mickeysaver
<font color=blue>WINNER of the world's worst limer
- Joined
- Jun 2, 2002
- Messages
- 6,207
I love penguins. Maybe it's because I waddle like they do or because I love that even the girls get to wear a tux, but I think they are just the cutest of all God's creatures. So, when given the opportunity to go to SeaWorld for free after visiting Discovery Cove, I jumped at the chance to do the Polar Expedition Tour.
The tour was ok, we got to see some seals in a holding pool backstage. We saw a Narwal tusk. We saw the rooms were they sort through the fish and seafood meals of the critters at the Wild Arctic exhibit. We saw Klondike and Snow who were both offstage. We did not see the beluga whales and the walrus were feeding and the handlers were not in the mood to deal with 16 tourists....kinda unfriendly, but I know that it was a safety issue.....the attitude could have been a little nicer. We finally boarded a bus that took us across the park backstage to the Penguin Encounter building. Normally you get to go backstage at the Penguin Encounter, but it's egg laying season, so they didn't want to bother the pengins in the rookery. So, we entered through the park side exit of the building and there was a lady there with a rock hopper penguin named Skippy. Skippy was new to the job and not the most docile creature ever, but I got to pet him as did Gabby. We were using a camera that requires that we have the film developed, because it was raining all day and we didn't want to get out digital wet, so posting photos will have to wait until later.
Overall, I loved it that I got to pet a penguin, but the tour stuff beforehand was just a waste of my time....I would have enjoyed being able to see the backstage area at the Penguin Encounter, but that was not meant to be. I realize that the beer company can't be accused of exploiting the animals by offering a chance to pet a penguin for 12 bucks, but that's all I really wanted out of the tour and that was the only part that really was anything new for me. Although, I will say that if we had not taken the tour, we would not have seen any polar bears, because for some reason the other couple was not on display when we went through the Wild Arctic exhibit.
Skippy was cool! I would tell you how it felt, but it's hard to describe. He was soft, but he was kinda waxy and that doesn't do justice to the feel of it. I have never felt anything like it. I will never forget getting to be that close to a penguin. Maggie
The tour was ok, we got to see some seals in a holding pool backstage. We saw a Narwal tusk. We saw the rooms were they sort through the fish and seafood meals of the critters at the Wild Arctic exhibit. We saw Klondike and Snow who were both offstage. We did not see the beluga whales and the walrus were feeding and the handlers were not in the mood to deal with 16 tourists....kinda unfriendly, but I know that it was a safety issue.....the attitude could have been a little nicer. We finally boarded a bus that took us across the park backstage to the Penguin Encounter building. Normally you get to go backstage at the Penguin Encounter, but it's egg laying season, so they didn't want to bother the pengins in the rookery. So, we entered through the park side exit of the building and there was a lady there with a rock hopper penguin named Skippy. Skippy was new to the job and not the most docile creature ever, but I got to pet him as did Gabby. We were using a camera that requires that we have the film developed, because it was raining all day and we didn't want to get out digital wet, so posting photos will have to wait until later.
Overall, I loved it that I got to pet a penguin, but the tour stuff beforehand was just a waste of my time....I would have enjoyed being able to see the backstage area at the Penguin Encounter, but that was not meant to be. I realize that the beer company can't be accused of exploiting the animals by offering a chance to pet a penguin for 12 bucks, but that's all I really wanted out of the tour and that was the only part that really was anything new for me. Although, I will say that if we had not taken the tour, we would not have seen any polar bears, because for some reason the other couple was not on display when we went through the Wild Arctic exhibit.
Skippy was cool! I would tell you how it felt, but it's hard to describe. He was soft, but he was kinda waxy and that doesn't do justice to the feel of it. I have never felt anything like it. I will never forget getting to be that close to a penguin. Maggie
