I have visited the other Sea World parks in the past, but I was single and did not have children when I took those trips. Any parent quickly realizes that travelling with children is an entirely different experience that requires a certain amount of planning as well as a great deal of patience. The following insider tips will help you make your trip to Sea World San Antonio with your children a success.
Invest in a Season Pass
The park is huge. It would be almost impossible to see and do everything in one day, especially with children. A single day adult ticket is $52.99 and a single day child ticket (ages 3-9) is $44.99. Season passes are $59.99 at the park and online and $56.99 at HEB stores. Even if you go one day and just go back for a few hours the next day (and you will want to do this to get everything in), your pass has already paid for itself. If you live within a few hours of San Antonio, it gives you a great excuse to go back multiple times and makes for a cheap family vacation because you’ve already paid for admission. You will also get 10% off food, beverages, and merchandise within the park with your season pass.
Tips on Parking
A season parking pass is $25 and can be purchased online or at the park. A single day parking pass is $11. If you plan to go more than once, the season parking pass is money that is well spent and you will be able to bypass the lines of cars entering the park and enter through a lane for vehicles that have a parking pass. For $6 more you can park in “Shamu’s Preferred Parking.” This parking lot is right in front of the gates and is worth every penny. There is nothing worse than having to drag all of your gear and your exhausted children across a crowded parking lot at the end of the day, and you can avoid this entirely if you park in the preferred lot. Your preferred parking is good for an entire day, so even if you leave the park and return later, you can still park in the preferred lot.
What to take to the Park
Before you enter the park, you will have to stop at a “bag check station” where they will check the contents of any bags that you are bringing with you to the park.
Be sure that you bring bathing suits, towels, and a change of clothing. There is a water park (Lost Lagoon) on the premises which is open from early April through late September (check the park website for specific information and hours) available for older children. Shamu’s Happy Harbor includes a number of rides for younger children such as a Shamu-themed kiddie roller coaster, a mini ferris wheel, and spinning paint buckets and also has a splash pad water area.
You are permitted to take one small cooler (six pack size or smaller) into the park. This could be a bit bulky to carry around, so a better option would be a padded cooler with a shoulder strap. There are a variety of beverages available within the park, but bottled water is not readily available and is about $3 a bottle where it is available, so this is a good option if you want to take beverages into the park with you. You can also take single serving snack items, baby food, and food for individuals with medical or special dietary needs. You are not allowed to bring alcohol, large ice chests, or large servings of snacks, meals, or fast food items.
You can rent a single stroller at the park for about $9 or a double stroller for about $14. You can rent these at the park entrance or you can reserve them ahead of time online. You can also take your own stroller. You must park your stroller outside before entering most of the shows and rides.
Also, be sure that you don’t forget your camera and extra batteries (they are available at the park, but you won’t want to pay to purchase them there) as well as your sunscreen. When traveling with children, especially young children, there is tendency to want to over pack. You won’t want to do this because your bag will be heavy to haul around as the day goes on. There are lockers available to store items throughout the park if needed.
Food and drinks
There are dining options throughout the park, but food selection is limited (the typical fare offered at most locations includes a burger, fish sandwich, chicken strips, taco salad, and turkey wrap). The kids’ meals are about $7 and the adult meals are between $8 and $10. The food is not very appetizing, especially for the price you pay and the dining areas are crowded. Many of them do not serve meals in the evening. Based on my experience, my advice is to fill up on a good breakfast before going to the park, take snacks to sustain your kids for a few hours, and then leave the park for a few hours in the afternoon to eat a late lunch/early dinner and take a break. If you do decide to eat at the park, don’t forget to show your season pass to get your 10% discount.
The souvenir beverage cups are pricey at about $7 each (it is a little bit cheaper if you are a season pass holder), but they are a worthwhile investment. They are like a sport bottle and refills are $.99 for season pass holders (or $1.99 if you do not have a season pass) for the rest of the season. We filled ours up several times each day.
Plan your day
When you first enter the park, there are maps with the daily show schedule. Pick one up so that you can plan out your day. Many of the shows run at the same times, and the last shows are often early in the evening (typically around 6 or 6:30 on a weekday and 7:30 on a weekend), so prioritize and decide which shows you would like to see as it will be difficult to see them all in one day. The Shamu show (Believe) and the beluga whale show (Viva!) are must see attractions for all ages. Arrive at least 15 minutes early to pick your seats. If you are going to view the Pirates 4D movie, the doors open 10 minutes prior to the start of the show, but it is best to arrive 20-30 minutes before the show starts because a line will start forming. This show does have some scenes and special effects that may be scary for young children. Most of the shows included a designated “splash zone” and you will get wet if you sit in these areas. If you do not want to get wet, avoid these areas.
Your children will enjoy having the opportunity to feed the dolphins or the sea lions. The dolphin cove is located near the entrance of the park and there are specific feeding times throughout the day. A tray of food can be purchased for $5. Visit the dolphins and check the feeding schedule as you enter the park so that you can plan for this. You can feed the sea lions at any time throughout the day and trays of food are also available for purchase.
The heat in Texas is brutal. Be sure to use sunscreen and make sure that you and your children stay hydrated. Don’t be afraid to leave the park for a few hours in the afternoon to cool off and take a break. The park actually clears out quite a bit as the day goes on and so it is easier to move throughout the park, the shows are not as crowded, and the wait times on the rides are not as long. The exit has been strategically placed so that you must walk through a gift shop in order to leave the park. Be prepared for this. There are plenty of souvenirs that are reasonably priced (for an amusement park, at least). For example, you can buy a small stuffed Shamu for about $7.
