Unlike the first movie, a robotic killer whale is playing Willy instead of Keiko.
The VHS release included an infomercial before the movie that talks about receiving donations needed to relocate the star orca, Keiko, back to the ocean. It also included appearances from Jason James Richter, August Schellenberg and the Donners as well as interviews with former Oregon Coast Aquarium president Phyllis A. Bell, and Keiko's former trainer Karla Corral. In addition, there is information on the "Free Willy Keiko Adoption Kit" which came with a Free Willy poster, stickers, a newsletter on how Keiko was being rehabilitated, and a replica of Jesse's whale necklace. The kit only cost $24.99, and many people all over the world had donated. Soon after rehabilitation, Keiko was freed in the same area in Norway where he was assumed to first be captured and eventually lived to be 29 years old. Making him the second oldest orca to have lived in captivity. The kit has since returned for sale in 2014 on savedolphins.eii.org except it now contains information on freeing orcas and dolphins worldwide instead of news about Keiko.
Lori Petty was the only original cast member who declined to reprise her role for the sequel as Rae Lindley, as she was busy filming La chica del tanque (1995) instead.
Jesse's half brother's name is Elvis. In real life, Elvis Presley's stillborn brother's name was Jesse.
In addition to the orca statuette from the first film, other seen items in Jesse's room include a Soundgarden tour poster with date of the band's March 24, 1992 stop in Hamburg, Germany, an Oregon State sticker, a Wayne Campbell statue, a Christian Riese Lassen poster. There's also a guitar tablature poster on the wall.