It's not just a "roll up in your stroller and get in" deal, though. Parents must register online to get a SeaWorld Orlando Preschool Card for their youngsters. But that card is free for kids ages five and under and gets them admission to SeaWorld Orlando for the rest of 2018. Parents can pay to upgrade the card to include the Aquatica water park, for $59.99. That's the current walk-up price for a one-day ticket to that park, though advance-purchase, one-day tickets to Aquatica are available for $39.99 on SeaWorld's website.
Please note that this offer is for Florida residents only and proof of residency (from the parents, one presumes), will be required when activating the card.
SeaWorld has offered extended free admission to toddlers and young children in the past, as the park continues to pursue a value-pricing strategy relative to the more-expensive Disney and Universal parks in the Orlando market. SeaWorld Orlando's attendance peaked in 2009, at 5.8 million — the year the company was spun off from Anheuser-Busch (and thus lost its free beer giveaways) and the year before rival Universal Orlando opened The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which fundamentally changed the balance of the theme park industry.
Even if SeaWorld Orlando lacks attractions based on the fictional entertainment franchises that so effectively draw tourists these days, it has tried to counter-program to appeal to locals with a variety of food, music, and holiday festivals. To further reach out to families with young children, the park this spring will offer a "Just For Kids" event on weekends from April 21 through May 13. SeaWorld's not released much detail about this event yet, except to say that "families can spend their weekends dancing to the beat and learning together along with everybody’s favorite furry, finned and flippered friends."
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It should be noted that last year this offer included admission to SeaWorld AND Busch Gardens, but for 2018 is SeaWorld only.
Oh, and one last thing ... this is supposedly the final year for the Shamu show as we know it, One Ocean. Assuming, that is, that SeaWorld goes forward with plans to retire the show in Orlando after 2018.
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Particularly, seaworld's food fest in March is fantastic and for about 60 dollars I got 15 food portions that were not only larger than what they serve at Epcot but just as good. In addition the lower crowd levels and relaxed atmosphere make it feel like the food and wine festivals of old and if you want to catch one of the musical acts, bayside stadium has considerably more seating than America gardens theater. Also, the bacon pretzel at pretzel kitchen is amazing.