Has anyone been to SeaWorld lately?

I haven't been in many many years, so sorry I can't be of more help to you.

I haven't been since 2009 but friends were there only last week. To see and do everything, including all of the shows would take more than a day. It's my favourite Orlando park outside of Disney.

We are both teachers, and FL teachers get free annual passes to Sea World so we have spent lots of time there. It's a great park, we really like the atmosphere, and it's very clean. We enjoy the shows and they add new rides often, so there are more of them then there used to be.
You actually reminded me that we need to go again soon and update our passes. Usually just the dh and I go, the kids have been there a lot when they were younger and don't really enjoy it anymore.
I think you will enjoy it.

Is that because they've seen everything or is it because it's not "exciting" enough?

They are teenagers now. They like it ok, but they're busy with friends, sports, etc. and they have spent a lot of time there. It's not that it's not exciting, it's just easier and cheaper for just us to go since we have to pay for them, and feed them too! We usually got them the pay for the day and come back all year pass, but not anymore since they don't use it. We actually haven't been for a while, somehow Disney always wins, and Sea World is about a 30 minute longer drive (we come from Tampa).

I haven't been in about 20 years and that was the one outside of Cleveland, OH.

I was there last May. I used to have a SeaWorld/Busch Gardens annual pass, even though I live in NC! I love SeaWorld, but then again, I'm a Biology major and I want to eventually be a zoo vet, so I'm an animal FREAK! ...seriously...my friends absolutely refuse to go to the zoo with me because I can make an entire day (open to close) out of it, just watching animals. SeaWorld and Busch Gardens both have the same approach as AK by incorporating a zoo into an amusement park and having a heavy concentration on conservation.

As far as rides go, they have a (fairly) new coaster, Manta, which is a flying coaster and is honestly my favorite roller coaster in the world. I waited 2 1/2 hours to ride it a week after it opened! They also have Kraken, another roller coaster which is older, but definitely fun. Its actually a really long roller coaster, compared to most I've rode.

Their shows are really cool, but they were much cooler when they could actually get in the water with the killer whales. The dolphin show is really awesome. The otter/seal show they do at night is really hilarious after you've done the stuff all day because they basically make fun of their park.

...As you can probably tell, I love SeaWorld.

This show is only on during their Summer event unfortunatly! Its probably my all time favourite show in Orlando!

Last went to SeaWorld in Nov 2011 and still love that place! I love watching the animals and going to all the talks / feedings. The shows havn't changed much over the years except for Shamu - which isn't half as good as it was when I first started going to FL back in 2002. I could spend a day just taking in all the animal exhibits and experiences, when you go back at different times of the day there is always something new to see with regards to behaviour etc!

The shows are great, especially if you havn't seen them before/in a long time - always try and catch the first showing of each if you can as the animals are more fresh and awake!

Manta is amazing, not at all what I expected, they've done an amazing job! Kraken is great to, really smooth! Journey to Atlantis has a nice little twist to it too!

You could easily fill and enjoy a day here!

I thought about getting passes for my trip next week, but just haven't done it. Mostly because I was lazy. LoL... I loved SeaWorld when I was young but haven't been to one in about 18 years.

No, we don't get everything done at WDW when we are there for a week, let along trying to go somewhere else. Maybe when we become snow birds we'll put that back on our bucket list.

Thanks for the information! We live in NC also and we're traveling to Orlando for Fourth of July. My little guys LOVE animals and this will be the first trip to Sea World for us all!

Welcome! Where in NC are you from?

Just to add my opinion here.. I went to SeaWorld yesterday. I've been a lot since my dad works at Busch Gardens and we get free passes. It's really fun - the shows are great, the rides are unbeatable, and the animals are breathtaking. The shows are really good if you've never seen them before - if you have, they're kinda boring. The best shows are the Pets Ahoy! show, which features rescued animals, like cats and dogs, the Blue Horizons dolphin/acrobatic show, and the cirque de solei type show (I can't remember the name!). I recommend going to the Dolphin Nursery. It's the baby dolphins and their mommas - so cute! It's kind of hidden, which is great. Also, you have to ride Manta and Kracken! They're amazing! SeaWorld is also really pretty, specifically the Waterfront area, I believe it's called.

I've been trying to get DW to consider the Kraken, but I think it's a lost cause. Is it as scary as it looks?

No - it's so fun. I didn't like coasters till I went to SeaWorld a couple yrs ago and rode Kraken and Manta. They were so fun! Kraken is pretty long and has a ton of loops, but once you go on, you just want to keep riding - it's amazing