8 Not-To Miss SeaWorld Aquatica San Antonio Shows & Attractions
It might be no secret that my husband, daughter, and I visited SeaWorld this summer. After tons of discussions of what to do and where to go we finally ended up with the idea to take our daughter to SeaWorld.
She loves sea life and we just recently remodeled her room complete with every type of sea life or beach item you can think of. Especially flamingos! We knew we had to take her to see the flamingos. After plenty of debate we headed off for a day at SeaWorld. I have to admit it was the best part of the trip.
I am going to leave you with two tips and tricks before I break down what not-to miss at SeaWorld and Aquatica. First, if you can and it’s available get the two park pass for $59. This is a 7 day pass and had we known that we would have spent more than one day at both parks. Secondly, buy the refillable cup not only is it a souvenir but it will save you plenty of money especially if it is hot outside like our 104 degrees F day when we went.
AQUATICA
What is Aquatica? Aquatica is a water park inside of SeaWorld. When you enter the gates of SeaWorld you will be able to see all other attractions but Aquatica and Discovery Point (where you can swim with dolphins, sea lions, or beluga whales). That being said Aquatica features several slides, loggerhead lane (like a lazy river but better), and a wave pool.
You can rent lockers that will hold all of your items for about $15 and you pick your own pin code. They have swim suits, cover ups, and flip flops for sale along with other merchandise. We wore our flip flops onto rides with them cupped over our hands. The ground was hot. If it is a cooler time of year you may not need them.
STINGRAY ENCOUNTER
This was so cool! My favorite part of the trip. I could of stood there all day and play with the stingrays. You are best off just listening to the instructions. Place your hand on top of the water and they really will come to you. There is also a time when you can feed them through out the day.
This is an extra cost which they have a booth near it with pricing. I believe the cheapest was $20. I didn’t get a chance to feed them but next time I would love to. In the bottom of this post is a video with different things we captured and we have some footage of petting the stingrays.
STINGRAY FALLS
This is the water slide that is connected to the underneath area of where you can pet the stingrays. At the end of the slide it takes you through a glass/clear area where you see the stingrays swimming around and above you.
The park’s signature attraction takes four-seat rafts down twists and turns to an underwater grotto, where you come face-to-fin with stingrays and tropical fish. It really is a beautiful site! If you have one that doesn’t like slides they can wait at the bottom and play with the stingrays.
WALHALLA WAVE
This is one both Vojta and Menya would NOT stop talking about. Once we did finally make it home we even saw this featured on Travel Channel. A first of its kind in North America, this family clover-tube ride sends guests soaring through watery waves to the top of a zero-gravity wall, giving riders the sense of weightlessness. For those waiting on sliders you can wait at the bottom in hammocks or on beach chairs in the sand for some sun time.
SEAWORLD
Get there when it opens! The parking is $25 for preferred. We paid it because after a long day of walking the last thing you want to do is search for the car at the end of the night. Try to get in as many attractions as possible if you are going for just one day.
Here is my tip every shop that is located next to something like say Beluga’s that shop has the Beluga merchandise. So if your looking for Shamu go near Shamu or if your looking for dolphins the same applies. I didn’t get to go to the beluga specific shop which bums me out but I did some home with a beluga stuffed animal which is about the only thing beluga they had in the front shop.
Oh and I think if your going on vacation and need hotel look into their eat free packages. They had some decent and healthy options but it does get a little expensive. Lunch for the three of us was $71 including our reusable drink cups which makes the difference since we used them all day.
If you have any questions I would love to know just put them in the comments below and I would be happy to answer them.
THE GREAT WHITE
This was the last ride they rode. My daughter road her first roller coaster that day The Journey to Atlantis. Later, she begged her dad to ride this one with her. He did just about anything he could to talk her out of it.
It’s located at the back of the park and there was hardly a line. I heard him say “$%#&” and her scream right as soon as the floor left them. With 360-degree flips and experience thrills on the Great White.
Race along at nearly 50 mph on a floorless run of breathtaking loops, corkscrews and thrilling curves. They said it was awesome! I am sure they would have rode it again if there would have been more time. This one is a must for the older kids and adults.
JOURNEY TO ATLANTIS
This was the first roller coaster/water ride my daughter had ever rode. Take a moment to look at the video below as it has full footage of this ride. Along with it comes the get wet part at the end. I pointed to where they should stand as I watch for over an hour as they waiting in line to see who and where the people got the wettest.
Then told them to go there. My daughter had no clue she was going to be that wet. It’s was a good laugh for me! 🙂 A family ride that’s part water ride, part coaster, and altogether exciting.
Get a panoramic, 360º view at the top of the first peak, followed by a 10-story reverse camelback that sends you on a wet and wild plunge into the lake below. The view will show you parts of SeaWorld and the areas they keep the animals in. So, don’t forget to look down!
AZUL
This was just how I remembered SeaWorld as a kid with all the acrobats, divers, and sea life doing a show. The only difference was no Shamu. Honestly, I was there to see the Beluga whales. They are such amazing animals. This show is great with plenty of laughs along with plenty of ohhhs and ahhhs.
Just before this show in the same stadium they have an Ocean Discovery show. I highly suggest taking your kids, tweens, or teens to this. Why? Because this really give perspective in what SeaWorld is now trying to do.
This with their new Sea Rescue organization and how things will be changing at SeaWorld. Just take a moment to visit the show as it is so worth it. We had just enough time in between to ride one right and come back for Azul.
FEED THE SEA LIONS
For just $6 we bought little fish to drop into the sea lions. They had a pair of glasses someone dropped in and they were playing with. So please keep your glasses on your head securely. Over all this was really fun even for my teen daughter. We talked all the way to Aquatica about how cute they are and what they are like in their natural habitat. Which is what I see SeaWorld as place to be educational for those that want to learn about sea life.
DISCOVERY POINT
They have an expansive Dolphin Lagoon is home to a playful pod of bottlenose dolphins. Watch them from its sand-swept shores, or go deeper with in the Dolphin Underwater Viewing. They also have an area to view shark’s in aquariums along with several educational points of interest.
The instructor at the Dolphin Lagoon will gladly answer plenty of questions and explain all the details about the dolphins. It’s very up close encounter without touching.
Access to Dolphin Lagoon, Dolphin Underwater Viewing and Explorer’s Reef is included with any SeaWorld admission. Guest can even reserve a signature encounter to make a memorable splash with Dolphins, Beluga Whales and Sea Lions, some of the sea’s most extraordinary mammals.
These run about $155 each person and $3o additionally for those that want to come and get pictures or experience the viewing. While we didn’t get to do this on our next trip to a SeaWorld my daughter and I bought hope to get this experience. Her with the sea lions and myself with the beluga’s. My husband is too chicken to do it. 🙂
Lastly, we visited the Shamu show which is coming to an end. SeaWorld will no longer be breeding nor catching these creatures in the wild. They will show the orca’s that they still have in their care but times are changing and for the better. It’s still an amazing show just like when I was a kid.
I am glad my husband and daughter got a chance to see this show before they no longer do it. However, I do believe it’s time for the fade out. I love how SeaWorld is now focusing more of their attention on the care and learning of all the animals they keep. We will definitely be back soon!