Orlando M

Part V: Exploring the Rest of Orlando

including one at Universal and one on I-Drive (% 800-221-1339). The

schedule allows for about a seven-hour stay at Busch Gardens. The serv-

ice is free if you have a five-park FlexTicket.

Exploring the Top Attractions at SeaWorld

SeaWorld explores the mysteries of the deep in a theme-park format that

combines wildlife-conservation awareness and education with simple

laid-back fun. Up-close encounters with a montage of marine life are the

major draws here, but you can also find plenty of amusing shows and a

handful of thrill rides added into the mix.

To get a good look at the park’s layout, see the “SeaWorld” map on

page 291.

Blue Horizons

Blue Horizons, SeaWorld’s newest and most spectacular show to date,

made its debut in the summer of 2005 and replaced the Key West Dolphin

Fest. This unique show combines the grace and power of SeaWorld’s

most famous inhabitants, its dolphins and false killer whales, with the

pageantry of a Broadway production. The show transports you into the

dreams of an imaginative young girl, whose dream is to fly like the birds

and swim like the dolphins. Bringing the story to life, aerialists twirl high

in the air, while dolphins, whales, and bungee jumpers perform acrobatics

in the water. Adding to the drama are brightly-colored birds, which fly

over the audience. The entire show is set to an original score performed

by the Seattle Symphony Orchestra. This is by far the most unique show

that SeaWorld has created and one that certainly shouldn’t be missed.

Clyde & Seamore Take Pirate Island

A lovable and amusing sea lion-and-otter duet, with a supporting cast

of walruses and harbor seals, stars in fish-breathed comedy that comes

with a swashbuckling series of stunts. The show, staged inside the aptly

named Sea Lion & Otter Stadium, is corny, but don’t hold that against the

animal actors who are predictably adorable. The show also serves as a

welcome change from all the high-tech rides and shows at the other

theme parks. Be sure to arrive early enough to catch the mime as he

pokes fun at the guests who arrive a bit late, much to the amusement of

the entire audience.

Clydesdale Hamlet

Twice a day except Fridays, eight of the tremendous Clydesdale horses

are hitched to the big red wagon for a parade through the park, beginning

and ending at their stables, where visitors also can watch the parade

tack going on and off. Daily petting sessions are scheduled, and they’re a

great time to get a snapshot of you with one of the horses. In late winter

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and spring, you may get to see a mare and foal that aren’t part of the

Clydesdale team.

Journey to Atlantis

Taking a cue from Disney’s Imagineers, SeaWorld created a part-flume,

part-coaster ride that carries the customary surgeon-general’s warning

about heart problems, neck or back ailments, pregnancy, dizziness, and

claustrophobia. The story line involves a fisherman, Hermes (the Greek

god), and wicked Sirens in a fierce battle between good and evil, but

what really matters is the drop — a wild, 60-foot plunge, with a bunch

of luge-like twists and turns and a shorter drop thrown in for good meas-

ure. There’s no hidden lesson here, just a splashy thrill when you least

expect it. Oh, and it goes without saying that you will get totally soaked.

Key West at SeaWorld

Although not quite the way Hemingway saw Key West, this 5-acre, tree-

and flower-lined, Caribbean-style village has food, street vendors, and

entertainers. It has three animal habitats: Stingray Lagoon, where you get

a hands-on encounter with harmless southern diamond and cownose

rays, an absolute favorite for younger kids; Dolphin Cove, a habitat for

bottlenose dolphins where you can sometimes feed or pet them as they

pass by; and Turtle Point, home to endangered and threatened species.

Shortly after this area opened, the dolphins often teased visitors by

swimming just out of arm’s reach. But they soon discovered the advan-

tages to human interaction — namely smelt.

Speaking of smelt, it’s real easy to be melted by the dolphins’ begging,

and you can easily burn $20 buying trays of their favorite snack to feed

to your newfound aquatic friends. I once spent half a park admission

feeding them before coming to my senses, so set a limit to your spending

(and feeding) ahead of time.

Kraken

Launched in summer 2000, this coaster is SeaWorld’s deepest foray into

the world of thrill-ride battles. Kraken is named for a massive, mythologi-

cal, underwater beast that Poseidon kept caged. This 21st-century monster

has floorless and open-sided 32-passenger trains that plant you on a

pedestal high above the track. When the coaster breaks loose, you climb

151 feet, fall 144 feet, hit speeds of 65 mph, go underground three times

(spraying bystanders with water — or worse, if you’re weak of stomach),

experience a moment of weightlessness, and make seven loops over a

4,177-foot course. This ride may be the longest 3 minutes, 39 seconds of

your life; according to a coaster fanatic friend who lives for adrenaline,

this is the best coaster in Central Florida (take that, Disney and Universal!).

Kraken carries a 54-inch height minimum. This is not a coaster for begin-

ners or youngsters — even if they meet the height requirement.

294 Part V: Exploring the Rest of Orlando

Manatee Rescue

This exhibit is as close as most people get to endangered West Indian

manatees. There are as few as 3,200 of them currently remaining in the

wild. Underwater viewing stations, innovative cinema techniques, and

interactive displays combine for a tribute to these gentle marine mam-

mals. It’s a nicer and roomier (for the manatees) exhibit than the tight

quarters their cousins have at The Living Seas in Epcot (see Chapter 13).

Kids especially like the more natural outdoor viewing area near the

entrance to the exhibit.

Marine Mammal Keeper Experience

Expect to invest a sizable chunk of your day and budget in this nine-

hour program (it runs from 6:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m., so you’ll also need to

be an early riser). You get to work side by side with a trainer, preparing

meals and feeding the animals, learning basic training techniques, and

sharing lunch. It costs $399 (tax inclusive), which also includes 7 days

of consecutive admission to SeaWorld, lunch, a career book, and a T-shirt.

The program is limited to two people per day, so make the required reser-

vations very early. You must be 13 or older, at least 52 inches tall, able to

climb, and able to lift and carry 15 pounds of vittles. Call % 407-432-1178

for more information.

Odyssea

Inside the Nautilus Theater, a cast of acrobats, mimes, dancers, musi-

cians, and comics put on a undersea show called Odyssea that, at times,

is artistic and funny (and always entertaining). The sets and costumes

focus on a whimsical underwater world. It’s similar in style to the Cirque

du Soleil production at Downtown Disney (see Chapter 25), but on a much

smaller scale. It’s also a great spot to give your feet a break and to cool

off, making it a good stop in the afternoon.

Penguin Encounter

The Penguin Encounter transports you via a 120-foot-long moving sidewalk

through Antarctic Tuxedoville. The stars of the show — four different

species of penguins — are on the other side of a Plexiglas shield. You get

a quick look at them as they preen, socialize, and swim at bullet speed in

a 30-degree habitat. You can also see puffins and murres (shorebirds) in

a similar, but separate, area.

Though you get a nice view of the penguins (and they are always a hit

with the kids), the viewing area surroundings leave a bit to be desired.

Pets Ahoy!

A veritable menagerie of cats, dogs, pot-bellied pigs, skunks, and a horse

are joined by birds and rats (nearly 100 animals in all) to perform comic

relief in a 25-minute show held several times a day inside the SeaWorld

Theater. Almost all of the performers were rescued from animal shelters.

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Stick around after the show and your kids can have an up-close

encounter with a couple of the featured animal stars.

Shamu Adventure Show

Everyone comes to SeaWorld to see Shamu, and believe me the show

never disappoints. The Shamu Adventure Show, held inside Shamu

Stadium, is a well-choreographed show, planned and carried out by very

good trainers and very smart Orcas. Performing stunts with and without

their trainers, the whales jump and dive into the depths of the gigantic

pool, impressing the audience every time. The fun builds until the video

monitor flashes an urgent “Weather Watch,” and one of the trainers utters

the warning, “Uh-oh! Hurricane Shamu is about to make landfall!” At this

point, many folks remember the splash-area warnings posted throughout

the grandstand (seats in the first 14 rows may get drenched). Those who

didn’t pay attention when they arrived get one last chance to flee to higher

and drier areas of the stadium. The Orcas then race around the edge of

the pool, creating huge waves of icy water that profoundly soak everyone

and everything within range. Veteran animal handler Jack Hanna makes a

cameo appearance on overhead monitors, compliments of ShamuVision.

Shamu: Close Up! is an adjoining exhibit that lets you get close to killer

whales and learn about breeding programs. Don’t miss the underwater

viewing area. You may get to see a mother with her big baby.

A nighttime version of this show, Shamu Rocks America, offers more of

a party atmosphere and less of an educational experience. The whales

perform to the beat of blaring rock music, and special effects are more

predominant against the nighttime sky. It adds up to a very entertaining

show for all ages.

Eating with the fish

In May 2002, SeaWorld opened a restaurant program called Dine with Shamu

(% 800-327-2420 or 407-351-3600 for information and reservations). This reservations-

only seafood buffet is served poolside with Shamu as a special guest. While eating,

guests can mingle and question SeaWorld trainers. The menu also includes chicken,

beef, and salads and a children’s buffet offering mac ’n’ cheese, chicken, hot dogs,

and other kiddie favorites. The cost is $34 for adults and $18 for kids 3 to 9, in addition

to park admission. Reserving a spot two to three weeks in advance is usually more

than enough unless you’re coming in one of the crunch periods (summer, holidays).

The park also opened Sharks Underwater Grill (% 407-363-2559 for reservations),

where diners can dig into Floridian and Caribbean treats while watching denizens

swim by in the Shark Encounter exhibit — almost the entire back wall of the restau-

rant serves as a gigantic viewing area. Menu prices are $16 to $30 for adults and $6

to $12 for kids 3 to 9 (pasta, hot dogs, chicken breast, steak, and popcorn shrimp), and

theme-park admission is required.

296 Part V: Exploring the Rest of Orlando

Shamu’s Happy Harbor

This 3-acre play area has a four-story net tower with a 35-foot crow’s-

nest lookout, water cannons, remote-controlled vehicles, a ship, and a

water maze. It’s one of the most extensive play areas at any park and a

great place for kids to unwind. Because of its size, smaller kids can easily

get lost and could easily escape to the other areas of the park if you’re

not paying close attention.

Bring extra clothes for the tots (or for yourself) because the Harbor isn’t

designed to keep you dry.

Shark Encounter

This attraction was expanded to include 220 species of aquatic preda-

tors. Pools out front have small sharks and rays. (Feeding isn’t allowed.)

Eerie background music sets the mood for viewing big eels, beautiful

lionfish, hauntingly still barracudas, and the fat, bug-eyed pufferfish in

large indoor aquariums.

This attraction isn’t for the claustrophobic: You walk through a Plexiglas

tube beneath hundreds of millions of gallons of water. Small children

may find the swimming sharks a little too much to handle.

Sharks Deep Dive gives snorkelers and divers a chance to have limited,

hands-off contact with the 58 sharks, including a nearly 9-foot sand tiger,

in the Shark Encounter area. Two at a time, guests don wetsuits for a close

up encounter inside an actual shark cage that rides a 125-foot track. Part of

the cage is above water, but participants can dive up to 8 feet underwater

for a close-up look at the inhabitants. The cost is $150 for certified divers,

$125 for snorkelers (minimum age 10). The price includes a souvenir

booklet, T-shirt, and snorkel gear, but does not include the required park

admission fee.

Wild Arctic

Wild Arctic combines a high-definition adventure film with flight-simulator

technology to envelop guests in the beauty, exhilaration, and danger of a

polar expedition. After a hazardous, simulated helicopter flight over the

frozen north, visitors emerge at a remote research base, home to star

residents and polar bear twins Klondike and Snow, seals, walruses, and

white beluga whales. A separate walk-through line is available for those

who want to skip the bumpy simulator ride.

More SeaWorld fun

Other SeaWorld attractions include Pacific Point Preserve, a 21⁄2-acre

natural setting that duplicates the rocky northern Pacific Coast home of

California sea lions and harbor seals (yes, there are smelt opportunities

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here!), and Tropical Rain Forest, a bamboo and banyan-tree habitat

that’s home to cockatoos and other birds.

The Anheuser-Busch Hospitality Center next to the Clydesdale

Hamlet has the “Label Stable” gift shop and a deli and offers free sam-

ples of Anheuser-Busch beers. At the Budweiser Beer School, guests

age 21 and over can learn how Anheuser-Busch brews the world’s top-

selling beer.

SeaWorld’s new 5-acre Waterfront area, which debuted in late spring

2003, added a 5-acre, seaport-themed village to the park’s landscape.

On High Street, look for a blend of shops and the Seafire Inn restaurant,

where lunch includes a cute musical revue celebrating family, food, and

fun called Rico and Roza’s Musical Feast. At Harbor Square, the funny

Groove Chefs orchestra has chefs making music with pots and pans.

The park has also added street performers, including a crusty old sea

captain, who tells fish tales and makes music with bottles and brandy

glasses. Other eateries include Voyager’s Wood Fired Pizza and The

Spice Mill.

Dining and Shopping at SeaWorld

For details on SeaWorld’s Makahiki Luau, a full-scale dinner show featur-

ing South Seas food (mahimahi, chicken, and pork) and entertainment,

see Chapter 24. For the lowdown on Sharks Underwater Grill, see the

Terrors of the Deep review earlier in this chapter.

SeaWorld also has several counter-style eateries offering the usual

burgers, fajitas, salads, and so on. Most fast-food meals cost about

$7 or $8 per person, and this doesn’t include the cost of a drink, which

will set you back another $2.50 or so.

The Waterfront is home to a number of full-service dining options with

decent cuisine, including:

The Seafire Inn. Choose from a number of burgers (about $8–$9)

stir fry, sandwiches, and salads, or try a jumbo baked potato served

with your choice of several toppings for $7.

Voyager’s Wood Fired Pizzas. The pizza- and parmesan fries–combo

platter here offers good value at $8, with seafood, pasta, chicken,

sandwiches, and salads and a huge kid’s menu to choose from as well.

The Spice Mill. This eatery specializes in the spices of famous

seaport cities. Try the jambalaya or the jerk-grilled chicken sand-

wiches or an array of other more unique offerings. An entree will

set you back about $12.

298 Part V: Exploring the Rest of Orlando

SeaWorld doesn’t have nearly as many shops as the other major theme

parks, but the stores offer plenty of surprisingly cuddly sea creatures.

For example, you can buy a stuffed manatee at Manatee Cove. The Friends

of the Wild gift shop near Penguin Encounter is also nice, as is the shop

attached to Wild Arctic. Because of the Anheuser-Busch connection, the

gift shop outside the entrance to the park offers a staggering array of

Budweiser- and Busch-related items. There are a handful of unique

boutiques featuring items from garden art to unique toys and T-shirts

at the Waterfront.

Checking Out Discovery Cove

SeaWorld’s second theme park opened in summer 2000. Its $100-million

construction cost may be one-tenth the sticker price of Islands of

Adventure, but Discovery Cove’s admission price is four times higher.

The options: $229 to $259 per person plus 6.5 percent sales tax if you

want to swim with a dolphin (minimum age 6), or $129 to $159 if you

can simply settle for the fishes. The prices vary seasonally, so double

check when you make your reservations (which are a requirement to

enter this park).

A perk of the higher price tag is that it includes a 7-day consecutive

pass to either SeaWorld or Busch Gardens (see Chapter 23). You can

upgrade this feature to a 14-day combination pass for both parks for an

additional $30. If you plan on visiting all three parks, that’s actually a

pretty good deal.

Almost everyone who does the dolphin encounter finds it exciting — just

the kind of thing that makes for a most memorable vacation. If, however,

your kids are younger than age 6, or you decide to skip the dolphin swim,

it’s hard to imagine that you’ll get your $129 worth. The atmosphere here

isn’t tailored to toddlers and is, instead, meant to be a relaxing oasis, quiet

and serene. I can’t really recommend this park for those of you with very

young children in tow.

The park has more than two-dozen dolphins, and each works from two

to four hours a day. They’re pretty incredible animals, and, although

their size may be a bit intimidating to some, they’re very people-friendly.

Many of them are mature critters that have spent their lives in captivity,

around people. Most of them love getting their bellies, backs, and flukes

rubbed. They also have an impressive bag of tricks. Given the proper

hand signals, they can mimic the sound of a human passing gas, chatter

in dolphin talk, and do seemingly effortless 11⁄2 gainers in 12 feet of water.

They also take guests for piggyback rides.

The dolphin experience lasts 90 minutes, about 35 to 40 minutes of which

is actually spent in the lagoon. Trainers use the rest of the time to teach

visitors about these remarkable mammals.

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The rest of your day won’t be nearly as exciting, but it is wonderfully

relaxing. Discovery Cove doesn’t deliver thrill rides, water slides, or

acrobatic animal shows; that’s what SeaWorld, Disney, and Universal

are for. This is where you come to get away from all that!

Discovery Cove is an all-inclusive park, so in addition to the dolphin

experience, your fee tosses in

Elbow room — there’s a limit of 1,000 guests per day. (To give you

an idea of how little that is, the normal daily attendance at Disney’s

Magic Kingdom is 41,000.) This ensures your experience will be more

relaxing and private, which is essentially what you’re paying for.

Lunch (entrees include items such as fajitas, salmon, stir-fry, and

pesto chicken), a towel, sunscreen, snorkeling gear including a

flotation vest, a souvenir photo, and free parking are also part of

the deal.

Activities that include:

• Swimming near (but on the other side of Plexiglas from)

barracudas and black-tip sharks.

• Snorkeling around a huge pool containing a coral reef with

colorful tropical fish and another area with gentle rays.

• Touching and feeding 300 exotic birds in an aviary hidden

under a waterfall.

• Cooling off under foaming waterfalls.

• Soaking up the sun on the beaches.

• Enjoying the soothing waters of the park’s pools and rivers

(freshwater and saltwater).

Seven days of unlimited admission to SeaWorld or Busch Gardens

in Tampa.

Reservations are required far in advance, but you have at least a chance

of getting in as a walk-up guest as the park reserves a small number of

tickets daily for folks whose earlier dolphin sessions were canceled due

to bad weather. Your best chance for last-minute tickets comes during

any extended period of good weather.

To get to Discovery Cove, follow the directions to SeaWorld given in

the “Gathering Important SeaWorld Information” section, earlier in this

chapter.

For up-to-the-minute information about this park, call % 877-434-7268

or go to www.discoverycove.com.