There are several SeaWorld Orlando animal tours you can book when you visit the theme park. Last year, my mom and I booked a different one on each of our three visits. Today, I am going to tell you what to expect if you book one of these add-on experiences.
SeaWorld Orlando Animal Tours
When you visit SeaWorld Orlando, several shows and animal viewing options are included with admission. However, there are also several add-on experiences you can purchase for another fee to get up-close with select animals. Depending on the event, you will either be given a time or able to select a time to do the event. Then, it’s up to you to remember it. Ha! You will also need to read on the receipt (that is emailed to you) where to go to check-in for your event.
During my three visits in 2022 I was lucky to do three different SeaWorld Orlando Animal Tours: dolphin encounter, sea lions up-close, and penguins up-close.
Dolphin Encounter
On my first visit of the year, my mom and I did the dolphin encounter. This was a quick 15 minute experience wherein we learned several facts about the dolphins before getting to pet a dolphin! We also purchased photos from the park for this experience as you can’t bring any devices near the water for this one. There’s a park photographer across the water snapping pictures and it’s worth it to buy at least one, in my opinion. This experience also led my mom and I to book Discovery Cove to swim with the dolphins! So, be aware that once you do one of these, there’s the risk of wanting to do more! Ha!
Sea Lions Up-Close Tour
During our February trip, I learned that my mom likes sea lions due to their whiskers! So, for our September trip, we booked the Sea Lions Up-Close Tour. This is a longer experience, about 45 minutes. Just keep that in mind if you have a jam-packed theme park day. This tour consisted of learning lots about sea lions, feeding sea lions, and then getting to touch and take pictures with one! My mom really enjoyed this experience. I was a little intimidated as the sea lion breathed right in my face and scared me at one point. It’s worth noting that the park photographer didn’t show up until the very end of this experience, so the group simply took photos with our cell phones for each other. My advice would be to wait and see if the photographer shows up for this event before purchasing the picture package.
Penguins Up-Close Tour
On our December trip, we booked the Penguins Up-Close Tour because it felt Christmas-like to me! Plus, I really like penguins. We were also able to get this one on sale during their Black Friday sale, so it also seemed like a good deal. I will warn you that the penguin area is kept around a chilly 32 degrees. So, bring some layers to put on for this one. I loved being able to touch and take photos of the penguins. There wasn’t a park photographer for this experience, fyi. We learned so much about penguins on this tour. It was a really neat and memorable trip.
Are Animal Tour Add-Ons Worth It?
Several of the SeaWorld Orlando Animal Tours can be expensive, especially when you think about it being on top of regular park admission. However, you can sometimes catch them on sale. So, keep an eye out for deals if you have time before your trip. Additionally, annual passholders get a small discount on tours. You simply need to sign into the website to see the discount. Another aspect to keep in mind is the amount of time these things take. If you have the funds and time, I highly recommend an add-on experience.
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