As a mother of five kiddos, I spend a lot of time with my family. Focusing on what my children enjoy and trying to accommodate to a variety of personalities is uppermost in my mind. In navigating this obstacle, combined with living in Orlando, we’ve got a lot of opportunities to enjoy theme parks where I can find something for everyone.
Yesterday, we did something a little different. Each year, SeaWorld, through their Waves of Honor Program, allows military and Veterans complimentary one-day admission to their parks with up to three guests. Typically, we spend this annual admission in SeaWorld San Antonio; however, this year, I scheduled our day at SeaWorld Orlando. We were able to experience so much throughout the day, although, I’d love to dive a little deeper into one “splurge” we scheduled while in the park: Our “Dine with Orcas” experience.
“Dine with Orcas." How amazing does that sound? I was certainly hooked on the marketing, which I’d later find out wasn’t exactly as advertised. I’ll get to that. My first thought when you sell something that such an over-the-top, showstopper of a title, is that it much be everything and more than titled to really live up to the reputation, right? I entered the experience with very little to go off. The reservation only mentioned the time of the event with no details as to the menu, atmosphere, or length of the experience. I knew a few things before making the reservation. First, they were eager to disclose that reservations are required for the "Dine with Orcas" experience due to its popularity. Again, the marketing to give anyone FOMO, (fear of missing out), which certainly worked on me. I also knew the price, at nearly $60 per person, and the time of the event, which was perfectly scheduled for a 12:30pm lunch reservation. That was enough to encourage me to book the experience.
After making my reservation, I headed over to YouTube, where I dug a little further to research what I had just booked. I cannot be the only guest in the world that wants to know what I’m eating. I learned that the meal is typically a buffet-style lunch, (or dinner), featuring a variety of dishes to cater to different tastes and dietary preferences, although this is pre-COVID. A more recent video shows a range of options with salads, entrees, sides, and desserts. There are also kid-friendly options available, thankfully, as I’ve got four of my children joining. This was a little bit of work just to gather some useful information, which I forgave considering that I would be sitting at a table with Shamu. After a good night’s rest and entering the park, I stopped at the guest services desk to find out if we’d be able to watch the Orca show at noon, prior to my 12:30pm reservation. The staff were explicit in saying that I needed to arrive at noon for our lunch.
Where am I going?
Now it’s gametime! Of course, the park’s schedule of events does not coordinate with my desired pairings, so I’m on the other side of the park when I need to book it to the Orca enclosure. My date with Shamu has arrived and I’m lugging my children across the park in the most hastily way possible for the three-year-old stride that’s chugging along beside me. When we arrived at noon, we were turned away from the Orca show and told to head to the other side of the Orca stadium for lunch. My family was thrilled with my one-hundred-degree, mid-day hike part two, as the stadium is gigantic. Nevertheless, we made our way to the dining area. As we walk up, there’s a sign awaiting our entry saying that seating opens at 12:15pm. What’s 15 minutes at noon in sunny Florida?
As the clock strikes 12:15pm, the gate is lifted and staff take us to our table, which is waiting with two large pitchers of water and cups for each place setting, a much-appreciated thirst quencher. Our dining area was located next to the orca habitat, providing a serene and immersive environment. It was not air-conditioned, which was an unsuspected disappointment. Although after sitting with ice-cold water, a covered area, and ceiling fan breezes, I found the climate to be enjoyable. We placed our order very quickly with the wait staff and food with served within minutes. I could see that all the prepared plates were served from chafing dishes, buffet-style, just inside the crew area, which isn’t what I had expected. The food was good and picture perfect. It was much better than I’d expect from a theme park, although I would have expected more from a stand-alone restaurant. My YouTube stalking paid off, as I had learned that we could have additional food, sides, and more if we just asked. I have one hungry, growing teen who ate two plates of food, although we would not have known if we didn’t do our research. Feeding him again because of his endless stomach wouldn’t have been ideal with pricey park food, so SeaWorld scored a few points by allowing, (unadvertised), unlimited portions. And there was a surprise dessert that came at the end: Tollhouse chocolate chip ice cream cookies, which I enjoyed on a hot, summer day.
Shamu & I, Eating Our Salmon Together
So if you're curious... No. I did not get to actually "Dine with Orcas".
Shamu and his friends didn't even drop by to check on me while I ate. They were actually in a different part of the tank, with access to our "pool" area closed off to the killer whales. Even if our orca friends felt like joining us, they had no way of swimming over.
Once our lunch was finished, I was finally treated to an educational presentation by SeaWorld’s trainers. My family and I watched the orcas swim and interact with their trainers through large viewing windows. The setting was designed to be casual, educational and engaging. While direct interaction with the orcas was not part of my experience, the proximity and visibility offered by the dining area make it a special and intimate encounter. The orca presentation lasted 11 minutes. That's right: 11 minutes. Trainers spoke and covered various aspects of orca biology, behavior, and conservation efforts. The orcas did a few acrobatics for the dining guests between conversations with the trainers. My ability to learn more about training sessions, feeding times, and the natural behaviors of the orcas in a way that isn’t possible during regular park visits made this an incredibly unforgettable experience. I only wished this could have lasted longer, or at least addressed why that isn't possible. We get it. These guys have 3-4 shows each day, so maybe they are spent. If that's the case, just let us know. But maybe they could have an "all-access" swim in the event they feel like exploring our part of the tank.
After completion of the show, the trainers stopped by the table to answer questions and share insights into the care and training of the orcas. I was hesitant to ask additional questions. Our trainer actually waited around until we asked a few questions, creating causal conversation and building rapport while I worked up the comfort to ask a few questions. I saw this as providing an authentic and personalized service to my family and I. Not to mention, it was a great way to learn more about these fascinating animals.
Overall, the "Dine with Orcas" experience at SeaWorld Orlando offers a unique combination of dining, education, and wildlife observation, making it a memorable and enriching addition to any visit to the park.