Activity Overview
This is not your usual aquarium. Sure, they have fish, but they also bring you into the entire ecosystem from the continent where the fish originated. It’s a stunning habitat immersion experience that has to be seen to be believed. Visitors who don’t know what to expect will be blown away by surprise after surprise.
Things to See & Do
- The journey begins at the front door (before visitors even check in) where birds fly by and adorable two-toed sloths await. Visitors will then traverse different levels, from the top of the rainforest to the final destination, deep underwater, passing by a waterfall, an island and a river.
- Mundo Maya and Orinoco are the largest exhibits, South Africa and Borneo are the others.
- The largest of many aquarium tanks is 20,000 gallon tunnel. Here, sharks swim over your head.
- Feedings are taking place every 30 minutes, beginning with the otters at 10:30 a.m., til the sharks at 4:30 p.m.
- Weekends are crowded. But consider it may be worth it just to see the live performance by Grupo Pakal, a Mayan-themed performing arts group.
- This live performance of ancient dance to the sounds of traditional music is enhanced by feathered headdresses and elaborate makeup surrounded by the lush, tropical Mayan environment. Grupo Pakal appears every Saturday and Sunday at 11:15 am, noon, 12:45 pm, 1:30 pm, 2:15 pm, 3:00 pm and 3:45 pm in the Mundo Maya exhibit.
Dallas World Aquarium Insider Tips
- Visitors can help the staffers feed the toucan blueberries.
- Eighteen-O-One restaurant in the DWA specializes in cuisine from around the world. Limited hours at lunch time.
- Peek at the wildlife online with their creature cams.
