Laughing Lindsay

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Summer in Orlando Theme Parks

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Now that school is out in most places, lots of people are going to be spending the summer in Orlando theme parks. Since I did my spring in the theme parks post three months ago, I thought I would do another one for this season! Here’s a look at what you can expect to experience during the hottest months of the year in the Florida theme parks!

Summer in Orlando

Summer in Orlando

Summer in Orlando is hot. So, be sure to plan breaks indoors and stay hydrated if you are heading there during this season. It may also be crowded during your visit, so pack lots of patience and understanding! Aside from those things, it can also be a fun time to visit with lots of special activities to participate in!

Walt Disney World

For the past couple of yeas, Epcot was pretty much a year round festival theme park. However, the Flower and Garden Festival ends on May 27, 2024 and the Food and Wine Festival doesn’t begin until August 29th (goes to November 23, 2024). So, for the first time in several years, there will be a regular festival less Epcot to enjoy this summer.

There will be several After Hours events to enjoy when the sun goes down. You can read my review of the Magic Kingdom After Hours event here. Additionally, there’s a new drone show at Disney Springs this summer! Plus, the newly re-themed Tiana ride will open in June at Magic Kingdom. So, there’s still plenty to do here.

SeaWorld Summer Spectacular

SeaWorld Orlando seems to have cancelled their regular summer event this year. They are celebrating their 60th Anniversary for the rest of the year. Additionally, they will have some special weekend events this summer including Viva la Musica in June and Bands, Brew & BBQ in July and August. So, it should be a good place for food and music this summer.

Universal Orlando Tribute Store

Universal Orlando has announced several special things coming this summer. First up, DreamWorks Land will open on June 14th! Then, a new nighttime spectacular begins the same day. It’s called Cinesational and it should be awesome! Next, there will be a new Hogwarts castle light show premiering on the same night! Then, on July 3rd, a new parade called the Universal Mega Movie Parade will begin!

Lastly, there will be a special seasonal tribute store this summer. If you don’t know, a tribute store is a highly themed limited time pop up merch store that is typically a can’t miss experience. This year’s store has an 80’s mall theme! You can see a preview of last year’s store in UO’s Instagram post below.

Water Parks

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that each of these three parks also has a water park that you can visit to cool off at! Disney actually has two water parks. However, one of them, Blizzard Beach, is currently closed. Disney’s open water park is Typhoon Lagoon. I visited it for a special night time event at Disney’s Social Media Moms event way back in 2016 and it seemed like a nice place. I think the special ticketed nighttime event, H20 Glow After Hours at Typhoon Lagoon looks fun!

Universal has a water park that is highly regarded online. Volcano Bay can be seen from the Cabana Bay and Aventura resorts. Unfortunately, I haven’t yet visited this park. However, I hope to someday.

SeaWorld’s water park is called Aquatica. They will have special daytime entertainment and food for summer. Plus, they are having a new after hours event called AquaGlow that looks fun. Once again, I’ve never visited this one, but I’m sure it’s fun. Technically, SeaWorld also owns Discovery Cove as well. That is an all-inclusive day resort where you can swim with dolphins! I was lucky enough to visit it last year and wrote a Discovery Cove review.

Summer in Orlando Theme Parks

As you can see, there are lots of fun things to do during a summer in Orlando vacation! Did I miss anything your family likes doing?

You can view my other seasonal theme park guides here:

Tips for Visiting SeaWorld Orlando

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This is a post I probably could have/should have written months ago. I visited SeaWorld Orlando on three separate trips in 2022, so I have plenty of tips for saving money and making the most of your trip.

Tips for Visiting SeaWorld Orlando

Tips for Visiting SeaWorld Orlando

By and large, visiting SeaWorld/Busch Gardens theme parks tends to be a pretty laid back experience, particularly if you are used to planning a Disney trip. So, my tips for visiting SeaWorld Orlando are about saving money and making the most of your day.

Saving Money at SeaWorld

There are a few ways to save money on your SeaWorld Orlando trip.

  1. Book a package. Initially, we booked one of these in February 2022. However, my mom had a conflict at work and we had to cancel the package. So, I can attest to the fact they are really easy to work with if you need to cancel or modify a package. The vacation packages involve booking a room near the park (typically a chain hotel) and comes with several days worth of tickets. It also comes with some additional discounts for merch.
  2. Look out for sales. I said this in my SeaWorld Orlando Animal Tours: What to Expect post. However, I almost always booked our add-on tours using a discount. Their Black Friday/Cyber Mondays specials are typically really good, with discounts being better than an annual passholder discount.
  3. Consider a Fun Card or Annual Pass. If you are going for multiple days, a Fun Card can be a good way to save money on admission. The Fun Card does not come with additional discounts though. An annual pass comes with free bring a friend passes as well as merch and food discounts. My advice: do the math to see if either option saves you money.

Other SeaWorld Orlando Tips

  1. Have a rough outline of the day. SeaWorld doesn’t post their schedule too far in advance, typically. However, a few weeks out you should be able to get a good idea of what shows are happening and when. So, I typically have a general idea of what we’d like to accomplish with a Google Sheet schedule for the day to help guide our day. FYI: the only meal you can pre-book is the Dine with Orcas meal and show. If you want to eat at Sharks Underwater Grill, you will have to join the waitlist at the podium when they open.
  2. Look out for special events. SeaWorld Orlando hosts several special events throughout the year. You can see my Christmas at SeaWorld Orlando Review as well as SeaWorld Orlando Spooktacular Halloween posts to see what you can expect at those seasonal events. They will have specialty food as well as entertainment during those events. So, be sure to pencil those into your day if they are of interest to you.
  3. Download the app. They no longer offer paper maps. So, be sure to have the app downloaded if you need help navigating the park. Additionally, the app has an up to date park schedule to help guide your day as well.
  4. Plan a break. Seeing as how we have never stayed near the park, we typically just sit down on a bench in the shade somewhere and people watch. This gives us a chance to re-charge and enjoy the rest of the day.

So, those are my tips for visiting SeaWorld Orlando. Do you have any others?

Spring in Orlando Theme Parks

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I know that lots of people plan trips to align with school breaks. So, I thought I would do a post highlighting the various festivals happening during spring in Orlando theme parks!

Spring in Orlando

Spring in Orlando

March and April tend to be very popular times to visit the theme parks since lots of kids have school breaks. So, many of the theme parks have special events to give the crowds more to experience as well as to draw more people in. Here’s a look at those special events happening in spring in Orlando in 2023!

Flower and Garden Festival

Walt Disney World hosts the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival every spring and it’s one of the most beautiful times to visit this park. In years past, I have loved walking around the park and viewing the topiaries. Disney brings out some of the same topiaries every year, however they also refresh a few and add a couple new ones every year. So, it never gets stale. This year, they added a Princess Tiana and Encanto topiaries! Plus, there’s loads of beautiful landscaping around every corner!

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the food at this festival. Unfortunately, I don’t have as much experience in eating food at this festival as I do with Epcot Festival of the Arts. However, in 2019 I really enjoyed the grilled street corn and would love to eat it again! This festival does a great job of highlighting fresh, in season fruits and vegetables.

Not to be out done in the entertainment category, Disney also hosts the Garden Rocks Concert Series during this festival. Some of the performers I’d be quite excited to see. Others, I’m not as familiar with, but I’d be happy to give them a listen. Note: the last concert is on July 3rd.

If you are heading to Walt Disney World between now and July 5th, I highly recommend spending at least half a day at Epcot just for this festival.

Mardi Gras at Universal Orlando

I already wrote an entire Universal Orlando Mardi Gras 2023 Guide. So, you know that I’m a huge fan of this fun spring event. I also wrote a review of the Mardi Gras Float Ride and Dine add-on last month. If you are planning to visit Universal Orlando Resort between now and April 16th, then you too can experience Mardi Gras at UO! Unfortunately, the last concert has already taken place here. However, there’s still the awesome parade and great foods to try!

Spring at SeaWorld Orlando

Lastly, SeaWorld Orlando is hosting the Seven Seas Food Festival on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays until May 7th! If you are visiting this weekend or next, then you may also catch their St. Patrick’s Day Celebration as well! The park will also be celebrating Cinco de Mayo during the last weekend in April and first weekend in May. Both of those events will add some food and entertainment to the park.

Last year, I tried some tasty food at the Seven Seas Food Festival and really liked it. Unfortunately, we missed the Seven Seas Concert Series as we were tired from a full day in the park. The concert series is a mix of well-known artists, smaller bands, and tribute bands! I recommend looking up the schedule if you are heading there before May 7th.

Orlando Theme Parks in Spring

As you can see, all three theme parks celebrate spring with a special festival. So, which is your favorite spring in Orlando festival?

You can check out my other seasonal theme park guides here:

Sharks Underwater Grill at SeaWorld Orlando Review

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Last month, while visiting SeaWorld Orlando for the Christmas season, my mom and I ate lunch at Sharks Underwater Grill. Today I am going to give you a review of this experience.

Sharks Underwater Grill

Sharks Underwater Grill

Sharks Underwater Grill is the only full-service restaurant at SeaWorld Orlando. The park is filled with several quick food options, but this is your only option for a sit-down meal in the park. It’s odd to me though that you can’t make dining reservations in advance. In fact, I consider this the biggest downside of eating here. The only way you can get a table here is by joining the walk-up wait list in person. That means your wait can be short, but often it’s a long one. So, if you know you want to eat here, I recommend joining the list as soon as it opens at 11 AM.

My mom and I attempted to eat here back on September trip. However, the waitlist was too long. On our December trip, we headed over right at lunchtime and were surprisingly seated within 10 minutes! So, it pays to be there right when they open.

Eat with Sharks

When you enter the restaurant, you are immediately greeted by a huge aquarium filled with various fish and sharks! I don’t think there’s a bad seat in the restaurant as there are several windows and lots to see. It’s definitely a unique experience to be able to eat a meal while a hammerhead sharks swims by! I took lots of photos of the fish and sharks, which you can see in my Instagram post below.

The Food

My mom and I chose to order off of the special holiday menu while dining here. The last three pictures of my Instagram post above are of our food. I enjoyed the three cheese lobster mac and cheese, which was $19. Granted, it’s a little pricey here, but you are getting a unique meal experience, that’s more than just good food. I really liked my dish, although it was a small portion.

My mom got the bourbon vanilla glazed smoked ham with candied yams, green beans, and candied relish for $32. She enjoyed her ham and yams! She was happy to have ham as we had just had a bunch of turkey at Thanksgiving.

Then, we split the doughnut cinnamon sugar bread pudding for dessert at $13! I loved the presentation of this dessert with the sugar work on top! I know that it is difficult to make and would never attempt it. Ha! It also was a nice sweet flavor to contradict the cherry compote. We also enjoyed the combination of cinnamon sugar and caramel! It was a tasty treat for sure!

Conclusion

Sharks Underwater Grill makes for a fun and memorable dining experience. However, you do have to get on the waitlist in person. It can also be a little pricey. I’d say it’s a must do for any shark fan or if you want a more relaxing meal without leaving the park. If you are in a rush to get to the next show or ride, then I’d say just grab some food elsewhere. It may also be best to eat elsewhere if you are on a tight budget.

What to Pack for a Theme Park

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I know there are probably loads of other posts out there on what to pack for a theme park visit. However, like most things, I believe these lists to be subjective. I also believe we can all learn something from each other. So, I’m sharing the things I take when I visit one!

What to Pack for a Theme Park

What to Pack for a Theme Park

When thinking about what to pack for a theme park, you have to start with the bag itself. I know lots of people like to take a backpack. However, I prefer a crossbody bag because I can see my bag at all times. That way, I don’t have to worry about someone stealing from my bag. Perhaps I’m too careful, but I know thefts still happen on vacation.

The bag in the picture above is a Disney Vera Bradley Crossbody Bag. I purchased it at a VB Outlet store in Pigeon Forge, TN last year. I love that it’s a soft fabric, washable, and that particular pattern features the Walt Disney World castle. I take this bag when I’m visiting Disney parks. This is the second Disney Vera Bradley crossbody bag I’ve owned. The first one was starting to get worn in the crossbody strap, so I replaced it with this one. However, I had carried it for years. In fact, I think I got it about the time I went to Disney Social Media Moms.

Back in 2019, I purchased a black Michael Kors crossbody bag at that same outlet mall in Pigeon Forge, TN. I have been carrying it when I’m not going to Disney. The fabric is not as soft as VB, but it’s holding up well. It’s also stylish no matter what I pair it with.

List of What to Bring

Without further ado, here’s my list of things to pack for a theme park:

  • Sunglasses and/or Hat – I wear glasses, but have several pairs of sunglasses that go over my glasses. In fact, I never leave the house without a pair to protect my eyes. In recent years, I’ve gotten better about protecting my skin by wearing hats too.
  • Poncho – If you are traveling to Florida, you need a poncho. They frequently have short rain showers while remaining hot. So, a light poncho is perfect. Also, you can save several dollars by bringing your own! I also sometimes carry a mini-umbrella if it’s calling for rain.
  • Charger – You will be using your phone to take pictures as well as using the park’s app. It drains your battery quickly. Bring a charger and cord.
  • Wallet – You have to have your tickets/id anyways. I know some parks have gone cashless, but I’m already carrying my bag, so might as well bring my wallet too.
  • Sunblock and bug spray – You need to reapply through the day. I got a brush with powder sunscreen inside the handle last year and like carrying it around.
  • Hand sanitizer – Ideally, you wash your hands before eating. However, at least you can sanitize after riding a ride.
  • Gum – Disney doesn’t sell gum in their parks. So, if you are a gum chewer, bring your own gum.

So, did I forget anything? What do you pack for a theme park?