefore, we used my host's AAA card to get a $10 discount on each ticket, saving $40 for our group. The main Sea World website offers internet packages and combination discounts, so check out my links for the most current offerings. Most Orlando travel agencies and visitors welcome centers and area hotels also offer discounts on major attractions. Check out Sea World first and then comparison shop for your best offer. It doesn't matter if you don't have membership at AAA (for example,) you can usually find a friend to gain access to that travel agency for your tickets. I've had AAA membership for years, wouldn't you know that we transitioned to a different insurance company last year! Anyhow, I successfully purchased all four passes with my credit card, under "The Hagen Party."

We lucked out by going to Sea World on Palm Sunday. There were still plenty of people, but I could tell from the queue markings that most of the time (at least during Spring Break) the place would have been much more crowded. Sundays tend to be slower in general. Get there early for your best relief from the heat, traffic jams, and masses of people. We hit Orlando at 8:30 a.m., collected our friends from the nearby Ramada International (also located on International Drive., the same street where you'll find Sea World and most other Orlando attractions.) We were so early, that we managed to snag some pretty decent parking (albeit at $10 a throw.) Since I was driving a friend's car, I was careful to note the parking location, at Orange A. Look to the nearby light poles and be sure to write down your spot; otherwise, try a word association game. We used Florida Orange Juice for the color and A is the first letter of the last name of one of our group. We also noted an adjacent strip of grass and construction panels, which helped us find our way at the end of the day. Our group members actually reminisced about the infamous Seinfeld "Parking Garage" episode. It would be very easy to lose your vehicle in the sea of cars stopping at Sea World every day. Also, if you can share a ride or take public transportation, the parking fee is a bit more manageable. Personally, I'm a public transportation fan. If you're staying in Orlando, consider the I-Ride Trolley and you can leave your car at the hotel. Check out my links for the various pass options, any of which are better than the $10 per day at Sea World. You can use a multi-day pass all over the area, and your drop off is much more convenient than the long trek back through the parking lots. If you buy your ticket on the bus, be sure to carry exact change. A single ticket costs $1.

Planning things in too much detail can ruin the best days of your vacation, so I'm going to offer up some general suggestions. Once you're in the door, get a couple copies of the Sea World map and make sure everyone in your group gets their own copy. The map folds nicely and can be stuck in your back pocket for reference throughout the day. Snag a second copy on your way out the door, if you'd like to use it for a souvenir.

Sea World offers a nice range of options that will entertain everyone in the group. There's a thrilling roller-coaster and water slide ride, shows, and animal exhibits. I suggest you plan a general routine of alternating events. Don't try to see all the shows in a row. Try alternating the animal exhibits, shows, and rides to break up your day. What we did was traverse the park in a counter-clockwise rotation, with the dolphins as our first stop. Since the crowds tend to be thinnest at the start and close of each day, and the dolphins are one of the most popular attractions, I wanted to get to them first. Also, the dolphins are hungrier in the morning; in fact, I overheard one father talking to his children about the fact that the previous night, the dolphins weren't interested in the food offered. We stood in line, purchased a few trays of fish, and had no problem getting the dolphins interested in approaching us. In fact, my only regret was that I didn't purchase more food! You can obtain a small tray of fish for $3 and you're advised to feed it to the dolphins promptly, to avoid spoilage. Sea World limits the amount and times of feeding (I don't think Jenny Craig has a program for sea mammals yet!) In fact, I was very impressed with the conservation aspect and educational opportunities offered by Sea World. At this exhibit, they mentioned the fact that interacting with dolphins in the wild is illegal. Further, they limit the amount of training and interaction with humans, in order to avoid stressing the dolphins. Nothing can replace the excitement of gently stroking the area below the throat while the dolphin politely opens his mouth for your fish. Avoid sticking your hands into the mouth, as their teeth close like a zipper. Instructional guidelines also stress not touching the blow-hole and certain other areas. The dolphins themselves are exceptionally well trained and the park employees watch closely, to ensure that these incredible sea mammals are not harrassed.

Be sure to take the opportunity to talk with Sea World's well-trained staffers. As a seasonal tourist business owner in a resort area, I have to commend the park employees as a whole for their good will, cheery and helpful manner, well-educated responses, and superlative professionalism. By Labor Day, many of our area employees are exhausted by the long summer hours and crowds of people descending on our area in Upper Michigan. Each year, I hear stories about some surly shop clerk who was rude to a prospective customer. I certainly didn't encounter that at Sea World in Orlando! It's their busiest time of year, and yet the enthusiasm and upbeat attitude of the park personnel made our trip TWICE as enjoyable. I spoke at length with a young woman in the Dolphin Area who is has her degree in English and is working on an internship. She briefed me on the extensive pre-employment screening process, training, and how much she enjoys her work at the park. Most of the employees are from a biological sciences background, but this particular Florida resident worked hard to catch up during the training portion of her initial employment. While the training information was review for her friends and co-workers, she had to seriously hit the books, studying hard to catch up. It was like final exams all over again! Her bright and well-informed articulation of how the dolphins "work" at the park was typical of all the employees I encountered. I was somewhat surprised to find an English major at the receiving end of my questions, but I can see why she was hired. Personally, I think it's a great idea to bring in people from outside fields and it seems to work at Sea World as well!

After we fed and petted the dolphins, and observed some of their training, we headed back to the Manta Ray exhibit. Enroute to the dolphins and while waiting in line, we had spotted this nearby "pond," where some HUGE rays float along as if they're sailing through the water. There's every possible size of ray, and you can feed them as well. We didn't even have to buy food at this point, someone nearby kept dropping extra minnows into the water. I was a little hesitant to pet them, remembering the gruesome death of my old hero, Steve Irwin. But most people seemed to be thrilled to glide their hands gently over the mantas. You feed them by placing the minnow between two fingers and holding your hand at the bottom of the pond, so the fish offering stands vertical to the base of the pond. The mantas then sail toward you and seem to suck the minnow up, away from your fingers. It's very peaceful and relaxing to watch these guys swimming along, flying under the water.

Once we finished up with the dolphins and mantas, we meandered over to our first show, called "Blue Horizons." We slid into our seats within "the Splash Zone." Our friends had provided rain panchos, but it was so hot and sunny, we welcomed as many splashes as the dolphins cared to offer. There were some very fast moving things that looked like porpoises to me. As it turned out, they were "false killer whales," and members of the dolphin family. I never knew there were so many types of dolphins. According to Wikipedia, there's 40 different species, within 17 separate genera. You get to meet them "up close and personal" at Sea World! Blue Horizons also boasts some incredible parrots and other birds, surprising me throughout the show. Their handler stood quite close to us, and they'd land on his arm when finished with their colorful aerial acrobatics. The balance of dolphins, birds, and colorfully attired performers was beautifully orchestrated to inspiring music. The show offered a nice break from our morning's hectic itinery.

Since we had the dolphins, manta rays, and a show under our belts, we continued on toward the famous Shamu show, Again, this is something to shoot for earlier in the day. We sat down front and toward the center, arriving a bit early. There's a mime they place down in front who is EXCEPTIONALLY entertaining and comical. Since you get the best choice of seats by arriving early, be sure to take the opportunity to rest your feet and enjoy the "pre-game" festivities. Normally, I'm NOT a mime fan, but this guy is hysterical! The center of the show is a wonderful array of Orcas, and son Vincent caught a couple of spectacular shots of them in the air, complete with a trainer in the mouth! Once again, the music is perfectly matched to the antics on-stage, and my only complaint was that it ends way too soon! My friend was a bit shocked when the largest Orca urinated close to our area, a cloudy mess which we viewed through the window into their underwater world. She was concerned about the trainers swimming in it, and later became a bit queasy when she thought about being in "the Splash Zone." I tried to point out that the ultra-filtration seemed to immediately clear the water, but she seemed unconvinced.

The Journey to Atlantis ride was nearby, and so we endured a fairly long line for about 25 minutes; however, the ride was definitely worth the wait. It's a moderately exciting water-ride, and I encourage most adults to take the plunge. Unless you have a medical situation or back problems, the ride is great fun to share with your children or even young adult off-spring. Enjoy a cool splash of water during various segments of the ride. We were thankful for the cool-down in the hot Florida sun! were going to try to infamous Kraken rollercoaster ride (you can see it from most areas in the park); however, it was down for some sort of maintenance issue. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Save the Kraken for late in the day, when the crowds have thinned. We sailed right through most of area roped off for the extended lines of the mid-day period. It's a real thriller and if you follow their directions, you won't have any problems at all! Another ride we enjoyed was the Sky Tower, which cost an additional $3. The line was fairly short and quick-moving. The view was spectacular! Save this ride for a break period in between exhibits. The seats are nice and cushy!

Our favorite exhibit came toward the end of our stay, at the Shark Encounter. Although crowded, we caught some absolutely stellar views of a wide variety of sharks and marine life. I would have enjoyed spending more time there. We also enjoyed the nearby Clyde and Seamore show, which was the most amusing display of well-trained sea lions and otters, interacting with the park staff. The show appeals to all ages, and definitely exceeded my expectations. Another late-afternoon exhibit included the Penguin Encounter. This display is very educational and everyone seemed to delight in the antics of the penguins and related waterfowl. Before leaving the park, we revisited the Dolphin Area, discovering it was nearly empty! We picked up some pictures from our feeding, without having to wait in another line. We also stopped in to get our return ticket. Near the entrance/exit area, be sure to stop and get your pass. It makes a nice souvenir, even if it's not used. The pass allows you to return to Sea World at any time in the following 7 days for free. Had we been staying in Orlando, we definitely would have taken advantage of the return ticket!

In closing, the only moderately negative thing I experienced at Sea World was related to of the food selections. My over-priced salad with chicken-strips didn't even come with dressing, and I had to go BACK through the line to get some. The cashier lines all came to a halt while we were paying, and it seemed to take forever to get through the cafeteria. On the bright side, we ran into a very kind Floridian, who extended her savings pass toward our first meal! We enjoyed a 10 percent discount, nearly four dollars! This was well appreciated! For in-state residents, there's a wealth of discounts and special admission prices to all of the attractions, including Sea World. In retrospect, I'd like to recommend the beer tent area near the Clydesdales for lunch. The food and drink seemed a bit more reasonable over there. My son really enjoyed his late afternoon sandwich at that place, and I was happy with his potato salad. I would have enjoyed a beer, but I was with a party of tea-totalers. For a Michigander, I was startled by people being able to walk around with their beers. I guess the "blue laws" are a bit stricter in my state. For the record, during my week in sunny Florida, I ran into a remarkable number of cheerful and welcoming local residents. Rather than shunning the snowbirds who clog their roads, crowd the restaurants and beaches, while slowing down traffic, they seemed to welcome the chance to help us out during our stay. Thank you Florida and thank you Sea World! The Hagen Party can't wait for our return visit!