A brand-new world beneath the surface officially opened to families as SEA LIFE Florida celebrated its grand opening inside LEGOLAND® Florida Resort. This interactive, family-friendly Aquarium marks the first theme park under the sea and invites guests to dive into a fully immersive underwater experience designed especially with kids in mind.
Prepared and published by Merlin Entertainments. Photos also provided by Merlin Entertainments.
Staying in line with fun child-friendly experiences, the “oh-fish-all” kelp cutting ceremony included live performances from sea-inspired characters, including a larger-than-life manta ray puppet. Special community guests included students from nearby Garden Grove Elementary and, of course, SEA LIFE Aquarium’s signature Sharky character. The event commemorated more than just a new attraction; it’s launching a mission to inspire the next generation of ocean lovers.
What to Expect
Inside SEA LIFE Florida, guests will discover more than 150 species and 3,000 creatures, from graceful stingrays and curious pufferfish to mysterious jellyfish. At the heart of the experience is a 180-degree ocean tunnel designed to be a “theme park under the sea.” The tunnel is specifically structured so even little ones can stand eye-to-eye with sharks and rays as they glide overhead.
At this “theme park under the sea,” guests can join the animals in their journey through an underwater castle, watch as they pass through a haunted house and find their spot on a Ferris wheel made out of clams. From specially filtered water systems to low-stress lighting and thoughtfully crafted habitats, every element prioritizes animal wellbeing. It’s immersive for guests, but always safe and enriching for the creatures who call it home.
“This isn’t just an Aquarium—it’s a space where children can learn to care about the ocean by seeing it through their own eyes,” said President of LEGOLAND Florida Resort Franceen Gonzales. “We’re proud to launch SEA LIFE Florida as a place of both play and purpose.”
“This has been an amazing journey to bring this passion project come to life. We want to help children truly connect with animals, by bringing the animals to their level,” said SEA LIFE Florida Curator Sarah McMahon. “When they see a stingray glide right past their face or lock eyes with a curious octopus, something amazing happens. That spark of curiosity turns into respect. And respect is the first step to protecting our ocean.”
The Mission
SEA LIFE Florida is located just steps from the entrance of LEGOLAND Florida and continues the Resort’s mission of being a multi-day destination with themed attractions built for families with children ages 2 to 12. With interactive zones and conservation touchpoints throughout, the Aquarium offers an experience that goes beyond entertainment and is truly educational.
The opening of SEA LIFE Florida during World Oceans Day weekend is both a nod to the incredible marine animals at the heart of the experience and a celebration of the ocean’s vital role in the world. That mission extends beyond the exhibits, inviting guests to take small actions that make a big impact. Throughout the month of June, a portion of LEGOLAND Florida ticket purchases can be rounded up at checkout to support SEA LIFE TRUST—a global charity working to protect marine life and their habitats.
As part of the Resort’s sustainability efforts, all Parks across LEGOLAND Florida Resort—including SEA LIFE Florida, LEGOLAND Theme Park, Water Park, and PEPPA PIG Theme Park will now offer reusable shopping bags Resort-wide.
Guests can explore SEA LIFE Florida with standalone tickets, bundled admission with LEGOLAND Florida Resort, or on-site upgrades. Plus, guests will have the chance to dive in all summer long with the Summer Resort Play Pass. This is a limited time offer that gives guests unlimited admission to LEGOLAND Florida Resort and SEA LIFE Florida through September 12 with a one day paid admission. Pay for a day, play all season! Dive deeper at www.VisitSEALIFE.com/Florida.
About LEGOLAND® Florida Resort
LEGOLAND® Florida Resort is the ultimate vacation destination for families with kids. Located 45 minutes from Orlando and Tampa, the Resort features an interactive, 150-acre Theme Park with more than 50 rides, live shows and themed attractions inspired by popular LEGO® brands and characters, a seasonably heated Water Park, that is open year-round, with more than a dozen family water slides, and three uniquely themed on-site accommodations.
Located 130 kid-steps away from the theme park’s front gate, LEGOLAND® Hotel and the new LEGOLAND® Pirate Island Hotel bring the Theme Park fun into the hotel with nightly entertainment, resort pools, and guest rooms with separate adult and child sleeping areas, and in-room treasure hunts. Just across the street, LEGOLAND® Beach Retreat features beach- themed bungalows in village-style layout centered around outdoor play areas and unforgettable Florida lake views.
See www.LEGOLAND.com/Florida for more information and follow @LEGOLANDFlorida on social media.
About SEA LIFE and the SEA LIFE TRUST
SEA LIFE is the world’s largest family of aquariums, proudly delivering amazing discoveries around the world. From breath-taking underwater tunnels to incredible up-close encounters, guests can dive into the ocean world without getting wet. SEA LIFE welcomes more than 20 million guests each year to 50 aquariums and six sanctuaries. It cares for over 180,000 creatures living in incredible themed habitats.
SEA LIFE has a vision of oceans that are healthy, protected, and full of diverse, wonderful animals and works together with its partner charity, the SEA LIFE TRUST. Their joint focus is to protect these oceans and the amazing marine life within them.
The SEA LIFE TRUST owns and operates marine wildlife sanctuaries (including the world’s first Beluga Whale Sanctuary in Iceland). It runs inspiring conservation campaigns and funds projects and education programmes that champion the need to protect our oceans.
Through its global BREED, RESCUE, PROTECT programme and dedicated Conservation, Welfare and Engagement team, SEA LIFE’s team of expert marine biologists pioneer global breeding projects which may one day provide a lifeline to the ocean’s endangered species. They also nurse sick creatures back to health and return them to the wild. If they can’t survive in the wild, they are given a safe home for life.
For more information on the work SEA LIFE and the SEA LIFE TRUST does in protecting our oceans, visit www.VisitSEALIFE.com and www.SEALIFETRUST.org.
About Merlin Entertainments
Merlin Entertainments is a world leader in branded entertainment destinations. They offer a diverse portfolio of resort theme parks, city-center gateway attractions and LEGOLAND® Resorts which span across the UK, US, Western Europe, China and Asia Pacific. Dedicated to creating experiences that inspire joy and connection, Merlin welcomes more than 62 million guests annually to its diverse global estate in over 20 countries. They are an expert in bringing world-famous entertainment brands to life. Merlin works with partners including the LEGO® Group, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Peppa Pig, DreamWorks and Ferrari to create destinations where guests can immerse themselves in a wide array of brand-driven worlds, rides and uplifting learning experiences.
See www.MerlinEntertainments.biz for more information.
