Planning.....newbie questions

[travelingmom4]

We are staying at one of the Hiltons with the hotel perks and Im wondering if anyone has done the complimentary SeaWorld Rescue tour and what it was like and if it was worth the time?
Also, it says we will get early entry, does anyone know how early that would be?
Are there any touring plans floating around for optimal touring? Can't seem to find any, maybe they are not needed, but I was reading a thread that said wait times for some things were 2 hours. Hoping to avoid that! If there isn't any touring plans, what rides have the longest lines? We will head to those first in the AM.

 

[brad813]

We are staying at one of the Hiltons with the hotel perks and Im wondering if anyone has done the complimentary SeaWorld Rescue tour and what it was like and if it was worth the time?
Also, it says we will get early entry, does anyone know how early that would be?
Are there any touring plans floating around for optimal touring? Can't seem to find any, maybe they are not needed, but I was reading a thread that said wait times for some things were 2 hours. Hoping to avoid that! If there isn't any touring plans, what rides have the longest lines? We will head to those first in the AM.

I did the rescue tour as a paid add on with my last visit, and it was definitely worth it. Only one other group was in my tour so I think it may not be on everyone’s radar yet but it’s interesting. The meet point is at the lighthouse so there is some walking involved(rescue area is near Turtle Trek). SeaWorld doesn’t get as busy as Disney or Universal, so if you are there early and go during the week, it won’t be bad. Weekends can get crowded, but the biggest lines seem to congregate around the thrill rides and two water rides. Plan a visit to Antarctica(the exhibit…ride is no longer available, but it was a fun ride when they had that) to view the crazy penguins and chill for a bit(literally) around mid-day. Ten or fifteen minutes in there allows you to cool off. I would suggest one additional tour if you can work it in. SeaWorld is as much about the animals as the ride, so be sure to take time between rides for shows and animal exhibits(or a tour, I did the Beluga tour, really great experience but all of the tours are top quality. I would aim for Mako, Kraken, and Manta early on, followed by Infinity Falls and Journey to Atlantis. The last two are water rides, a raft ride and a flume/water coaster respectively. You should be able to do each at least once, but if you are concerned with time, there is the option of the Quick Queue add on(and they have a combo option with reserved show seating).