Sea World

I have discovered I am not a fan of Sea World.  I have been informed I would be a bigger fan if I were to go in the winter when it is less crowded and much cooler. If it makes the kids less winy, then I probably would like it better!  It probably wouldn't make it less expensive though and it felt like everything was so overpriced, it was just annoying.

We did have a good time.  We got there early, before the crowds and the first few hours really were nice.  Unfortunately, we squandered the lovelier weather on the air conditioned, indoor exhibits!  The kids had fun.  They liked the rides and the animals.  The dolphin show was awesome, and the Shamu show was awful.  The rest of it was pretty good.  The heat and walking were not so good.  The hands on tide pool exhibits were a hit.  The walrus was very entertaining!  He was doing laps back and forth across his tank, but it was particularly entertaining because he would swim up to the panel people watched him through, and then flipped over and swam on his back on his return trip.

To sum up the trip in Joshua's words, "It was fun, although the Shamu show did kind of suck."

Selfie with my darlings!  

(Check out Callie, she's awesome!)

Rylee wanted a selfie with me too, and Joshua is trying to photobomb.

Can you see the Komodo Dragon in there?!

Selfie with the flamingos.

This was pretty neat and these guys were fun to watch.

That wall really is ice!  It is super cold, but if you leave your hand on it long enough, it will leave a print behind.

Callie, posing in the polar bear ice cave.  (No, this one isn't real ice!)

Checking out the big aquarium.

I didn't know some penguins liked the hot sun.

Rylee wanted to pose with the big turtle.

Callie preferred this turtle!

This part was fun for the kids. Delaney enjoyed driving the boat.

Dan got to go on the super fun ride while I got to hang out with the 2 little girls who were too scared to go on it.

Did I mention that the dolphin show was really really impressive.

I don't know how the performers feel about it, but I think it would be such a fun job!  Especially the guys who just dived over and over and over.  Spectacular!

Shamu show was a dud after the dolphins.  They just showed some video about "save the planet" on a big screen behind, and the whales did a couple tricks.  I would have really liked some sort of interaction with the audience from the trainers, but the whale just did some tricks, and that was all.

Petting starfish?!  How great is that?!

Rylee and Delaney are too cute!

Rylee was fascinated.

I would not pay $49 for this stuffed whale.  So Rylee asked if I would take a photo of her with it.  Yes, that I can do!

I love the sheer joy on her face here.  She was having so much fun!

The kid section was pretty great.  It was also too easy to lose kids in it!  Delaney and Rylee had a marvelous time while Dan took the 3 older kids on the fun/scary ride. 

Riding the teacups. Delaney got it spinning really fast!

It was nice to have rides the little ones could enjoy and they did!