Sea World Orlando - not just for summertime fun

It wasn't the kind of day that comes to mind when you think about Florida. The day after Christmas was chilly and damp and there wasn't much blue sky visible but our dispositions were sunny as we entered the gates to Sea World Orlando. One of the first things that greeted us was a mammoth Christmas tree decorated by huge brightly colored ornaments.


The park's Voyager's Smokehouse restaurant was delightful to see with upside down Christmas trees mounted from the ceiling beams. There was a real holiday spirit everywhere and several special Christmas shows.

I had borrowed a hover-round for the day due to a bum knee and it gave me a whole new appreciation for those who depend on scooters and wheelchairs for mobility. Sea World is very carefully laid out to accommodate everyone traveling through the areas we visited but I would have had a rather limited view of the Whale & Dolphin show from the small area designated for wheelchairs. Since I was able to walk up to regular seating it was no problem. The real problem was caused by thoughtless pedestrians. I had to be constantly vigilant of people stepping into my path as if I were immobile when actually I was motoring along at a slow pace. It was quite unnerving!

We saw improvements and enhancements to the exhibits every where we went. I have always loved Sea World's natural Florida look. And they figured out very early on how to keep their guests cool on a hot summer's day with mist and fans. But I was happy to see they also know how to warm things a bit when needed. What could have been a cold dank chamber was a comfortable dry walk when we visited the indoor aquariums and penguin exhibits.


We have Florida resident annual passes, called Fun Cards, so when our under-two-year-old grandson got tired and cranky after just a few hours, we didn't feel bad about heading home. There's always tomorrow.