ORLANDO, Fla. — Sights to take in during SeaWorld Christmas Celebration include jump-roping toy soldiers, ice skating, Muppets and camels on stage in Bible stories. And as of mid-December, the festivities become an everyday (and into the night) affair.
The bulk of the holiday fare is included with regular theme-park admission. Visitors pay, of course, for food and souvenirs, and there are paid add-ons such as reserved seating that are optional.
There’s a lot to absorb, so we took notes.
On the Waterfront
This season’s SeaWorld hot spot may just be the Waterfront section. It sets the tone with 10-minute faux snow flurries and assorted street entertainers, including those roaming jump-rope artists, stilt walkers and musicians.
The sudsy scene downright delights children. If they’re Florida kids, it’s a rare sight, the kind that makes folks dance in the street. Holiday music blares and the area’s red and golden-yellow lighting shines as darkness falls. It’s almost like being trapped in a Hallmark movie.
In addition, photos with Santa Claus are now taken in repurposed, North Polerized stores in the Waterfront district.
Picks and plans
By all rights, this should be Job One in this story, but who wants to start with logistics?
The event schedule is densely populated, and there’s some with shows going on simultaneously. Decide ahead of time what the priorities are. There are usually multiple showings, even with the Sesame Street parade, so you can, in theory, do everything. But if a show reaches capacity before you arrive, the schedule can go into turmoil.
Download the latest version of the official SeaWorld Orlando app, which clearly displays the schedule, hour by hour, night by night.
For some in-demand shows, SeaWorld suggests arriving 45 minutes before start time. We suggest also building in extra time for traveling by foot through a crowded park. Some areas of SeaWorld currently are blocked off, causing detours, notably in the old Bayside Pathway, which now is a construction site for the Pipeline roller coaster that’s scheduled to open next year.
Finally, note that event kiosks aren’t open until 5 p.m. Schedule your holiday hunger accordingly.
Show business
The “O Wondrous Night” and “Winter Wonderland On Ice” productions have similarities, particularly in costume changes, size of cast, upbeat tempo and enthusiasm level.
“Winter Wonderland” features secular content, with skating performed to songs more akin to show tunes than sacred hymns. Not even a “pa rum pum pum pum” to be heard.
The show manages many maneuvers in a small rink set up at Bayside Stadium, and there are musical numbers featuring 16 skaters and others with small groups or singles. But our crowd appreciated all the efforts, especially aerial back flips and those stunts where her chin swings down this close to the ice.
“O Wondrous Night” is back after a two-year hiatus from the SeaWorld event. It’s still an energetic ensemble, making choir robes swing and moving around dozens of set pieces. Eventually that includes live animals.
This show is purely New Testament — the events leading up to the birth of Jesus — if you can accept the liberties of sassy, Southern-accented animal puppets as a storytelling device. They do inject humor into the 35-minute show and they exit stage right as living animals, ones not usually in the SeaWorld stable, arrive.
One might think it would peak with three camels (spoiler alert, one per wise man), but there’s another arrival or two that gets the crowd looking heavenward.
Do you sea what I sea?
Sea of Trees, which debuted at SeaWorld in 2010, continues to charm. Things to like: The presentation, with more than 100 lit-up trees hovering above the lake and choreographed to Christmas music, is only 7 minutes long. It can be seen from multiple parts of the park, so guests don’t have to vie for the best spots. You don’t have to put your kid on your shoulders for them to see the action; you don’t have to park your double-wide stroller for kids to see the action. The light show of the trees is clever and also serves as a backdrop for “Winter Wonderland.” It looks good in the day then glistens at night.
Quick hits
SeaWorld has a nightly menorah lighting for Hanukkah Dec. 18-26 and nightly kinara lightings for Kwanzaa Dec. 26-Jan. 1. … The meeting location for Rudolph and Friends is now inside the former Wild Arctic attraction. … The Christmas version of Sesame Street parade maintains a festive energy. … Street entertainment, including musicians, is peppered through the park. … SeaWorld has more foreign-language songs piped in than other parks, and it’s not just “Feliz Navidad” on endless loop.
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