Splish Splashing at Sea World

I haven't been to Sea World in...I'm not sure how many years...James as well. So when I got a free ticket after doing the Rock 'n Roll 1/2 Marathon (which we HAD to use in June before it expired) - I knew it'd be so fun to take Kapri & explore sea life. Luckily I was able to track down another free ticket from a fellow runner for James...and my work offers discounted tickets, so I got one for Kapri.

NOTE - prior to going, you MUST download the Sea World iPhone app - it's pretty much the most awesome thing! I like it more than the Disneyland app, just seemed more user-friendly & easy to navigate through. There's even a cam with a few fun frames:

Anyway... we got up early so we could get ahead start before the Sunday crowds. As we entered, we started to map out our day & figuring out which shows would be worth seeing. SO much easier than navigating Disneyland, LOL!

Then a bunch of characters strolled through the front courtyard area...and Kapri was so excited to go meet them, give them hugs & take pics...I was shocked! I thought she'd be a little more wary of them, but I was wrong... each time she saw a new one around, she'd say "I wanna hug the puppet"...loved that she called em that!

Our first show was "Blue Horizons" - which had lots of tricks by dolphins, so acrobatic stuff and some birds. It was so cool... I mean, how amazing would it be to say: "oh, I just swim with dolphins all day for my job"?!! So glad we got there early & saw the first show... because a few hours later when we passed by it again, there was a HUGE line to see it!!


Then we walked in for the last part of the Shamu show...though Shamu himself must've been taking a breather, because we got to walk up to his tank & say HI. Those whales can SPLASH! You might as well not even shower the day of, and just go to that show instead! People (not us!) were literally sopping wet... and they even have these little 'dryer' stations, that you can pay to go in and it dries you off - how cool?!!
Then we went & saw starfishies...then had lunch. For some reason after, all K wanted to see was the flamingos...so we journeyed on...though they are a bit boring after seeing crazy tricks & flips from dolphins & killer whales!

Next up were the "Happy Feet", as K called them...cute little guys...she even got her very own penguin baby to call her own! After that..."Shark Encounter"...she was spooked a majority of the time from the darkness... but once we got to the tunnel and they were swimming all around you (while firmly planted in daddy's arms), she thought that was pretty neat. Beluga whales & polar bears were next...eh...not much excitement there (compared to everything else!) but still cool to see.

Finally we got to a little kiddie area ("Bay of Play") where she got to take pics with some Sesame Street characters "puppets" - she was in heaven. My fav is this pic of her & Elmo... I just loved how much she adored them. She'd always give each one a hug, smile for a pic, then show them her "pitty baid" (pretty braid - as in 'her hair).

Then we changed her clothes (totally spaced on the bathing suit) and let her run around in the water park. A few rides in the distance caught her eye and we were off again. We had fun in "Abby's Sea Star Spin"...she could've rode that ride forever! What is it with kids and spinning around and around and AROUND?!!

All in all, it was a much-needed fun day out with my loves - and that equals one happy mamma...and one tired kiddo: