Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Disneyland Trip September 2008 Day 5 (September 13)

UPDATED February 4, 2022

This is part of a series of trip reports from a 2008 southern California trip. Changes since then are noted with "NOW". 

This is the 5th of 11 posts (10 travel days plus final thoughts) adapted from e-mails I sent to friends and family. This was my 3rd trip there, the previous two being in the early 1980s and 1996. My dad came with me this trip.

The half way point was reached for SeaWorld, which replaced Wild Animal Park on the agenda because there's no convenient transportation there. The park includes exhibits, shows, and rides: 

* Clydesdale Hamlet: Exhibit - horses, donkey 

[NOW: This exhibit has closed.]

* Journey to Atlantis: Ride (my dad didn't try) - log ride with two big drops 

* Wild Arctic: exhibit - Belugas, polar bears, walruses 

[NOW: This exhibit has closed.]

* Penguin Encounter: Exhibit - includes babies 

* Manatee Rescue: Exhibit - various fish 

[NOW: This exhibit has closed.] 

* Shark Encounter: Exhibit - various shark types 

* Dolphin Discovery: Show - dolphins, whales 

[NOW: This is now Dolphin Encounter.]

* Pets Rule!: Show - dogs, cats, pigs, etc 

[NOW: This show has closed.] 

* Believe: Show - killer whales including Shamu, formerly from Stanley Park 

[NOW: This show has closed. Shamu is now deceased.] 

* Sea Otters: Exhibit * Dolphin Encounter - Exhibit

Dad needed a rest so I did the following exhibits by myself: 

* Tide Pool: Starfish 

* World of Sea Aquarium: Various fish if memory serves 

[NOW: Now called Aquaria: World of Fishes]

* Aquarium del Mar: Ditto 

[NOW: Now closed; apparently called Freshwater Aquarium at time of closing.]

* Turtles 

[NOW: Now called Turtle Reef.]

* Flamingo Cove: Saw white herons there, likely wild

[NOW: Now called Flamingo Encounter.]

I met up again with my dad and we toured the following: 

* Clyde & Seamore's Rocky Rescue: Show - sea lions and otters as submarine officers 

[NOW: Apparently now just a Halloween and a Christmas show.]

My dad and I ate dinner together, and then I did the following by myself:

* Shipwreck Reef: Like Grizzly Bear Rapids (CA Adventure) and Bigfoot Rapids (Knott's) only even if you luck out with the raft you get drenched from above. 

[NOW: Now called Shipwreck Rapid.s. Bigfoot Rapids is now closed.]

I caught a tickling in my throat that evening, which turned out to be the start of a cold. My dad and I watched Disney fireworks from our room at Howard Johnson. Finally, I tried to find info on the free Universal Studios shuttle; finally determined the free shuttle's now $30.

[NOW: There is a free Universal Studios shuttle still, but it only connects with the nearest subway station.]

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