One Ocean is the new Shamu show at SeaWorld Orlando. It opened in April and replaced the very popular Believe show.
The Believe show ran for about 5 years and was an absolute favorite for me. The relationship between the trainers and the killer whales in the water was inspiring. Unfortunately, the Believe show was significantly changed following a tragic accident that killed SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau. While I did not know Dawn personally, I had watched her perform the show numerous times and always admired the undeniable passion she had for her work. Her love of the whales was even more evident during the original Shamu Rocks.
We will probably never see trainers in the water with the whales at SeaWorld again - and that is so disappointing. It is so hard for me to watch the new performances without comparing them to the days when trainers were allowed in the water.
One Ocean did allow the trainers to step inside the front ledge of the whale pool (shown above) to interact with the whales - mostly giving commands and rewarding with fish.
Overall, One Ocean is a very good show - much better than the re-formulated (no trainers in the water) Believe show. However, a good part of the show now takes place at ground level in front of the pool and at the front ledge. Because of this, if you don't have a good seat, it is very difficult to see the whole performance.
To compensate for the lack of trainers in the pool, One Ocean places a LOT of emphasis on splashing the audience. Also, multiple whales jump at the same time instead of just one or two at a time. You can see 4 in the photo below:
I hope that, in time, SeaWorld will find a way to make it safe for both the whales and trainers to interact again in the pool.
Three things made this particular visit unique for us:
- Instead of immediately exiting after the show, we allowed the crowds to disperse and watched the whales have so much fun sliding back and forth over a raised platform that joins the performance pool and holding tank. They really seemed to find it challenging and enjoyable.
- One of the trainers looks very much like my husband. We first saw his image in a promotional photo for One Ocean and then saw him during the performance we watched. We even took a photo of the photo and tricked some friends. I was hoping to get a picture of them together, but the trainers were getting ready for Shamu Rocks.
- As we started making our way down the stairs to exit, a squirrel fell many, many feet from the rafters directly in front of us. One or two more steps and he would have fallen directly on us. The poor thing. The squirrel's fall made such a loud splat. I screamed - and couldn't quite process what had happened at first. Suddenly the mound of fur in front of us jumped up and ran. I sure hope he was OK. We watched him for several minutes. While shaken, all limbs appeared to be working and he was moving quickly.
Here's a local's tip - if the Shamu Show is really important to your visit, plan on going to one of the earlier shows. It is not uncommon for shows to get cancelled (especially during the summer when storms tend to pop up out of nowhere). More than once we've been seated and waiting for the last show to begin only to have it cancelled.
Also, arrive early for a good seat. During Believe, the pre-show included lots of song and cameras placed on guests dancing and having a good time. I found it very entertaining. They dropped that and now encourage guests to text their name to have it appear on screen with their preferred sea creature. I was bored by it...
We just found out that a new SeaWorld Orlando Pizza Pasta Buffet has replaced the sandwich shop at the Terrace. It was a surprise, especially since my husband was really looking forward to the Turkey Croissant he enjoyed so much on our last visit using the SeaWorld All-Day Dining Pass. (The Turkey Croissant is now available at Mango Joes.)
Foot traffic to the Terrace (the old "Hospitality Center") has been slow ever since the Anheuser-Busch free beer samples and the Brewmasters Club were removed back in 2009. We REALLY miss the beer and the free tours.
Since the beer is gone, I guess they decided a new buffet would be a good use for the old space. We planned on eating at the Terrace anyway, so we decided to give the new Terrace Garden Buffet a try. Big mistake. Here's my review:
First the good...
- Price ($11.99 Adults; $7.99 Kids)
The price is very fair for all-you-can-eat pizza, pasta, salad and dessert. The price even includes unlimited refills on soft drinks.
- Included on All-Day Eating PassWe were surprised that the buffet is included in the SeaWorld all-day dining pass.
- Pasta Sauces
Your choice of Alfredo, tomato or meat sauce. All were very flavorful and get a "thumbs up" especially for theme park food.
- Generous Pizza ToppingsYour choice of cheese, pepperoni or supreme. Lots of cheese and plenty of toppings. Wish they also offered sausage.
- Salad
Your choice of house or Cesar - both nicely chilled, crisp and fresh. The house salad included cherry tomatoes, red onion and black olives.
- Chocolate Cookie
There are several desserts (see below) but the chocolate cookies were really quite good with a good chocolate flavor.
Now for the bad...
- Can't See Buffet FirstThis was weird and should have been our first clue. You had to order and pay for your buffet meal at an outside kiosk far away from the restaurant and could not enter the restaurant to see the selections first.
- Super Soggy Pizza
The crust, unfortunately, made the pizza nearly inedible. The buffet heating elements trap all the heat and steam making the pizza crust so soggy you can't even hold a piece up to eat it. Even whole pizzas that looked like they had just been brought out from the oven were soggy and limp.
- Whole Wheat Pasta
I'm not a fan of whole wheat pasta (and neither were most of the other guests around me). Many parents were asking for "white pasta" for the kids, but were told that there was none. Worse, the pasta was a penne that simply did not hold up well on the buffet. The noodles were bloated and limp with dried edges. They really should switch to a heartier pasta (like a corkscrew) that can better withstand the holding method. Even better - offer guests a choice between regular or whole wheat. A second option included a tri-colored tortellini.
- Desserts Made from Same Pizza CrustI knew that dessert would primarily be a choice of cherry or apple dessert pizza. I was at least hoping that they would sweeten the crust. Nope. Just some pie filling dumped on top of the same pizza crust. The fruit was tasty, but the crust just didn't work. Three different cookies were also offered - choice of vanilla, chocolate or chocolate chip. I only liked the chocolate.
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Lightning... why did it have to be lightning? Let's just say I'm very respectful of lightening - especially in central Florida. I have good reason too. Did you know that Florida is the lightning capital of the US?
Today we experienced lightning at Epcot while attending a performance at the Sounds Like Summer concert series at the American Gardens Theater. It sounded like summer alright - as I looked up in the sky and saw a bolt of lightning, the crackle of it traveled right through the band's speakers.
While the band made jokes and everyone else nervously laughed about it, I made my husband exit the outdoor theater and take me over to the Liberty Inn quick-service restaurant at America for cover. (We got a burger and fries - cold and not their best work.) Even though the performance was almost over, I promised I take my husband back to see Stayin' Alive a Tribute to the Bee Gees before they left in a couple of days. The band was really good and worth a second visit.
Lightning is serious business in Florida. If you can hear thunder, you are close enough to get struck by lightning. Will you? Probably not. But I say, why take chances? You're also supposed to stay in a safe place for at least 30 minutes after the storm before heading back outdoors.
I don't always heed my own lightning storm warning at Disney World, but today we were sitting under a tree, surrounded by water and the storm interfered with electrical equipment. That's more than enough reason for me to quickly move to a safer place.
It was still rumbling outside when we decided to walk back to our car, which we had parked at Disney's Boardwalk. I kept a watchful eye on the skies as we walked back to where we had spent our afternoon. I was nervous the entire time. I dont' know if anyone has ever been struck by lightening at Disney (they have safety precautions in place for lightning), but I do know that a giraffe suffered a fatal strike in 2003 on the grounds at Animal Kingdom.
Just before we left the Boardwalk to watch the concert at Epcot, we were sitting at the Belle Vue Lounge. It was 4:45 pm and the antique phone on the bar was ringning... and ringing and ringing.
My husband nudged me to answer it - thinking perhaps that it was a surprise. No one else was nearby (the bar didn't open until 5pm). It must have rang about 30 times and just as I was about to finally walk over and answer, the phone stopped ringing. Oh well, maybe next time.
I can't help myself. No matter how many times I visit a Disney resort or theme park I am drawn to the gift shop. I always want to peek inside. Size doesn't matter. I am equally drawn to a small gift shop (like the one I just visited at Maestro Mickey's at All-Star Music) as I am the larger shops in the parks and at Downtown Disney.
If I think about it, I probably like the small resort shops a little better than the ones in the park. Mostly because the resort shops tends to be a bit less busy.
One thing that has disappointed me over the last several years is a homogenization of the Disney gift shops. Before I lived in Florida, I'd truly delight in spending one day of my Disney vacation riding buses, catching boats and hopping on monorails going from resort shop to resort shop. Why? Because each gift shop used to carry unique merchandise. Now you can find just about the same core products in every shop. An exception, of course, is resort-specific merchandise.
I suppose there's a convenience factor there for some guests. But, the quest for the perfect Disney vacation souvenir was always part of the fun for me.
Still... I walk into every shop "just in case" there is something I've never seen before. That maybe, just maybe, the shops will go back to being a little unique. A girl can dream, can't she? That's part of the Disney magic.
Port Orleans Riverside resort at Walt Disney World is one of the best places to be on lazy summer day. And, even though it is not quite summer, it certainly was hot enough today to appreciate the perfect escape from the heat that Port Orleans Riverside offers.
The waterside location and the shady mature trees make a hot day feel more bearable. It feels just a little cooler as you make your way down the winding paths along the river banks between the French Quarter and Riverside.
I have always loved the charm and attention to detail in the lobbies at Port Orleans. Each time we have stayed at the Port Orleans resorts (previously known to us as "Port/Dixie" or Port Orleans and Dixie Landings) I immediately feel transported to a southern vacation destination.
The lobby at Disney's Riverside has the most unique paddle fans that genly sweep across the high vaulted ceilings:
If you click on the photo above for a closer look, you'll notice there are hidden Mickeys on the fan brackets that are attached to the blades. In this picture, you'll be able to see a total of 4 hidden Mickeys on the fan blades.
I can't tell you how many times I've stood in the lobby watching those fans glide slowly back and forth and not once noticed the hidden Mickeys. No matter how many times we revisit a Disney park or resort we always manage to see something new!
A friend of mine just returned from a vacation in the Caribbean. After hearing about the trip, I wanted a little taste of the islands for myself so we headed off to Disney Caribbean Beach Resort.
While I was hoping to hear steel drums playing (tropical music always plays outdoors and in the Old Port Royale food and entertainment area), it was all about the pirates today. Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean to be exact.
It seems with the newest Pirates film now in theaters, Disney changed the overhead music track (at least while we were there) to theme music from the Magic Kingdom Pirates ride and possibly the movie. It was a relatively short track so you quickly get this "I've heard this before" vibe. Lots of dramatic loud music along with my favorite Yo Ho! Yo Ho! It's a pirate's life for me. Even though it is my favorite, I was still hoping for steel drums.
It was a beautiful sunny day and after strolling around Caribbean Cay. Caribbean Cay is an island accessible by footbridge just beyond the mail pool. It has winding paths and places to stop for relaxation or play including romantic gliders for two, gazebos with bench seating for the whole family, comfy hammocks and a children's playground.
We returned to Old Port Royale to grab a sandwich. We often seem to just miss the opening hours for the Market Street Deli, but today it was open so we instantly opted for that station and selected the Philly Cheese Steak.
I don't want to say that the cheese steak was bad, because the overall quality of the meat was good and the bread was fresh. It was just super bland. Hardly any flavor to it at all. I still have to say that the Cheese Steak Wrap at Disney's Pop Century is still a best bet if you're after the flavor of Philly.
The sandwich is served with your choice of pasta salad (more what I would call macaroni salad) or homemade potato chips. The chips were unique but nothing super special. They were topped with an unusual blend of spices - one of which was sweet. I didn't care for the sweet. To me, it is similar to the cinnamon-infused white rice at the Magic Kingdom's Crystal Palace buffet. Ick... I don't want cinnamon in my rice.
Today we took a trip to Wyoming... or was it Montana. Idaho maybe? Actually, we stayed right in central Florida and the magic of Disney transported us to western side of our nation. Where? At the Disney's Wilderness Lodge resort, of course (not to be confused with Fort Wilderness - Disney's campground).
This Disney vacation "lodge" is magnificent. I'm always awed by the themeing as we enter the 7-story lobby - complete with bubbling springs and a Disney characters totum pole. No trip is complete without witnessing the Fire Rock Geyser.
The Fire Rock Geyser at Disney's Wilderness Lodge resort offers guests an Old Faithful water spout experience. Located just behind the main pool, this replica of Yellowstone National Park's famous Old Faithful geyser adds to the unique charm of Disney's great outdoors hotel experience.
At approximately every hour on the hour Old Faithful, er, Fire Rock Geyser erupts shooting a stream of water up to 120 feet into the air. For some reason, I had memories of the geyser being a lot more steamier and magnificent than it appeared today. It was a bit windy today so maybe the water stream had been adjusted.
After spending time walking the great outdoors and the shores of Bay Lake, we treated ourselves to some self-serve strawberry frozen yogurt (ice cream also available) at the Roaring Forks quick-serve restaurant.
