Sea Life Orlando Aquarium is a small aquarium located in Icon Park on International Drive in Orlando, Florida. International Drive is a very popular street filled with restaurants, shopping, and tourist attractions.
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We had some difficulties before we even entered the aquarium. First, I tried to purchase the timed entry tickets online but for some reason my purchase was declined. I then used an onsite kiosk to purchase tickets. This time the transaction went through and the machine printed out a receipt (showing I purchased 4 admissions) and a ticket with a bar code. I assumed the bar code was valid for the four admissions but when we got to the aquarium entrance, the person at the admission desk informed me the barcode was only good for one admission. Thankfully, I had entered my email at the kiosk and the tickets had also been emailed to me so after pulling them up on my phone, we were able to enter the aquarium.
The aquarium is a counterclockwise loop. It is very nicely done, with many tanks and exhibits. It also is very child friendly, with most of the tanks starting near the ground so young children or those in strollers are able to enjoy the experience. There are also numerous places where children (or children at heart) can crawl in and pop their heads up in a dome in the middle of the tank.
They also had a card that kids could take and get stamped at different locations around the aquarium. There was even a chance to get a picture with a mermaid. The mermaid was seated on a couch in front of a fish tank and you could sit on the couch with her for a picture. I thought it was really cute but Marie promptly informed me that she was WAY too old for such a thing.
All the advertisements for the aquarium mention the 360o ocean tunnel that you walk through. Having experienced an underwater tunnel (not 360o) at Ripley’s Aquarium, I was really looking forward to the tunnel. I was rather underwhelmed. The floor of the tunnel is pretty scratched up so while you are technically in a 360o tunnel, the view beneath you isn’t very good. The most disappointing thing though was the tunnel was only about 15 feet long.
The end of the aquarium loop features a nice touch tank area. The tank is long enough that many people can be at it at once and the water is shallow enough that children can reach the things on the bottom of the tank. They ask that you don’t pick up anything in the tank but you are welcome to use two fingers and touch the back of everything in the tank.
Sea Life Orlando Aquarium has a nice variety of fish, the tanks are nice and clean, and the general atmosphere is pleasant and family friendly. The aquarium was a nice way to spend an hour. But it only took an hour (maybe even a little less) to walk through the whole aquarium. The tickets with tax for four of us ended up being $165. I think that is quite steep for what the aquarium offers. We could have paid less if we had planned ahead a little, as the price of admission varies with the day of the week and the time of day you go. Buying tickets before the day of your visit can also lower the price. There are also combo tickets available with Madame Tussauds Wax Museum and the Orlando Eye (Ferris wheel).
My Takeaway
Sea Life Orlando Aquarium is a nice aquarium with a good variety of exhibits but due to its small size and steep price it is not a place that I would recommend unless you really needed a short indoor activity while in Orlando.