When your daughter loves the ocean, and the creatures that live in it, you spend a lot of time at aquariums, and SeaWorld San Antonio is a must! After years of visits, it’s almost a second home to us, and I’ve got lots of great money and time saving tips!
Thank You to Sea World for providing us with complementary tickets to the park! We had a great time, but as always, I was not financially compensated for this post, and of course, all opinions are my own.
Season Pass
If you plan on going more than once, I highly recommend the season pass!
You get FREE bring a friend passes for select days, plus food and merchandise discounts and FREE parking!
With a small down payment, usually about $25, you can make monthly payments, and it’s about the same price (prices change constantly).
Annual Preschool Pass
Each Spring, SeaWorld has been offering a FREE season pass to children 5 and under! Click HERE for more information!
Day Tickets
Purchase your tickets online for best savings! If you know the date your visiting, and can purchase at least 3 days in advance you’ll get your best savings! Not only will you save money, but it’s one less line to stand in at the entrance!
Military get 4 complementary tickets per year
Group Tickets
If you’re visiting with a group, you can receive a discount without purchasing 3 days in advance. Click HERE to visit their Group Sales Website.
Family Overnights
Imagine camping at SeaWorld, and touring the park after the crowds go home! Overnights at SeaWorld are for families, scouts and any group. There is no minimum number of people, although they do have a minimum age. In addition to a tour of the park, you’ll get to see things behind the scenes, and save money over a hotel! You can even choose where you want to sleep! We’ve slept with the penguins, which was smelly but very cool to watch the “sun” rise in the morning, and the sharks! You can now choose to sleep in the Underwater Viewing Area of Discovery Point with the dolphins!
After 3 kids in Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and Cub Scouts, I’ve done a TON of overnight events, but the SeaWorld Scout/Family Overnight is still my favorite! Click HERE for more information!
Quick Que and Reserve Seating
Make the most of your time with this combo pass, $32 – $40/person.
It’s much more affordable to purchase the combo than to purchase them separately.
Parking
Parking is going to cost you just under $20 for General Parking, and $25 for Preferred.
If you’re staying in a hotel, take advantage of the FREE shuttles many of the hotels offer to SeaWorld! Click HERE for a list of hotels in San Antonio with shuttles via Tripadvisor!
Omni San Antonio Aquatica Suite
If you want to keep the “Underwater Theme” going all weekend, then you must check out the Aquatica Suite at Omni San Antonio!
“This newly renovated vibrant guest room is designed to provide the comforts of home and stimulate the senses of young travelers. It features twin beds with colorful bedding, a built-in salt water aquarium, a treasure chest full of books, costumes and surprises—all to help create the illusion of being under the sea. Minimum of two (2) days advance booking.”
They do not offer shuttle service to SeaWorld.
Click HERE to visit their website.
Food and Drinks
We try to eat just before we go into SeaWorld, but we’re there ALL day so food is a MUST!
I love that Market offered fresh fruits, vegetables and hummus in addition to chicken strips and other typical fare.
You can bring a small cooler with water and limited snacks with you into the park, and all the concessions will give you a free cup, ice and water!
We were allowed jerky, individual granola bars, mixed nuts and goldfish crackers, as well as grapes in snack sixe bags. Sandwiches, etc. are not allowed.
Time Saver!
They have FREE charging stations, but I prefer to save that time and take a backup battery with me! I love my portable charger, which allows you to charge 2 phones, etc at once, and has up to 5 charges on a full battery! That’s more than enough to get me through a day at SeaWorld, but it’s also a SOLAR charger, meaning I can hang it from my backpack and recharge it while we walk around in the HOT Texas sun! It’s about $50 and FREE SHIPPING with Amazon Prime! Click HERE for more information.
It’s also handy to have a charged battery for your phone at the park because you must show your tickets each time you return from Aquatica, Discovery Point, or the parking lot!
Having Fun in the Texas Sun is a participant in the Amazon Associate program, an affiliate advertising program.
Behind the Scenes Tours
My absolute favorite of all the SeaWorld experiences, for the money, is the Behind the Scenes Tour! It’s $15 and you get to touch a shark and feed the stingrays, as well as learn about the operations at Sea World!
Discovery Point
The new dolphin habitat at Discovery Point is HUGE! Watch the dolphins swim and play above or below at the underwater viewing center!
Don’t miss the shark tanks at the back of Discovery Point!
Shows
SeaWorld is discontinuing their Orca Shows in 2018, like Shamu’s Celebration Light Up the Night, and replacing it more educational shows like Killer Whales Up Close, so now is the time to visit if you want to see one!
The Splash Zone is really a SOAK zone! You will get soaked, and the water is COLD, 52 degrees! It feels great on a hot day, but you’ll be a little smelly. Head over to the Sesame Street Bay of Play afterwards, or watch the last show before you leave!
Ocean Discovery
I REALLY enjoy the Ocean Discovery. As with all the shows, arrive early for the best seating. The Splash Zone here is just light splashes. Try to sit up high enough to be able to see the show both above and below the water!
Sea Lion High
Don’t miss the cute Sea lion Show, with a silly story!
Be prepares to get WET!
Sea Lion Feeding
Since SeaWorld did away with the daily dolphin feedings, this is a MUST!
Rides
There are 6 big rides at SeaWorld. We try to hit these first, to avoid the longer lines later in the day!
The Journey to Atlantis makes a huge splash, a great way to keep cool on a hot summer day!
The Texas Stingray Wooden Roller Coaster is the newest ride to SeaWorld, and it’s terrific!
Sesame Street Bay of Play
A fun splash area for kids of all ages, Sesame Street Bay of Play is a great place to cool off while at SeaWorld! A couple of tips for your visit.
There are little rides here for little children, too!
They have changing rooms, tables and even chairs.
You can rent cabanas, too! They are pricey, about $150 for the day, but it makes a good place for everyone to meet up!
I love taking a break at the tables outside the Hydro Power FX Extreme Ski Show! Bring some change to purchase food for the fish!
Another place to cool off while the kids play is at the playgound!
Strollers
I know everyone suggest strollers or wagons, but there are just not that many places you can take them in! You’ll end up taking your child in and out all day! They are nice for carrying items, and a tired toddler out to the car. The park does rent both strollers and wagons.
If you’re traveling with your pet, save a little money and leave them at the FREE pet kennel! They have food and water bowls, and you can lock your kennel. The kennels are outside, with a fan, and you are responsible for waking your pet and cleaning up after them!
Know Before You Go
It’s HOT during the summer! SeaWorld lets you wear your swimsuit EVERYWHERE in the park, so just wear it and throw on a light cover up!
With all the “opportunities” to get wet at SeaWorld, just leave your purse or bag at home and grab this waterproof dry-bag backpack! It’s roomy, and easy to carry all your valuable electronics, like your phone and camera, as well as snacks and sunscreen! It’s available on Amazon Prime! Click HERE to read more about it!
Having Fun in the Texas Sun is a participant in the Amazon Associate program, an affiliate advertising program.
Howl-O-Scream Starting September 21st, the park turns scary, especially after dark! Haunted houses, scary shows and rides after dark!
SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration It bills itself as the largest display of lights in Texas, with lots of holiday shows, foods and fun!
SeaWorld
10500 Sea World Dr, San Antonio
Click HERE to visit their website.
Keep Having Fun in the Texas Sun!
Michelle
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