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Apr 18 2012

SeaWorld: Education, Entertainment, and Amusement

The first thing that my husband said to me when I told him we were going to SeaWorld was, “But we’ve already been to the one in San Diego already.” And my response was, “So?” I often tell my readers, when you travel as a family, most of the time, it’s not about mom and dad but about the kids. I had to remind my husband that this time was no different.

Before we left Maryland and before I purchased the tickets, I did a double-check. I asked my oldest if he wanted to go and his response was a resounding, “Yes!” Thus, the decision was made. My kids and I can’t get enough of SeaWorld. I mean, who can get enough of seeing exotic animals and learning about them? It’s so much more than Shamu or a few joy rides. For me, SeaWorld is a great mix of education, entertainment, and amusement for my children.

As I learned this, I explained to my son that SeaWorld isn’t just a marine-based zoological park, it’s a part of a bigger organization that does animal rescue and preservation. My lesson was driven home when news coverage of SeaWorld’s greater mission flashed across our television screen: “SeaWorld – More Thank Just an Amusement Park.” Management also wanted to drive the point home that they were more three-dimensional. Upon exiting, we were asked to complete a short survey that asked questions pertaining to our thoughts on the educational value of exhibits and our perception of the park’s larger goal.

SeaWorld is a living classroom with fun perks. Encyclopedia pages come alive! The nerd in me definitely comes out at Sea World and between the shows and animal displays, I was in just as much awe as my boys. The roller coasters and other rides were just fillers to an already satisfying treat.

Location: One SeaWorld Drive Orlando, FL 32821

I was provided 2 complimentary tickets for my visit by Sea World. All comments and opinions contained in this post are my own.

Apr 12 2012

Arabian Nights: Dinner and a Show in Orlando

An American princess meets a Genie in a lamp. She’s granted three wishes – her mission is to find the prince of her dreams, someone who also loves horses. The Genie graciously takes her on a journey around the world to help the princess. In the end, she finds that her prince is closer than she thinks.

This is an abbreviated summation of the plot of the American Princess, Arabian Nights’ current featured production. As we journey with the princess to find her prince, we are introduced to 11 breeds of horses performing a variety of disciplines and dances. We saw a black stallion, an American Shetland pony, a palomino American Saddlebred, and of course, Arabian horses. All the horses are as beautiful as they are talented.

Located in Orlando, around 20 minutes from Kissimmee, Arabian nights is a fun family dinner show that runs for 90 minutes. It’s jam-packed with action, stunts, tricks, dancing (by the horses) and music.We particularly enjoyed watching the black stallion and the American Cream as they showed off not only their individually unique beauty but also complex acts with their riders. One word: mesmerizing. The American Cream moves steadily as riders perform various acrobatics on her bare back. At different intervals, one rider jumps through a flaming hoop and one does a back flip as the horse gallops in a circle, carrying them. These were the most hair-raising elements of the show for me.

I was very happy to enjoy the VIP experience provided to my family by Arabian Nights. The upgrade gave us:

early access to the arena

priority seating

unlimited wine/beer for adults; beverages for kids

a sneak peek into the stables

activities for the kids in the performance pen

photo opp for the kids on the draft horse

I think the VIP experience is well worth it if you’re traveling with your kids. My boys loved running around the performance space with other kids and taking a picture on top of one of the large draft horses. I enjoyed checking out the horses’ stable and getting a chance to talk to a few of the performers before dinner and the show. My husband enjoyed the unlimited beer. When I asked my 8 year old what he thought of the show, typical to a rough and tough child, he requested less romance and more fighting next time. I couldn’t help but laugh. No wonder why I enjoyed it so much – mommy’s a sucker for good choreography and romance.

I was provided complimentary tickets for my family by Arabian Nights. All comments and opinions contained in this post are my own.

Apr 05 2012

Orlando Theme Parks – Tips for Traveling with Special Needs

A family trip to the Orlando and Kissimmee area would be remiss without a visit to the area’s local theme parks and attractions. Traveling with special needs adds another dimension to a family’s theme park adventures. If you have a child with autism, you’re not quite sure what to expect from them and sometimes all the research and prep in the world inevitably goes to the dogs. However, one of the first things you should do when you arrive at places like Disney World and LegoLand is report to guest services. Let them know your child’s individual need and they’ll give you a valuable piece of paper – the Guest Assistance Card. Disney World’s pass looks like this:

It’s good for up to 5 family members, including the guest with special needs. Although the pass doesn’t eliminate your wait time at rides, it will help to shorten it significantly. This comes in handy during peak seasons like Spring Break, when the average wait time for rides runs about 90 minutes. For shows, attendants will escort you through a separate entrance and listen to your seating needs (i.e. the front, close to the exit).

LegoLand will give you a pass like the one below when you report to Guest Relations after you enter the park:

LegoAccess — Must-Get Pass for Special Needs

The child/person needing assistance and one other person will be provided immediate access to rides. If the whole family wants to ride together, you will be assigned a time to get on the ride together. You go to the Exit for the ride (all except The Dragon) and the attendant at the attraction will mark the back of your pass – it’s kind of like an appointment. When it’s time to get on, you report back to the Exit and they let you on the ride. The back of the pass looks like this:

BackLegoAccess — "Appointments" on Our Access Pass

Some attendants adhere to the rule, some don’t worry about it and let you on pretty immediately. Either way, I think the system works well. Of course, I prefer immediate access (who doesn’t?) – I always feel like I’m racing against the clock when we’re having good moments and I want to capitalize on that precious time. Yet, even with having to come back at a scheduled time, rides are so close at LegoLand that you can walk to the next attraction/activity or grab a snack. Before you know it, your appointment has arrived.

I’m very grateful to LegoLand and Disney World for being so accommodating and helping in a big way to make our visit pleasant. We didn’t wait longer than 15 minutes for any one ride during our visit to Disney. At LegoLand, all except once or twice, we enjoyed immediate access. Our day moved along very smoothly with only 1 brief melt down. Hooray! Families dealing with special needs, whether physical or developmental, appreciate any help they can get.

Mar 10 2012

Horseback Riding in Jamaica

It had been years since I was last on a horse. As a teenager, I picked up the sport and enjoyed riding. When I learned that my hay fever couldn’t withstand the environment for extended periods of time, I put down the reins and shied away from horses. But I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to go horseback riding with Chukka Adventures in the hills of Lucea in Northern Jamaica. Before we went hunting for crocodiles in the Black River, we rode through a village, an old plantation, and then the water. The latter, although seemingly “cool”, was probably not my favorite part. I felt so bad for the poor horse. He sounded like he was struggling to swim through the water underneath my weight. Needless to say, it did nothing for my self-esteem…can you say too many chicken patties? Poor horsey.

Mar 10 2012

Jamaica: Hunting for Crocodiles on the Black River Safari

The Black River Safari in Jamaica was both beautiful and ominous. After exploring the Northeastern Jamaican countryside by horseback, we decided to go on another adventure and hunt us some crocodiles. The eery waters where crocodiles stealthily lurked, kept the hairs on my neck at attention. Our group of 10 shared a pontoon with a British family of 6, including two very active kids. Their movements made me nervous. I imagined either one of them falling over board or their rambunctiousness flipping us all into the blackness. Travel tip for parents going on a boat tour where there are no seat constraints: For your safety, the safety of your kids, and for the sanity of the other passengers, please hold on to your children. Innocent frolicking can quickly turn bad, creating a nightmare for everyone on board.

My choice of seating was strategic but it changed before our tour was done. Gratefully, there were no incidents and no toddler fingers lost. I think one of my side glances to the parents encouraged them to make their kids sit down. The only things that continued to run wild were the crocodiles and my imagination.

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