SeaWorld Orlando's Seven Seas Food Festival makes a splash every spring with amazing food, drinks, concerts and special entertainment. Starting on Feb. 2, 2024, it's hoppening every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday until May 19. This year, the Seven Seas Food Festival features more than 200 flavors, with more than 50 global cuisine bites to pair with over 80 selections of wine and cocktails and 65 craft beers. As you sample all that your stomach can take, enjoy live music from local bands and well-known artists. During special times such as Mardi Gras, St. Patrick's Day and Cinco de Mayo, expect to find even more entertainment and surprises. The special event itself is included with the cost of admission (though individual bites and beverages cost extra). Now, let's dive into the reasons why we love SeaWorld Orlando's Seven Seas Food Festival and our tips for having a great time!
Five Frogtastic Reasons to Check Out SeaWorld Orlando's Seven Seas Food Festival
1. The food, of course!
We think the SeaWorld Seven Seas Food Festival is on par with EPCOT's many food and beverage events. The selection is outstanding, and prices are fair considering the nice portion sizes. While we aren't normally very food-venturous froggies, we took a walk on the wild side and didn't come across a single item we didn't love. This year, there's a whole lineup of new food and treats, including fried pickles, Mini Calzone and Bangers and Mash. Check out full menus on SeaWorld's website. You can't go wrong! And don't get me started on desserts — Bingsu Salted Caramel Ice Cream, anyone?
Some of our froggy favorites this year were the returning Maple Hog (cinnamon roll, bacon and whiskey maple glaze) which was a perfect mix of breakfast and dessert, as well as the Classic Lobster Roll (served on a brioche bun with lettuce) which was a savory and hearty pick for lunch! We also thoroughly enjoyed the Palermo Cheese Meatballs (served with Pomodoro Sauce and Garlic Pancito), a quintessential Italian staple, and the returning favorite, Beignets (cinnamon sugar and whipped cream) — the winning argument for why Mardi Gras season should be year-round.
2. ... and the drinks!
No kidding — SeaWorld is officially my favorite place for "adult" beverages. There are plenty of yummy concoctions on the fruity side, not to mention some that include deliciously rich spirits such as the Baileys Cold Brew. If cocktails aren't your fancy, hop in Leap's footsteps by sipping on the seemingly infinite number of craft beers throughout the park. There is plenty of wine to choose from as well, plus specialty booths offering moonshine and salted rim concoctions. I absolutely loved the Peach Moscato from Cafe De Mar whereas Leap quickly downed the Asahi Rice Lager at the Asian Market.
3. Kid-friendly options
There are new tastes for everyone to enjoy, even your tadpoles with, let's say, more refined palates. Play it safe with the North Atlantic Market, where tadpoles can enjoy the new Boston Cream Pie ... or think outside the box with something exciting they're sure to love, such as the Walking Gyros from the Mediterranean Market. There are tons of options to expand their horizons and help them learn about food in different cultures! Tad and Lily devoured the new Penguin Pretzel with cheese from the Waterway Bar, as well as the returning favorite Mexican Sweet Corn (corn cob, queso fresco, cilantro avocado crema, Tajin) from the Mexican Market.
4. Nighttime concerts
Every Saturday and Sunday throughout the Seven Seas Food Festival, Bayside Stadium hosts awesome concerts for the whole family. Sit back and relax to the sounds of rock, country, Latin or '90s throwback music. Live concert audio will also be broadcast to additional areas of the park. Each concert begins at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted.
The 2024 lineup includes:
- Feb. 3 - Kool and the Gang
- Feb. 4 - Josh Turner
- Feb. 10 - Colt Ford
- Feb. 11 - Seven Seas Food Festival Concert
- Feb. 17 - Gente De Zona
- Feb. 18 - Grand Funk Railroad
- Feb. 24 - Hanson
- Feb. 25 - Newsboys
- March 2 - Gloria Gaynor
- March 3 - Night Ranger
- March 9 - The Righteous Brothers
- March 10 - Goo Goo Dolls
- March 16 - Corey Kent
- March 17 - Boyce Avenue
- March 23 - Blood, Sweat & Tears
- March 24 - Warrant
- March 30 - Natalie Grant
- March 31 - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
- April 6 - Grupo Niche
- April 7 - Owl City
- April 13 - Hoobastank
- April 14 - Chris Janson
- April 20 - Gavin DeGraw
- April 21 - Jason Derulo
- April 27 - Chris Lane
- April 28 - Ludacris
- May 4 - Relient K
- May 5 - Little River Band
- May 11 - Baha Men
- May 12 - All-4-One
- May 18 - Tiffany and Sheena Easton
- May 19 - Fuel
5. Dance parties and street performers
Throughout the day, live DJs, smaller local bands and performers can be found throughout the park, as well. During the day last year, we saw a singer playing some 2000s throwbacks outside of Flamecraft Bar. At night, on our way to the concert, we saw a musical duo performing even older classics in front of Glacier Bar. For special occasions, there will also be additional entertainment for a limited time! Catch the pop-up Mardi Gras parade and street party in the Wild Arctic Plaza Feb. 8-11, 13 and 15-18, and celebrate St. Patrick's Day with lively entertainers, amazing still walkers and timeless tunes performed by traditional musicians from March 7-10 and 14-17. A Cinco de May celebration also takes place April 25-28 and May 2-5. Be sure to stop by and enjoy between snacking!
6. Seven Seas Food Festival 5K Fun Run
Run, skip, jog or stroll through SeaWorld's picturesque pathways during their inaugural 5k Fun Run! The 3-mile course will take you through SeaWorld's iconic attractions, such as Sesame Street Land, Infinity Falls, Shark Plaza and Key West, before you cross the finish line at Wild Arctic Plaza. You'll even get to enjoy incredible photo ops and SeaWorld entertainment during your run. Tadpoles seven and up can also join in on the fun with the frogciting Kids Run! Participants and a limited amount of spectators will even be able to enjoy an exclusive Seven Seas celebration following the race.
Race participants and guests can stay and play in the park following the event with a special day-of ticket offer. Additionally, the first 200 registered and paid participants will automatically receive a Seven Seas Food Festival 5-punch Food & Beverage lanyard valid during event days through May 19. All 5k participants will receive an Inaugural SeaWorld's Seven Seas Festival Run medal, a commemorative SeaWorld Seven Seas Festival Run T-shirt and a deluxe bib number. Hop on over to the SeaWorld Orlando website to register and for more toadally cool deets!
Tips for Having a Great Time at SeaWorld Seven Seas Food Festival
Use Your Event Guide to Navigate
We're used to simply grazing through food booths at festivals like this, but with 28 booths and over 200 food and drink items, we wanted to plot our selections ahead of time! Luckily, the SeaWorld Seven Seas Food Festival is well-organized. Booths are numbered and go in order along the park pathways, with corresponding information in the event guide. The guide even shares photos of select items to help you get a visual of more unique selections. Oh, and we love that the guide identifies gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options!
Purchase (and Share) a Sampler Lanyard
The 15-item sampling package is great to share among your frog squad at the SeaWorld Seven Seas Food Festival. It costs $85, making each lanyard item worth just over $5. There is also a 10-item lanyard that can be purchased for $70 (a value of $7 per item). Note that you must be 21 years of age or older to purchase and/or consume alcoholic beverages, and each redemption requires a valid photo ID. The sampling lanyard grants you full-size small dishes and sampler versions of larger plates per punch. The lanyard is a great value and makes your day easier! Simply cash in your "punches" at the register instead of having to bother with pulling cash or a card out at each booth. You can purchase it at the festival's Welcome Center or at any of the festival booths. If you're planning to visit multiple days, the lanyard is valid through the end of the festival.
Know What to Use the Sampler Lanyard for
A good majority of the items are eligible for a sample size. Don't worry — only a few drink items are blocked out or may be modified. For instance, the specialty cocktails at Coaster Cocktails come in unique sipping pouches. While you can get a small sample size in a cup, the pouches are only available for the full-size portion.
Use Your Sampler Wisely
We've learned that the best way to get our money's worth was to use our sampler punches on food rather than drinks. Leap and I bought full-size "adult" beverages separately to get the best bang for our buck. Note that an annual passholder discount is granted on top of this, as well!
Share Dishes
We preach this often when discussing food-centric events, but we toadally believe in sharing! (Psst, the Pretzel on a Stick at the German Market is a frogtastic shareable option!) It's easier — and more fun — to adventure with different flavors when you share as a group instead of committing to an interesting item on your own. Plus, sharing allows you to try more flavors before getting full! You'll want to taste a ton at the Seven Seas Food Festival, so this is the perfect approach.
Plan Your Meals Accordingly
The food booths open at 11:30 a.m. and stay open on all festival days until park close. The booths essentially circle the lagoon so the easiest and most sensible option is to start near the Seafire Grill (Booth 1) and make your way clockwise around the park ending near Flamecraft Bar (Booth 28). The booths are all very clearly numbered and stand out so you can't miss them! (Make your way toward the Flamingo Paddle Boats to find the Italian Market and España booths.)
When the sun was beaming down on us, we took some of our food and drinks into Lakeside Grill to enjoy them in the air conditioning! Don't feel like you need to bear the steaming Florida heat. Tables are available at several dining locations around the park both inside and under shaded structures.
Make the Most of the Concert Time
If you're interested in the performing act, be sure to arrive at Bayside Stadium 20 to 30 minutes early. You can bring in food and drinks, so collect some snacks and use this time to sit and enjoy. Another option is reserved stadium seating starting at $35.99. (You can also get Floor Seating starting at $45.99 and Premium Floor Seating starting at $64.99.) Concerts aren't your thing? No worries. While everyone is grooving to the evening's act, use this time to hit up food booths and roller coasters with lower crowds.
As you wine and dine your way around the park, make sure to stop by the many animal habitats for up-close encounters with an array of marine creatures such as dolphins, manatees and more. Get your thrills on SeaWorld Orlando's coolest coasters, including our personal favorite, Mako, and the brand-new Ice Breaker. SeaWorld Orlando’s attractions and shows operate throughout Seven Seas Food Festival, so you're sure to have an awesome, action-packed day (or days) at the park.
Don't froget that all of this fun is included with general park admission, so buy our discounted tickets for your frog squad now and hop on down to Orlando for the SeaWorld Seven Seas Food Festival! Get ready to set sail on your taste adventure ... and share your favorites with us in the comments.
Related: Full Lineup of SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa Events
Hoppy planning!
