A Visit to Shamu

Posted on 25. Sep, 2012 by Dan Collins in General

This is a Guest Post by AirParks

The ocean is an alluring place, full of colourful inhabitants and strange, eerie creatures. Imagine a place where the sea is the main focus and the creatures are your guides.

Welcome to Seaworld Orlando.

Orlando is full of sights and sounds, with many parks to visit, all based on different areas, so you’ll never be bored when you jump on a plane to the sunshine state. One suggestion I would make is to take advantage of pre-booked airport extras, such as airport parking, prior to travelling. I rarely go anywhere without this service nowadays, as I find the convenience far too good to give up, and the saved pounds is a great bonus. Try Birmingham Airport Parking when heading out of the Midlands, or alternatively, check out Cardiff Airport Parking and see what deals you can find.

When you arrive at the park be sure to grab a park map on your way in, Seaworld is huge and it’s easy to walk around in circles. Another tip – wear comfortable shoes and a hat, as most of the park is completely open.

When you’ve found your bearings you’ll be amazed at how much there is to see and do. If you’re a thrill-seeker, you’ll want to be heading to the big rides first, and Manta was my favourite. Here you’ll soar through the air and feel as though you’re flying, aboard a huge manta-ray. For more traditional rollercoaster hijinks, Kraken is the place to head, and what a thrill that is!

Feeling a little hot and need a cool down? I’d highly recommend you head over to Journey to Atlantis then. Be warned, this is the wettest I have ever been on a ride and I wouldn’t recommend wearing canvas shoes!

There are many smaller rides for the little ones of course, and plenty of places to sit and lay on the grass if the adrenaline gets a little too much!

The shows are not to be missed, so make sure you check out the times on the back of your park map. The two big hitters are Blue Horizons, the dolphin show, and of course, Shamu, over in Shamu Stadium. If I had to choose between the two, I’d go for Blue Horizons, as the dolphins blew me away and moved me to tears. Shamu was great, but I was expecting a little more.

For a more hands on approach to visiting Seaworld, head over to the dolphin feeding area and for a small charge, you are given a cup of fish and instructed on how to feed the dolphins. These creatures are my favourite, and the short time you are given is worth every dollar, so I’d highly recommend this. You can also head to the dolphin nursery and watch the infants swimming around and playing, often splashing their visitors!

Brightly coloured flamingoes, beautiful fish and graceful rays also feature heavily in the park, and there are many fantastic photo opportunities to be had, so clear out that memory card. Official photographers are also dotted around the park throughout the day.

Seaworld, in my opinion, is a fantastic park to visit, as it’s something a little different and you may just learn something new in the process. The dolphin feeding was my favourite part of the day by a mile, and was worth the few dollars extra. Save money with pre-booking airport extras, such as Newcastle Airport Parking and this experience is yours to be had too!

Shamu is calling!

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