Best Times to Visit SeaWorld

When planning a trip to Central Florida to go to any theme park destination, knowing when to come may be just as important as planning what to do while on the trip. While most families visit SeaWorld, Discovery Cove and Busch Gardens during the peak season (summer), planning a trip around that especially busy time may make the world of difference when it comes to your trip.

As a general rule of thumb, January (starting the second week to avoid the New Years crowd), February, September, October and early November are the least busy times of the year for all of the theme park destinations in Orlando. By far, the busiest months for SeaWorld and Discovery Cove are May-August, when the summer crowd hits. March and April are surprisingly busy times for the parks as well, as Spring Breakers and Easter weekend spell large numbers for the Central Florida area.

However, it is important to mention that Discovery Cove does have a limit of 1,000 guests in the park per day, so even if it is the peak of the summer, as long as you have a reservation for that day, you should have no problem enjoying all of the attractions in the park without having to worry about masses of tourists that other theme parks have.

There are special events in the summer at SeaWorld Orlando that, despite the busy crowds, may still be a big draw. Through the beginning of September, SeaWorld presents SeaWorld at Night, which includes four special nighttime shows, additional dining options and Mistify, SeaWorld’s biggest fireworks finale ever.

While the summer months may be jam-packed, the year-round sunshine in Florida makes it a great destination any time of the year and is one of the reasons why the holidays are so packed at SeaWorld. However, the slow seasons at both parks (January, February, September-early November) may also be some of the best times weather-wise to visit. In the early months of the year, one can beat the extreme heat and humidity while still being comfortable. January is the coolest month of the year, but both months will see high temperatures ranging in the low-to-mid 70’s, with lows hovering around the 50 degree mark. Rainfall is also very limited during this time, as January and February mark two of the five months of the year with expected precipitation under three inches.

September, however, may be a bit of a different story in terms of rainfall and temperatures. Though the crowds are definitely thinning out at this time, you can still expect 90’s almost everyday, with a high chance of rain daily as well. This is also still hurricane season in Florida, so there is always the possibility of encountering a tropical system on your visit during the late summer months.

The rainy season, with chances of rain and thunderstorms every day, usually lasts from late May until early October. You can also expect temperatures to average in the 80’s from April through October, with 90 degree readings from June through the end of August. But just because the rain chances are high every day, that shouldn’t detract you from enjoying all that these theme parks have to offer. A typical day in the summer will see a brief shower or thunderstorm pass through at least once per day, but a total washout is not highly likely and shouldn’t keep you from enjoying your fun for too long. Lightning in the area will shut down all outdoor activities, however, and will delay most of the activities if you are visiting Discovery Cove, so be prepared to take in some indoor or alternate attractions should that arise.