Monday, May 2nd: more SeaWorld
No visit to the park is complete without a ride on Manta. They guys stomachs had settled enough to be ready for the intensity of the coaster, so off they went. Here is where Quick Queue is a beautiful thing: in mid-afternoon, they were able to walk right on with their front-of-the-line access
.
LOL on Steve’s face in that ride pic
…..he looks bizarre
.
While the boys were enjoying the coaster, I perused the general area and somehow found myself standing in front of here……and drooling
. The smell emanating from that little shop was enough to kick-start anyone’s saliva glands as they pumped out fresh waffle bowl after waffle bowl. I think I may have just found my dream job!
When the guys met up with me after their ride, I innocently
tossed out the suggestion of ice cream and both were quick to whoop their approval. They happily followed me over to Manta Soft Serve to peruse their options.
I just noticed now…..they had Pineapple and Pineapple Twist (I didn’t even see that when we were there!!). SeaWorld’s answer to the Dole Whip, perhaps?
We may have to give that a whirl in October, for quality control and research purposes, of course
.
Jake opted to get his beloved Dippin Dots from one of the nearby kiosks…….why that child would pass up Manta soft serve for Dippin Dots, I have no idea
…..so he dashed off while Steve and I placed our order. Since we had a big dinner on deck and didn’t want to be too full to enjoy it, we decided to share a Shamu Brownie Sundae rather than get individual cups, floats or bowls. We had learned at Christmas time that this place thrives on both quality AND quantity: portions are massive, so small stomachs....beware!
This was so delicious and
so fun 
. Two massive hunks of brownie, a ton of vanilla soft serve, hot fudge sauce, whipped cream and a cherry all served in a souvenir Shamu bowl (yep, you get to keep it!)….and it was more than enough for the two of us to enjoy together. At $6.99 less the pass member discount, I came to a crazy affordable $6.70 with tax: worth every penny and then some (Jake’s 12-oz Dippin Dots, in comparison, were $8.51 with tax). And that Shamu bowl? I use it all the time at home.....and it makes me smile every time I do
.
Refreshed from our cool ice cream treat, we moved onward to Journey to Atlantis so they guys could snag another ride on a park favourite.
While they rode, I stayed out of the sun and enjoyed the cool comfort and marvellous marine life inside the Golden Seahorse Gift Shop and Aquarium
.
Slow day at the park that it was, I almost had the place to myself. It was nice to have a few moments of quiet reflection as I admired the fish and sea creatures showcased in each tank.
Since I had a rather impressive stuffie haul from this trip already, I resisted the urge to purchase one of the cuties that they had on display in the gift shop. I might not be so able to employ my reserve in October, though……especially for those sharks. They are just too adorable with their toothy smiles
.
Once I mentally calculated that the guys had had sufficient time to get through the queue and board a boat, I emerged into the blinding sun to see if I could capture a picture of them as they plunged down the big drop. I missed the swoosh of their boat, but I did capture them just as they floated by…..they were quicker than I had thought they would be! Thank goodness for ride photos
.
I headed around to meet them at the ride exit, where we had their picture added to our Photokey account. This time, no one’s outstretched hands were covering Steve’s face, and they both managed a perfectly executed salute for the photo. What a pair of clowns
.
After Journey to Atlantis, the boys made a beeline to the queue for the mighty Kraken.
Steve’s expression makes me wonder if the Shamu sundae might not have been a good idea after all!
Somehow, despite our winnings of the week already necessitating the purchase of a whole new expandable suitcase just to ensure we could bring home Radioactive Man and his Minion cohorts, after riding Kraken the guys somehow managed to convince me it was a good idea to play more games. I suspect that Steve was feeling bad that I was waiting in the hot sun while they rode a couple of rides, and wanted to win me a new friend as his way of saying thank you. I think Jake just wanted to see if he could win another giant dolphin
.
Steve tried his luck at the Kraken plinko game, but didn’t hit any of the big numbers. For his efforts, he still won me a little blue crab (the “small” prize). The sledge hammer game is definitely where his luck lies!
Jake tried to repeat his golden moment of the morning, but thankfully (mercifully!) there was no big win at the Kraken Dunk.....he blamed it on heat exhaustion
. He did manage to sink one ball in the net and took home another purple flying unicorn-type stuffie as his prize. He gave it to his Momma, too.....thanks Jaker
.
From there, we headed back toward the waterfront and opted to catch a ride on the air conditioned SkyTower.
The ride was a walk-on with our Quick Queue passes (and even just a very short wait without), so after stopping for a Photokey picture we were on our way up, up, up into the air.
The perfectly clear, sunshiny day made for spectacular views once again
. We each quietly soaked it all in: I sensed that we were all a little introspective. I found it oddly fitting that our last SeaWorld ride of the trip manage to “summarize” every little aspect of the park.
Hey look! We can see where we would be Dining with Shamu!
Bayside Stadium:
The park is closer to the Orange County Convention Center than you might realize.
After disembarking from the Skytower, we finished the last of our souvenir shopping at the Waterfront shops, and with our purchases and stuffies in tow, it was time to head over the bridge toward Shamu Stadium. Ever notice how much longer this walk feels when your legs are aching and it’s so hot you think you might melt into a sweaty little puddle right there in the middle of the bridge?
With just a few minutes left before it was time to check in, we popped back to the Pass Member Lounge for some cold drinks (the Coke Freestyle machine can quickly become a person’s new best friend on a steamy hot day), and then it was time...........
The“grand finale” of our SeaWorld day, Dine With Shamu, is next.
... but don't worry, that happens to me a lot
). Links?
. All I could think of was the giant dolphin...
.
. Keeping this secret is killing me....but yet, having to give my two weeks notice will be even more painful. Calgon, take me away! 
