Comparing 2 SeaWorld Parks
Discover the differences between SeaWorld San Diego and SeaWorld San Antonio!
Will your Interstate 10 road trip to Southern California take you past the interesting city of San Antonio, Texas? If so, why not check out SeaWorld San Antonio? If you're headed for a visit to Sea World in San Diego, California, comparing the similarities and differences between these 2 SeaWorld Parks is great fun!To make a quick summary of the differences between these 2 SeaWorld parks, let's just say that SeaWorld San Antonio has more variety in its attractions...making it a great choice for families whose members have different tastes about "what's fun." On the other hand, SeaWorld San Antonio is missing some of the animal attractions that you'll find at Sea World in San Diego...making California's Sea World park the favorite for animal-lovers.
When it comes down to it, I personally wouldn't be able to choose a favorite. Both of these 2 SeaWorld parks are terrific...and if you can possibly visit both, you'll find the experience of comparing them to be a real pleasure.
To refresh yourself about the features you'll find at Sea World in California, use the following link to view the SeaWorld San Diego pages of this website.
Or, to view still more info about Sea World in Texas, head to the "Believe," a new Shamu Show" pages showing photos of the new show and stadium decor in san Antonio.
Comparing 2 SeaWorld Parks -- SeaWorld San Antonio's Water Park
One of the most notable differences between these 2 SeaWorld parks is that SeaWorld San Antonio has a water park, and SeaWorld San Diego does not. Having a water park means that you can spend 2 whole days at Sea World San Antonio...and both of those days will be entirely DIFFERENT from one another! And, value-minded family travelers will really appreciate the fact that the SeaWorld San Antonio's water park is INCLUDED in the price of admission to the Texas SeaWorld! It's a great value for your travel dollar!The water park at Sea World in San Antonio may not be as big as a "dedicated" water park...a stand-alone park that caters to nothing but swimmers and sliders. But, on the other hand, the SeaWorld water park is NOT SMALL...and does include "something for everyone" in your family.
As you can see in the photo to your left, there's a giant wave pool at SeaWorld San Antonio's water park...which, by the way, is named the "Lost Lagoon!"
Tweens, teens and adults will gravitate immediately towards the tall slides at SeaWorld San Antonio's Lost Lagoon water park. There are 2 sets of tall water slides meant for the older members of your family. In the picture on your right, you're viewing a closeup of the "Sky Tubin'" attraction. This 5 story raft ride lets family members climb aboard a giant raft together for some downhill, screaming fun!
In the image to your left, you can see another teen favorite---the Buckaroo Mountain water slide complex. Here, riders have a choice of 4 water slides...all different types. (One slide features a "totally dark" riding experience!"
On the other hand, not all family members wish to scream...and in this photo you can also see SeaWorld San Antonio's version of the classic "lazy river" water park ride...which they call the "Castaway Cruisin'" attraction. Members of your group may float on their own inner tubes side to side...just chit chatting and enjoying one another's company in a more peaceful setting.
Toddlers, preschoolers, and even older kids will enjoy the "Splash Attack" water play area. (In the photo to your right, you can see some colorful dragon heads...which are actually very large squirt guns! Behind the dragons, you can see the 3-story fun house that kids can climb...which is full of all sorts of squirting activities! Surrounding the fun house is a large row of chaise lounges...just right for parents who want to relax while the kids play!
Comparing 2 SeaWorld Parks -- Different Rides & Roller Coasters
Another thing that you'll immediately notice if you compare the 2 SeaWorld parks is that SeaWorld San Antonio has huge roller coasters---2 of them!---and SeaWorld San Diego doesn't. (Hey, no fair!) While Sea World San Diego does have the "Journey to Atlantis" roller coaster/water flume combination ride, the Atlantis ride's thrill factor just isn't in the same league with the roller coasters at Sea World San Antonio! (Note: each Sea World location has a Journey to Atlantis ride...but all three are different. While San Antonio's version is strictly a water-ride, the San Diego version is part water flume and part roller coaster)In the photo to your left, you are viewing the "Steel Eel," SeaWorld San Antonio's tallest and fastest rollercoaster. The Steel Eel's 1st drop is 15 stories tall...and will get you zooming to a whopping 65 MPH! That's alot of thrill factor!
Also missing from SeaWorld San Diego is a log flume ride...which, as you can see from the picture to your right, SeaWorld San Antonio DOES have. This log flume is the "Texas Splashdown," and features 2 separate plunges along its course.
Of course, you could counter this by saying, "Well, Sea World San Antonio doesn't have the "motion movie" ride called "Journey to the Wild Arctic"...which Sea World in California DOES have." And, you'd be right!
In the picture on your left, you see the other one of Sea World San Antonio's 2 giant roller coasters. This photo shows you, "The Great White" looping coaster, named after the Great White Shark, of course.
"The Great White" roller coaster is a suspension-type coaster which features seating in a ski lift-style chair. As your legs dangle in the breeze, you'll zoom along at 50 mph making 5 inversions as you zip through loops and corkscrews. At one point, your feet nearly graze the heads of passersby!
Ah, finally...in the picture to your right, you see a ride which both of the 2 SeaWorld parks have in common: a white-water rafting ride! In the photo, you're viewing San Antonio's "Rio Loco" ride, which takes you churning and splashing your way down a loverly tree-lined waterway. Since it's a great deal hotter (temperature-wise) in San Antonio, Texas than it is in California, you'll LOVE getting dowsed with water on the Rio Loco!
Comparing 2 SeaWorld Parks -- Shamu Show and Shamu Stadium
In the photo to your left, you can see the attractive exterior of Shamu Stadium at SeaWorld San Antonio. The new Shamu show, "Believe," is another feature that the 2 SeaWorld parks have in common...or, at least, they WILL have in common. As of this writing (May 27, 2005), Sea World San Diego still has several more weeks before their Shamu Show "Believe" will open. (San Antonio's "Believe" show has already been running since March.) I have been informed by education department employees at Sea World San Diego that both shows will be the same.
In the picture to your right, you're viewing the interior of SeaWorld San Antonio's Shamu Stadium. If you look closely, you'll notice that the seats in the stadium are PACKED. The new Shamu Show is drawing big crowds...so, don't forget to head to Shamu Stadium well before show time if you want to get a good seat!Both of the 2 SeaWorld Parks also have dolphin shows, the Clyde and Seamore Sea Lion shows, and the "4D" movie show, "R.L. Stine's Haunted Light House."
On the other hand, you can see the cute "Pets Rule" domestic animal show at SeaWorld San Diego...but you'll miss it at SeaWorld San Antonio. SeaWorld San Diego also features the astounding acrobatic feats of the players at the Cirque de la Mer "Amphibitheater."
Conversely, in Texas, you can see the fun "Rockin' Ski Party" water skiing show...but you'll have to do without that in California!
Comparing 2 SeaWorld Parks -- Animal Attractions
In the opening paragraph of this page, I mentioned that SeaWorld San Antonio is missing some of the animal attractions which SeaWorld San Diego has. In the photo to your left, you can see one exhibit which BOTH of the 2 SeaWorld Parks have...and that's the dolphin feeding area. Though each park has a different name and layout for their dolphin-feeding interactive exhibits, no matter which park you choose to attend, you WILL get a chance to feed the dolphins!Both of the 2 SeaWorld parks also offer Seal/Sea lion exhibits, the Clydesdale horses, bird exhibits--including colorful flamingos, and that cute (though smelly!) exhibit, "Penguin Encounter."
On the other hand, at SeaWorld San Antonio, you WON'T get to walk through a "shark tunnel," that clear plastic tube through which you can walk seemingly "surrounded" by sharks when you visit SeaWorld San Diego! Other exhibits you'll miss besides "Shark Encounter" (which houses the Shark Tunnel, among other exhibits), include the enchanting "Manatee Rescue," which exhibits Florida Manatees in a fresh-water tank...some of whom have actually been rescued and rehabilitated through SeaWorld programs! San Antonio is also missing The Wild Arctic Adventure, where visitors can see polar bears, beluga whales and other cold-loving animals.
And, although SeaWorld San Antonio does have an aquarium, SeaWorld San Diego has SEVERAL of them! You'll also find more touch-tank activities in San Diego than at the San Antonio location.
Comparing 2 SeaWorld Parks -- Shamu's Happy Harbor
Shamu's Happy Harbor play area thrills kids from toddlers to tweens at both of the 2 SeaWorld parks. San Antonio's Happy Harbor has a greater variety of activities, though---including a water play area and several darling kiddie rides!In the photo to your left, you can see the large water play area where kids can squirt each other and get wet to their heart's content! (This is IN ADDITION to the children's water play area at the Lost Lagoon water park section of SeaWorld San Antonio!)
In the picture to your right, you see the enchanting "Shamu Express" junior roller coaster...where kids can experience their first rollercoaster ride at Mom or Dad's side. Several other colorfully-decorated junior rides can be found in the Shamu's Happy Harbor area of San Antonio's Sea World Park.
Both Happy Harbors in the 2 SeaWorld Parks offer a large play boat filled with activities, spacious areas of rope netting to climb, exciting "bouncy" bridges, a sand-play area, and a special extra-padded area for babies and young toddlers to crawl and wobble around in without a chance of hurting themselves! SeaWorld thinks of everything!
For a closer look at the SeaWorld San Diego "Shamu's Happy Harbor" section, use the following link to visit the "Shamu's Happy Harbor Pictures" page of this website.
SeaWorld San Antonio--Contact Information
The SeaWorld San Antonio phone number is (800) 700-7786. If you call that telephone number, you'll get a recorded message with options to learn about park prices, hours of operation, etc. You'll also have the option of speaking to a "live" park employee, as well, if you have a question not answered by the recorded message line.The SeaWorld San Antonio address is: 10500 SeaWorld Drive, San Antonio, Texas 78251. This location is on the far-western side of San Antonio. If you'd like to view a map to SeaWorld, you may use the following link to study a Yahoo map of the SeaWorld San Antonio area of San Antonio, Texas.
If you need further information about SeaWorld San Antonio, including admission prices, hours of operation, etc, you may follow the upcoming link to visit the SeaWorld San Antonio Official Website.
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