I was so excited to get to go back to SeaWorld Orlando after I had such a great time there back in September. (If you haven’t already, you can read my recap from that day right here.) This time, I had the opportunity to take my parents, and we had another full, fantastic day! Mom and Dad are on totally different ends of the theme park spectrum (Mom loves the animals, shows, and scenery / Dad loves the rides), and SeaWorld Orlando is truly the perfect place to experience it all!

Instagram stories from our day are saved in the “orlando 2/20” highlight on my profile. (You can see September’s visit saved in the “vacay 9/19” highlight as well!)

Outfit details: tie-dye tee (only $8!) / jean shorts (old from J. Crew, similar pair linked here) / mint sunnies

One of the first sights you see as you enter the park are these gorgeous babes. And yes, they are just as bright and stunning as the photo shows!

We had three shows, four rides, and multiple animal experiences on our want-to-do list, so we knew we needed to hit the ground running! We grabbed a park map (shown below), took a second to map out our course, and went for it! As you’ll be able to see, we pretty much followed the natural flow of the park throughout the day and it was super efficient.

First up on the ride agenda was Manta.. one of the coolest coasters I’ve ever been on. You think you’re strapping in for a typical seated coaster, but then it flips you on your stomach and gives you the incredible feeling of flying, just like a Manta Ray would glide through the water! It’s the only coaster of its kind in Florida, so if you’re looking for thrills you can’t find anywhere else nearby, this is definitely the place to go!

Outfit details: tie-dye tee (only $8!) / jean shorts (old from J. Crew, similar pair linked here) / mint sunnies

Afterwards, we chilled at Dolphin Cove for a little while.. it’s such a peaceful spot with lots of great vantage points to watch the dolphins swim and play. If you want an even closer look, you can also check out Dolphin Nursery, where you can usually catch the trainers working with young dolphins. At every animal viewing spot, there are knowledgable SeaWorld team members who absolutely love to answer questions and chat about the specific animals as well as SeaWorld’s mission.

Speaking of SeaWorld’s mission, I snapped this photo on the way to see the manatees (my faves!) and turtles - and I absolutely love this statement:

“SeaWorld’s goal for all rescued animals is to successfully rehabilitate them for return to the wild. If an animal is too injured to be released, we’ll give it a permanent home.”

Did you know that in the 50+ years of its history, SeaWorld Orlando has rescued over 36,000 animals?! That’s an average of over 700 rescues per year, which means their staff has to be on call and ready to assist 24/7. The very next day after we visited SeaWorld, we had an early night in because of some rainy weather, and heard on the local news that a team had assisted in a pelican rescue and the bird was safely taken to SeaWorld. So cool.

You can read even more about their mission right here.

I mean, can you even handle this gorgeous creature?

I raved about Sea Lion High with Clyde and Seamore so much after I saw it back in September, that I knew I wanted to take my parents to go see it again. We made our way over to Sea Lion Stadium and were NOT disappointed. It was adorably hilarious (again), and the unpredictable nature of the animals makes every single show a truly one of a kind experience.

We backtracked a little to catch the next show of the day at Dolphin Theater. This was totally new to me, since Sea Lion High was the only show we made it to back in September! You can catch some video of the show in my “orlando 2/20” highlight on Instagram - and as impressive as the tricks were (eight dolphins doing simultaneous jumps three times in a row?! cue the tears!), I also really loved hearing about the trainers’ relationships with the dolphins as well as the reasons they focus on certain natural behaviors. Remember, SeaWorld’s ultimate goal is always to release their rescues back into the wild, so they work with them on developing those behaviors that they would need to survive on their own.

Fun fact: I once had a mental breakdown in college over the original major I had chosen, so I drove home and told my mom I wanted to quit school and move to SeaWorld to become a dolphin trainer. 😂Clearly, that didn’t happen.

We ate lunch at the Expedition Café inside the Antarctica area. They have several different cuisine choices, ranging from Italian to American to Asian, and I really enjoyed the Teriyaki Chicken and Fried Rice I got. The portions were very generous and there were multiple seating areas, both inside and out. It was a beautiful day, so we enjoyed sitting outside and resting a bit in between adventures. We followed up lunch with a visit to Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin, a super adorable ride (great for all ages!) ending in an impressive viewing of all sorts of different breeds of penguins.

There were two massive coasters up next on the agenda, but first, we took a little detour over to Pacific Point Preserve to see the sea lions. This was one of my favorite portions of the September trip, so I definitely wanted to hang out here for a little while this time, too. You can hang out and watch them for as long as you’d like, and you can even purchase fish to feed them!

Outfit details: tie-dye tee (only $8!) / jean shorts (old from J. Crew, similar pair linked here) / mint sunnies

And now to the massive coasters! First up, Kraken! This incredible floorless coaster has surprises at every turn, and it’s an inversion lover’s dream! Plus, it’s pretty. Yes, that matters. Teal and yellow?! Yes, please!

Up next, what might be my favorite coaster of all time, Mako. Y’all. This coaster has my heart. I could ride it over and over (and over!) again! It starts off with a massive 200 foot drop, reaches speeds up to 73 mph, and has multiple hills that leave you feeling weightless at their peaks! I’ve mentioned this before in a previous post, but I also really love the fact that it doesn’t have any shoulder restraints. Obviously, it’s super secure, but it almost gives you the feeling like you’re going to fly out at any moment, which only adds to the thrill!

Speaking of thrills, SeaWorld Orlando’s newest roller coaster, Ice Breaker, is scheduled to open sometime this spring, and even though reading the description gives me a little anxiety (ha!), I’m beyond excited to try it sometime (hopefully!) soon! Here’s the description straight from SeaWorld’s website: “Our brand new roller coaster will feature four airtime filled launches, both backwards and forwards, cultivating in a reverse launch into the steepest beyond vertical drop in Florida - a 93 feet tall spike with 100 degree angle.”

Pro tip: there’s an awesome Insta-worthy shipwreck themed photo spot close to the entrance of Mako, so be sure to take advantage of that while you’re in the area!

Outfit details: tie-dye tee (only $8!) / jean shorts (old from J. Crew, similar pair linked here) / mint sunnies

Last, but certainly not least, we finished out the day with the Orcas at Orca Encounter. These magnificent creatures somehow manage to show off their incredible size, strength, and power while also being extremely gentle and graceful. (Seriously, go check out the “orlando 2/20” highlight on Instagram to see them in action!) We loved hearing their trainers talk about the behaviors they teach and exhibit (very similar to the dolphins) that allow them to stay strong and healthy. For example, one of the main reasons they teach the Orcas to bring their full body up onto a platform is so they can be weighed accurately on a scale. This helps ensure that they are growing (or maintaining their weight!) properly.

Phew! See? We fit a TON of stuff into one fabulous day at SeaWorld Orlando, and STILL didn’t get it all done! Next time, I want to be sure to set aside time to see the Wild Arctic section of the park, where you can find Walruses and Beluga Whales. I also haven’t had a chance to go through Manta Aquarium, Shark Encounter, or the Orca Underwater Viewing. I guess that means there will definitely be a next time! 😉

Until then, you can check out all that SeaWorld Orlando has to offer right here, and learn how to get involved in conservation right here.

XO, CHRISTEN

Thanks again to SeaWorld Orlando for hosting us. If you’re considering a trip to Orlando, you should definitely include a SeaWorld day in your plans! The Seven Seas Food Festival is going on now (weekends through May 3rd, 2020) and you can always check their Events Page for more upcoming fun!

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