We went back to SeaWorld Orlando after a long break, bringing our son and my mother-in-law and…read moreusing my annual pass free ticket--which was a nice perk. Right off the bat, it's just a very different vibe from Walt Disney World. Parking felt like a free-for-all (we got lucky with a close spot), and entry was super basic--scan and go, nothing special. We got there around 3 and went straight to the Orca show at Shamu Stadium, which was actually really good. The park didn't feel too crowded, but ride wait times were still long. This trip was all about our son, and Sesame Street Land at SeaWorld Orlando delivered. Seeing him in his Elmo outfit light up during the parade was everything. Food at Altitude Burger was underwhelming--expensive, basic, and the seating area needed some attention cleanliness-wise. The highlight, though, was the animal experiences. The dolphin viewing at Dolphin Nursery had my son completely mesmerized--nonstop smiles, talking, just pure joy. SeaWorld has its flaws, but for kids and animal encounters, it really delivers. Final Verdict: 4 overall, 5 for kid happiness--because at the end of the day, that's what matters most

We have season passes that we purchased for the San Diego Seaworld, but it applies to ALL of…read moreSeaworld's properties (to a an extent). This included "free" parking, albeit the parking lot attendants could be more helpful directing those with elevated season passes to the correct location. This review is a couple weeks late, but we went at the beginning of their annual Seven Seas Food Festival. Those venues did not open until late afternoon, so we ended up eating at one of their restaurants for lunch (which wasn't too bad actually). I had spoken to a rep at customer service who informed me a couple of the perks, as a platinum season ticket holder, that a couple of the perks were not applicable here in Orlando, such as no allotted free guest passes. I was told we could transfer our passes to Orlando, but the cost would be twice as much then our "great deal" passes from San Diego (we passed of course). The park listed the hours of operation until 8pm, but they were closing everything, except the gift shops of course, at 7pm; thus we did not get to go up in the Sky Tower to watch the sunset. A custodian employee working that area was kind of dumbfounded that nobody (other employees) was there as well. I planned to give this visit a 2 star rating (could've been better), but opted for 3 (OK) because we did enjoy a couple of shows and the Expedition Odyssey ride. BTW, there are a couple bars that actually have a 'happy hour' but it is not advertised. We were only informed of this by the guest services employee who volunteered the 411.

This was a fun log flume/coaster hybrid ride. You don't get too wet, so no worries about being…read moresoaked! The coaster provides just the right amount of thrills and excitement being that it's also a water ride. There's some twists and turns that were just enough to provide a fun and exhilarating experience without being overwhelming. I enjoyed!

" In a single day and night of misfortune, the island of Atlantis disappeared into the depths of…read morethe sea." ~Plato, 360 B.C. Last Monday my stepmom and I decided to ride this coaster based off the mythical utopian city destroyed by the gods in Greek Mythology. 5 stars all the way, what a thrill ride! You don't just get soaked once, but twice, LOL my hood fell off and my hair was completely drenched, but the rest of me was dry, thanks to my poncho! I would highly recommend taking a ride to Atlantis while you are in SeaWorld, you won't regret it! If we had more time we would have gone again!

This is a fun little part of the park for the kids. I…read moreremember loving Sesame Street growing up, but I don't really spend too much time here anymore. It is nice to see that the character is still interact with the kids, though !

Sesame Street Place is the best part of sea world for kids under 8!…read more From rides to a play area and splash pad to cool food trucks with yummy cold treats or burgers and a Sesame Street shop to buy all souvenirs ! This place is magical for the littles. The parade is a few times during the day and make sure you sit 30 mins before parade time so the little ones can sit curbside and see Elmo and friends close up. 1-There is story time with big bird and a photo opportunity 2- there is also an Indoor photo opportunity with Cookie Monster, Abby, Elmo, Count Dracula etc which is so awesome !!! 3- Rides include : Sunny day Carousel, Abby's flower tower, super grover box car derby, cookie drop, Elmo's choo choo train, and Slimey's slider. You can also book a Breakfast with Elmo and friends starting at $34.99 ! Our favorite place to be

My guy and I spent the day at Discovery Cove and it was honestly such a beautiful day. I'm a total…read morebeach and water girl, and he hasn't really done much like this before, so I was really excited to share the experience with him. From the moment we arrived to when we left, everything was really well done. The staff were friendly and welcoming, which set the tone right away. They have a buffet for breakfast and lunch with a good variety of options, so I feel like most people could find something they like. There are also smaller stands with snacks, pizza, and ICEE stations. Now let's talk about the drinks. There is just something about a frozen daiquiri when you're by the water. Highly recommend getting the drink package and trying a few... or all of them if you can handle it. I loved how many different areas there were to explore. Seeing dolphins swimming so close to the beach was actually kind of magical. They also have a monkey island which I was really excited about. It was closed when we got there, but I could still see them from a distance and I loved that. The aviary was really cool too. Tons of birds, but also tons of people. They recommend going first thing when the birds are most active, which we did, but so did everyone else. We got there about 45 minutes after opening and the birds already seemed a little over it. Honestly, I don't blame them. The Grand Reef was such a cool experience. I didn't really know what to expect, and even though it's man made, it still feels really immersive. Some of those rays are huge and have zero fear. They will swim right into you. My guy had never experienced anything like that and he loved it. I also liked that there were shallow areas and deeper sections if you wanted more of a snorkeling feel. The only downside for us was the Wind Away River. There are spots that get deep really fast, and that day they were apparently out of floaties because people were hoarding them and claiming areas. Staff even acknowledged it, which was frustrating because nothing was being done about it. It made parts of the river harder to enjoy than they should have been. Other than that, everything else was great and it made for such a fun day. Also the bar swings were a highlight. Loved those.

Date of review : 03/19/2026 All I can say is Amazing !!! We…read moresigned up for for the sting ray feeding . Check in is at 7am , we arrived and were promptly attended to. We had our own private ambassadors show us around the park and were escorted to the sting ray feeding area . We got our wet suits and lockers . Bathroom is very clean and has plenty of towels . The sting ray feeding was so much fun . The ambassadors are very informative . Trainers will feed the larger manta rays since they are larger and take vitamins but we fed the smaller sting rays which was a lot of fun. Also we got to feed small fish which was a fun treat for us . Monkey island pool - warmest water in the park Tropical river - slightly chilly but overall fun Great reef- chillest but once submerged not bad . Colder due to sea-life . Great reef was amazing , it looks like nothing but once you put googles on it's another world. Highly recommend. All inclusive drinks package - worth the money it can get pricy . Food - buffet style , it was okay . Not great , not good but satisfied appetite . Lots of towels , food all inclusive and a great way to spend time in Orlando !

Fun Spot America is a long-established business here in Orlando, Florida that can appeal to both…read morethe tourists and those of us fortunate enough to call Orlando home. It is nostalgic coming here and a great place to bring kids. Think like an old-school carnival or fair that is here year-round and you are just scratching at the surface. I would definitely recommend here. Go check it out and indulge the inner child within you.

I recently brought two students here for a field trip and we had a good time overall!…read moreWe purchased tickets through Groupon for $62 (regular price is $69 for unlimited rides), which I think is a great deal considering how much they were able to do. I also liked that there's no entry fee for non-riders and you can purchase rides à la carte. I ended up paying $12 for a go-kart ride and LOVED it We got there around 12 PM and it wasn't crowded at all. The lines were super short, so the students were able to ride things 3-4 times with no problem, which made it even more worth it. One of the best deals was the all day dining pass (you have to buy it online). For $24, you get 2 meals and a snack, which is a steal compared to the regular menu prices. Our first stop was Cluckees where we had tenders, wings, and fries. The portions were HUGE and everything was tasty, especially the fries. None of us could even finish our food! For our snack, we grabbed ice cream. The kids loved it, but it wasn't my favorite. Later, we went back to Cluckees for a chicken sandwich and fries for dinner. This time it wasn't as good as earlier. Maybe a different cook or just an off moment. We didn't spend time in the arcade and stayed mostly outside. The park is a pretty decent size with plenty to do. Even as the day went on and traffic picked up, it never felt overly packed. The staff was friendly and very laid back, which added to the relaxed vibe of the day. Overall, it was a good experience. The kids really enjoyed it. I'd give it a 3.5. Btw I think there is a bee problem there. I saw bees flying around often. Not enough to ruin the experience, but I definitely noticed them.

Another "go big or go home" Orlando destination spot for tourists, complete with its own eye (The…read moreWheel). The entertainment complex has a variety of restaurants ranging in price , including my beloved Shake Shack. There are shops, an aquarium, was museum, arcades, live music, illusion museum, and several other places on the twenty acre complex I'm not sure about parking other than knowing it's free. I usually walk over from my hotel when in town for conferences. It's something to do in evening after sitting all day listening to speakers.

The Jacksonville Fun, Eats & Drinks crew recently took a midweek day off for a day trip to Orlando…read more Did we go to the house of Mouse? Nope. We wanted to so something a little different so I poked around online and ended up buying a combo deal for attractions in ICON Park which is in the center of I-Drive. You can find it on Google Maps by clicking HERE. The bundle I bought us had admission for The Orlando Eye which is the huge observation wheel, Madame Tussauds Wax Museum and the Sea Life Aquarium. There's a huge parking garage which is $20 for the first 3 floors but free for the 4th floor and up, so of course, we parked on the 4th floor. There's a ton of food options between walk up and sit down joints. We picked a Mexican joint called Uncle Julio's. It was good for the price and location. Nothing super special but again, good for the price. Our day hit a bump in the road when we walked over to the attractions entrance. A guy named Malcom met us, I showed him my email receipt and he immediately said "oh, the Eye (the observation wheel) is down today". At first, he said they'd have to refund the 3 attraction combo ticket I bought, then I'd have to go online and re-buy a 2 attraction ticket. I didn't get upset or anything. I just calmly said "wait. Y'all can't help me with that right here?" and he said "give me a minute, let me see what I can figure out". To his credit, he really did have to jump through some hoops. The system was trying to force "surge pricing" on the transaction because of how busy they were and he was just trying to take care of a customer. I feel bad for a lot of customer service workers these days because their hands are so tied by some of these point of sale systems. He kept at it though and found a way to get the price down to what I would've paid if I'd just bought the 2 attractions a few weeks ago instead of 3. So again, huge shout out to Malcom for going the extra mile and overcoming a system he shouldn't have had to. We ended up having a fantastic day around Icon Park and I will share a separate post about how much fun we had with a test run at Ripley's Crazy Golf. I just really thought the customer service we received from Malcom was worth a post of it's own. A version of this review originally appeared in the Jacksonville Fun, Eats & Drinks Facebook group.

Theme Park I had…read morebeen waiting for the kids to get old enough where it would make sense to hit these larger and more sophisticated theme parks and man, it was worth the wait! We took advantage of a package deal that was offered online and headed to Orlando. We booked accommodations at one of the newer hotels that are part of Universal (Terra Luna) and that was also a great experience. We got to the park the same day we arrived and after a few minutes getting the tickets scanned and validated, we were on our way. We opted for Universal park first and entered pretty much into minion land. From that point onward, the day was a blur of walking, riding the attractions and just marveling at the details that go into a place like this. Of all the attractions in this park, the one that the kids kept wanting to go back to was the entire Harry Potter area - they really do a spectacular job with the attractions and when the giant dragon on top of Gringotts decides to blow fire, you feel the heat wave pass you by. The park is pretty much set up in a large circle and we did a few laps that day we were here. There are plenty of food beverage options available in the park- and as you might expect, those are not going to be exactly cheap. We ate at Krusty burger over in Simpsons land and to be fair, while expensive, the food was actually better than expected for this type of venue. Definitely something for everyone at this park and sure to engage pretty much most of the age groups. I enjoyed the attractions as much as the kids did to be honest. Be prepared to walk - bring those extra comfy shoes and don't forget the sunscreen and sunglasses. A wonderful time and we are already planning another visit.

So let me start by saying the park itself is great, but the overall experience isn't anywhere close…read moreto what you get at Walt Disney World. First issue was early entry. We were told to go to Universal Studios Florida, but when we got there, we were redirected to Islands of Adventure. Once we got over there, the line was absolutely nuts. It took about 30 minutes just to get through entry, and the whole process felt disorganized compared to Disney, which runs this kind of thing way more smoothly. Second, the photo pass system was a big letdown. We bought it thinking it would be similar to Disney with lots of photo opportunities throughout the park. Not even close. I think we found maybe three spots total. Even when meeting characters, those photos weren't included; we had to use our own camera, which honestly made no sense. Total waste of money. Now, on the flip side, the Express Pass was hands down the best part of the trip. Since we stayed at one of the resorts, it was included, and it made a huge difference. In my opinion, this is actually better than anything Disney offers right now. That part you all absolutely nailed. The staff we interacted with were friendly and helpful, so no complaints there. The layout of the parks can be a little confusing at times, but that's not a dealbreaker, just something to be aware of. Overall, we did have a great time. The girls had an absolute blast, which is what matters most. We mainly went for the The Wizarding World of Harry Potter areas, and those definitely lived up to the hype. Would we go back? Honestly, not sure. Glad we went, but there are some things that would need to improve for us to choose it again over Disney.

Colorful, full of life and BUSY! This location is a Nintendo fan's dream, but be aware that…read moreeveryone wants to visit. There are interactive areas, 3 rides, 1 hidden attraction, lots of food and character experiences and tons of photo-ops. Shoutout to the amazing Team Members with the characters, they have some serious crowd control jobs and offer great moments with Mario, Luigi, Peach and Yoshi. I do miss Donkey Kong and TOAD and I hope they return soon.

We definitely felt dropped into a Mario Bros / Super Nintendo game or movie. The space, while…read moresmall, is colorful and contain the elements you'd expect to see - Yoshi, boxes to hit for sounds and points, mushrooms, Bowser, etc. Even the gift shops are fun with their apparel and character accessories. (Did a Yoshi hat come home with us? Yes, yes it did.) This space will not be appreciated by everyone - not because we don't love Mario Bros but because it is small and full of people in every corner. It offers a few attractions and it is a huge commitment to stand in line for a short thrill. We did ride Bowser's ride. It allowed for single riders. It delays regularly though - in our case a cart had to be removed and replaced on the track. It involves a lot of technology the way the game is designed. Our family of 4 did not understand the game at all and how we even gathered points. Thankfully we didn't stand in line as long and wouldn't recommend anyone else does. Sadly the other rides were not part of our day due to the lengthy wait times and in the case of Donkey Kong, so backed up that the single rider line was closed. We witnessed a lot of happy kids running around and tapping question marked boxes. Even for my older teen / adult children they stood in the space and smiled while they took it in. It was the first place they wanted to see upon our arrival.

Wasn't sure what to expect from this place, other than the interesting exterior upside down…read morebuilding. Once you enter it, it's actually an amusement park inside with all sorts of interesting things and rides. Totally unexpected and loads of fun things to see and enjoy with the entire family. Some rides are quite Intense and may not be the best fit for people with a weak heart. Parking is not free as some people stated on Google Maps Reviews.

Me, Michelle, Reese and Joanna did the Magic show and dinner…read more The magician was Jimmy Rook. He's quite good and did some amazing slight of hand magic and had everyone entertained. It's a family friendly event and me, Michelle, Reese and Joanna really enjoyed the one hour show. You're seated at a community table and included is pizza, salad, beer, wine and sodas all for about $35.00. There is garage parking adjacent at The Pointe entertainment center with restaurants and a movie theater, it's cost about $8 bucks and you pay on-line, they ask for your tag on their app and scan when you exit to open the gate. The check-in process was a 'DISASTER'. When you buy tix to the show, you pay on-line and you can download the hard copy which they ask that your bring. When you enter, there is a line and entrance area but their is NO SIGNAGE that indicates where you go for the magic show versus the wonderworks event. The Staff is marginally interested in presenting a welcome attitude. It's very, very confusing and takes a VERY long time. They do offer a nice discount for Seniors

As the name suggests, Epic Universe is pretty epic! I've never been to a theme park that felt this…read morevisually impressive. The theming across all the different lands is beautiful and clearly very well thought out, from the food to the rides to the overall atmosphere. Each area feels totally distinct, with tons of little details to take in. Even the portal-style entrances to each land are really fun and added to the experience. Not sure if we just got lucky, but lines weren't bad at all on our visit. We were able to get on a lot of rides in around 20 minutes. My only real complaint is that I wish each land had a few more rides, since most only have a handful of attractions. That said, the rides themselves were really fun! We especially loved Stardust Racers and Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment! Overall, I'm really glad we went and would definitely love to come back again.

I was fortunate to visit this park while chaperoning a field trip, as the daily ticket prices are…read morequite high. Based on my experience, there are still some issues that need to be addressed before the cost truly reflects the value of the park. Pros: *The size of the park shows promise of evolution *Great food and drink options *Mobile/online food ordering *Locker size *A+ costuming of cast members *Awesome theming and staging in each realm *Water refill stations (especially the ones sprinkled amongst the outdoor lines) *Phenomenal customer service from staff Cons: *Extensive wait times *Limited number of rides *High ride closures or delays As a first visit and it to be a 'working' one, I look forward to returning to the park again.