SeaWorld Orlando's Seven Seas Food Festival splashed onto the scene six years ago with amazing food, drinks, concerts and special entertainment. Starting on Feb. 3, it's hoppening every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday until May 7. This year, Seven Seas Food Festival features more than 200 flavors, with more than 50 global cuisine bites to pair with over 75 wine and cocktail selections and 75 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 and St. Patrick's Day, 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 Crispy Brussels Sprouts, Ropa Vieja and Prince Edwards Shrimp Fritters. Check out full menus on SeaWorld's website. You can't go wrong! And don't get me started on desserts — Chocolate Bailey's Mousse, anyone?
Some of our froggy favorites this year were the new Maple Hog (cinnamon roll, bacon and whiskey maple glaze) which was a perfect mix of breakfast and dessert, as well as the new Classic Reuben (pastrami, marbled rye bread, sauerkraut and Swiss cheese) which was a savory and hearty pick for lunch! We also thoroughly enjoyed the new Italian Beef Arancini (arancini served atop San Marzano tomato soup and garnished with fresh basil), a quintessential Italian delicacy, and the returning favorite, Bananas Foster Beignets (rum glazed bananas and powdered sugar) — 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 like the Irish Cold brew latte. 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 (Tomasello Winery, Hammonton, New Jersey) from Café De Mar whereas Leap quickly downed the Magners Original Irish Cider (Magnets, Clonmel, Ireland) at the Irish 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 All-American Market, where tadpoles can enjoy Lobster White Cheddar KRAFT Mac and Cheese or Strawberry Shortcake A La Mode ... or think outside the box with something exciting they're sure to love, such as the Bing Su from the Asian 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 Parmsan Truffle Fries (Grana Padano, fresh parsley, winter white truffle oil) from the Mediterranean Market, as well as the returning favorite Pão de Queijo (Brazilian cheese bread and honey whipped butter) from the Brazilian 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 broadcasted to additional areas of the park. Each concert begins at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted.
The 2023 lineup includes:
- Feb. 4 - En Vogue
- Feb. 5 - REO Speedwagon
- Feb. 11 - The Commodores
- Feb. 12 - Tribute artists with concerts at 4 p.m. (Bee Gee's Now) and 6 p.m. (Let It Be)
- Feb. 18 - Collective Soul
- Feb. 19 - Jerry Rivera
- Feb. 25 - Don McLean
- Feb. 26 - Ludacris
- March 4 - Joey Fatone & Friends
- March 5 - Tenille Towns
- March 11 - Tribute artists with concerts at 4 p.m. (Luke Bryan) and 6 p.m. (Zac Brown Band)
- March 12 - Sean Kingston
- March 18 - Tribute artists with concerts at 4 p.m. (STYX) and 6 p.m. (Boston)
- March 19 - Hanson
- March 25 - Tribute artists with concerts at 4 p.m. (David Bowie) and 6 p.m. (Aerosmith)
- March 26 - Eli Young Band
- April 8 - Cory Asbury
- April 9 - Tribute artists with concerts at 2 p.m. (AC/DC), 4 p.m. (Def Leppard) and 6 p.m. (Queen)
- April 15 - Chris Lane
- April 16 - The Marshall Tucker Band
- April 23 - Kameron Marlow
- April 29 - The Commodores
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. 16 to 26 (excluding Feb. 20 and 22), and celebrate St. Patrick's Day with lively entertainers, amazing still walkers and timeless tunes performed by traditional musicians from March 6 to 12 and 16 to 19. Be sure to stop by and enjoy between snacking!
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 24 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 Flamecraft Bar (Booth 1) and make your way clockwise around the park toward Glacier Bar (Booth 24) — especially if you want to see the concert at the end of the night since the only entrance to Bayside Stadium is near Wild Arctic Plaza. 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.) Even on a very busy holiday weekend when traffic getting into the park added over an hour to our drive, lines at the booths weren't bad. They were even shorter after the concert on our way out of the park at night!
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 $34.99. (You can also get Floor Seating starting at $44.99 and Premium Floor Seating starting at $54.99.) 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!
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