Thursday, January 5th:
Today we were delighted to find that Mother Nature had decided to bless us yet again with those gorgeously sunny skies, and also that the temperatures were warming considerably as compared to the last two chilly days. Enough that we left the hotel in the morning, bound for SeaWorld, in shorts and sweaters.
We arrived at the front gates to find some big changes from our last vist......no Christmas decorations!
It was so nice to be able to experience the park all dressed up for the holidays, and as it appears in its "normal" state (with a few exceptions......they were still in the process of removing the Christmas trees from the lagoon).
There was a definite difference in the crowd levels as well. Not nearly as busy as it was on January 2nd:
The boys, of course, rode Manta first thing (they were still feelin' the love from our first visit) and the lines were short, so it was easy to fit in. Then we were off to the Pets Ahoy show. We were greeted by a fun and colourful stage:
My pics of the actual show didn't turn out so hot, because darn if those cats, dogs, pigs, and birds don't move FAST!
But it was a great show in that awesome SeaWorld quality, and it sure didn't let us down. I can barely get my fat cat to move over on the couch when I decide to watch TV, let alone do some of the great tricks that these little fellows were doing. We had great seats too....mid-auditorium and about 10 rows up. It definitely pays to get there early.
Following Pets Ahoy, we meanadered over the bridge and across the lagoon. Our next priority of the day was to catch the first showing of One Ocean.
And voila! Shamu Stadium. The star of SeaWorld.
Again, we got there early so we had fabulous seats (right in the middle, and the very first row of the non-splash zone). Good thing, too, 'cause that place was jam packed by the time the show was set to begin. This is just a teeny tiny section of the crowd.....equally as many people behind us and to our right, and then some.
While we waited for the show, we enjoyed some snacks. Popcorn for DH, a churro for me (my first one ever!! oh, it was divine!
) and for Jake, his beloved Dippin Dots:
Before we knew it, the show was about to begin!
What can I say about this show? It was amazing. Incredible. Beautiful. Better than I ever could have hoped. Pics don't do it justice, but hopefully they will help you get a feel for this fantastic performance:
I hated for it to be over. I really did. Yet, alas, all good things really do come to an end.
Following the show, we spent a little time having some good, ol'fashioned fun at the midway. They were handing out free play cards (smart marketing ploy!) which got us started.
Took a few more pics:
....then headed out of the park to catch a late lunch on I-Drive.
Coming up.........some serious shopping at the Florida Mall.