Spencem & Angelmouse Live(ish) in LA Day 7

[spencem]

Friday 26th Dec, Seaworld San Diego

We're off down to San Diego for a couple of days (to give our friends a break:happy-smi) staying the night in a Holiday Inn on some of my reward points.

The drive down was an easy hour or so on the I5 between the mountains and the sea. Seaworld is easy to find, you simply exit the I5 on SeaWorld Drive! A surreal moment was provided when we were overtaken by Shamu.



We got to the park about noon and it was noticeably busier than Disneyland yesterday. The weather was dry and sunny, but cold. Large parts of the parking lot were closed because they were flooded, it can't have been much fun here yesterday as there is very little overhead cover even in the restaurants and none at all in the stadiums.

Once in and equipped with Angelmouse's ECV first order of the day was the whale and dolphin show. This is a good show, but nothing like Blue Horizons in Orlando. There is some very impressive jumping from some of the dolphins and some great interaction with the family of the day.





Lunch followed, along with most of the audience from the show, in the smokehouse. Smoky Bones it wasn't, but not bad for theme park fare. Some inside seating would have been nice on this cold day.

Once fed we walked over to Shamu Stadium for Believe, which is basically the same show as Orlando not that there is anything wrong with that.





Wild Arctic followed, walking side. Here the animal enclosures are open to the elements, which today was fine, but I'm not sure what the Polar Bear makes of the Californian summer. As normal the bear was asleep and the whale photos were far too dark so there are no pictures from Wild Arctic. I think this version is bigger than Orlando.

It was now seriously cold outside so we each indulged in a new fleece in the gift shop, despite having our big coats on already. We also got a blanket as we wanted to stay for the night time Shamu Christmas show and Clyde and Seymour's 12 Days of Christmas.

The penguins were next on our list.


Along with the puffins and some other sea birds.


Continued Below...

[spencem]

Once done with the Penguins we walked down to the Manatees who are in with various large fishy things.


Next were the sharks, a much smaller exhibit than Orlando which explained why I couldn't get Angelmouse's Christmas present for here. I've got her the Shark's Deep Dive for when we go to Orlando in August, it would have been nice for her to be able to use it here and now.

Tea was pizza, sat outside in the cold. We just had time for a quick look round the freshwater aquarium before loading started for the Clyde and Seymour show. As you would expect this was very funny.



We had strategically parked the ECV and picked seats to be able to make a sharp exit and get over to Shamu's Stadium in order to see the Christmas show that was starting in 30 minutes. We needn't of rushed as there were still seats available at show start, the cold having seen lots of people off. We did however get great seats by getting there early and there was a guy playing Christmas music on a classical guitar as the stadium loaded.

The Christmas show was great, with a sax player and choir accompanying some fast passed action from the whales and trainers.



Once the show was over we made our slow way out, along with most other people despite the park being open for another hour and a half. There was a show going on in the entrance plaza in front of the tree.



We easily found our hotel down in the National City area of San Diego. A night in a hotel room for the three of us brought home how much better it is to stay in a villa, or in our case a friend's home. Being as ill as I had been in a hotel would have been an even worse nightmare for the other two.

We were tucked up in bed by 10pm ready for our day at San Diego Zoo in the morning.

[KarenG]

Originally Posted by spencem

A surreal moment was provided when we were over taken by Shamu.

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Well you don't see that every day of the week

Lovely report with fantastic photos. I've heard that San Diego's SeaWorld is "better" than Orlando - would you agree with that?

[spencem]

Originally Posted by KarenG

I've heard that San Diego's SeaWorld is "better" than Orlando - would you agree with that?

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I don't know about better but it is different and I think larger. There are no coasters here, but there is a raft ride and a version of Atlantis that we didn't ride. None of the stadiums are covered at all so sunburn could be a problem most of the year, we even got a little red watching the dolphin show. It certainly copes well with the crowds with wider paths than Orlando. We didn't get to see the Sea Lions, Rays, or Dolphin exhibits so I can't comment on those.

[Jools]

The dolphin show looks like the one that preceded Blue Horizons in Orlando. I actually preferred that one, as it was about the dolphins rather than acrobats.

We are hoping to go to Seaworld in San Diego one day.

[dave and lesley]

we love san deigo we were there a few years ago... sea world seemed alot more laid back and our kids did the dolphin swim within the park.

[budgie6741]

loooks like your back on track fab report & great pics

[Guest]

Another great day!

[Guest]

Another fantastic day

[Sarah84]

Lovely pictures again and sounds like another great day