SeaWorld San Antonio is known for its animal attractions and marine-themed rides, but my family and I found out that there’s even more to this aquatic wonderland. We saw some familiar favorites like the killer whale show, but found a few surprises along the way as well. Let me share with you my experiences at SeaWorld San Antonio.
Our SeaWorld San Antonio visit was on a Saturday in late July. Apparently we weren’t the only ones looking for some summertime family fun as the cars flowed into the parking lot. Parking at theme parks can sometimes be hard to navigate and too far away from the main entrance. However, it didn’t take much of a stroll to make our way to the front gates. We filtered through the front gates complete with security checkpoint (like checking of bags for any banned items) and our two little girls were wide-eyed as we entered.
The SeaWorld San Antonio Shows
Our first show of the day was the Sea Lion show, complete with a family-friendly cast that got the crowd going with some snazzy dance moves and splashes of water. The sea lions came out to the wonder and amazement of our little girls, and I couldn’t help but smile as I recalled this type of memory from my own youth. Quick tip: sit near the front in the splash zone for a cool-off on a hot summer day.
Next, it was on to the big show of the day…the killer whale show! The popularity of this show is pretty evident, as people were lining up 45 minutes before showtime just to get in for a good seat. With that said, pretty much every seat has a good view of the orca action. So really, you only need to get in line earliest if you want to be at the very front of the “splash zone”. Probably doesn’t need much description, as the name implies it’s the area of the arena that you are likely to get wet by splashes from the orcas during the show.
As my daughter shouted, quite accurately, “they’re ginormous!!!” Be sure to watch your kids’ faces as the killer whales enter the arena to be seen for the first time by the crowd. It was an enjoyable moment as a parent to see their reaction.
Another tip for you here. The water from the orca tank is kept pretty chilly to keep the orcas comfortable, though even on a hot day it felt mighty cold when we got soaked!
The kids left sopping wet and with big smiles on their faces. Getting up close and personal with such a magnificent creature is pretty awe-inspiring. Plus, as parents we appreciated the scientific information presented regarding animal protection efforts.
Other Animal Attractions
No day at SeaWorld San Antonio would be complete without seeing the dolphins as well. After stopping for lunch at one of the many food spots within the park, we scooted over to see the dolphin area. With both surface-level and underwater viewing areas available, it gives you a great look at these dolphins. The kids particularly enjoyed the underwater observation, as they have been learning about dolphins and got to apply some of their newfound knowledge talking to each other about what they were viewing.
Maybe the most unexpected portion of the day came when we went to Beluga Stadium to see the beluga whales. As it turns out, one of the beluga whales had recently given birth to a baby beluga whale. We got to observe the mommy and baby beluga swimming gracefully side-by-side which we all found amazing.
The SeaWorld San Antonio Rides
Probably less well known when compared with SeaWorld’s animal attractions are its adventure rides. There were several cool roller coasters as well as some family-friendly splash rides. The Great White roller coaster was bigger (and faster!) than I had anticipated.
If you’re in need of a cool-off, simply get up close as a spectator to the Journey To Atlantis ride. As you can see in the picture above, there’s no shortage of water being sprayed by the ride boat when it slides down the final drop off!
For the kids, there are also some smaller rides for the little ones. Near the Sesame Street themed play areas, there are some nice rides too (for us, we enjoyed the miniature Ferris wheel type ride as parents can sit alongside their children).
Overall Review of our SeaWorld Experience
Our overall impressions as a family were that SeaWorld San Antonio delivered the family-centered educational experience we were expecting, and the added elements of adventurous fun put our day over the top. The safety precautions (both in regards to the global pandemic and also more general customer safety/animal safety) were also noticeable and appreciated. If there was one minor glitch in the day, on this extremely hot day some of the drink stations ran out of ice temporarily so had to make-do for a bit. Otherwise, it was a day of fun, learning, and excitement at SeaWorld San Antonio.
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Happy Travels,
Dr. L
Founder, PsychologyofTravel.com
Disclosure: Special thanks to SeaWorld San Antonio for sponsoring our ticket admission and parking. All opinions remain my own and an honest attempt to review my experiences for my readers and followers. For more information, see our disclosure statement.
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