Sea World

When my daughter was 4, we went & rented a stroller there. It was great, and not expensive. When she wanted to walk, she walked, and when she got tired, she climbed in & rode. It's very hilly & their strollers work well. It also served as a great "catch-all" for bags, souvenirs, etc. She loved every show they had, and even now at age 9 she remembers it & talks about it....guess it's time to take her back!

We were just there Sunday with our 14 month old and our almost 3 year old. You have picked a great time of year to visit as there were no lines for anything and the place wasn't even close to packed. It was a really great day.

As far as the stroller thing goes, there is definately enough room for a double jogging stroller. We brought our double stroller, but our oldest ended up walking most of the time. There's just too much to see and do for an older child to keep getting into and out of the stroller. The front seat ended up being used for storage, which was also nice.

My kids were too small for any of the rides, but they LOVED all the animal exhibitions (even my 14 month old). You can feed the dolphins and/or the sea lions for $4 per tray of food. We also saw the Shamu Believe show which was really awesome, and my oldest couldn't take her eyes off of the water. When it was over she was walking away with head turned back toward the water waiting for Shamu to fly out of the water again. My youngest had a bit of a hard time sitting through the show though. Thank goodness it was only just over 30 minutes.

Anyway, hope this helps you out. Have a great time!

DEFINITELY take the double stroller. My brother and his family visited us (in Plano) this summer, and we went to Sea World while they were here. I have two nieces age 2 and 7. We ended up renting the double stroller offered at Sea World. (It also rained while we were there so you may want to pack some of those portable ponchose in case you need to cover up anything.) Have fun!

We took our 4 year old this past March and we took his umbrella stroller and it worked perfect. I would take two strollers just because some places can get crowded. The Sea Lion/Walrus show is funny and the Viva! show is incredible. We saw all of the shows and we enjoyed them all!

We go to Sea World every spring. The kids love it...almost as much as the adults! :-) I would either take the double stroller or rent one there. Even if your older kiddo doesn't want to sit, you'll want to use it to carry stuff around. We took plenty of snacks and stuff like that...wet wipes, sunscreen, etc. I'm not sure what you're technically allowed to bring in. I do know that they search your bag at the gate, but that is for security. Also, they do not allow straws or lids on their cups (so they don't get in animal habitats on accident) so be sure to take sippy cups if that is an issue for you (or water bottles with sports tops).

As for the exhibits and shows...you obviously can't miss Shamu! We also love to feed the dolphins, or at least watch the feeding time. The kids absolutely love it. Also, the beluga whale/dolphin show is great. Lots of music and action, trapeze swinging, etc. Even my 9 month old niece was captivated last spring. They also have an animal show in a theater type setting that is fun, and afterward the kids can go pet the animals. Your 4.5 year old would probably like that. I could go on and on...such a blast! And there are a few rides in the kiddie section that your little one could go on with you. There is also a splash area in the kiddie section, but we have never done that part...we're always busy trying to get in as many shows as possible!

Hi there definitely is alot of walking but you can rent a double stroller for 13 dollars at the park. The jogging double stroller is almost the same type of stroller they rent at the park you can also look at the strollers @ their web site. But definitely have or rent a stroller.

We went twice this summer, once before my son turned 4 and once after and didn't take a stroller either time. He was tired at the end of the day, but still made it to the car just fine. I would definantly take one for the 1 1/2 year old, but the 4 1/2 can probably make it just fine, after all, you don't stand/walk the entire time. I wouldn't take the double just because to me the walks aren't wide enough in some places to deal with that along with crowds of people.

My son loved sitting close enough to get splashed by Shamu, liked feeding the dolphins and really enjoyed the wave pool. He walked through the penguin house and shark house, but wasn't interested enough to do more than walk through. He really loves fish too, so I was surprised at the shark house. There's just so much to see, he wanted to keep going and seeing everything!

Have fun!

Have fun at Sea World. We took our 4 year old and 1 year old this summer and our 4 year old LOVED it!!!!! The shows you listed are the best ones to see & get there early for the Shamu show as it fills up fast. Also, if you get to the park right when it opens or a little before - go straight to the dolphin area and your kids can feed the dolphins. They only have the feeding times open a few times a day and first thing they are still hungry & not a ton of people yet.

We went to Sea World a month or so ago and rented a double stroller there. It was big enough to accommodate my 2.5 year old and 5.5 year old -- and it had a good size cover on top to keep out the sun and rain (in our case). We were glad we got one big enough for our older child because we would have been carrying her by lunchtime otherwise.

We went this past May with our 3 year old son. He's a walker, so he didn't want to ride at all. My cousin's girls used it instead. We had plenty of room with our 1 jogging stroller. I think it just depends on your child...if he likes to walk or not.

All the exhibits are really cool for all ages. I do recommend going to the show with the walruses (& other animals). I cannot for the life of me remember the name, but it's supposed to be really funny. We missed it because of certain reasons.

Hope ya'll have fun!

Don't take 2 single strollers. That gets difficult to manage. I think the double jogging stroller should be fine. Last time we took our sit and stand (double stroller) and it was great! We have boys about the same age as you.

The kids will love everything. My older son (4.5 yo) liked feeding the sealions. You'll have to help get up a little higher so he can throw the fish down, but it is really fun! Also you can nap inside some of the exhibits like the Penguin exhibit... air conditioned and dark. haha!

It's a good park for kids.

I would recommend renting one of their strollers. All of the people and moving around was really h*** o* "our" stroller. I was not happy with how it put so much wear and tear on it. Good Luck!

We took our son when he was 16months and used an umbrella stroller and did fine. Your older son probably will not want a stroller, but the younger one - most definitely! Besides seeing Shamu, feed the dolphins, and go see the SeaLions! There are a few other exhibits by the sealions but I can't remember the names for the life of me. I love SeaWorld and can't wait to take my son again when he's a little older. Also, I think SeaWorld is best to do in two days. Some of the shows are at the same time and you miss them. I've been to SeaWorld twice and have yet to see the water ski show!

Have a great time!! Another thing, never never never dine with Shamu unless you like your food to taste like Shamu's food (fishy..and the menu doesn't include fish!) If that doesn't bother you, then do it! Great photo ops!

Edited for comments: we posted at the same time. You did good by getting the two day pass and researching the shows/exhibits you want to see. Excellent choices and have fun!!

Yes, bring a double jogger! Or you can rent them there. Everyone will have one. Some exibits don't allow strollers inside but there is lots of stroller parking.

Well I have two boys (3 years and 10 months) and I took my double stroller with me. It worked out great. I wouldn't suggest renting one of their's because just when you need it the most (for the parking lot walk to the car) you have to turn it back in.
I would also take a big tote bag so if you see a show and leave the stroller you can just put your belongings in the bag and take it with you. They don't like you taking any food items in the park thou I did take food/juice in for my baby and they said nothing.
Funny story, As we were going through check in and they were going through our stuff. My friends husband asks what they are looking for. She said mainly straws that could harm the whales and such. The funny thing is that while they were talking, he was chewing on a straw! And he walked right in without any trouble!
Anyway, My vote is for the double.
Also I think all the shows/exhibits would be great for you kids.
C.

We went this past weekend. We rented a stroller and I'm glad we did it was much easier to push up all those hills than ours would have been. I would suggest getting the double just in case your older child wants to ride some. I would have ridden in one by the end of the day if my husband could have pushed me in it!
I highly recommend the penquin exhibit and Shamu! My daughter (2 1/2) loved them.

Also, be prepared for the price of food. It really is ridiculous. I would suggest getting one of the souvenior drink cups at the beginning of the day (about $6-$7) and then you can refill it for around $2. Also, I kept refilling mine at water fountains.

Have a great time!!