The Magic Of SHAMU ! (Seaworld Adventure Park (Florida))

Member Name: Averilla

Product:	Seaworld Adventure Park (Florida)
Date:	01/02/06 (484 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: You get to see the animals up close and personal !

Disadvantages: One day is not enough.

We have just spent the most amazing Christmas and New Year ever in Florida and I want to tell you about my favourite theme park of all....Seaworld !

Seaworld is situated on the intersection of Interstate 4 and FL528 (The Bee Line Expressway)just off International Drive, it is approximately 15 minutes from Orlando International Airport and just 10 minutes from downtown Orlando or Disney World. Do not confuse this theme park with Disney, as it is owned by the Busch entertainment corp. (a division of the famous brewers Anheuser Busch). It is set in an impressive 200 acres of land and is home to some of the most fascinating sea life I have ever seen.

Entry to Seaworld is not simple. Depending on which type of ticket you have purchased, you may be asked to show photo ID, it is recommended to take your passport with you if you are not sure. Your bags will be checked by security before you enter. Personally I did not really find this much of a hindrance, in fact, with the state of the world as it is these days, I found it very reassuring. You may also encounter sniffer dogs..all part of the enhanced security measures in the wake of 9-11.Once through the main gates you will need to pick up a map, this will also give details of restaurants and times of various shows. Take a few moments to study this so you can plan your route.Right, now you are ready to enjoy the adventure..so here we go :

****ATTRACTIONS****

Come and stroke the Stingrays and admire the intelligence of the Dolphins at the KEY WEST exhibition, or get up close with the endangered MANATEES, these are the strangest creatures and look like huge grey rocks, until they move. There are not many Manatees left in the world and Seaworld is one of the main rescue centres for these.

Moving on you will meet the penguins at the PENGUIN CENTRE, they are housed in acclimatised glass buildings, as close to their own natural habitat as possible. Then you will visit PACIFIC POINT RESERVE, this is home to the seals and sea lions, these beautiful creatures were very lively when we saw them, and, extremely vocal !

If Sharks are your thing then you will love the SHARK ENCOUNTER, you walk through a huge glass tube with Sharks, Moray Eels, Barracudas and all manner of strange and wonderful creatures, and all that separates you is about an inch of specially reinforced plastic tubing.

All the animals are in clean and roomy conditions, and Seaworld ensures their habitats here are as closely matched to their own natural habitats.

If this all sounds very relaxing and laid back..it is...until you get to 'KRAKEN'. This is Florida's biggest multi looping roller coaster, it is also the only floorless coaster. My son and partner loved this..I was more than happy to hold the bags for them, and watch. Actually I didn't watch for long, as, just watching made my heart turn over and do funny things. But if roller coasters are your thing, then this monster is a real challenge.

There is only one other thrill ride here, JOURNEY TO ATLANTIS, and be warned, you will get wet, in fact you may possibly get completely soaked as this thrilling water coaster, whirls you round at speed then hurtles through the double doors and then...drops you straight down a 60ft ramp, making a huge splash as you land in the water below....I loved this, great fun (p.s if you don't want to get too wet, sit in the middle !)

There is a simulator ride WILD ARCTIC, you will board a jet helicopter and then are whisked off high over the Arctic en route to an Arctic research station, passing over Polar Bears and giant glaciers, be warned the pilot may have to take drastic measure to miss some of these glaciers. Tame, but fun.

These were the main attractions for me, however there are many more, including PADDLE BOATS , for which there is an additional fee. SKY TOWER, a 400 ft observation tower giving wonderful views across the park. SHAMU'S HAPPY HARBOUR, a children's play area (where mum's and dads can put their feet up and enjoy a well earned rest). OYSTER SECRET, pearl diving, and many other small side stalls.

****SHOWS****

The following are repeated periodically throughout the day, so if you miss one, you simply check the next time allocated (on the back of your map).

Shamu (killer whale) is Seaworld's icon, and THE SHAMU ADVENTURE is, in my opinion, the best killer whale exhibition you will see. They have several whales, including a new baby, all of which perform amazing stunts. They are constantly rewarded with fish and praised by their trainers throughout the show. You will be amazed at the graceful acrobatics of these awesome creatures, and highlights for me included the trainers rising high out of the water balanced on the nose of the whale and the whales deliberately beaching themselves and spraying the audience. Be warned, do not sit in the first 8 rows in the auditorium, this is the splash zone and the whales are trained to flip their tails hard as they pass by, thus completely soaking the poor unfortunates sitting here. Pure magic.

CLYDE AND SEAMORE TAKE PIRATE ISLAND is hilarious, you will be thoroughly entertained by the two seals in the title, as they perform, together with other actors and animals, a slapstick comedy of pirates looking for treasure. Again you will get wet, also you may be asked for audience participation, if you are picked, prepare to be humiliated..all in the spirit of fun of course..Loved it.

BLUE HORIZONS is the newest of their shows, and is a bright colourful spectacular of human acrobatics, dolphins and parrots. It is all performed to music and is truly beautiful to watch.

PETS AHOY is another fun show, younger kids especially will enjoy this. You will see all manner of cats, dogs, rats, birds etc, performing high wire stunts. Highly enjoyable.

There are a few other shows, including GROOVING CHEFS, musical chefs and really funny. It is a good idea to get there at least 15-30 minutes before the shows begin, in case of queues, although you will not be bored whilst waiting as all the shows have interactive entertainment to keep you amused until the main event.

There are sometimes evening spectaculars, including fascinating firework displays, however these do vary according to the season, so check before you go.

In addition to the above you may take a behind the scenes tour. Additional fees for these are £10 per adult and £7 per child aged 3-9 (inder 3s free) and tours included are :

POLAR EXPEDITION, a look round behind the scenes at the Polar bears, Beluga Whales and the Penguins. You will even get to pet a penguin here. I would like to say all the animals were happy and well cared for, however this is the part I did not like, whilst the whales and Penguins were fine, it was the Polar Bear that concerned me. We were separated from 'Snow' a female bear, by a large glass screen, the room she was in was tiny and she has a very small pool with a few boxes to play with,she was rocking back and forth and swinging her head in an unnatural and agitated way. When I asked the tour guide why she was doing it, he seemed to not want to answer and just said "Oh she enjoys it ", I think not, these were typical actions of an animal slowly going mad, and was not pleasant to see.

Other tours include PREDATORS , you can stroke an actual shark and visit the 6000,000 gallon shark tank, and visit backstage at the Shamu stadium. SAVE A SPECIES, this is where you get to see all the rescue facilities for endangered species such as Manatees.

Apart from the Polar Bears I will say that all the other animals seemed happy and content and were housed in comfortable and clean conditions.

****DINING****

There are many restauarants here, many of which sell speciality seafood dishes (as can be expected), however the majority are the usual junk food such as burger and chips. Prices, although expensive, are better than at the main Disney parks.Some restaurants will require reservations, such as the Dine With Shamu experience, you will be allocated a table where you can watch the Shamu show whilst you eat. I would recommend the Seafire Inn, here there is a remarkable choice of fantastic dishes, be warned though, they are VERY large portions, and the kids can eat out of their very own Shamu Whale ! Cool.

Other refreshments such as soft drinks and ice cream are plentiful throughout the park.

****SOUVENIRS****

As can be expected in Florida, souvenir shops are plentiful, but I am pleased to say the prices are very reasonable here. You can buy a beautiful mug featuring Shamu, of good quality for around £3.00. Also as you leave each ride you will have to pass through a souvenir shop selling mementos of that ride..a clever marketing ploy.

Other facilities at the park are :

Stroller Hire
Wheelchair hire and good disabled facilities
Lockers
Nappy changing
First Aid
Currency exchange and ATM
Designated smoking areas.

Taxis and parking are directly outside the park. If you are staying in Orlando or Kissimmee then you will probably be able to take advantage of the free shuttles from hotels, or you can use the I-Trolley on International drive. If you are not able to do this then Taxis are very cheap and plentiful in these areas.

It is a good idea to take a waterproof camera with you and maybe a waterproof cape, although they do sell these for a reasonable price. Another tip is, if you have already seen some of the shows then try to eat whilst one of these shows is on, there will be less queues at the restaurants.

Queuing was not much of a problem whilst we were there, although at peak times you may have to queue for approx half hour for the rides.

Opening hours do vary according to the time of year, but they normally open at 9am and close anytime from 6pm til 8pm.

****ADMISSION PRICES****

Check with your travel agent for the latest deals on combination tickets but typically prices as follows:

A FLEXITICKET, which will incorporate other parks such as Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, Busch Gardens and Wet 'n Wild will set you back £140 nper adult or £110 per child aged 3-9 (Under 3 goes free) expensive but bear in mind you can visit each park as many times as you wish during your stay for this.This is the ticket we had.

DAY TICKETS are approx £34 per adult and £28 per child aged 3-9

We went several times during our visit to Florida and in my opinion you will probably need a couple of days here in order to experience the whole Adventure !! But I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

For more information log on to the website

www.seaworld.com, or see your local travel agent.




"A Lifetime of Adventure.
SeaWorld is dedicated to preserving and protecting the environment and all its wildlife. And our passion for the sea inspires us to share this spirit of adventure with you and your family. We see our commitment come to life every day in the smile of discovery ... we hear it in the laughter of a child. We hope your visit to SeaWorld sparks extraordinary encounters, majestic adventures and exhilarating family fun."........So sayeth Anheuser Busch...owners of Seaworld !

You will NOT be disappointed !!

Summary: Beautiful creatures in natural habitats, clean and friendly environment. Relaxing.Something for all,