Order tickets online one week or more before you visit, and avoid racking your brain for games to play with your kids while waiting in ticket lines for SeaWorld:

Show times and park map – Pick which live shows you want to see (Shamu is a must), and check the show schedule at the Information Center. If you want to feed the Dolphins, go to Dolphin Cove to find the feeding times. Plan a general route through the park, and choose a few must-dos in each section, depending on your kids' ages and interests.

Believe: The Spectacular Shamu Show – This show is truly awesome, to watch huge black and white killer whales propel themselves straight up out of the water, flippers out at their sides, tail perfectly straight, like a big ballerina, or nosedive on a smooth landing ramp, pop their trainers off their noses and balance them on their backs, then race around and around, using their powerful tail flippers to splash water all over the audience!

On the western edge of the Shamu Stadium is an underwater viewing area, where kids can see the killer whales close-up.

Manatee Rescue – This is the place to see those irresistible manatees, native to Florida, and the "gentle giants" of the sea. It's a whole pool full of manatees, floating about like blimps. View them on the surface and under the water, and also watch a theater presentation about these ancient, but endangered animals.

Shark Encounter – Walk through an underground tunnel to see brown, sandtiger, blacktip, sawtooth and nurse sharks swimming overhead! Other tanks have leopard sharks, barracuda (that jaw really sticks out), weedy sea dragons, and tropical fish.

Stingray Lagoon – A touch pool with oodles of stingrays in the water. Reach out to touch them as they go by, they feel wonderfully smooth and slimy.

Dolphin Cove – Kids will definitely want a chance to feed the dolphins. First things, go over to Dolphin Cove to find out the feeding times, which vary, there isn't a set schedule. At feeding time, wait in line to purchase food (nice tasty fish), then stand along the edge of the cove – the dolphins will come up to you, and you can feed and pet them! (Tip: Come early to be sure to get a spot in line.)

Dolphin Cove also has an underwater viewing area, to watch the dolphins playing underwater.

Penguin Encounter – The penguin exhibit is filled with penguins – rockhopper, gentoo, adelie, macaroni, king, chinstrap – and puffins, all paddling around, diving under water, and hopping around on the rocks. Check out the videos and descriptions of each kind of penguin you'll see in the exhibit.

Kraken – Teens will want to step into this stomach-churning roller coaster ride, the tallest coaster in Orlando.

Journey to Atlantis – Hoping to cool off on a hot day, at the end of the ride, your boat plummets down a water cascade, sending up a huge splash of water (and you'll get soaked).

Before you go on the ride, check out the Jewel of the Sea Aquarium, with jellyfish, moon jellies, rays and fish under your feet.

Sky Tower – Take a ride up the 400 ft sky tower, for bird's eye views in all directions.

Paddle boats – Go boating on the lake in charming pink flamingo paddle boats (life jackets are provided). Rent the boats at the north end of the lake.

Getting wet – Come prepared to get wet (hey, remember, most of the marine animals at SeaWorld live in the water) on Journey to Atlantis, soak zone in Shamu Stadium and the water play area. Getting soaked is refreshing in summer, but in cooler winter weather, kids might want dry clothes.

Infants – The Baby Care Center on near Shamu's Happy Harbor is an oasis, with a comfortable spot for mothers to feed their infants and change diapers.

Fun food –

There's lots of food and snacks at SeaWorld, from sit-down dining (with a children's menu) to pizza, sandwiches, Cajun and Caribbean, ice cream and cold drinks. There's also a picnic area, go right from entrance in the direction of the Atlantis Bayside Stadium.