Fun in Florida October 2018
I spent the week exploring the SeaWorld parks and the beautiful beaches of St Pete and Clearwater on the west coast of Florida. More on Clearwater in my next blog.
SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment is made up of four amazing parks: SeaWorld, Aquatica, Busch Gardens and Discovery Cove. You can either buy 3 parks for the price of 2 or simply upgrade to explore all the parks with the Ultimate ticket which includes Discovery Cove and a dolphin swim too. You can experience exciting new thrill rides, up-close animal encounters, water-based activities with chilled out spaces once you have visited all four parks.
SeaWorld
Our first day was at SeaWorld. Besides all the rides and the new ride of Infinity Falls which opened on this day, my main interest was finding out about how the park cares for their animals. It was amazing to see the state of the art veterinary facilities, learn how they rescue animals by working alongside the US government and have a non-profit conservation fund for rehabilitation, research and preventative medicine. Of course, I had to try Infinity Falls which was brilliant along with the shows and famous coasters such as Mako and Manta. My step count had a sharp incline on that day!
Aquatica
Aquatica was on the agenda for day two. Compared to the fast pace of SeaWorld, this park is a combination of a splashy watery park full of super-sized slides, speedy splashdowns and sandy shores to relax in. We had great fun trying all the slides and rides and there were areas for little ones right up to big kids. Aquatica is known as a thrill leader among Florida waterparks, especially as they have introduced the latest family attraction, Ray Rush. Also, next year, there is the opening of the new thrill slide KareKare Curl. Holding two passengers per raft, this new slide delivers a high-adrenaline, weightless adventure.
Discovery Cove
Another highlight of my trip was visiting the amazing Discovery Cove. Set in a tropical paradise, it has an aviary, Serenity Bay beach and the Grand Reef, where you can snorkel to your hearts content surrounded by beautiful saltwater fish. Within the ticket, you get all day dining, lockers, towels, access to showers/changing areas, wetsuits and snorkel hire for the full day. Our first experience was SeaVenture (this carries an extra charge). Having never dived before I was a little cautious but found it was something I could not miss. With a full wet suit on and dive helmet, you go on an underwater tour of the Grand Reef. It’s an immersive underwater walking tour where you get up close with sharks (behind a panoramic window), watch beautiful stingrays glide and see the feeding time frenzy with schools of fish around you! Our second experience of the day was swimming with dolphins. The area is set in a huge lagoon with large inlets, so you feel you are in a coastal paradise but with the safety of experts on hand to guide you through your time with the dolphins. It was endearing to hear the dolphin’s noises and watch them play with each other, whilst getting time to play and stroke our own dolphin, a young 3-year old called Reef. I won’t ever forget that.
Busch Gardens
Busch Gardens was our fourth day. It is an African theme park and combines animal encounters with thrill rides such as the renown Falcons Fury which has a 102-metre drop and coasters such as Cobras Curse. Not for the faint hearted of you! Ok, I wasn’t brave enough to go on Falcons Fury but enjoyed some of the animal experiences in the Serengeti Plains area. We had a fabulous day and got to feed everyone’s favourites, the giraffes, one of the many experiences you can book here. These guys were so
So, you see, it’s not just Disney in Orlando. I would heartily recommend booking your flights, villa and car hire to explore these fab parks. Combine this with the relaxation of Clearwater, America’s Number One beach and you have the makings of a great holiday.
