Article
7 Days of Shark Week in Kissimmee: How to Celebrate on Your Vacation
Millions of people worldwide will huddle around their TVs for Shark Week, marveling at some of the most powerful and magnificent creatures on earth. But why settle for Shark Week on cable when you can experience the power and beauty of sharks first-hand? And don't be nervous! Kissimmee is an hour from the beach so our Shark Week experiences are perfectly safe. Celebrate your very own Shark Week at one or all of the shark attractions available here in Central Florida, from roller coasters to swimming beside sharks!
Day 1
Head to SeaWorld® Orlando for the Summer of Mako! The mako shark, the world's fastest shark, was the insiration for the theme park's newest roller coaster. Their MakoTM hypercoaster didn't settle on just offering top speed as this one became Orlando's tallest, longest, AND fastest coaster.
After experiencing MakoTM, explore the rest of the Shark Wreck Reef area with a stop by the Shark Touch Pool or venture inside Shark Encounter® where you'll journey through an underwater viewing tunnel surrounded by sharks. After all those thrills, head inside Sharks Underwater Grill® for cocktails or a meal. This signature dining experience puts you face to face with even more sharks and other passing sea creatures while you dine.
Before leaving Shark Wreck Reef, don't miss taking a #SharkSelfie in front of the captivating mako mural recently painted by artist and conservationist Dr. Guy Harvey.
Day 2
Epcot® at Walt Disney World® Resort has a perfect way to celebrate Shark Week for the littlest ones in your party. Over in The Seas with Nemo & Friends pavilion, you can spot Bruce the Shark lurking around in a family-friendly slow ride. It's okay though, because, "Fish are friends, not food." After the ride, you'll find yourself surrounded by aquariums and other interactive experiences, including an indoor shark education play area. Here, you can pose for photos with Bruce, learn interesting shark facts, and allow the kids to enjoy some fun away from the sun while the adults relax and cool down.
Upstairs, immerse yourself in the amazing aquariums, where you will see sharks, sea turtles, dolphins, and plenty of fish all swimming along. Hang out long enough and you might even see divers going for a swim. You too can swim with the sharks and other sea creatures with Epcot®'s DiveQuest. (Note: DiveQuest requires an advance reservation and proof of SCUBA certification!)
Day 3
Don't miss the fun of visiting a Walt Disney World park where you'll most definitely need swimwear! Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Water Park is one of the two water parks at the Walt Disney World® Resort, and it's the perfect mid-week attraction. Enjoy slides, a wave pool and more, but don't miss out on visitng the underwater shark reef to swim with real sharks! This man-made salt water reef allows visitors the chance to snorkel with leopard and bonnethead sharks, stingrays, and schools of blue tangs (think Dory from Finding Nemo and Finding Dory). Just be warned - this 362,000-gallon coral reef is a brisk 68-degrees, just how the fish like it. You will definitley cool down here!
Day 4
Come face to face (or tooth to tooth) with one of the world's most famous sharks at Universal Studios Florida® at Universal Orlando® Resort: JAWS! This famous great white shark scared many people out of the water after debuting in the 1975 movie, but you'll want to be brave enough take a picture with this film icon!
Afterwards, stroll down the streets of New York and watch out for falling sharks! Why? Because you've just stepped onto the set of Sharknado 3. Yes, that's right...some scenes from the wildly popular Sharknado movie series were filmed here in Universal Studios Florida®.
Day 5
After visiting a few of the Kissimmee-area theme parks, take a break from the sun and stop by SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium for both shark fun and education. On the top of every hour between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m., you can enjoy Shark Ship Wreck Talk offering the chance to learn more about these amazing creatures. With more than 2 million gallons of water in their aquariums and dozens of sea life species, the SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium is definitely a must-do for your Shark Week vacation.
Day 6
Discovery Cove® at SeaWorld® Orlando offers a wide range of marine adventures both in and out of the water. Don't miss exploring The Grand Reef where you can spot sharks swimming below as you pass above on a bridge or venture further out into the waters of the reef to swim along beside the sharp-toothed reef sharks while safe behind glass.
Day 7
How about a more relaxing end for this wild shark-filled week. Spend your final day souvenir shopping to immortalize your adventures and please the people back home too. Head on over to US 192 and stop in at one of our larger-than-life souvenir shops for a few shark gifts. What better way to remember your Shark Week than with a shark tooth necklace or with a shark's jaw filled with those razor-sharp teeth? Take these treasures home for show-and-tell as you regale your friends and family with the exciting stories of your inland Shark Week in Kissimmee!
More than Sharks
There's so much more to do in Kissimmee in addition to the shark attractions. Be sure to check out all of the things to do and places to stay - and don't miss out on vacation savings with our special offers!