Mommy + Me Orlando Trip! Day 3

And on the second day we did SeaWorld. We got up early and grabbed breakfast from the hotel lounge. There were lots of options for different diets and when we went there weren't a lot of people down there, so it was nice to get in and out.

We took the shuttle over to the park and went straight to the guest services counter to get our tickets for some of our add-ons we had purchased:

- Beluga Whale Encounter (3:45pm)

- Single Day Photokey

- Dinner with Santa (6:00pm)

Cam was a little hungry and we grabbed a quick snack and watched the Polar Express. We then headed across the pond to the Ice Breaker Roller Coaster. This was the largest ride he could ride due to height. He was scared but wanted to ride. I would definitely recommend going to the park early if you want to ride the roller coasters. After lunch the lines were 60+ minutes. We bounced around the park riding different things and taking photos of the Christmas decorations.

We grabbed lunch and then headed to see a few shows before our Beluga Whale Encounter. The encounter was about an hour, and it was a nice small group - Eight of us between 2 whales. Our whale's name was Nunavik, and his trainer was Ryan. We learned about him and the conservation efforts to protect them. We did some commands and "tricks" with him, fed him some fish and were able to give his side a big old rub.

After the whale encounter, we rode some more rides and then went to see the Orca Show. The reserved seating was really nice. We were able to sit high and right in the center of the stadium.

After the show it was time for Dinner with Santa. This was held on a backlot of sorts. There was a large atrium that was festively decorated with lots of numbered tables. Each party had a table to yourself. there were four buffet stations with various foods - adult and kid friendly. There was a staff person who got drinks for us and handed out sticker sheets and treats to the kiddos. The two elves - Holly and Jolly - sung Christmas songs and preformed some festive themed skits while everyone was eating dinner. Then it came time for everyone to sing "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" - and low and behold Santa came! He read "T'was The Night Before Christmas" to the crowd and then table by table you were ushered to the stage to meet Santa and have your photo taken. The experience was about 1.5-2 hours long and well worth the extra charge.

We walked back to the front of the park and did some shopping before catching the shuttle back to the hotel. There were fireworks every night at SeaWorld - we did not stay as we realized we could see them perfectly from the comfort of our own room in our pajamas!