SeaWorld San Antonio - March 16th, 2016


Donna takes the family to SeaWorld Wednesday morning

My first visit to the park since 1989

Take the girls to ride some rides

We will try out Abby Cadabby's Rockin Wave first

I think it is a puffer fish that goes off its tracks

The girls love it but attendants are not too fond of my camera

The ride is not too dynamic for Erin to find the need to hold on

Next up is Elmo's Dolphin Dive

The girls are raised to the top and dropped slightly, over & over

It is high enough to give the girls a decent scare

Next, line up to ride the Shamu Express

A short single loop ride that makes two runs before unloading passengers

The girls make the most out of waiting in line

Check out the rest of Sesame Street Bay of Play area

Finally get to the front of the line and can fully check the ride out

Two loops later, the ride comes in to collect us

One shot of Alex getting in, lets not annoy the attendants here

Next, we head to the Shamu Theater for the One Ocean Shamu Show

Decide to move up and more center after seeing the Soak Zone signs

The girls get excited when the show begins

Five Orcas enter the pool attended by five human trainers

The first act has two orcas come out of the water together

Then over to the opposite side of the pool to entertain guests

A larger Orca jumps on our side platform and waves her tail

The largest orca uses his tail to soak the lower twenty rows

He gets a nice reward for giving the fans a good soak

He jumps on the platform and sings for us

Catch the big leap out of the water as the orca is going back down

The finale has all the orcas waving goodbye from the platforms

The orcas head back to much larger tank outside the stadium, BYE!

Take the 30 minute walking tour beside Shamu Theater and find a tortoise

Alex gives the tortoise a nice back rub

The bluebonnets are coming out and a few are on the trail

See temporary dolphin tanks while Discovery Point is under construction

Walk past the Lumberjack Challenge held in the waterski stadium

You'd think Alaskan lumberjack would have the advantage

But Texan lumberjacks are much more used to the heat, 77° today

See a HUGE yucca blossom, over a foot tall, along the way

Erin elects not to ride the Rio Loco ride and takes daddy's camera

Alex and David wait in line and approach the turn-table boarding zone

The Great White roller coast runs nearby, the girls are not 54" to ride it

Alex takes her seat and is not too sure about this ride after all

Donna catches a few photos of the intrepid explorers as they rush past

So far, so good Mommy     This ride is no big deal

Rio Loco is similar to Astroworld's Thunder River, gone 10 years now

The boat spins and receives splashes of water, to Alex's amusement

Daddy brought his 3rd string camera and catches photos along the way

He photos Donna taking a photo of the boat as it passes by

Donna takes a photo of David aiming his 3rd camera back at Donna

Time to secure remaining electronics as the waterfall is looming

Alex and David have a nice loiter in the receiving end of the waterfall

Now just need to be lift back up to the starting point

Looking down to the receiving zone and the waterfall in the background

We approach the turn-table loading zone and the line ready to take our seats

Unload in the shadow of the Great White, which we'll check out next visit

Donna & Erin wait in line for lunch while Alex & David let shoes dry

A nice 45 minute dry time later, the girls dig into their hot dogs

Donna and David both enjoy a nice bacon cheeseburger

Head to the Penguin Encounter but stop for a mid loop Great White shot

The girls are tall enough to ride the Steel Eel, but will they ride?

Along the way, see a tortoise enjoying lunch

She wisely forgoes the fatty salad dressing with her meal

Ride the conveyor belt by frosty glass panels in the Penguin Encounter

Reach the clear panel for a shot of the penguins inside

The penguins were here in 1989 but none seem to remember me

Get one clear shot of a penguin darting around underwater

After going across the conveyor belt, wait behind it for the show

An attendant enters the tank and tells us of the different penguins inside

King Penguins are the 2nd biggest, Emperor (none here) are twice as tall

Alex likes the King Penguin Chick enjoying the heat lamp & stuffed mama

Make our way to the Steel Eel which has a surprisingly short line

David will check out the ride to see if the girls should give it a try

Great view as we climb 15 stories in the air

We go down the first loop, pick up speed, and float in zero G

Reach bottom, BANG, rough ride makes hard to hold the camera steady

Heading back up, oscillating hills makes it too hard to photo the ride

The ride surprises me and I will let the girls know they won't like it

But Alex is ready to go, Erin was never going to ride & holds the camera

Alex suffers her WORST RIDE EVER but survives to say, "NEVER AGAIN!"

Find less dynamic rides back in the Sesame Street Bay of Play area

Girls pose in the grand entry with Alex still happy to be back on the ground

Decide we've had enough & head out, pass the Sesame Street Photo Zone

Erin poses with the Pacific Point marble seals

Stop at a flamingo pond as we reach the exit

Are they really sleeping like that?     One leg and head on back?

Erin photos a flamingo feather she found, David adds his shorts as a backdrop

Flashback of the same ground entrance fountain from back in 1989

Erin had a great time but Alex is still getting over the Steel Eel . . . Yay!