Disclosure: My family and I were invited to participate in SeaWorld’s 50^th Celebration debut. We received swag and one-day admission as compensation in exchange for my honest review.  The opinions shared are my own.

On March 21, 1964, San Diego SeaWorld began entertaining, delighting and educating audiences.  SeaWorld Orlando launched nine years later.  For fifty years, “SeaWorld has surprised and amazed guests with unique entertainment, thrilling rides and up-close encounters with animals.”

A video presentation led us through a timeline of how SeaWorld evolved over the years from one park into three incredible parks with conservation and education at its focus. As my family and I snacked on killer whale colored-cupcakes for breakfast, SeaWorld’s CEO thanked all the guests for celebrating the momentous occasion with the park.

After SeaWorld shared its story, I walked down memory with my children as I shared stories of visiting the park as a child decades ago. “I remember when there were no roller coasters here. I remember visiting here with my students when Journey to Atlantis had just opened.”

Now along with all its amazing animal exhibits and shows, the park also offers numerous thrilling and interactive rides.  For this visit, my family and I focused mainly on rides.  Allana and I started with Manta, our favorite roller coaster.

Emmalynn wanted to ride Journey to Atlantis since she had never been on it. She loved it, of course, and she especially loved getting soaked.

Next, Allana and I dared to ride Kraken. Last time we rode Kraken in the dark; it was a whole new roller coaster in daylight.  At least the high-speed dried us off our wet clothes.

With Antarctica only a short distance away, we utilized our media pass as a fast pass to avoid the hour wait to experience the Wild Antarctica ride. Liam is still too small for the wild side, so he and Daddy chose the mild ride while the girls and I dodged a sea lion on the wild side.

Wild or mild, both experiences lead all passengers to a penguin exhibit at the “South Pole” for a chance to meet penguins up close.

Leaving Antarctica, we passed the SEA Garden where we discovered giant sea sculptures made entirely of beach trash and plastics in an attempt to teach guests the importance of conversation and protecting marine animals from such dangerous materials.

As we continued to Shamu’s Happy Harbor, we stumbled upon the Bubble Blowout, an eccentric tinkerer who invites guests to help create bubbles of all sizes and shapes.

Also as part of the 50^th Celebration “Sea of Surprises”, the SeaWorld Surprise Squad will shower unsuspecting guests with prizes such as exclusive access to rides, reserved show seating and behind-the-scene experiences. Since my kids were more interested in the rides, it didn’t matter that we never saw the SeaWorld Surprise Squad.  It’s also no surprise that Liam wanted to ride the train.

When my family rode the Jazzy Jellies, I enjoyed the performers.

After all the rides, my kids performed their own Splash Dance at the Shamu’s Happy Harbor splash pad.

We soaked up as much of SeaWorld’s 50th Celebration as we could in one day, but we are excited to return for more “Sea of Surprises” this summer. Stay tuned for more exciting events to come to SeaWorld Orlando during this 18-month long celebration!

The best way to experience SeaWorld’s 50th Celebration is with one of the following ticket offers:

• 50% Off Celebration Ticket — Buy one ticket and get 50 percent off another.
• Celebrate the weekdays with SeaWorld Orlando’s $50 Weekday Ticket.

In addition to these amazing offers, Florida Residents can take advantage of SeaWorld Annual Passes starting at just $13 per month with EZpay to enjoy the 50^th Celebration again and again.

For more information and continuing news about SeaWorld’s 50th Celebration and the Sea of Surprises, visit www.seaworld.com/celebration. For complete details about ticket offers, visit SeaWorldOrlando.com.