Restaurants

Dining with the Wildlife

SeaWorld is diving deeper into the restaurant game with Dine with Shamu (tel. 800/327-2420 or 407/351-3600 for information and reservations; www.seaworldorlando.com), a reservations-only poolside dining experience with Shamu as a special guest. While eating, guests can mingle and question SeaWorld trainers. The menu includes seafood Creole; sliced turkey; pasta primavera; beef stew; pasta shrimp Alfredo; and an array of sides, salads, rolls, and desserts (kids can choose from their own buffet of kid-friendly favorites). The cost is $42 for adults and $22 for kids 3 to 9, in addition to park admission. Reserving a spot 2 to 3 weeks in advance is usually more than enough unless you're coming in one of the crunch periods (summer, holidays). In addition, the park features a character breakfast (Breakfast with Elmo & Friends; $17 adults, $15 kids ages 3-9), and a new ask-the-expert dining experience that includes reserved seating at Jungle Jack's first show of the day (Breakfast with Jack Hanna; $18 adults, $16 children 3 to 9).

At Sharks Underwater Grill (tel. 407/351-3600 for reservations), diners can dig into pretty sophisticated Floridian and Caribbean treats while watching denizens of the deep swim by in the Shark Encounter exhibit. It's not unlike the Coral Reef restaurant at Disney, though here you view fish that would just as easily turn you into lunch. Menu prices run $22 to $28 for adults and $6 to $12 for kids 3 to 9 (pasta, hot dogs, chicken breast, chicken tenders, and popcorn shrimp), and theme-park admission is required. Special dining needs (vegetarian, kosher, and so on) can be accommodated with advance notice.