If you’ve never visited ICON Park on International Drive, this month would be the ideal opportunity as, not only are the main attractions at their most enticing, the fab SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium has an eye-catching new addition each weekend in the shapely shape of genuine sea-going mermaids.
That’s right, while Walt Disney World has the make-believe world of The Little Mermaid, SEA LIFE goes one better on select dates in May with actual real-life performances of mermaid life in their main aquarium.
This totally eye-catching interactive experience includes underwater dive shows, meet-and-greets and a brand-new educational adventure designed to teach families about marine life and conservation. There is also an extra VR programme that adds still more to the mermaid vibe, making for great value for the special Big Three ICON Park combo ticket, which includes The Orlando Eye observation wheel and Madame Tussauds, as well as SEA LIFE.
The important dates to know are all four weekends this month, from May 2 to 26, when guests can catch these “real-life” mermaids diving into SEA LIFE’s 360-degree ocean tunnel every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, in addition to the big US holiday of Memorial Day on Monday May 26.
With multiple vantage points, guests can watch as these daring denizens of the deep swim alongside sharks, stingrays sea turtles, and creatures in the huge SEA LIFE habitat in a series of mesmerising underwater shows. They are also keen to interact with children whenever they see the youngsters gathering at the various windows onto their watery world.
Then, having seen them in their natural habitat, there is also a fab photo opportunity with one of the mermaids in their special grotto, ensuring you can get that all-important “shellfie” with them to show friends back home!
New this year: SEA LIFE is diving even deeper into this with Tails of the Ocean, a series of interactive education stations where children can discover how creatures like manatees, dolphins and sharks have inspired generations of mermaid legends, dating back to the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the New World in 1492. Designed with families in mind, this initiative combines storytelling with science to spark curiosity about marine life and conservation. Families can earn collectible stickers at each stop and redeem them for a sparkling mermaid treasure in the retail store, making learning fun and rewarding.
“Our mermaid dive shows and meet-and-greets are a beloved tradition, and this year we’re making a splash by adding a meaningful educational element,” said Michelle Daniels, head of marketing at SEA LIFE Orlando. “It’s a chance for families to connect with the wonders of the sea, have fun and maybe even walk away with a new appreciation for the ocean and the animals who call it home.”
Mermaid performances will happen on May 2-4, 9-11, 16-18 and 23-26, from 11.30am to 1pm, and 2 to 4pm and 5 to 6.30pm in the Atlantic Ocean habitat inside the attraction. The dry-land mermaid meet-and-greets will take place from 11.30am to 6.30pm, where guests can hear tales from beneath the waves.
There is one other addition to the SEA LIFE line-up of marine experiences that we thought was pretty neat and worth flagging up. The Undersea Explorer virtual reality theatre – which is a surprisingly high-tech mini theatre featuring pod-like seats and VR headsets for various journeys into the sea-going realm – has added a new 10-minute feature called A Mermaid’s Quest, with a young sea-farer discovering some serious undersea secrets with the help of a mermaid, highlighting the importance of ocean conservation.
There is also Dolphin’s Reach, the chance to “swim” alongside a pod of dolphins as they reveal an extraordinary bond with coral ecosystems of the world’s oceans. The small-scale theatre has been around for a couple of years now, but it was the first chance we’ve had to try it out, and we definitely enjoyed it. It costs an extra $8 per person, but is a real 360-degree VR experience that you won’t find in many places.
And, when you combine SEA LIFE with the other two headline attractions at ICON Park, it makes for a very realistic full day out, and at a price that won’t break the bank.
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