As families embark on their SeaWorld Orlando adventure, maximizing the fun and ensuring everyone is thoroughly entertained becomes the key to making the most of their time and creating unforgettable moments together. There are likely some who may be first-timers or wish to be reacquainted with SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration, so we’ve included our favorite experiences for every family member. In addition, we’ve ordered these activities so readers can experience them in our preferred way, but everyone is welcome to mix and match the steps in their holiday journey.

Ensure your family’s holiday adventure kicks off on a festive note – grab your discounted SeaWorld Orlando admission through Orlando Informer and make the season merrier!

SeaWorld Orlando’s Christmas Celebration: Meet and Greets

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Location: Pipeline Pathway

Themed meet-and-greets are common at any theme park, but where else can you interact with the North Pole’s star buck, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer? This photo opportunity features life-size storybook vignettes of the classic stop-motion tale throughout its queue and set. Along with Rudolph, guests can also meet Bumble, the famed abominable snow monster.

Times vary during event days, so it’s best to keep an eye on the show schedule via the official SeaWorld Orlando app.

Photos With Santa Claus

Location: Near Wild Arctic

What’s Christmas without Santa Claus? Jolly Saint Nick can be found near Wild Arctic during SeaWorld Orlando’s Christmas Celebration event days. Guests of all ages can speak with Father Christmas and share their holiday wishes. Santa’s appearance times may vary, so it’s best to keep an eye on the show schedule during the event via the Official SeaWorld App.

Anyone wanting to add a little extra magic to their visit can also opt for the Dinner with Santa Claus package. While guests can meet Santa at no charge, the add-on experience has a starting cost of $43.99 plus tax for adults and $15.99 plus tax for children ages three to nine. Included in the dinner is an all-you-can-eat holiday meal with Santa that features the likes of turkey breast, pork loin, Yukon Potatoes, as well as a kids buffet filled with classics like chicken tenders and corn dogs.

SeaWorld Orlando’s Christmas Celebration: Holiday Shows

Elmo’s Christmas Wish

Location: Seaport Theater

It’s Christmas time on Sesame Street, and everyone has their wish list! Everyone except for Elmo, that is. The fan-favorite red, fuzzy resident of Sesame Street needs help finding out his wish, and he’s enlisting everyone he can to assist! Throughout the show, Cookie Monster, Rosalita, Grover, and Zoe sing their wishes to help inspire Elmo as they cover Christmas hits in an unforgettable performance.

Elmo’s Christmas Wish takes place during select hours of the day, so keep up with SeaWorld Orlando’s show schedule for the times.

Mrs. Claus’ Magic Kitchen

Location: Seaport Theater

Mrs. Claus is well-known as the original Christmas cookie baker, don’t you know? Santa’s charged one of his most trusted elves, Kirby, to set up a web series showcasing Mrs. Claus’ baking skills. Seaport Theater’s interactive show has audience members taking “elfies” with Santa’s Helpers and helping Mrs. Claus in the pop-up kitchen. Guests attending SeaWorld Orlando’s newest holiday show will experience laughter, magic, and “just a hint of chaos,” making it a must-see this year.

Of course, the showtimes vary for this evening show. Check the park’s show schedule or the park hours page in the app for when it occurs.

SeaWorld Orlando’s Christmas Celebration: Family Experiences

Snow Flurries at the Waterfront

Location: The Waterfront

There’s nothing like taking in the Christmas happenings with a cozy cup of hot cocoa. SeaWorld Orlando transforms into a winter wonderland, where snow flurries magically fall throughout the day. Take a stroll to The Christmas Village nearby, where you can cozy up by a crackling bonfire and be serenaded by festive carols.

Whether you’re kicking off your day, concluding your holiday visit, or simply seeking a delightful break from the day’s excitement, this spot is our top recommendation for creating memorable moments at SeaWorld Orlando.

Christmas Movies at Seafire Grill

Location: Seafire Grill

Navigating the whirlwind of creating cherished memories at SeaWorld Orlando’s dazzling shows and photo ops, especially with the whole family in tow, can be quite an adventure. Yet, those quieter moments in between become the heart of the experience.

SeaWorld Orlando understands the value of these interludes, offering a fantastic option: During SeaWorld Orlando’s Christmas Celebration, Seafire Grill shows a rotating schedule of holiday classics nightly. This ingenious idea from the event’s creative minds offers the perfect blend of entertainment and relaxation, as grabbing a meal and movie at one of the park’s quick-service restaurants is an excellent option while attending their holiday event.

SeaWorld Orlando Christmas Celebration: Special Holiday Celebrations

Hanukkah Celebration

Location: Sesame Street Land
December 7 – 15

Guests celebrating Hanukkah can find the lighting of the menorah in Sesame Street Land, accompanied by a narrator sharing the story of this celebration on select dates. The nightly show times may change, so stay updated on the park’s show schedule for the latest information.

Kwanzaa Celebration

Location: Sesame Street Land
December 26 – January 1

On select dates, SeaWorld also celebrates Kwanzaa. The returning event educates guests about Kwanzaa’s history and traditions during an outdoor performance. The host will speak on the holiday’s principles as they light the kinara nightly in Sesame Street Land. Similarly to the park’s Hanukkah celebration, guests interested will want to refer to SeaWorld Orlando’s show schedule for its show times.

New Year’s Eve

December 31

As part of the holiday festivities, SeaWorld Orlando has a fitting way to ring in the new year. The park will present a festive show of lights, pyrotechnics, and high-energy music on New Year’s Eve. The performance features a dazzling spectacle of fireworks and projections in unison with the park’s signature Sea of Trees and can be seen throughout the park.

As of now, SeaWorld Orlando’s show schedule indicates that it occurs just before the park’s closing time, but it is advisable to verify the current show schedule during your visit.

Three Kings Celebration

January 5 – 7

During SeaWorld Orlando’s Three Kings Celebration, the park goes all out with food, shows, and music. During select dates, guests can enjoy festive cuisine and extended opportunities to enjoy the Sea of Trees, festive holiday lights, and O Wondrous Night. Of course, guests will want to check the show schedule and park hours page for accurate show times.

SeaWorld Orlando’s Christmas Celebration occurs on select dates until January 2, 2024. You can get your discounted admission tickets to SeaWorld at Orlando Informer. You can also discuss vacation planning with our SeaWorld Community on Facebook!

The post Ultimate Guide to Family Fun at SeaWorld Orlando’s Christmas Celebration appeared first on Orlando Informer.

This is definitely true at Universal Orlando, which offers a class of roller coaster to pair perfectly with each of its unique guests. And given the soon-to-arrive Jurassic World VelociCoaster, we at Orlando Informer found ourselves inspired to take stock and get to better know the resort’s roster of amazing coaster experiences.

The following is our accounting of each ride. Although we could – and probably would – speak endlessly on this subject, we’ve simplified the descriptions to fast-facts first and a quick excerpt afterwards, which will help provide additional details and information. And for anyone unfamiliar or looking to take that next step in his or her roller-coaster endeavors, we’ve also categorized the list by intensity, to show which attractions you can consider “entry level” to – well, you get the picture.

Entry-level roller coasters at Universal Orlando

Woody Woodpecker’s Nuthouse Coaster

• Location: Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone, Universal Studios Florida
• Height requirement: 36 inches (supervising companion for those under 48)
• Max speed: 21.7 mph
• Approximate duration: 1:00

Woody Woodpecker’s Nuthouse Coaster holds the double honors of being Universal Orlando’s very first roller coaster as well as the attraction that helped officially launch Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone back in 1999. It is, of course, designed for families and has the interest of the younger crowd in mind. This ride favors very vibrant decor and an easy-to-follow story of a wild and entertaining train ride around a literal nut factory with Woody as your “host.”

Despite its wacky name and what you may expect from the titular woodpecker, Nuthouse Coaster’s pace isn’t very fast, and the track stays mostly low to the ground, with just enough tight turns and twists to entertain you. As long as no one in your family is easily scared or squeamish, this would prove to be a fun way to start or end your day.

Flight of the Hippogriff

• Location: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade, Islands of Adventure
• Height requirement: 36 inches (supervising companion for those under 42)
• Max speed: 28.5 mph
• Approximate duration: 1:36

After originally starting off life as Flight of the Unicorn, this kiddie coaster got swept up in the Harry Potter makeover and was reborn as Flight of the Hippogriff in 2010. The attraction’s new concept revolves around a lesson in riding Buckbeak the hippogriff by Professor Hagrid, who utilizes wicker replicas (aka your ride vehicles). After boarding them and getting settled under the lap bar, guests are encouraged to bow to an animatronic hippogriff, as is customary with these magical creatures.

The overall experience is fun and family friendly, as the ride doesn’t go very fast or feature any inversions. Still, although Flight of the Hippogriff isn’t scary by any means, some guest feedback suggests that the little ones may find it just a wee intense at first, due to how high it climbs and how quickly it reaches its top speed. With that said, however, Hippogriff does offer a great mid-ride look at Hogwarts Castle and at Hagrid’s hut (which can be seen in even greater detail in Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure), which makes it worth a try.

Easy roller coasters at Universal Orlando

Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit

• Location: Production Central, Universal Studios Florida
• Height requirement: 51 inches
• Max speed: 65 mph
• Approximate duration: 1:23

Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit boasts a fun, music-centric theme and a great soundtrack for guests to choose from that features an accessible “secret list.” If you get good enough at the selection process, this could allow you to set a different tone for each time you ride.

While this is one of the faster coasters on Universal Orlando Resort property, I always suggest Rockit as anyone’s “first big roller coaster.” Yes, that initial 167-foot vertical lift seems very daunting, but it’s easily the scariest part of this attraction; once you’re over that steep hill, you’re in for a fun, smooth ride. Sure, its top speed is just short of The Incredible Hulk Coaster‘s maximum pace, but you’d never guess it, and Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit doesn’t actually ever go upside-down. This allows for a happy medium of achieving easy thrills while testing the waters of the more intense coaster experiences in the parks.

Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure

• Location: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade, Islands of Adventure
• Height requirement: 48 inches
• Max speed: 50 mph
• Approximate duration: 3:25

Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure not only challenges you to say its name three times fast, but it also serves as Universal’s first official half-giant step into the realm of “story coasters,” roller coasters which endeavor to tell a narrative during the ride itself (and not just in the queue). Rubeus Hagrid takes center stage as your host, leading you on a field trip deep within the Forbidden Forest to learn more about the Wizarding World’s magical creatures. Guests board cars that are designed after Hagrid’s motorbike, complete with a main seat and sidecar, both of which have lap-bar restraints to keep you safe. True to everything Harry Potter, the queue is highly detailed, and the ride portion boasts some great animatronics that include many fantastic beasts, as well as one of the professor himself.

If Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit looks too intimidating, this would be an excellent alternative as an introductory coaster – not only won’t you find any inversions, but it also isn’t terribly fast or intense. With that said – and without spoiling anything – readers will want to make note of a backwards portion (in which the motorbike “breaks down in mid-air,” as it’s want to do) and a very sudden drop straight down.

Moderate roller coasters at Universal Orlando

Revenge of the Mummy

• Location: New York, Universal Studios Florida
• Height requirement: 48 inches
• Max speed: 40 mph
• Approximate duration: 2:57

We at Orlando Informer hold no secrets about our love for this attraction, as we’ve covered it extensively.

Put simply, Revenge of the Mummy takes place behind the scenes of a fictitious sequel to The Mummy, starring a coffee-deprived Brendan Fraser – a production which eventually goes horribly wrong. As you traverse the queue, you’ll notice the scenery blend from a movie shoot to a 1940s Egyptian-tomb excavation, which culminates in a boarding area with lap bar-equipped vehicles that have been designed as mine carts to fit the theme.

It’s certainly not Universal’s fastest coaster, but what it lacks in speed, it makes up for in thrills. If pressured, it’s hard to pinpoint the most intense part of the ride experience, as there are so many; instead, it’s better to say that the only reason Revenge of the Mummy is categorized as “moderate” is due to the ride never going upside-down. If you do choose to venture onto this attraction, there’s a ton of fun and humor you’ll be rewarded with.

Intense roller coasters at Universal Orlando

The Incredible Hulk Coaster

• Location: Marvel Super Hero Island, Islands of Adventure
• Height requirement: 48 inches
• Max speed: 67 mph
• Approximate duration: 2:15

The Incredible Hulk Coaster is traditionally a must-do for anyone visiting Universal Orlando. In its current iteration, which debuted in 2016, guests take the role of “experimental test subjects” for General Thaddeus Ross – his latest attempt to take down the menace that is the Hulk. After winding through the military lab, riders board the roller coaster’s sleek, green vehicles, which come equipped with shoulder restraints and seat belts.

After being brought into what’s meant to be the center of a gamma core, passengers are launched into the actual ride experience, accompanied by the Hulk’s roar and the musical stylings of Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump. The track involves an exciting flurry of twists and loops, which you smash through nonstop at top speed, making it an immensely thrilling ride and easily the resort’s most intense coaster.

Which is your favorite of Universal’s roller coasters, and which do you think delivers the best overall experience? Share your thoughts with 125,000+ other Universal Orlando Resort fans in our Orlando Informer Community on Facebook.

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