SeaWorld Adventure

SeaWorld Orlando Adventure

Our trip began on Valentine’s Day! What a treat! We landed in Orlando and made it to our hotel in time to enjoy a few hours at SeaWorld before calling it a night. As we approached the park, Jadeyn’s little feet started running and we could hardly hold him back he was so excited. Eyes full of wonder as he stared at the people, lights, white Ibis’ wandering around, the roller coaster roars and all the amazing smells that accompany an amusement park. We chose SeaWorld because, of course, Jadeyn loves anything to do with fish, but also because we knew it would be a park that he would be able to enjoy all of it, not just the kiddie section or that he would have to wait while Kevin or I rode on the big rides. We can’t wait for him to join us on the big coasters, but we have a few years (and inches to go for that to happen!).

Believe

Believe – We made it to the last show of Believe on Sunday night, an amazing performance by the beautifully HUGE Killer Whales. Incredible that such large creatures can be so graceful and gentle.

They jumped, flipped, threw their trainers into the air, waved at the crowd, splashed the crowd on cue and thoroughly entertained us.

Jadeyn was mesmerized. We couldn’t believe that he held still for the whole 30 minute performance!!! He never holds still! He oowd and aahhed with the crowd and clapped his little hands in delight. The show was great. The perfect way to start our vacation!

Later in the week we just had to see this show again! It was just as incredible, but this time there were four whales and the new one was huge! They splashed and splashed the audience and Jadeyn squealed and clapped!

Renaissance Resort at SeaWorld

We stayed at the Renaissance Hotel just across the parking lot from SeaWorld’s main entrance. We have figured out that the little extra expense of staying at the park’s hotel is easily overcome to erase rental cars, parking, stress, etc. It was a beautiful hotel. We were on the 10^th floor looking over SeaWorld, and the inside of the hotel was a giant atrium full of palm trees, sea creature looking furniture and lights, and big screen TVs which played aquarium scenes like fish, octopus, sea anemones, etc. Each time a clown fish would appear, Jadeyn would shout “Nemo!” But then, whenever a turtle would appear, he would shout “duck!” Each night, back at the hotel, we would enjoy dinner, put Jadeyn to bed and then enjoy the Olympics! Pretty exciting stuff!!

Dolphins
We went to the feeding area of the dolphin section and got to enjoy the frenzy and the competition between the dolphins for a piece of fish. We could reach in and touch them as they swam by. Its sweet to be close enough to hear their clicking and squeaking and see the expressions on their faces! So playful! We could reach in and touch them as they swam by! (Believe me, their water felt practically warm compared to the weather outside!) When we visited the underwater viewing area, a maintenance worker was sweeping near the glass. It was driving the dolphins crazy trying to get at and play with the broom!

Blue Horizons Dolphin Show

Blue Horizons was a show completely filled with dolphins! They showed off their skills and talents and wowed the crowd and us!!! Once again Jadeyn was mesmerized!! I’ve seen dolphins perform some of their tricks before, but it amazing me to think that these creatures are so intelligent and can learn such complicated tricks with their human performers. The trainers would “water ski” on their noses, be shot in the air, ride by holding on to their fins, and peacefully float on their backs next to a sweet dolphin in the same position! During part of the show, they released about 12 parrots which circled and swooped over the crowd!

Floor and Ceiling Aquarium

One of Jadeyn’s favorite sections of the park was a floor and ceiling aquarium. Beneath your feet swam mana rays, and all sorts of big fish, above your head swam tiger, leopard and a type of small hammerhead shark. As we entered this enclosed room, Jadeyn made several heads turns as he shouted “Whoa! Whoa!” over and over again with each new site that he saw! Later on when the park was busier, he had just as much fun with fellow kids crawling around on the floor aquarium. A few times he got a bit too friendly and gave a stranger an exuberant hug! It was the perfect place to play with Jadeyn while we took turns going on the big coasters!

Jadeyn has inherited a bit of each if me and Kevin’s qualities: he loves minuscule details (me) and love huge wonders (Kevin). For example, I get just as much delight from watching the flamingos and white ibis as I did from the dolphins! I point out the details and Kevin takes us to the great wonders! Jadeyn loved the flamingos! These ones were pretty bright pink too. There were the ever present amusement park squirrels to entertain him as well! White ibis were everywhere!!! Seagulls, ibis and a few wood storks were always ready to snatch away a piece of fish intended for the dolphins!

Aquatica

The only disappointment about the weather is that the water park, Acquatica was closed every day until the day we left! We were so bummed. No need to be envious of the beautiful Florida weather: we hit a record low on the night of Valentine's day!!! 35 degrees! We bundled up and enjoyed it all. But on the day we were to fly out, we slapped on our swimsuits, bought big beach towels and hit the lazy river. Luckily, the water was 84 degrees to help counter the 64 degrees outside the water. Jadeyn loved the lazy river, laying back and kicking his legs. The second lazy river was a life jacket only river that was quite speedy whipping you down the rive quite efficiently. One of the slides tunnels though a dolphin tank. Theoretically you could “swim with the dolphins” right beside you. But they were usually having too much fun to notice the humans. Commerson Dolphins coloring is just like a Killer Whale’s but in reverse. They are mostly white with black spots, but they spend most of their time swimming upside down! (sorry, no pictures of us in the collage: no one wanted to get out of the water long enough to get the camera! Brrr!)

Weather

Normally you would think that a trip to Florida would be a wonderful break from a cold Colorado winter…normally. We left with snow falling in Denver, and arrived to a record low for Valentine’s day in Florida!!! All winter has been pretty chilly for Florida, this week was no exception: highs were in the 50s, but there was also a pretty steady breeze which made it feel even colder. Nonetheless, we loved every minute of our trip, however, we didn’t sit in any splash zone!! We bundled up in our fleece jackets and didn’t miss a thing! Sad thing though, on the day we flew home, the temp was going to get to 65 and 70 next week.

(THERE ARE MORE PHOTOS OF THE TRIP ON THE NEXT PAGE!!)