We actually did the Dine with Shamu on Feb 7th. It was a 6 pm ressie, and Shamu Rocks was at 7:30. You first go to the underwater viewing area for a complimentary drink and picture! After that you make your way up to the dining area, and are seated for supper. Your drinks are included, ( Bud Lime was awesome!) You have to ask for them though, they don't bring them to willingly.
Now the supper was wonderful, great food, and yes you get to see the whale up close, my kids got splashed a few times. I do have to say, we did feel very rushed! We sat to eat at just after 6 pm, and then they started at about 6:45 over the intercom about "this venue will be closing soon" So you feel like you have to leave. Anyhow, the trainers didn't come to our table, and we also had Tillicum the whale, and he wasn't co-operating well with the trainers at all, and you could tell the trainers were frustrated. By about 7 pm, the announcement came out, "this venue is now closed" please make your way to the exit!
Don't get me wrong it was a good experience, but I think it could have been better. I am a true lover of Sea World, and prefer it over Disney any day, but our Sea World experience this year, was not a good one. Not the park itself, but things beyond peoples control. The day we were there was the first day of Bud & Q, the first day back with Dine with Shamu in 2 months they said, and the first night for Shamu Rocks since Xmas. So bad timing on our part I guess.
We then made our way to Shamu Rocks as we have never seen this show yet, and man the atmosphere was awesome, to bad the show wasn't. We could tell as soon as the whales were let out, something wasn't right. There were six whales in the pool at once, and they were sticking together like glus, and swarming the pool, ignoring the trainers signals all together. Finally a senior trainer came out, with a very long montage, about their whales, and the interaction, and how they use positive behaviour, and they respect the whales decision of not wanting to interact with them. It seems right now, there are 8 whales total, and they had 2 pods, each with one dominant male, the pods were created on there own, however the whales decided. It was split 5 & 3. Now for some reason a 6th one has come to the 5 pod, and there is a fight for the dominate male. The trainers said, they have to respect the whales, and what they are battling out, and they can't get in the water with them while they are doing that(don't blame them)
Anyhow, so that show pretty much didn't happen. We went back 4 days later, for our last day, and decided to catch the 11:30 am Believe Show, my sister and bro in law were with us to catch it for the first time, and you knew as soon as it got started it wasn't going as expected as well. We say Believe twice last year and could tell, there was something wrong. Anyhow, low and behold, the trainer came out, and started with the same montage as mentioned above. I felt so bad for people that may only have that one chance to watch the show. I hope they get the kinks worked out, it was very disappointing, but that is the chance you take watching animal shows.
If anyone is there in the next couple of days, I would be curious to know if the whales started co-operating or not.
Good luck, and happy travels!
,as i know some people where given their numbers.
On the corner it has imprinted "dine with Shamu Seaworld" & on the bottom left the date. No frame, just a folder. Then I went to pick up my pix that DS & I took with Shamu around the parkm I asked if they carried a frame for Dine with Shamu that would fit & I bought a cool one with Shamus all over for $14.99. But you can easily get a frame anywhere. I wanted the Seaworld frame because the pix while very nice I like to get the frames I can only get in the parks that seem to match (my logic) . Also if you are celbrating anything special for the kiddies tell the hostess & they will bring over a huge slice of cake with gummy whales all over ! So cute ! Have fun !!
