NYE at Sea World Orlando

[OFTEric]

So when I woke up this morning (yesterday now) I told myself I was going to have a nice quite and at home NYE.

Well as fates would have it... that would not be the case!

Now I personally normally spend NYE in a Disney park. As I was doing the normal fun stuff I do at work, I came across a NYE invite from Sea World, and thought... hmm what the hay, I need to experience everything, so let's checkout their operation on this crazy of crazy holidays here in O-town.

Well I must confess that Sea World managed this day with flying colors! Traffic flow was great, crowd control was ideal, the timing of the shows was stacked just right, the entertainment offerings were top notch, and the display at midnight, while not EPCOT or MK the firework show was awesome, and the live Big Band style band was terrific!

So here are a few pics taken by my camera phone (I promise when I go to gatorland in a few days I will have a new and real camera)


Blue Horizons with grey skies... still rocks!








Mr Bird Man


You must see the show at night... the water glows... it is sooo wonderful!




This is Shamu Rocks the WORLD! Not to be confused with Shamu Rocks the Western Hemisphere!


Zoot suite riot.... RIOT!


Fly me to the moon....


The fireworks were very intimate!






Ok that is it. I hope you got a taste for Sea World today. It was open until 1 am. I must say that after the fireworks it cleared out, and I went to go see the sea lions. No one was there, and all alone, the sea lions really paid attention to me! (I want a pet Sea Lion)

So cheers and happy 08 everyone!

[nbodyhome]

Terrific! Glad you had a good time.

[kcnole]

I haven't been to Sea World since I was maybe 10 years old. That was almost 20 years ago. I really need to get back there sometime. Since its mainly shows my young son will probably enjoy that park easier and earlier than he will a Disney park. I may have to try it once he gets a bit older.

[OFTEric]

Originally Posted by nbodyhome

Terrific! Glad you had a good time.

It was a blast. It was deff busy for Sea World. But when it got closer to midnight the crowds really thinned. If I could guess how many peeps were in the park around midnight I would say around 17k - 20k. Which is still really packed. But they had the crowd under control so I didn't feel packed!

It was a new and very fun unique experience. Though I am very proud to say that I was part of the LAST Brewmasters club for 2007! WOOT WOOT!

[OFTEric]

Originally Posted by kcnole

I haven't been to Sea World since I was maybe 10 years old. That was almost 20 years ago. I really need to get back there sometime. Since its mainly shows my young son will probably enjoy that park easier and earlier than he will a Disney park. I may have to try it once he gets a bit older.

Kcnole,

One thing I always do is a lot of people watching. I like to see how families interact, how different age groups like/ dislike different attractions and shows.

And now that the shows at Sea World are most artistic and less educational it seems that even very young children just love them.

The first show of "Blue Horizons" (the dolphin show, with the most WONDERFUL music that I listen to at my desk every day with the music from Enchanted, and Fantasmic) that I went and saw there was a 1 to 1 and a half year old girl, behind me SCREAMING. You know that blood boiling scream! lol

I instantly wanted to turn around and tell the parents to silence their child or else I would. But of course I did not (I am a really nice person, but even nice people have such thoughts), though I was really excited to see what happened when the music, then show started. And don't you know when the girl came out, and then the first dolphin came out, she was quiet and attentive.

That now cute and adorable little girl was captivated from the first jump to the final and gran finale!

But that has been my experience with Sea World a lot. It seems like (as far as families with small Children) it is a park where you can go a lot slower, and just wander all day with the kids!

They even have a great play area for you to let them get rid of their excess energy! And not to mention Elmo and the Bookeneers is a cute show!

So ya! long answer but take your little man I am sure you will have fun! (not to mention I know where you can get a great deal on Discount Sea World Tickets )!

[nbodyhome]

Eric - I totally understand the "nice people have such thoughts" thing. I was behind a little - well, not THAT little - girl in a stroller who was kicking me for about 20 minutes while waiting for fireworks the other night. Her mom wasn't even around at the time, just an older sister - who was maybe 8 or 9. When her mom came back, I made sure to give a "look", and the kicking stopped. I was actually going to say something, but the look worked.

Up until that moment, I'd moved several times forward to get away from the kicking, but they kept pushing the stoller foreward.

But I'm glad you had such a great time there, it sounds like fun!

[aimster]

Wow. I haven't been to Sea World since maybe the early 80's? I remember this funky Hawaiian Punch carousel thing they had on display back then. I know I'm not crazy... it existed!

[nbodyhome]

Originally Posted by aimster

Wow. I haven't been to Sea World since maybe the early 80's? I remember this funky Hawaiian Punch carousel thing they had on display back then. I know I'm not crazy... it existed!

I don't remember that! But Sea World is a lot of fun, I've not been in a year or two though.

[OFTEric]

I personally love Sea World, sure it isn't Disney World or a Disney park, but it also isn't pretending to be one! It is it's own thing, and that is why I kind of love it! If you haven't seen Blue Horizons at Sea World, stop what you are doing and go see it! I LOVE LOVE LOVE the music! It just makes me really happy!

[upov]

Originally Posted by aimster

Wow. I haven't been to Sea World since maybe the early 80's? I remember this funky Hawaiian Punch carousel thing they had on display back then. I know I'm not crazy... it existed!

I don't remember a HP carousel, but I do remember a similar, if not a duplicate of the Punchy's Hawaiian Punch Band animatronic show from Sea World San Diego( pictured in the link below), here at Sea World Orlando.

http://mistertoast.blogspot.com/2007...h-village.html

I'm pretty sure the HP Village at Sea World Orlando was in the area that is now The Waterfront near it's entrance. The biggest of the mall-style gift shops in The Waterfront and also part of the Sea Fire Inn's kitchen still have the A-frame Hawaiian Punch Village style roof and structures on them, as does the nearby Dolphin Nursery.

I love Blue Horizons, especially the night version, you don't get the birds flying around during the show, but the lighting makes it a better overall show (to me). Even though I love BH, I'd give it up in a heart beat to have the high flying Pacific White-sided dolphins back here in Orlando, and in a show like San Antonio's Viva.

Glad to hear you liked Michael Andrew and The Atomic Big Band, that guy and his band put on a great show, I caught them the year before at SW's NYE show and really enjoyed it.

[OFTEric]

Originally Posted by Baghira

I don't remember a HP carousel, but I do remember a similar, if not a duplicate of the Punchy's Hawaiian Punch Band animatronic show from Sea World San Diego( pictured in the link below), here at Sea World Orlando.

http://mistertoast.blogspot.com/2007...h-village.html

I'm pretty sure the HP Village at Sea World Orlando was in the area that is now The Waterfront near it's entrance. The biggest of the mall-style gift shops in The Waterfront and also part of the Sea Fire Inn's kitchen still have the A-frame Hawaiian Punch Village style roof and structures on them, as does the nearby Dolphin Nursery.

I love Blue Horizons, especially the night version, you don't get the birds flying around during the show, but the lighting makes it a better overall show (to me). Even though I love BH, I'd give it up in a heart beat to have the high flying Pacific White-sided dolphins back here in Orlando, and in a show like San Antonio's Viva.

Glad to hear you liked Michael Andrew and The Atomic Big Band, that guy and his band put on a great show, I caught them the year before at SW's NYE show and really enjoyed it.

I agree with you on the lighting at night! It is just fantastic! I love how the water just GLOWS! Though we did get the parrots at night, but not the Condor, or small yellow birds.

Though I must say that everytime I see it, I want my own pet dolphin, but that also happens whenever I see Clyde and Seymore Take Pirate Island.

We should have an MC SeaWorld day where we do B.H. then Brewmasters, then brave Kraken!

[Bonnet]

Wow those are some nice pictures. I too love Sea World and I think it would be fun to spend a New Year's Eve there. And it probably wasn't as crowded as events at Disney.

[OFTEric]

Originally Posted by Bonnet

Wow those are some nice pictures. I too love Sea World and I think it would be fun to spend a New Year's Eve there. And it probably wasn't as crowded as events at Disney.

It was a lovley evening! I highly reccomend visiting SeaWorld on NYE! I really can't say enough nice things about it!

[aimster]

Originally Posted by Baghira

I don't remember a HP carousel, but I do remember a similar, if not a duplicate of the Punchy's Hawaiian Punch Band animatronic show from Sea World San Diego( pictured in the link below), here at Sea World Orlando.

http://mistertoast.blogspot.com/2007...h-village.html

Hmmmmm... looking at those pics kinda jogs my memory. Maybe that's what it was? But I remember something that went around in a circle like a carousel. I think my folks have an old photo of me in front of it somewhere.