If you haven’t visited the SeaWorld theme park in Orlando Florida, you are missing out on the most exciting and unforgettable experience of your life. It is a marine mammal park that features all types of animal encounters and it is situated in the middle of Disney World and Universal Studio. Since 1973, SeaWorld has become an all time favorite of millions of people from all over the world. (photo credit: Nairaland)

Only at SeaWorld will you be able to get real close and touch the dolphins, sharks and the most famous animal celebrity Shamu, the orca whale. It is a family friendly atmosphere that boasts many live shows featuring incredible marine life and a combination of thrilling and mild rides. SeaWorld’s Dolphin Encounter is a must see for the entire family.
SeaWorld is a place that offers entertainment for the whole family including world class shows, thrilling rides and unforgettable animal encounters that will allow you to explore the mysteries of the sea. Travel through the underwater acrylic tunnel and find yourself inches away from sharks. You can get splashed by Shamu, dine very close to sharks, or sleep next to manatees. The choice is yours and you can even catch the SeaWorld’s famous Sea Lion comedy show at night. (photo credit: Nairaland)

What is good about SeaWorld is that while it is contained in one area, there are some distinct places within the park. Here are the places you can explore when you visit SeaWorld.

Shamu’s Happy Harbor – is a children’s play area that features family rides and a play fortress.

The Waterfront at SeaWorld – resembles a seaside Mediterranean village. It has restaurants, shops and the parks’ iconic Sky Tower ride.

Key West at SeaWorld – is designed to resemble the city of Key West Florida. There are many exhibits here such as stingrays, dolphins, sea turtles, manatees and alligators. And, you can feed the dolphins and stingrays. (photo credit: GoFlorida)

Rides

Kraken – is a floorless roller coaster.
Journey to Atlantis – is themed after the mythical Atlantis, but is really a boat ride that resembles a roller coaster. Very interesting one!
Sea Carousel – is a carousel themed with marine mammals and fish.
Shamu Express – is a junior roller coaster with cars that look like Shamu.
Sky Tower – an observation rotating tower that is 400-feet tall and was built in 1973
Ocean Connection – is a tug ride that rocks.
Swishy Fishies – is a teacup ride made to look like a fish.
Pirates Net – is a children’s play area with a net and fun things to do.

Animal Exhibits

Dolphin Cove – is an outdoor exhibit where you touch and feed the dolphins.
Shark Encounter – features the Sharks Underwater Grill where you can dine while observing sea life in the main exhibit tank.
Penguin Encounter – is an indoor exhibit which also includes puffins and murres.
Pacific Point Preserve – is the home for sea lions and seals.
Clydesdale Hamlet – is the home for the parks Clydesdale horses.
Stingray Lagoon – is a covered exhibit where you can actually touch stingrays.
Manatee Rescue – is home to rescued Florida manatees.
Turtle Point – is an outdoor exhibit that features rescued sea turtles.
Dolphin Nursery – this is where new born bottlenose dolphins reside. So cute!

Live entertainment

There are lots of live shows featured at SeaWorld in Orlando and many include trained animals. During the summer months, the park offers special shows in addition to the main performances listed below.

Shamu Stadium – is the seven million gallon home for killer whale performers. The current production at the park is “Believe” and is joined by Shamu Rocks during peak season. (photo credit: Andru Edwards)

The whale and Dolphin Theatre – features whales, dolphins and macaws in “Blue Horizon” and includes human acrobats and divers.

The Sea Lion and Otter Stadium – hosts “Clyde and Seamore” a pair of Sea Lions from California.

Bayside Stadium – hosts the Bayside Ski Jam part of the “SeaWorld after Dark” summer show.

The Nautilus Theatre – hosts an acrobatic show

Seaport Theatre – features dogs, cats, and other animals rescued from local shelters.

The Magic Kingdom in Orlando Florida which is part of Walt Disney World draws more visitors every year than any other theme park in the country. It has been said that no trip to Florida is complete without a visit to the Magic Kingdom. And, Florida travel is affordable so go ahead and plan that vacation. (photo courtesy of Florida Calabayvilla)

Did you know that the Magic Kingdom was the first theme park that opened at Disney World back in 1971? With all its fairy tales, the park includes Adventureland, Main Street USA, Frontierland, Fantasyland, Liberty Square, tomorrowland, and Mickey’s Toontown Fair. The minute you go through the turnstiles, it is pure magic and it feels as if you’ve entered a fantasy book filled with Disney characters.

Some of the main attractions once inside the park continue to be It’s a Small World, Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion. There are lots of other shows that take place at the Cinderella castle featuring Cinderella, Snow White, Princess Aurora, Belle and Princess Jasmine that will surely bring childhood fantasies into reality for young and adults alike.

Go ahead, make a wish upon a star and follow your Disney dreams to a place where storybook fantasies and fairy tales comes to life. Then marvel as the nighttime sky comes to life in a spectacular array of fireworks that is unique to Disney. (photo courtesy of Photobucket)

Did you know that Florida Travel is one of the most affordable vacation destinations available today? Yes, you can plan that family vacation and count on Florida for its value. While I can understand that most of us should be concerned about the economic times that we are facing, I can assure you that you can still afford that Florida vacation that you have been dreaming of for some time. How do I know this? Well, it is precisely our economic downturn that is forcing the airline industry, hotels and all theme park attractions in Florida to reduce prices and create discounted vacation packages for travelers.

The first step in planning your Florida vacation is to make a commitment to take that vacation. Once your mind is made up, decide where you want to go and remember that Florida is one of those places that has a little something for everyone and every budget. Next, start looking for discounted vacation packages. In future posts, I will provide you with several places that offer discounted packages to get you started.

Why Florida? First of all, I live in Florida and I am familiar with the entire state and its beauty. I know that through the years, Florida has been a favorite vacation place for many people. There is so much to do and see in Florida that it would be impossible to mention it all here but millions of people flock to Florida every year. Let’s face it, Florida is called the “Sunshine State” and we do have lots of it here. With its exotic resorts and gorgeous beaches, coupled with great weather, it is no wonder that more and more people choose Florida Travel for their vacation destination. Consider this…

Florida is the home of the famous Disney World theme park. It has been said that Disney World with all its magic is Florida’s most popular vacation destination and is the largest resort in the world with four theme parks and over 20 hotels. Disney World is a place where you can experience those magical days of princesses, castles and all your favorite Disney movie characters from your childhood story books. It is a place where dreams come true for children and adults alike. It is a place that every child alive wants to visit.

In addition to the wonderful world of Disney characters, Florida is also the home of the famous SeaWorld, MGM Studios, Animal Kingdom, Epcot Center, the famous Busch Gardens, Daytona International Speedway, and NASA which is also known as Kennedy Space Center. I live twelve miles from Kennedy Space Center and can honestly tell you that the shuttle launches are breathtaking!

Florida is also the place for fairy tale weddings and honeymoons. Couples just come down to Florida to get married and they don’t need a fairy godmother to find the perfect setting for their wedding. While there are many choices for wedding locations in Florida, couples can really make their fairy tale dream come true by planning their wedding with Cinderella’s coach and even her famous glass slippers. Other couples choose a romantic sunset wedding by the beach and we do have plenty of beaches and beautiful sunsets here. Tropical weather and plenty of sunshine make Florida’s beaches some of the most romantic vacation destinations for an unforgettable wedding

And, if a Cinderella style wedding or a sunset wedding is not your type, then you can plan your wedding at the Lovers Key State Recreation Area which is located in Southwest Florida. Here you will have over 700 acres of natural habitat and almost 3 miles of beaches and a unique turn-of-the-century gazebo that is available for weddings. The park’s secluded gulf front setting and its stunning open air structure have made Lovers Key one of Florida’s most romantic state park and a preferred location for weddings.

The places mentioned above are just a few of the many options you have when planning your Florida Travel vacation. But, you can just get a discounted travel package that includes airfare and hotel and visit other areas of interest to you. Florida with its sandy beaches and beautiful bays, outstanding lush waterside golf courses, abundant fishing, ancient art museums, exotic coral reefs, tropical wetlands and forests, over 5 million acres of wildlife, and an average temperature of 81 degrees, has become the preferred destination for millions of travelers.