SeaWorld Orlando (SWO) Discussion Thread

[Hilltopper39]

Hey everyone -

 

I'm considering driving down for the Thrill Fest event tonight, and I'm also considering an annual pass to SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa. Have they ever offered discounts on annual passes throughout the year, or is the $220 the best you can get?

 

I want to go to each park at least once a year, so it ends up being the same cost to do both parks once plus parking than it does to get an annual pass.

 

If you can wait a few months and can make the deal work for you the past couple of years they have had huge sales on "Blue" (Black) Friday. A few years back when I bought one it was BOGO annual passes and last year it was maybe buy 1 get one half off or something. Might not be the most practical discount if you're buying one for yourself only but if someone goes in on it with you might be a pretty decent savings.

 

EDIT: here's a link to the Orlando Sentinel article about last years sale, there were BOGO single day tickets as well, which I'm guessing could have been used at both SWO and BGT. And the AP's were buy one get one half off but in years past they were buy one get one free so no telling what this year's promotion will be.

www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/attractions/theme-park-rangers-blog/os-bz-seaworld-blue-friday-bogo-tickets-20171102-story.html#

[A.J.]

If you can wait a few months and can make the deal work for you the past couple of years they have had huge sales on "Blue" (Black) Friday. A few years back when I bought one it was BOGO annual passes and last year it was maybe buy 1 get one half off or something. Might not be the most practical discount if you're buying one for yourself only but if someone goes in on it with you might be a pretty decent savings.

That's fair, I've just been looking for an excuse to get a pass and the thingie tonight seems like a pretty good excuse.

 

EDIT: Was just looking at buy-one-get-one half off tickets on the website. $150 and then still having to pay for $45 parking between the two parks still makes a pass look like a better buy.

[Hilltopper39]

Yeah, I've got my fingers crossed for BOGO passes again this year but I doubt that deal will return since the park seems to be doing pretty well. I like the different multi-day ticket options they offer but once you factor in parking they really don't make any sense. $170 for unlimited visits over 14 days seem great but once you pay to park 4 times you've already bought a SWO+BGT+Aquatica pass. I guess you can always Uber on vacation but not as practical for locals.

[ragerunner1]

This ride seems to be getting really close to a soft opening. It has been running multiple rafts and dispatching out of the station at normal 'loading speeds'. The lift issue seems fixed and the drop is working well. Hopefully soon.

 

 

 

 

[bgtlover]

The construction walls are down for Infinity Falls. A good sign the ride will be opening soon.

www.amusementinsider.com/2018/09/infinity-falls-soft-opening-soon.html

[robbalvey]

The construction walls are down for Infinity Falls. A good sign the ride will be opening soon.

www.amusementinsider.com/2018/09/infinity-falls-soft-opening-soon.html

Oh, good... nice to see the walls are down on their new for 2018 summer attraction.... in Mid-September... I'll bet it soft opens in the next day or two just so they can say it "opened Summer 2018"

Edited September 19, 2018 by robbalvey

[coasterbill]

The ride looks great. I don't understand why it's there or why they think this will draw a single person to the park but I mean... it's pretty.

[robbalvey]

The ride looks great. I don't understand why it's there or why they think this will draw a single person to the park but I mean... it's pretty.

Sums up my thoughts perfectly. I see nothing wrong with this attraction at all. But I can't think of the last time a rapids ride is something that made people go out of their way to create an extra click through a turnstile.

[jarmor]

I know this park needs more attractions and I really can't pinpoint what attractions they need . . . but I can say, for sure, a rapids was never in the equation as far as when I think of what they need.

[CoasterAuditor]

I will say it is nice to see a new rapids ride be built. The usual water rides are becoming less and less common it seems. I doubt anybody in Virginia or wherever is like LETS GO TO FLORIDA FOR THE NEW RAPIDS RIDE but it will be a cool ride to ride whenever I go to SWO for the first time.

[DoinItForTheFame]

The ride looks great. I don't understand why it's there or why they think this will draw a single person to the park but I mean... it's pretty.

 

This. So much. This.

 

The ride really does look great, and I'm sure it will be fun... But I when I think of people planning a vacation, (both enthusiasts and the general public) I just can't see someone saying "Holy crap Martha! Did you see this new rapids ride at Sea World?? We MUST GO THERE NOW!!!"

[coasterbill]

I will say it is nice to see a new rapids ride be built. The usual water rides are becoming less and less common it seems. I doubt anybody in Virginia or wherever is like LETS GO TO FLORIDA FOR THE NEW RAPIDS RIDE but it will be a cool ride to ride whenever I go to SWO for the first time.

 

Forget Virginia (or wherever), nobody who lives in Central Florida is going to care either unless they already have a SeaWorld season pass anyway. Disney and Universal both have amazing rapids rides and Busch Gardens Tampa has had a rapids ride since 1982. I know sometimes enthusiasts give people too much credit when it comes to picking up similarities in rides but I feel like people know what a rapids ride is and they're not going to care. They'll ride it impulsively when they're at the park and they're hot but if someone is driving down I-4 and they see an Infinity Falls billboard wedged between the Harry Potter billboard and the Star Wars billboard I assure you that they're not going to care.

[DoinItForTheFame]

...They'll ride it impulsively when they're at the park and they're hot but if someone is driving down I-4 and they see an Infinity Falls billboard wedged between the Harry Potter billboard and the Star Wars billboard I assure you that they're not going to care.

 

[Canobie Coaster]

The walls weren't down on Monday, but the gift shop across from it was open and already selling Infinity Falls t-shirts. I wonder if anyone would buy one before the ride opens.

[CoasterAuditor]

I will say it is nice to see a new rapids ride be built. The usual water rides are becoming less and less common it seems. I doubt anybody in Virginia or wherever is like LETS GO TO FLORIDA FOR THE NEW RAPIDS RIDE but it will be a cool ride to ride whenever I go to SWO for the first time.

 

Forget Virginia (or wherever), nobody who lives in Central Florida is going to care either unless they already have a SeaWorld season pass anyway. Disney and Universal both have amazing rapids rides and Busch Gardens Tampa has had a rapids ride since 1982. I know sometimes enthusiasts give people too much credit when it comes to picking up similarities in rides but I feel like people know what a rapids ride is and they're not going to care. They'll ride it impulsively when they're at the park and they're hot but if someone is driving down I-4 and they see an Infinity Falls billboard wedged between the Harry Potter billboard and the Star Wars billboard I assure you that they're not going to care.

 

Oh yeah people definitely know the similarities of water rides. I mean there's only three types that are universally at most parks.

[robbalvey]

Forget Virginia (or wherever), nobody who lives in Central Florida is going to care either

I've ridden Kali River Rapids once since I moved here in 2011 and Bluto's I haven't been on since I moved to Orlando.

 

And these two rapids rides are MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE RAPIDS RIDES!!!

[anonymouscactus]

I wonder if anyone would buy one before the ride opens. [emoji38]

 

My bet is yes, considering I saw people wearing Steel Vengeance shirts in 2017, and a Yukon Striker shirt on Sunday... -- I wonder if they liked the ride or not?

[Canobie Coaster]

^ Fair point.

 

I do enjoy river rapids, but they get you so prohibitively wet that I need to be in the mood to ride one. I make exceptions if they're well done like Popeye or Grizzly River but I know others feel the same way.

[bgtlover]

The walls weren't down on Monday, but the gift shop across from it was open and already selling Infinity Falls t-shirts. I wonder if anyone would buy one before the ride opens.

 

Yes. Numerous people (including passholders who got a special deal on one recently) have bought them. I was there Saturday and quite a bit were being sold along with other IF souvenirs.

 

Whether or not the park needed a rapids ride, it would have been nice to have it open when I was there on Saturday as it was hotter than hell. I rarely ride these type rides, but would have that visit since it's new (I've been going to BGT since '07 and have never been on Congo River Rapids...lol). A place called "SeaWorld" should have had more water rides long before now. They are just now catching up to the other 2 SW parks with this.

[DILinator]

The ride looks great. I don't understand why it's there or why they think this will draw a single person to the park but I mean... it's pretty.

Sums up my thoughts perfectly. I see nothing wrong with this attraction at all. But I can't think of the last time a rapids ride is something that made people go out of their way to create an extra click through a turnstile.

 

The last time would probably have been Grand Rapids, at Michigan's Adventure - which really is more of a testament to how rare an actual substantial addition to that park is, than it is indicating Rapids rides draw people in!

[Canobie Coaster]

^ True. A new ride sounds a whole lot better than 10 new trash cans.

[Satans Hockey]

I know it's been said a bunch of times before but I really wish they would put these rides at water parks. I absolutely love rapids and shoot the chutes water rides but there's nothing worse than walking around in wet shoes and socks all day. This ride looks absolutely amazing though but I just wish it was at Aquatica instead.

 

When we went to Cedar Point and stayed at breakers a few weeks ago we went on snake river falls right after the water park and went on a few times because there was no line and got absolutely drenched and went back to the hotel right after to change into dry clothes and it was perfect. Would have gone on their rapids ride as well but it was closed for the fright stuff.

[ragerunner1]

Here is a look at the ride and the area now that the walls are down. It is really nicely done and does a good job of 'engaging' people even if they don't ride the ride. Sea World and Busch Gardens seems to do this very well with their rides.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Satans Hockey]

Wow that looks great! And the bar is fantastic too!

[coasterbill]

 

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand f*ck that