[queensmama]

Hey everyone! I just want to give props to the Dine with Shamu Dinner at Seaworld. The experience was just great. You are so close to Shamu that could touch him if allowed. The only thing that seperates you from him is a small area of flat rocks and a rope. You get one on one time with a trainer to ask questions, and just observe the whale. This experience is totally different than watching the shows. We just loved it.
As for the food it really very good for a theme park buffet. Alot of seafood, beef and chicken. Free drinks including beer and wines, though who really wants to drink in 100 degrees. Dessert could have been better, but after eating shrimp gumbo and beef tenderloin I could have cared less about the shamu shaped cookies. They did have a traditional table with all the best goodies for the kids. The only complaint that we had was with a souvenier kids cup we bought. It has the dine with shamu logo and was supposed to have a whale straw with it. It came with a shark straw instead. I asked our waiter about it and was told "that was a mix up in shipping and they had gotten the wrong straws this shipment." So basically we just had to deal with it.
Anyway if you get the chance to visit Seaworld during your visit. Try this at least once. IMHO it is one of the best adventures at Seaworld.

This picture just shows you how close you are to him. You can even count his teeth.

[trilliumB]

Wow, that sounds great. We did a Beluga whale encounter near us at the Mystic Aquarium (SE CT), and we loved it (you got to touch these guys). May I ask how much the Shamu program costs? And were you in the water yourselves? If so, did you have to bring a bathing suit? (The Mystic Aquarium had waders to put on over your street clothes)

Thanks for the review! I'm not so up on the non-Disney parks, but I know there's some good stuff out there!

[queensmama]

It was $30 per person and there was no swim time. Though I did see one trainer letting a little girl, probably around 10, touch him.

[trilliumB]

Thanks for the info. Does Sea World still have a small tank with young dolphins in it? We were there a few years back, and it was so fun --they would play catch with you with a beach ball. It was such great interaction --we spent probably an hour doing it.

[queensmama]

they sure do, but that tank aint so small anymore and they also have the sting rays that you can touch.

[gcbdad]

We did this 2 years ago for my Daughter's 6th birthday. It was great. There were 4 whales swimming in the little lagoon so there were more than one trainer coming up with different whales. And we did get the souvineer Shamu straw.

[inluvwithdisney]

We did this in SanDiego and I thought it was wonderful too!!!!