Are you wondering how to get the most out of a 1 Day Trip to Sea World at San Antonio? Then I’ve got your insider scoop with 5 easy tips!
As a family we have had the opportunity to go to Sea World at San Antonio several times this summer. We bought season passes and we love the family bonding time we have while we’re there. These memories will last a lifetime. The last trip, we were invited to be apart of the Wildside Bloggers Reunion. It was a treat to meet so many Texas bloggers in real life!
How to get the most out of a 1 Day Trip to Sea World at San Antonio
Since San Antonio is quite the drive for us, we usually only have one day to soak in all the attractions. Here are my tips on how to make the most out of a 1 day trip to SeaWorld.
1. Arrive Early! Not only does the parking lot fill up quickly but the line to walk in can be quite long. If you only have one day to spend at SeaWorld, I would suggest getting there around 9:30am. If you want to feed the dolphins, the first feeding at 10:00am is the best time! They are hungry and extra eager to give you a great performance. Everyone else will be running to the rides, so plan on going the opposite direction to the Dolphins. They’re ready for you!
2. Plan out your route. SeaWorld is huge! There are so many attractions, shows, and events that with just a little bit of planning ahead, you’ll save yourself a lot of walking and a lot wasted time. One of the mistakes we made the first time we went, is that we decided what we wanted to see but not the order. {{snicker}} We ended up going from one end of the park to the other, several times. The kids got tired of walking and became grumpy. So it’s worth it to plan your route first thing in the morning.
Tip: You can print out a map from their website before you go so you can have your day all planned out ahead of time. Please note, times for the shows will vary.
3. Buy a Quick Queue Pass. Did you know that you can buy a quick queue pass that will give you permission to cut in line? {{squeal in delight}} The best part about the pass is that you walk IN the OUT. So you’re not being rude by passing up everyone who’s been waiting in line for an hour. We were able to ride any ride – from start to finish in about 15 minutes!
It was incredible! If you only have one day to spend at SeaWorld, there’s no better way than with a Quick Queue pass. I think our best record so far is 8 rides in 2 hours. {{evil laugh}} This is also a great solution if you have a split family like I do, where my older boys are tweens and my youngest is a preschooler. Jason was able to take the older two and ride the big rides while I rode with Drake. We met back up at Azul one hour later and our quick queue passes were half way filled up.
Tip: All Day Dining Passes. If your family eats a lot or if you’ll be eating 3 meals inside the park. Look into purchasing “All Day Dining” passes for your family. They are priced very reasonably and you can get in line as many times as you want! We saved SO much money the last two times we used them.
4. See Azul and meet the cast. Azul is the most popular show in Sea World at San Antonio. It fills up quickly and is a site to behold for every age group. The trick here is to arrive at least 30 minutes early and sit on the front left side. They have a warm up performer who spits water everywhere in the crowd. So if you don’t want to get wet – sit on a dry seat. HA! After every show at Sea World you can take pictures and meet the cast. They are extremely talented and so much fun.
5. Animal Connections. The park has this new cool feature where you can interact with several of their animals. Not only can you feed the dolphins and feed the sea lions; but you can pet and hold animals marked “Animal Connection” around the park. My kids could not get enough of it!
One of the traditions we do at every theme park is have cotton candy at the end of the day. It’s my favorite treat and makes a great photo op! I hope this helps you make the most out of your family vacation to Sea World. Huge thanks to Brian with SeaWorld for making our last two trips even more memorable!
Disclosure: Our family already paid for season passes to SeaWorld back in the Spring. Brian hooked us up with Quick Queue and All Day Dining passes to try out. They were fabulous and so efficient! These are tips that I wish I had known prior to our visits.
Adrienne says
Aww man! If only you could’ve written this a week ago when we went! Although we had a great time, I know we could’ve had a much better time with these tips! We’re planning on getting a season pass next year, so I’m definitely bookmarking this page!
Thanks for all of the great tips!!!
Gabby says
Great tips! This post is going to be very helpful for us in the future.
Mya says
This post could not have come at a more perfect time. We intended to go to Seaworld San Antonio today but luck have it..it’s closed. So our trip will have to wait until Saturday. 🙂 Our #1 goal this time around was seeing the dolphins 1st in Dolphin’s Cove! Because we’ve missed them the last 2 times! Thanks for the tips.
Kylee says
Gorgeous family!! Looks like yall had fun!
Audrey G. says
You are a pro at visiting Sea World!!!:) Looks like a lot of fun!!! I’ve been there 3 times but not with my own kids!LOL With 200 second graders!LOL Sea World for us is an hour away, but my kids are teens so they don’t see it as “fun with mom and dad” anymore!LOL