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    Shark Encounter

    4.7 (18 reviews)

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    Monique W.

    The Shark Encounter at Sea World is a great experience! It's an indoor exhibit with AC that focuses on sharks! You'll learn about a variety of different sharks through your journey at the exhibit. It's quite educational! You'll learn about shark histories and fun facts. Some of the highlights include the moving platform that takes you through a viewing tunnel where you'll see live sharks and some fish. There also was a lot of focus on shark and ray conservation efforts throughout the community! There are some additional add-ons such as Shark Swim Sharks Up-Close Tour It's a great exhibit and one of my favorites at Sea World.

    Raegan L.

    This is certainly a shark encounter, but in more ways than you think. You can learn every which way about sharks by visiting this lovely exhibit/ aquarium/ interactive information center. First and foremost, YES you do see all kinds of live sharks swimming around. They swim past you, above you and crisscross, though not under you (thank goodness). There's a tunnel- shaped fish tank where you walk right under dozens of species of sharks along with other sea creatures, and that somehow always feels like being transported to another world. Until you see the brave diver cleaning out the tank. The work must go on... In between the different aquariums (there are multiple with more than just sharks as well), there are posters with more stats and fun facts on the sharks, as well as educational corners that are more interactive. It's fun but not too much learning- just enough to give you an actual idea of the creatures but yet keep you entertained and captivated. You can see just how big each shark species is right on the wall in front of you. There are fun facts about other fish such as the lion fish, eels, or even clownfish. I thought the big ugly groupers were pretty funny too. This truly is a shark encounter, not only live in real time, but virtually and cognitively too- it's a lot more fun than it sounds!

    Heather M.

    This was such a fun experience here at Seaworld You got to get up and personal well not too close thank goodness to these awesome sharks You were able to walk through a tunnel and see them swim over top of you and get very close to the glass they had some sleeping it look like they were holding hands which is really cool outside of the exhibit they also had some neat Halloween decorations up The sharks that were on display and living in the tank seem to be very lively and swim around quite a bit they also have feeding times so you can watch however that wasn't happening when I was there I love that Seaworld incorporates animals in to the amusement park side of the business and the animals look healthy

    Shark tank
    Ruthie D.

    A fun day date under the sea! Going during the week while school is in is the way to go when visiting seaworld and the Shark Encounter restaurant. We were able to get a table for two right away next to the shark aquarium. We were greeted by many sharks and fish. The waitress was super friendly and able to change truffle fries to Parmesan fries as a side. The sliders and salmon were cooked perfectly. I love the sticky rice as the side for the salmon. Highly recommend this fun dining experience. Next time we visit SeaWorld, we want to sit at the bar aquarium to enjoy drinks.

    Feed the sharks
    Marjorie H.

    I took my 9 year old on this tour. He thought it was awesome. From feeding the sharks, to seeing how they clean the tanks, to learning about their history, this tour was packed full of fun facts. My favorite part was being able to look down from above the aquarium. It was so cool to watch these animals swim back and forth. His favorite part was the room where we got to pet the sharks. Not because of letting the sharks, but because it has a cabinet of shark teeth including a giant fossil of a megalodon tooth. Cassie was our tour guide. She was super knowledgeable, and really tried to involve everyone on the tour. Overall, my experience with animal encounters at Sea World was a very good one. We will definitely do more of them in the future!

    Maria D.

    This was my favorite walk through aquarium at Sea world. It's located in the sea of mystery portion of sea world. It has an awesome underwater viewing tunnel. You can see the fishes and sharks from above you. You can also see a lot of fishes and coral reef. I highly suggest you make time to come here and take a look at the fascinating wild life and take plenty of pictures.

    Laura G.

    The shark Encounter feels a little outdated but it is still very enjoyable. When you enter your eyes will have to adjust to the darkness and you will appreciate the air conditioning. It is a walking exhibit where you learn all about sharks and their habitat. At the end you step on a moving platform that takes you through the world's largest underwater viewing tunnel. Watching the sharks swim above and around you thrills the kids and is a nice ending to the fun. You can pay $15.00 more to take a side tour that allows you to go above the shark aquarium and touch a small shark. Or for the same price you can choose the Animal Experience Add-On that gives you one photo of your experience and a plush animal.

    Cynthia R.

    The most dangerous animals. It is to see how they are in a safer way. Of course although sometimes risks occur. Oh little accidents

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    Ask the Community - Shark Encounter

    What time does Sea World open?

    9AM some days, and 10 AM most days...fluctuates.

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    Review Highlights - Shark Encounter

    Going during the week while school is in is the way to go when visiting seaworld and the Shark Encounter restaurant.

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    Sea Life - Sea snake

    Sea Life

    4.0(391 reviews)
    2.3 miInternational Drive / I-Drive

    This aquarium is located in the icon center. This is part of attraction there. Parking is at the…read moreback of building or the garage. Parking is free. The back entrance next to Bluemen Group directly connected. The fish collection is good. It is a lot from different ocean. They also have collections from Everglades. I like seahorses collection. One of the seahorse is called pork belly seahorse. Sounds like a dish in the restaurant. Just kidding. I also like the decorative stone in the water. Most of them are like South America relics. I also like the touch tank. I got to touch small animal. The visit may take 1.5 hours to complete. There is the Florida residence price. I recommend this visit with kid.

    We came here for the Animal Crossing tour, and were excited to bring our daughter to see the…read moreaquarium. Children under 2 get in free, and there are Florida resident discounts available. For two adults (with the Florida resident discount) it was a little over $50 and we did not feel like it was worth the price. This aquarium is very small and gets crowded very quickly. We had a stroller (as did many other families there) and it was hard to navigate the aquarium because of how crowded it got and how narrow the path was. This aquarium is very streamlined as you maze through different viewing spaces. Many of the tanks lacked informational placards and there were very few workers around available to share more information about the animals. The few workers we did have the chance to interact with were very knowledgeable and friendly, but we definitely felt like there should have been more workers available to share about the fish. With other aquarium options within a few hours of the central Florida area, I can't say I will be returning to SeaLife Aquarium anytime soon. Due to the aquarium being overpriced, under staffed and extremely crowded, I would not recommend this aquarium.

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    SeaWorld Orlando

    3.3(1.9k reviews)
    0.1 miInternational Drive / I-Drive

    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.

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    Discovery Cove - The Grand Reef - snorkel among the coral reef, tropical fish, reef sharks, and sting rays

    Discovery Cove

    4.2(700 reviews)
    0.4 miInternational Drive / I-Drive

    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 !

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    World Wide Corals

    World Wide Corals

    3.8(72 reviews)
    0.7 miInternational Drive / I-Drive

    Largest and cleanest aquarium store I have ever been too. This place is for the professionals, as…read morethey have a huge variety of all kinds of coral, which they grow themselves on site, and a huge selection of fish. Entire store has a cool blue lighting throughout and they have the largest tanks I have ever seen in a store, with entire ecosystems holding thousands of gallon of water. The place is kept immaculate and everyone working there is very knowledgeable and professional. Someone told me about them from their large YouTube following, so they are clearly helpful and basically famous.

    Fantastic shop with an amazing selection of corals, friendly and helpful staff, and excellent…read moreknowledge base. Came in looking specifically for a few things for my cycling tank (recently set up in new home and not yet ready for residents!) and these guys were great. Can't wait to get some of their corals in my tank and see them flourish. A little disappointed in their loyalty program especially that it resets every year, as once my tank is fairly stable I will be purchasing plenty, but the idea that once fully stocked I'll loose access to some of the perks because I'll eventually spend less was disappointing- it's not as if I hadn't made a fair contribution to the store by that point. But, I'm new to the area, it's possible I'll find more places but this selection will be hard to beat!

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    World Wide Corals - Thanks to the crew at World Wide Corals for my new protein skimmer, always great deals, beutiful store.

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    ICON Park - There are jumbo games like Connect 4 & these girls got Mickey and Minnie hats from The Secret Service Agency Entertainment Company !

    ICON Park

    3.7(553 reviews)
    2.4 miInternational Drive / I-Drive

    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.

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    ICON Park - There are Super cool balloon artists making balloon outfits in various places around the world the park this kid had a pirate sword and bird

    There are Super cool balloon artists making balloon outfits in various places around the world the park this kid had a pirate sword and bird

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    Shark Encounter - aquariums - Updated May 2026

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