We just returned and spent a day and a half at Sea World. The first day was a true test run (the whales were having a "family disagreement" per the trainers--they were sticking together and not in the mood to perform) and we didn't see much of the show (although they did tell us some facts about how they train them). The second day everything went really well and it was a great show!!
I don't want to spoil it by telling anything, but I will say the best soak zone areas were to the sides down close, not directly up front. Our kids love the soak zones, so this is often an important thing for them to know.