Marine life, thrill rides, shows and family-friendly fun awaits visitors at one of Gold Coast’s favourite theme parks – Sea World.

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What Type of Theme Park is Sea World?

As the name suggests Sea World is a theme park with a strong focus on marine life, featuring animals, entertainment and rides resulting in a whole lot of fun.

Everyone is catered for at Sea World, with activities, rides, shows and presentations for all ages. Rides range from the very timid and toddler friendly, to the extreme thrill-seeking variety, with all tastes and speeds accommodated for.

And if rides aren’t your thing (and let’s be honest, as we age, we tend to start checking off more than one thing on the ride restriction list), then fear not, there is still plenty to enjoy at Sea World.

There are several animal shows, the fabulous stunt show and many animal exhibits which both mesmerise and educate guests.

Rides at Sea World

The rides at Sea World can be loosely broken down into two categories – family rides and thrill rides. Generally, the thrill rides can be found in the New Atlantis Precinct, while the family friendly rides are over in Nickelodeon Land.

Family Rides

Boots’ Banana Boogie – Spin, bounce and giggle on Boot’s banana-go-round.

Dora’s Fiesta Carousel – Mount a magical horse and ride Dora’s carousel.

Bikini Bottom Crosstown Express – Hold on tight as you climb aboard the Crosstown Express Bus which will see youspinning and tilting on the craziest bus ride you’ve ever had.

SpongeBob’s Boating School Blast – a thrilling roller coaster ride perfect for the youngsters.

Patrick’s Jellyfish Frenzy – Spin and whirl through the Jellyfish fields on this family friendly ride.

Donatella’s Ninja Flyers – Warm up your legs as you survey the streets below on Donatella’s pedal-powered gliders.

Trident – Climb aboard Sea World’s tallest landmark (45m tall) and take to the skies on this thrilling swing.

Thrill Rides

Leviathan

Leviathan – A wooden roller coaster consisting of 909m of track, 32m high and reaching speeds of up to 80km/h. The thrill level is MAX and not one for the faint hearted. If you are really brave you can even ride it backwards!

Vortex – This thrill ride will see you twisting, turning and spinning 15m above sea level.

Storm Coaster – Prepare to get drenched as you head into the storm on this coaster. It’s fast, it’s fun and it’s wet!

Jet Rescue Coaster – Jump on board the jet skis launching from 0 – 70km/h in just seconds as you zoom through the twists and turns of this rescue mission at full speed.

Other Attractions/Rides

Battle Boats – Interactive, automated shipwreck-themed boats with more than 80 water cannons to activate.

Sky Fortress – A five storey adventure playground with rope bridges, tunnels and slides.

The Reef – A super fun interactive and accessible water play area featuring water cannons, spouts and bright animal sculptures.

The Plaza Games – Side-show alley type games

Shows and Presentations at Sea World

Several shows and presentations are offered daily at Sea World, with the most popular being the Affinity Dolphin Presentation and the Thunder Lake Stunt Show.

In addition to these shows you can also be educated and entertained at the:

Seal guardians’ presentation
Penguin encounter educational talk
Educational talks
- Polar bears
- Sea jellies
- Seal harbour
- Shark Bay
Ray Reef feeding

All of the above shows and presentations are free to attend, and are generally held twice a day, so be sure to look at the timetable before you arrive and plan your day accordingly so you don’t miss out.

It’s worth noting these shows can be popular, so be sure to arrive ahead of time to ensure you get a seat, especially during the school holidays when the crowds flock to the theme parks.

Optional Activities to Book at Sea World

While spending a day at Sea World is more than enough fun, for frequent visitors or those searching for a special encounter to enhance their visit, there are plenty of optional extras which can be booked for an additional fee.

Water-based Experiences

Tropical Reef Snorkel
Meet the Dolphin
Dolphin Adventures
Seal Aqua Adventure

Land-based Experiences

Seal encounter
Behind the Scenes
- Sea World
- Polar bear Shores
Penguin Antarctic Adventure

Other Experiences

Glass Bottom Boat
Dolphin Pat
Family Rescue Ranger
Helicopter Rides
Sea World Cruises including whale watching

These experiences incur an additional fee on top of your Sea World admission ticket and, in most cases, need to be booked in advance. There are also specific restrictions and regulations in relation to these experiences, so please read the details carefully on the Sea World website before booking.

Our Top Tips for Visiting Sea World

Download the Theme Parks App where you can plan your day, see daily showtimes and check ride wait times.
Plan Your Day by discussing in advance everyone’s ‘must see’ items, and schedule everything else around that.
Bring plenty of sun protection including sunscreen, hats, and sunglasses as it can get hot spending a day at the theme park.
Don’t forget swimwear and towels if you plan on utilising the water play area or have organised a water-based activity.

Who Would Enjoy a Visit to Sea World

Visiting Sea World is a wonderful intergenerational activity. Manoeuvring around the theme park is relatively easy thanks to wide, concrete pathways and ramps, with facilities such as accessible toilets and changing facilities available too.

The younger members of the family will adore the Nickelodeon theme running throughout (Dora, TMNT, SpongeBob) and will be entertained by the family friendly rides, water play and of course seeing all of the cute animals and sea creatures.

The older generation haven’t been forgotten either. If they are not keen on being tossed upside down on the Leviathan or Vortex, perhaps they would enjoy gazing at the illuminated sea jellies or watching the sharks, rays and other marine life swimming around the massive tanks.

For those thirsty for facts, there are plenty of informative signs, displays and presentations to fill their knowledge bucket.

What We Thought of Sea World

Visiting Sea World was a pleasant change from the other theme parks. We hadn’t visited for over ten years, so it was good to see plenty had changed in that time.

There was a nice mix of animals, shows and rides. Our mid-week visit meant the queues were short, and we were able to see everything we wanted as well as enjoy our favourite rides more than once.

We all agreed the seal guardian show was a favourite, as was the dolphin show and illuminated sea jellies. Actually, watching the rays, sharks, turtle and other fish was also pretty special too and who cannot be enamoured with the way the adorable king penguins waddle. Cuuuute!

Overall, our two-day visit to Sea World, coupled with a stay at the Sea World Resort, was most enjoyable and one we would be happy to repeat again in the future.

Staying at Sea World Resort

If you want to extend the fun, why not stay a night (or two) at the Sea World Resort.

Located right beside Sea World and with its very own special access to the theme park, the Sea World Resort is both convenient, affordable and lots of fun for the whole family.

Offering a range of rooms, stay and play packages, dining venues, and more, visiting families will be well looked after at this resort.

Aside from the location, and the option to have theme park entry included in your package, one of the biggest drawcards of the resort is the SpongeBob Light Show and Aqua Play, water play area and of course the 50m heated lagoon pool, complete with a waterfall. There is no better way to wind down after a day at the theme parks than in the water. And the best bit, you only have to walk back to your room!

The resort hosts seasonal events and weekly activities including movies under the stars, meet and greets with Nickelodeon characters, and a kids’ disco, so the fun doesn’t stop once the theme park closes.

Check out the Sea World Resort website for further details, as well as some awesome package deals.