After the Shamu show we still had a little bit of time before lunch, so we checked out the flamingos and ducks. Makaela doesn’t really know how to say ducks, it’s more like quack.
Also this gave us some time in the sun to dry off before lunch. We tried to take pictures again. Makaela was of course hungry and tired so she didn’t like getting out of the stroller. She also had issues all day with getting her spot in the stroller. I thought it would be neat to take a picture of just Noah and Caleb like the one I have from when they were younger.
Then Ian wanted me to take a picture of him. He was squinting so bad I tried to get him to close his eyes until I was ready to take the picture. The first one he left his eyes open. The next try he opened his eyes but forgot to smile! We were getting left so we stopped there.
In all my trips to Sea World I have not done the “Dine with Shamu”, so this was a new experience. Thanks to Vance and Lenora who really did “treat” us to lunch! The other trips we've just eatten in one of the “restaurants”and have to fight for a table and wait in long lines. This was SO much better! A must do at least once in your life time. We made our reservations online, so our table was ready for us including a high chair for Makaela. The food is buffet style and has plenty of good stuff to choose from. A lot better than the chicken tenders I thought I would be sharing with Makaela if we had done the “normal” lunch thing. As you sit and eat there is one of the whales swimming in the nearby pool. And it is nearby. There is a roped fence that goes around the pool, but then she was right there just a few feet away!! They also had trainers on hand to answer questions and take pictures with. The boys found out that the whale we were eating lunch with was probably the whale that had splashed them. Another table next to us asked the trainer what had changed since the trainer was killed a few years back. She explained that they no longer are able to have close interaction with the whales. No tongue rubs, no swimming with them, no big hugs, no kid pulled from the crowd to seat on the back of Shamu, etc. She said that now when they hug the whales there must be a bar in between them. (May have noticed it in the pictures from the show.) Her tone of voice and look on her face made it sound like they really missed being able to do all those things, but understood. I also wonder if the whales miss it too. This explained the changes in the Shamu show.
After lunch, one of the trainers talks about how they introduce new “toys” to the whales, while others demonstrate. They allowed everyone to stand near the fence to take pictures and see. This is the part where you see which is stronger your kids hunger or curiosity. Of course with my two little ones hunger one out! That watched for a little while then went back to eating.
Then they put the whale in another tank and one trainer dives in the pool to make sure it is clean. I guess they have had some silverware, etc make it into the tanks. The whale was really close in the second tank and we could sit at our table and watch her swim and try to go back to the other tank.
Yeah, she wanted back in! Lunch was wonderful! If you look at the pictures above you will see a building in the background with two open doors. Those are the bathrooms. I LOVED taking Eli to the restroom during lunch. As we walked over there the other whales were playing in the other tank. You could hear them talking, but we also got to see them tossing a barrel around. It was SO cool being “behind the scenes”. I probably enjoyed it more than anyone else. I’m sure I could talk them into doing it again on another visit!
After lunch we had some time before we wanted to go to the Ski Show, so we decided to hit some of the rides. Makaela was quick to fall asleep as we walked.
Our first stop was Atlantis. Noah and Caleb were the only ones tall enough to ride it. At first Caleb didn’t want to go, so Noah, John, and Lenora went. I am not up for roller coasters anymore. The last time I rode any may have been when we we went to Sea World almost 9 years ago. That was the first year we experienced the “Great White” (your legs hang) and Mary Kate and I screamed the whole time while John laughed at us. So, I watched as Noah went on his first roller coaster ride. John and I were very nervous. We both wanted him to have a good experience so he wasn’t scared his first time out.
Noah enjoyed the ride. He said it was scary, but fun. Caleb seeing that Noah survived decided he wanted to go. John was really worried about Caleb not liking it so we decided to hit the Shamu Express instead.
On the way to the Shamu Express we stopped by the Dolphin and Beluga Whale tank. The show was canceled that day because they were painting some of the tanks to get ready for summer. This was the second time we missed this show. It is a really neat show, so I was sad not to see it again. Last time when the boys were little, one of the belugas had just had a baby so they didn’t want to disrupt the mother- baby bonding. We found out from our bellhop on the day we were leaving (he also worked at this show) that they were very anxious to get back to work too. We did walk down and see the dolphins swimming. And met two of their birds that were out. We found out the second was named Eli so we had to meet Eli!
Then we continued to the Shamu Express. John rode with Ian, Caleb, and Noah. They all seemed to enjoy the little coaster.
I even had enough nerve to ride a second time with the boys. I got the boys to try and ride the entire time with their hands in the air. Ian, Caleb, and I did. Noah didn’t like the idea. Eli and Makaela got a little upset, so no pictures. We then found a ride that Eli and Makaela could ride. The ride was called the Rocking Wave. It was a boat that went back and forth like a swing and turned around. John, the kids, Lenora, and I rode it. Makaela enjoyed it till the very end. It was neat at first, then I think she got bored. Everyone else seemed to enjoy it. A good family ride.
Then John and Lenora rode the Great White. They rode a couple of times. Once they were in the front row so we got pictures!
We made it to the Ski show. We also gave the kiddos a snack. I found Shark fruit snacks at Wal-mart that were organic. Sea World allows individual snacks and six pack cooler; but check before you go. It always changes. A lady in front of us when we were going through security had a can of Pringles they wouldn’t let her bring in. We all enjoyed the ski show, but it made us miss our boat, so probably not a good idea.
John, Noah, Caleb, and I took a ride on the Rio Loco. Ian was very upset he wasn’t tall enough so we let him take pictures. There are no pictures of us as we came by, but we have some of everyone hanging out and waiting! There were some pictures that didn’t come out of a fence and Ian’s thumb, I think they may have been of us on the ride. 
Oh, there is Caleb wet after the ride. Somehow he and I got wet, Noah got a little wet and John stayed dry!
Oh, there is Caleb wet after the ride. Somehow he and I got wet, Noah got a little wet and John stayed dry! 
We swung by the penguins, saw the alligators, and the aquarium. Now most would not walk back and forth all over the park; but I don’t mind the walking. I haven’t been able to time everything where you can walk from one side of the park to the other and not go back and forth! At the alligators we didn’t stay long, just enough time to see a brave squirrel and the boys to do their best “Swamp People” impressions.
We hit the gift shop before we left. The kids and I got t-shirts, John got a beach towel. We let each of the kids pick out a small toy. Makaela decided on a dolphin that came in a little purse. Then as we kept looking she decided to put about 6 on her arm. We convinced her she only needed one. Noah and Caleb got a tube of small sharks and whales. Ian got a larger shark and whale. Eli got a stuffed sea turtle. We had closed the park. I was a little sad that it closed at 6. Usually we go during the summer hours and it closes after dark. Even though I could have kept going, it was a good day and we were all tired.
Can’t wait till we go back again!!! I learned a few things for the next time- bring extra rubber bands. Makaela popped one of her rubber bands, so her cute pigtails got pulled back into a ponytail. Have the kids wear water socks. Caleb got a blister between his toes since he hadn’t been wearing flip flops much. We went earlier in the summer than we usually go. Before Memorial Day Sea World doesn’t seem to be as busy, but you also don’t have the night shows. We also found out they may not have all the shows because they are getting ready for the summer. There is an app, which I downloaded, but because there really weren’t any crowds we didn’t need it for ride wait times. Also, the maps were a lot easier to keep on the top of the stroller, where as the phones kept getting put in baggies to keep them from getting wet. I’m sure all these things will change before the next time, since no matter how many times I’ve been, there is always something different and memorable about Sea World.
I LOVE that place!!!