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Home » theme parks » Sea World’s All-Day Dining Deal

Sea World’s All-Day Dining Deal

July 22, 2013 by Karen Dawkins 52 Comments

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Theme park tickets are pricey, but the SeaWorld All-Day Dining Deal is a GREAT VALUE! All you can eat/drink, with very few limitations, for one low price. We'll show you the numbers so you can see exactly how much we saved on food! #budgettravel #traveltips #orlandotravel #seaworldorlando #seaworldflorida #orlandovacation #orlandovacationplanning #cheaporlandovacation #orlandovacationnotdisney #orlandovacationwithkids #themeparkstips #themeparkshacks #moneymatters #budgettravelideas via @karendawkins

Do you know what it’s like feeding TWO teenage sons at a theme park? Expensive! These guys are bottomless pits! Thankfully, Sea World’s All-Day Dining Deal actually is a deal because so many SeaWorld restaurants are included — and helps our budget! I just wish I had done the math our first trip!

Save $53 on a Disney World 4-Day Park Hopper! Hop through all 4 parks.

We got to Sea World Orlando about 11:00 after eating a horrible hotel buffet breakfast (more on that another day). By 1:00 we were really hungry and looking at the restaurants in Sea World Orlando. The Seafire Inn was close-by, so we ducked inside to get lunch. Staring at the menu, my husband asked, “What do you think of the All-day Dining Deal?”

SeaWorld All Day Dining Deal: Which SeaWorld Restaurants are included and is it worth it?

• Updated February, 2018 •

Our oldest quickly calculated the cost of a meal, dessert and drink and determined that we would need to eat two meals to break even. Anything extra would be “free food.”

Remember I have TWO teenage bottomless pits to feed!

What is the Sea World All-Day Dining Deal?

The All-Day Dining Deal is a convenient, all-you-care-to eat deal allows you eat selected Sea World restaurants all day, until 30 minutes before park closing. Currently, participating SeaWorld restaurants include Voyager’s Smokehouse (excluding Baby Back Ribs), Seaport Pizza, Terrace Garden Buffet, The Spice Mill, Seafire Inn, and Mango Joe’s, most of the restaurants in Sea World Orlando.

Cost in 2020:

  • Adults (ages 10 plus): $39.99
  • Child (ages 3-9): $19.99
  • Under 3 eats from adult plate for free.

Is SeaWorld’s All-Day Dining Deal worth it?

Our total cost for the SeaWorld dining plan was $134.96 plus tax (2013 rates). We have annual passes that offer a 10% discount on all SeaWorld dining prices, even the SeaWorld all-day dining deal. Nice!

We ate two meals, lunch and dinner, in the park. Full price, these SeaWorld restaurants prices were $145.96 plus tax. We saved $11 just on two meals. 

In addition to the two meals, we used the all-day dining deal for snacks, saving us even more on SeaWorld restaurants’ menu prices! Just because the menu says you get a meal, side or dessert and drink doesn’t mean you actually have to do that. We got bottled water several times during the day. Each bottle costs $3.00. We saved $45 on water alone.

Those bottomless pits I mentioned earlier also ate five desserts, an entree salad, two servings of oranges, a serving of watermelon and three servings of strawberries. That saved us another $52 — not to mention it kept the boys quite content.

Before heading “home,” we stopped in at Mango Joe’s for a final snack. Instead of getting a full meal, we got two servings of nachos and cheese. I’m not sure what they’d charge for that, but the nachos meal is $9.89. We also got four servings of strawberries, two more servings of cookies and five bottled waters. That saved us (approximately) $58.

Grand total savings using the Sea World All-day Dining Deal: $166. 

Without a doubt, the SeaWorld dining plan discount offers a tremendous value! Unless you plan to picnic at the park (coolers are not allowed inside the park, but picnic benches are available), the All-Day Dining Deal is worth it!

Save $32 on 3-Park 2-Day Universal Orlando Park-to-Park Ticket! Visit Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios!

Tips to use SeaWorld’s dining plan

As we went through the day, we appreciated some great benefits to using the SeaWorld meal plan.

1. The intense Florida sun saps energy. Having chilled, bottled water available all day ensured we drank enough.

2. Just because the plan includes main dish, side or dessert and drink doesn’t mean you have to get it all. Eat what looks good and remember, you can always go back for more when you want something else.

3. Having the SeaWorld food wrist band makes “paying” quite easy. We didn’t have to go through the register line. We just showed our wrist bands as we passed by the clerks and they waved us through. I’m not sure that this is the actual policy, but we sure appreciated the convenience when we were there.

4. Look for the short line. Regardless of whether you use the all-day dining deal or not, always check all open restaurant lines. Most people seem to queue up at the first line they see leaving the less visible line short and quick!

5. Have a light eater in the family? Skip the meal deal if you want. It’s not required for every member of the family. However, paying members will have to go through the register line every time they eat.

6. Remember, with SeaWorld all day dining sharing is not permitted, except with a child under age 3.

Our review of the SeaWorld All-Day Dining Deal

Of course, my husband and I appreciated the value of the dining deal. Some menu items at participating SeaWorld restaurants are not included (the full plate of baby-back ribs at Voyager’s Smokehouse) and only the named restaurants participate. Snack stands and specialty restaurants are not included. Still, the cost savings is worth it. We will choose all you can eat SeaWorld dining deals whenever we go as long as the plan stays as it is.

Both our boys loved being able to eat whenever they wanted — definitely not something we usually do at theme parks.  All of us appreciated having fresh fruit, salads and water available for healthy options.

Of all the theme park dining plans available, the Sea World All-Day Dining Deal seems to offer the best overall deal because so many options are included in the restaurants at Sea World. I wish the sister parks at Busch Gardens Williamsburg and Tampa, Aquatica and and Water Country USA offered a similar dining option.

For more information on Sea World Orlando

  • Sea World in a Day: Tips and tricks to enjoy the park, includes a park map.

 **For Current Dining Plan Costs and Information, visit the dining plan link here.**

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Comments

  1. Rowena Lim says

    July 2, 2016 at 2:29 pm

    We are going to Sea World and Busch Gardens next week. Debating about the ADD plan for us family of 5. We have one 7 year old, and 2 teens. Myself and my one teen are light eaters, we probably can share one meal. What do they mean about NO SHARING? No sharing of one meal? Are they really going to watch people if they are sharing a plate? Otherwise, how will they know if we just have the meal to go then? Do all restaurants provide “to-go” plates? Thanks.

    Reply
    • Karen Dawkins says

      July 3, 2016 at 1:37 pm

      No sharing means no sharing. That is their policy and they can choose to enforce it. I cannot speak to whether they will watch what you eat or not, but they do have a right to enforce the meal sharing plan.

      The plan is reasonably priced, particularly since bottled water and snacks are available all day long.

      Each restaurant has its own policy on to go plates. Please refer to the website to determine which restaurants allow to-go and which do not.

      Reply
  2. Tiffany says

    June 5, 2016 at 8:30 am

    Any idea how much a kids meal costs at Seaworld? Trying to figure out the most cost effective plan for my family of 5 =)

    Reply
    • Karen Dawkins says

      June 5, 2016 at 6:12 pm

      Hi Tiffany, I believe kids’ meals are $5.99 each and include a main dish, side (fries or fruit) and drink. They do not include dessert. That’s the most recent info I could find.

      Hope that helps! Enjoy your trip.

      Karen

      Reply
  3. Brandon Freeman says

    May 8, 2016 at 9:59 am

    If I purchased the ticket package where I can visit all 4 Seaworld parks unlimited for 14 consecutive days meaning Busch Gardens, Adventure Island, and also Aquatica does that mean I can just purchase the all day dining option for say seaworld and it will carry over to the other 3 parks? Or do I need to purchase them individually for each park? Do the water parks even have this option?

    Reply
    • Karen Dawkins says

      May 8, 2016 at 6:09 pm

      You would have to purchase the all day dining package each time you go to Sea World. It’s a one-day in park purchase. If you leave the park (say to take a nap :D) and return to the same park, you can use it some more. BUT the all day dining deal doesn’t carryover between parks.

      Reply
      • Karen Dawkins says

        May 8, 2016 at 6:12 pm

        At Aquatica Park, you can purchase an all day dining package. Here’s the link: https://aquaticabyseaworld.com/en/orlando/book-online/tickets/allticketstourists?from=Top_Nav. Again, it’s only good for the day of use.

        Reply
        • Brandon Freeman says

          May 9, 2016 at 3:07 am

          Thanks for the info.

          Reply
          • Karen Dawkins says

            May 9, 2016 at 8:09 am

            You’re welcome!

  4. Fran says

    April 2, 2016 at 12:51 pm

    I truly appreciate this post as we a family of 5 will be heading to Sea World next month and I really tossed the option of just paying for meals but the kids are getting older and eating more, so this really helped me know the A-D-D is the way to go.
    Thank You!

    Reply
    • Karen Dawkins says

      April 2, 2016 at 1:41 pm

      You’re welcome. Have fun at Sea World!

      Reply
  5. petra donk says

    March 27, 2015 at 4:05 pm

    thanks for sharing! we go with 5 people its going to be great not to worry about the cost 🙂

    Reply
    • lori johnson says

      April 3, 2015 at 6:16 pm

      You can only eat at selected places in the park and limited items in those places so for us it was not worth it. It is 34.99 now too so hard to eat that much food. Some of the restaurants have to go containers and some do not have any way for you to take food with you so watch for that too. Get lots of bottled water, that helps. We just went a few days ago.

      Reply
      • Karen Dawkins says

        April 3, 2015 at 6:37 pm

        Lori, What did they limit? Other than the big ribs dinner at the Smokehouse, I don’t remember a limitation on menu items. I wonder if that’s a new change this year. I do think the family eating habits makes a difference. For us, snacks of fruit during the day helped us fight the intense heat of the day.

        Reply
      • Anh says

        July 28, 2021 at 2:40 pm

        To what i understand is they dont limit on bottle water, is it right?

        Reply
  6. Tracy says

    December 18, 2014 at 1:13 pm

    Came across this site today while planning our first trip to Disney! I’m looking into the meal deal for our family of 4 and was wondering if anyone knew if you could take a pizza to go? We are going in Feb and the park closes at 5pm – i know my family will be hungry again in a few hours and why not try to expand my savings!

    Reply
  7. Annamae says

    August 23, 2014 at 6:42 pm

    Does Drinks Come Free With the all day meal deal ?

    Reply
    • Karen Dawkins says

      August 23, 2014 at 9:04 pm

      Yes, non-alcoholic beverages are included with the meal deal.

      Reply
  8. Huy says

    August 1, 2014 at 3:41 pm

    for those that have gone here recently, its aug 01 2014.
    what was the wait like? was there only 1 restaurant? or multiple places I can choose?
    i’m going to be there in 2 weeks.

    Reply
    • Karen Dawkins says

      August 1, 2014 at 3:46 pm

      Hi Huy,

      Great question! Here’s a link to the current offer: https://seaworldparks.com/en/seaworld-orlando/dine-and-shop/dining/all-day-dining-deal/.

      Per the website: prices start at $29.99 for adults/$14.99 for kids
      Includes 5 restaurants (which is the same as when we went).

      As to the wait, during prime dining hours, the wait is longer. Opt to eat at 11 or after 1 p.m. to avoid longer lines. Also, restaurants near shows tend to fill quickly when shows let out. Choose another location to avoid long waits. We found that Mango Joe’s moved most quickly.

      I hope this information helps.

      Reply
  9. Birdie says

    July 29, 2014 at 2:00 pm

    Enjoyed a trip to Orlando FL this past May, went to the Disney parks and Sea World and Busch Gardens Tampa. One of the last places my husband and I visited (this was our first visit to Florida, BTW) was Busch Gardens Tampa, and we got the All-Day Dining Deal. The only reason it didn’t work out good for us was 1. we got there late because of the scheduling of a hotel bus 2. we had to leave early because of previously mentioned Orlando bus and 3. we were running around trying to do as many rides and shows as possible. We ended up having an awesome lunch of platters of beef and french fries, cherry cheesecake, and about 4 bottles of water. I’m not sure of the totals but obviously we came out in the negative or even.

    Now that I know I don’t like Busch Gardens much, and love Sea World, and they have the All-Day Dining, next time we go I am going to get the deal at Sea World and milk it for every pennies worth. Besides, Sea World is in Orlando so I don’t have to worry about an 1.5 hour trip, and can enjoy breakfast at the park, unlike Busch Gardens.

    Reply
  10. Lennie says

    July 6, 2014 at 9:43 am

    Do you know which restaurants offer breakfast? I look on Sea World site but can’t find this information.

    Reply
    • Karen Dawkins says

      July 20, 2014 at 10:07 pm

      Lennie,
      Excellent question! We got the All Day Dining Deal at Seafire Inn when it opened and used it for “breakfast” by focusing on the fruit salad and beverage rather than a full meal. Most restaurants don’t open for actual breakfast. Sorry for any confusion! But, I still think an 11:00 lunch, 3:00 afternoon snack, 7:00 dinner and 9:00 snack work well (adjusted slightly for show times). Also, bottled water is available all day!

      Reply
  11. Tracie says

    June 20, 2014 at 5:11 pm

    This is a really great value!! I’m impressed at how much food you got, and how much you were able to save. Theme park food is SO expensive, but $32.99 for an adult for all day isn’t bad at all.

    Reply
    • Karen Dawkins says

      June 20, 2014 at 5:49 pm

      Tracie,
      It really was a great deal for us, especially the water, fresh fruit and teenager meals! Thanks for stopping by!

      Reply
  12. chelsea says

    June 17, 2014 at 7:21 pm

    We are a family party of 8 , 3 under 8 yrs. 2 teenage boys and 3 adults. Would dining plan work for all ages

    Reply
    • Karen Dawkins says

      June 19, 2014 at 8:21 pm

      Yes, definitely! The children under 8 would get the kids’ plan which is only $18. If you go in the morning and purchase then, you can get breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks/water bottles. It’s a great plan — the only dining plan I really recommend from a budget standpoint.

      Reply
  13. Michelle says

    May 21, 2014 at 2:14 pm

    Do you only get to eat at one place on the web site it says ADULT (Ages 10+) wristband valid for 1 entrée (excluding Baby Back Ribs), 1 side OR 1 dessert, 1 regular size non-alcoholic beverage (excluding Naked Juice) each time through the line until 30 minutes before the published restaurant closing time. What is the published restaurant mean? We are going to sea-world and as a family of 6 this is a great deal just wish the web site answered more !

    Reply
    • Karen Dawkins says

      May 21, 2014 at 3:34 pm

      Michelle, send me your email. There are many restaurants you can choose. Also, you can get a side dish and drink or just a drink or the whole meal. You can eat all day!!! My sons at 4 meals, easily, in our day. I had two full meals and a couple snacks and at least 3 additional water bottles. Different restaurants have different menus — and a couple of restaurants are not included in this plan. Does that help?

      Reply
  14. Amy Anstey says

    April 24, 2014 at 3:55 pm

    Thanks for the great tips!! We are headed to Seaworld in 2 weeks, and I just purchased the All Day Dining. I am glad you posted about the water because that is my main concern and they don’t mention it on the Seaworld site itself.

    Reply
    • Karen Dawkins says

      April 24, 2014 at 8:11 pm

      Amy, I’m so glad this post helped you. That’s the best compliment ever! Enjoy your trip!

      Reply
  15. Jolene says

    March 14, 2014 at 7:00 pm

    When we first got our season passes to busch gardens williamsburg they offered the all day dining option, but that was back in 2011 or 2010, and I agree it is a totally worthwhile purchase. Especially for the cool drinks on hot days. I am sad that is no longer an option, however, you can still take your own refillable bottles and get free ice water all day long. Plus we have found that it is nice to pack an ice chest with sandwiches and other goodies to enjoy in the parking lot, which also gives a nice break from the busy and chaotic nature of the amusement park.

    Reply
    • Karen Dawkins says

      March 14, 2014 at 7:46 pm

      We went to BG Williamsburg a lot these past two years, and I wish they had the dining deal too. At least Sea World still offers a great dining deal!

      Reply
  16. Olivia Gunnell says

    December 15, 2013 at 12:56 am

    Do you have to eat inside the restaurant? Is it the type of thing where you can get your meal then take it with you into the park? Do you have to pay a tip? It doesn’t apply to the snack stands with ice cream, churros, turkey legs, etc. does it?

    Reply
    • Karen Dawkins says

      December 15, 2013 at 8:20 am

      The plan is for restaurant dining, but you can take your meal anywhere in the park to enjoy it. We got ours and took it to the Shamu show to eat. No tips. No snack stands.

      Reply
  17. Judy Hannemann says

    September 27, 2013 at 4:33 pm

    Very glad to hear breakfast is offered as well! I think that even with it being just my sister and me it will be a deal to eat breakfast and a late lunch. They are offering a WEEKDAY ONLY special of BOGO 50% off right now! Who of the participating offered breakfast? I didn’t see any breakfast meals on the website menus.

    Reply
  18. liza says

    September 6, 2013 at 12:15 am

    Are anyof the restaurants open for breakfast?

    Reply
    • Karen Dawkins says

      September 8, 2013 at 4:37 pm

      Yes, several restaurants offer breakfast.

      Reply
  19. Lexie Lane says

    July 22, 2013 at 9:36 pm

    This is amazing. Karen I cannot get jealous enough at how your money saver inside really works! When I go out, especially to theme parks, I waste a fortune on everything! I’m the ultimate sales person’s dream because I completely suck at saving.

    Reply
    • Karen Dawkins says

      July 22, 2013 at 9:38 pm

      Oh Lexie, we must travel together sometime!!! I will personally tutor you in all my money saving ways. 🙂 BIG HINT: Plan a trip to a theme park about a month before your little guy’s third birthday. He’ll have a blast and still get in free and get free food!!! 🙂

      Reply
  20. Fan R @TeddyOutReady says

    July 22, 2013 at 7:47 pm

    Looks like a good plan, you saved a lot. I have a toddler and quite picky one, I see that this would a good deal for us too.

    Reply
  21. Christy Maurer says

    July 22, 2013 at 4:04 pm

    That makes so much sense! I think that all parks should have that option! My son would eat that much on his own! You guys really saved a lot!

    Reply
    • Karen Dawkins says

      July 22, 2013 at 5:06 pm

      Thanks, Christy. To be fair, we would have used drinking fountains and skipped the water bottles…. but it sure was nice having a water bottle to carry with me wherever we went, especially since it was 90 degrees the day we went.

      Reply
      • Cynthia Allred says

        August 1, 2013 at 10:04 pm

        Thanks everyone for the input! Is it really not possible to take leftovers with you to eat later? I’m imagining that it is no problem to take the water bottles out of the restaurant.

        Reply
  22. Michele says

    July 22, 2013 at 1:07 pm

    That definitely sounds like it would be worth it if you have at least two children with you!!

    Reply
    • Karen Dawkins says

      July 22, 2013 at 1:09 pm

      Michele, my husband and I ate our fair share too. 🙂 Just not quite as many snacks as the kids. I think I got 3 servings of fruit and 4 water bottles in addition to my two meals.

      Reply
  23. Melinda Dunne says

    July 22, 2013 at 12:30 pm

    THANK YOU so much for posting this. We are planning a trip to Florida in December and plan to go to Sea World. I don’t know that I would have just purchased the all day dining right off the bat. However, after reading this that is exactly what I will do.

    Reply
    • Karen Dawkins says

      July 22, 2013 at 1:01 pm

      Melinda, I’m writing about the new penguin adventure later this week. Put it at the top of your list — long lines all day, but absolutely amazing experience!

      Reply
  24. maria @ close to home says

    July 22, 2013 at 12:16 pm

    have always wondered about these all day eating plans. Thanks for sharing your insight and tips!

    Reply
    • Karen Dawkins says

      July 22, 2013 at 12:19 pm

      You’re welcome.

      Reply
  25. Corinne says

    July 22, 2013 at 9:31 am

    I have a teenaged son too so I feel your pain! When we went to Disney World, we did the same thing and took advantage of their dining plan. I really do think these are great bargains for people who plan to spend an entire day at an amusement park. I didn’t know Sea World offered this option. Will have to remember this when we visit!

    Reply
    • Karen Dawkins says

      July 22, 2013 at 9:58 am

      Corinne, We went to Disney after Sea World and used the Disney Dining Plan. I’ll be reviewing it too. While it offers a deal compared to regular pricing, it’s not as great as the Sea World deal. We never went hungry though. 🙂

      Reply

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Meet Karen Dawkins

An avid traveler, I enjoy discovering new places: history, culture, and adventure. I love it all! Well, not bugs. I don’t like bugs very much, so I probably won’t visit a bug museum.

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