If you’ve visited SeaWorld Orlando recently, you may have noticed an unwelcome surprise when making a purchase. The park has quietly increased its controversial surcharge from 5% to 9%, affecting everything from tickets to food to merchandise.
A History of the Surcharge
Back in 2022, SeaWorld introduced a 5% surcharge on food and beverage purchases, attributing it to “unprecedented increases in the cost of goods, services, and labor.” However, the fee didn’t stay limited to just food—it soon applied to all purchases, including tickets and merchandise.
Surcharge Almost Doubles to 9%
Now, in 2025, that surcharge has jumped to 9%, and many guests only notice it when they go to check out. At first, it was reportedly only on food items from the 7 Seas Festival, but like past changes, it’s spreading to other areas. If you attempt to purchase a ticket on SeaWorld’s website, you’ll see a separate “service fee” that supposedly covers “administrative and processing costs,” which, according to my quick math, came out to be 9% of the ticket price.
Not Limited to SeaWorld
This fee is not limited to SeaWorld Orlando, as guests have noticed a similar surcharge at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (which is also under the umbrella of the United Parks & Resort company). It’s a bold move on SeaWorld’s part, especially since they are already facing a lawsuit over the original 5% surcharge. According to Florida Politics, the company is being accused of deceptively charging the fee on visitor receipts, adding legal troubles to customer frustration.
What’s the Justification?
SeaWorld hasn’t issued a new statement explaining the increase, but the lack of transparency frustrates guests. While a temporary surcharge due to post-pandemic inflation was understandable, if not fully justified, the fact that they’ve continued to charge this fee is undefendable. If costs have increased, there’s been plenty of time to adjust prices instead of tacking on an extra fee. And now, to almost double the fee to an additional 9% over the listed price makes it seem like a pure money grab.
For budget-conscious travelers, this is another reason to scrutinize the actual cost of a day at SeaWorld Orlando. With this surcharge tacked onto every purchase, what you see isn’t necessarily what you’ll pay.
Have you encountered the new surcharge at SeaWorld or Busch Gardens? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
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