We had the chance to visit SeaWorld Orlando for the second time since they have re-opened. Our first visit was close to when they first opened. SeaWorld has gone through their share of struggles in the last few years. We have been visiting since November which was my first visit and we enjoyed ourselves. For this visit we went with some friends and it was their first time ever to this park.
We arrived to the park at opening which was 10AM and the crowds were pretty low. They did pick up throughout the day but nothing too insane. This visit we were able to enjoy their Craft Beer Festival, visit Sesame Street, and more! So let's get into our day....
Health and Safety: What I Saw
Just like the other parks your temperature is taken before entering. There is no thermometer pointed just a simple walk-through scan. For children in strollers they did have to scan them . Face masks are required and there was signage that violators would be asked to leave the park.
There are distance markers located throughout the park as well. I will say that visitors definitely push the rules and we seen several people wearing masks incorrectly. Compared to other places we have visited team members seemed to be scarce. This could be a big reason why enforcing the rule was not as great as I would have liked.
The hand sanitizers are hand pumps. This is something I did not enjoy and remembered from my previous visit so I took my own. I wish there were more throughout the as they are spread and near attractions. We found several were empty as well.
What I did not see is cleanings. Not once while we were there did we experience a cleaning happening so it is unclear what their standard is or how often it is done.
Sesame Street Area/Rides: What I Enjoyed
This area is my absolute favorite! I could spend all day in this space. It is literally as if you are in Sesame Street. All the attractions in this area is open except the playground are for children. The splash pad is even open which is a huge plus.
The rides allow for limited capacity to ensure social distancing. The longest wait was for the Elmo train. This area opens 30 minutes after the park and is popular. We hit this area first and was able to complete everything within a hour. We did skip the character meet and greet this visit but will tackle it next time.
We were able to walkthrough to see the Beluga whales and penguins. The attractions Wild Artic and Empire of the Penguin are both not operating at this time. The penguin walkthrough is EXTREMELY COLD AND SMELLS OF FISH...... SO FOREWARNING
Shows: What I Saw
We caught the Orca Encounter show and Dolphin Days. Dolphin Days is our absolute favorite each time. I love the music and find it to be so cute.
This was my first time seeing Orca Encounter as it changed since the last time I had seen it. It was still a cute show and Ari had a blast. If I had to choose between the two I do enjoy Dolphin Days the most. The Dolphin Days show has more showings while Orca Encounter had just two showings.
In both shows seating is every other row with 3" distance stickers. This allowed for parties to understand where to sit and maintain social distancing. I really enjoyed they exiting procedures as they did this by area to help limit a mad rush.
Food: What I Ate
The food is always where I struggle since I have yet to find a place that I love. I will say I love the grilled cheese truck in Sesame Street but we were out this area by lunch time. We ate at a quick service where the food was ok.
I was able to enjoy two items from the Craft Beer Festival. Both were tasty and nice sized portions for the price. The Beef Short Rib which came with a cheddar mashed potatoes and the Shrimp Taco. The portions were great and both were tasty. I would totally get these again and I definitely recommend trying the different food options at the booths. Each booth is spread throughout the park and offer several different options from savory to sweet.
My friend Sarah was able to try the banana S'mores treat from one of the booths. I am not a S'Mores fan so did not try. She gave it a mixed review.
What's Next: Are we going back?
Overall, we had a pleasant time. While there are things I wish were a tad better, I know each park is navigating differently and doing the best they can. Since we are Platinum Passholders we will be back as they are continuing a lot of their activities. SeaWorld has extended their Craft Beer Festival through November 1st, they still do their fireworks and have begun their Halloween festivities for kids. So we will be visiting again next week to check this out. I will be sure to share these experiences with you guys.
Until our next expedition.....
-Brianna