I haven’t forgotten about our last theme park adventure. We returned tired and cold (how soon we get use to those beautiful Florida winters) and my husband is sick. I hope to get our Hollywood Studios adventure posted soon. It was truly an incredible day!
Category: Disney
Sea World
Cloudy gray skies greeted us at Sea World on Monday morning. We used our usual technique of arriving early, but apparently Sea World doesn’t open its parking until 8:30 am. We were the second car in the park. This was a foreshadowing of the rest of the day.
My mother joined us and was able to purchase a year pass for the price of a single day ticket because she is a Florida resident. After we entered the park the big kids headed toward the Kraken and the rest of us visited the dolphin nursery. You couldn’t touch the dolphins but they were very close.
We also visited the sea lions and otters as well as the penguins. We met up with the big kids after they had ridden the Kraken, FIVE times. We watched the Sea Lion and Otter Show which is quite funny and entertaining.
We spent the rest of the day watching shows and visiting animals. My favorite show at Sea World is Horizons which combines dolphins, whales, birds, divers, and gymnasts. This is an amazing show that the whole family will enjoy.
As we walked around the park we were surprised at the emptiness of the park. We were actually seeing the same people two and three times throughout the park.
Empty Park
A great fun spot for kids at Sea World is Shamu’s Happy Harbor. This place has nets, slides, rides, characters, and water games for kids. We spent about two hours in the Happy Harbor, although my little kids could have spent all day there. We even convinced my mom to ride the Shamu roller coaster.
Grandma on the roller coaster.
Our two year old loved the carousel. She rode it four or five times.
We finished the day with Wild Arctic. This ride has two routes, one for little people and one for thrill seekers but both end up with a visit to polar bears, humpback whales, and an enormous walrus.
As we headed out of the park my big kids decided to ride the Kraken again, and again.
We had a great day at Sea World. I really like this park, it is beautiful and breezy.
Family Photo
I did find a few low points during our day. Dining- the food is overpriced in my opinion. A kid’s meal is about $8 compared to $5 at Disney. The dolphin exhibit is now pay per person to feed the dolphins… $7 a person. If you don’t feed the dolphins you really don’t get to see them up close. For years you were able to buy a tray of fish and feed the dolphins, not a per person price.
Aside from those two things I thought we had a great day. My advice would be to bring a lot of snacks and eat after you leave the park.
Flamingos on Parade
That funky green thing is actually a sea horse.
A great day!
Anheuser-Busch is once again offer free admission to military and up to three direct dependents in 2010 with their Hero’s Salute program. Thank you Anheuser-Busch!
A Few Thoughts on Theme Parks
I will be posting my Animal Kingdom adventure soon, but I wanted to pass along a few thoughts about visiting theme parks with kids.
- Get there early to avoid riding the tram. While it may be fun, folding and unfolding the stroller is not. If you arrive early you are able to park close enough to the gate to walk.
- If you are going to purchase a souvenir, wait until the end of the day. Most parks have a package service, but why waste valuable theme park time shopping when most of the shops stay open after the park has closed?
- Pack snacks and water. Little bags of cheerios have kept my 2 year old happy while waiting for shows to start.
- Don’t rely on height requirements to decide if your little one should go on certain rides, read the description. There have been a few rides that my children were tall enough to ride but the attraction was so scary it almost ruined our day.
- If you are traveling to Florida in the winter months dress in layers. While you may enter the park with 45 degree weather, by lunchtime it will be 78 and sunny. Dress appropriately or you will melt.
- If your kids are tired take a break. You are there for them. Too many times I have seen parents dragging their tired and crying children through the streets of Disney yelling at them to have a good time.
- Even if your children don’t normally ride in a stroller bring one to the park. Their little legs will tire quickly in these large parks. It is nice to have one and give your kids a break if they get tired.
- Make a vacation budget and stick with it. This is probably the hardest advice to follow because it is easy to be swept up in the magic. If you lack self discipline leave your credit cards at home.
More adventures and photos coming soon!
Visit Disney for Free on your Birthday
My sister sent me this article stating that you get one free ticket to Disney World or Disneyland on your birthday. The ticket must be used on your birthday. A ticket to see the mouse is about $75, so if you live in the area, or are planning a trip, this might be a great deal for you. I was also thinking it would be a great deal if you had triplets or quadruplets….
Photo courtesy of Allposters.com