Being a Mother is OTTER-ly Amazing

Discovery Cove, SeaWorld otters tell my love of being a momI’ll never forget my first Mother’s Day. My husband took me to breakfast with our new bundle of joy. He was so cute, and still at that age where you can strap him in the high chair. I took a bite for me, then cooed in my baby’s direction squeezing a toe or two, then talked with the hubs. Despite severe sleep-deprivation, I was incredibly happy and felt so fortunate to even have a child! (I only had a 30% chance of ever getting pregnant, so he was indeed my miracle.)

Mid-way through the meal, my little guy showed me with action (and lungs) that his diaper needed changing. Although my husband offered, I grabbed a nappy and a wipe from the bag and set off to take care of my “Number One’s” “number two.”

When I got into the bathroom, I discovered that something was rotten in Denmark, and Marcellus ’twas not anywhere to be found (nor any ghost for that matter, although I did lose a bit of color when I saw what was happening!). Not only did my little one do his business… he did it again. And again. This while I had just gotten him out of his old diaper and cleaned off using the one or two wipes I brought with me. (Did I mention I was holding him at arm’s length now, as the diaper changing station was —how shall we say this?!— unusable?)

At long last another guest needed the ladies room. Upon leaving she assured me she’d grab my man who was probably wondering if we had fallen in or something (seeing as we’d been gone a good 15 to 20 minutes by this time).

Long story short, I undressed him and put him in the sink where he began second (or was it third?) bath of the day!

I guess it’s like childbirth where I don’t remember the pain, only the smiles. Eventually my husband knocked on the door then came in to help with the “cleanup on aisle two.” The restaurant provided us with some cleaning rags and towels, and we thankfully had a spare outfit in the car. To this day we still laugh about my first Mother’s Day. It’s the hardest job I’ve ever had. It’s also the one with the most love.

In honor of Mother’s Day, I made an eCard to share. Although my little guy has no siblings to chase like the cute otters in the video, he can still be full of mischief on occasion. As the mommy, though, I just see love, forgive him, and do my best to guide him in right choices. And, yes, I DO think he’s as cute as those little guys!

The river otters were caught on film at a recent visit to
Discovery Cove by SeaWorld,


If you enjoy this video, please consider making a donation to the
SeaWorld Busch Gardens Conservation Fund.

Adventure Island Kicks off Seasonal Opening with Youth Triathalon

Adventure Island Triathalon_13The Inaugural Tampa Bay Kids Triathlon kicked off Adventure Island’s Seasonal opening Saturday, March 9. Junior Varsity kids (ages 7 to 10) participated in a 100 m swim, 1.5 mile bike ride, and a half-mile run. Varsity kids (ages 11-15) did a 200m swim, 3 mile ride, followed by a mile-long run.

About 200 participants were up for the challenge, a joint partnership of Busch Gardens’ Adventure Island and the Tampa Bay Sports Commission.

Adventure Island Triathalon_18

Youth athletes sport their medals and celebrate after they completed the inaugural Tampa Bay Kids Triathlon at the seasonal opening of Adventure Island in Tampa.

Photo by Matt Marriott/Busch Gardens

 

Adventure Island is expecting a “season of fun!” offering their best season-long deal in their Adventure Island Weekday Pass.

  • Play weekdays all season long – Enjoy unlimited weekday access to Adventure Island during the 2013 season with no blackout dates.
  • Valid Mondays through Fridays, March 11 through Sept. 2, 2013
  • Purchase at AdventureIsland.com, at the Adventure Island or Busch Gardens front gates or by calling 1-888-800-5447.
  • The Adventure Island Weekday Pass is $51 for adults and children.

Head down to their Key West-themed paradise to enjoy thrilling slides and tube rides, including Riptide, Wahoo Run®, Key West Rapids, Runaway Rapids, Everglides®, Calypso Coaster, Aruba Tuba, Caribbean Corkscrew®, Water Moccasin and Gulf Adventure Island Triathalon_15Scream. Or just kick back on the beach or in the 17,000-square-foot wave pool, play on professional sand volleyball courts, breeze through the tropical gift shop or let the current sweep you through a half-mile of lush landscapes and tropical waterfalls on the Rambling Bayou.

 

Happy 5th Birthday Aquatica!

Aquatica headHappy Birthday Aquatica!

In celebration of their 5th birthday, Florida residents and up to five guests*, can buy $5 Aquatica water park tickets valid March 1, 2 or 3. This limited-time offer can be made even BIGGER with an add on of all-day access to Banana Beach Cookout which serves salads, hot dogs, pizza, chicken (my favorite), and other beach-style goodies. Drinks (sodas and coffee) are included, as well (making the total for ticket plus Banana Beach $19.99 for adults and $13.99 for kids 3 to 9).

Aquatica 5th cake

Insider tip: Visit Banana Beach at off-meal times to avoid long lines. We go in the first hour, then again at maybe 3 p.m. We have too much fun on the slides and on the Shamu 500, er, Roa’s Rapids, to spend any more time than necessary in line!

Limited ticket quantities are available. Click here to buy yours.  [NOTE: As of Thursday, February 21, 2013, all tickets at this special price have been sold.]

Aquatica 5th splash

*Guests of yours need not be Florida residents

The Beach Boys at SeaWorld

American music legends The Beach Boys performed last Saturday at SeaWorld’s Bands, Brew & BBQ. With 30-plus albums and 50 years under their belts, The Beach Boys are national treasure, as this beautiful American Bald eagle.

Two American icons, Bruce Johnston (L) and Mike Love (R) of The Beach Boys and an American bald eagle meet at SeaWorld Orlando’s Bands, Brew & BBQ

Two American icons, Bruce Johnston (L) and Mike Love (R) of The Beach Boys meet Mattie the American bald eagle and her trainer at SeaWorld Orlando’s Bands, Brew & BBQ

Check out this interview with News 13′s Allison Walker.

Carpe Freezum at Aquatica for Florida Special Olympics

Running into cold water Polar Plunge AquaticaIt’s not quite going to be freezing here in Florida, February 2, but it’ll be as close as we get here in the sunshine state. On that date, hundreds of “plungers” will hit the beach, um, er, POOL, at SeaWorld Aquatica to raise money and awareness for Florida Special Olympics.

Last year, 700 plungers participated in the 3rd Annual Polar Plunge to raise $180,000. This year there will be a record number of participants (over 1,000 and counting!), with donations on track to meet the $200,000 goal!

Miss Polar Plunge, 2012

Miss Polar Plunge, 2012

Your donations make it possible for Florida Special Olympics to provide new sport opportunities for athletes such as flag football or to introduce children ages 2 -7 to Special Olympics Florida through the recent initiative “Young Athletes.”

It was a lot of fun “freezin’” last year! My Twitter and FaceBook followers, family, and friends blew me away with their generosity. This year I’m happy to have a team, The Central Florida Fun Bloggers, i.e. Fun-”e”-Bees. (Hint, hint: I could use some more team members!) We’ll be dressed in goofy bee get-ups while going in the water, although nowhere near as cold as even these kids:

SeaWorld Mommy in the cold waterWith less than a week away, here’s how you can help:

    • Donate to my page (click here)
    • Donate to one of my team-mates’ pages (click here for Iris Lee, click here for Brian of Central Florida Top 5 fame, click here for Rachel Yates)
    • Become a plunger (on my team? *bats eyes*). It is $100 to plunge which gets you and two spectators in for the day (which is much less than the cost for 3 tickets) AND you get to stay and play the rest of the day!
    • Become a team member! (follow the instructions here and then “click Join a Team” to find Central Florida Fun Bloggers).
Central Florida bloggers... Come on Down!

Central Florida bloggers… Come on Down!

The 2013 Polar Plunge AT Aquatica is presented by the Florida Professional Firefighters Saturday, February 2nd. Registration Opens at 9:00 a.m. with opening ceremony and Plunge starting at 11. Early registration will be Friday, February 1st from 12pm – 7pm at the Hilton Orlando, 6001 Destination Parkway.

Crazy outfits are encouraged at Aquatica for the Polar Plunge

Crazy outfits are encouraged!

Costuming IS encouraged, so if you’re like me and just LOOK for a place to get all dressed up, THIS is the fun event to attend. (And if you’re on my team, I already have the BEE outfits ready!) Prizes will be awarded for the best individual and best team costumes. I say we have a chance!

Please help Florida Special Olympics by participating. It’ll be a whole lot of good, clean, COLD, fun!

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Penguin Awarness Day

antarctica_penguins in penguin encounter smHappy Penguin Awareness Day!

Penguins are arguably some of the cutest creatures on the planet. Some love them for their way-cute waddle. Others admire the way they cut through the water with ease. The more formal types might like that they’re dressed in black in white every day! I can’t decide which of their adorable characteristics I love more! I just know  that they are some of my personal favorites, so much so that for my birthday this past year, all I wanted was a chance to get up close and personal again with one at SeaWorld.

I’ve been missing my little friends for months while the Penguin Encounter has been taken down, and the new Antarctica… Empire of the Penguin is under construction. The first-of-its-kind family ride will transport guests into an Antarctica penguin’s world.

Quick fact break: Not all penguins live in cold temperatures.

Goofy me with a grin that says I LOVE PENGUINS!

Goofy me with a grin that says I LOVE PENGUINS!

Our family has spent literally hours in Penguin Encounter, and we were fortunate enough to have been picked a number of times for a behind-the-scenes “meet and greet” with the stars. In the Encounter format there were “Penguin Talks” at 2 p.m. in the afternoon. If you were in there and paid close attention to the educational presentation, you were given the opportunity to “win” a trip backstage. My son (soon to be 6) has never been more proud of Mama than when I poked my hand up the fastest and then (whew!) answered the question of the day(s) correctly. I’m not kidding when I say that I felt like I was on a game show. There was a LOT of pressure from my short fellow SeaWorld fan to meet those penguins!

Julie Scardina and Brian Morrow

Julie Scardina, Animal Ambassador and Brian Morrow, Corporate Director of Creative Development

Now we’re ramping up for the all-new experience. It started when I went to the media preview in November, 2011. Julie Scardina, animal ambassador, was there to greet us and Brian Morrow shared all the exciting news… How it’s going to be the “coolest” (literally!) theme park attraction in the world… and how guests will experience a state-of-the-art interactive ride that makes the adventure different each time.

We’re getting a taste of the fun with the new SeaWorld app: SeaWorld’s Antarctica (available in iTunes, with Android platform coming soon). On it you’ll find penguin facts, a fun photo game (check out my little guy as an explorer here), and info about the seven-city Epic Voyage campaign being launched in New York City. Street teams will ensure people can “follow the freeze” as teams visit malls and consumer travel shows. I’m trying to figure out what city I can visit to participate in the ice dome, photo ops, Antarctica games and (my favorite) live penguins. They’ll also have a Coca-Cola Freestyle machine serving Coke products which, as you know, is our family favorite.

Quick fact break: ALL penguins live naturally in the Southern hemisphere).

If you’re as penguin-obsessed as our family, you’re no doubt donning some sort of penguin Antarctica_Daniel at Penguin Encounteritem in honor of penguin awareness. I have on my penguin necklace, a gift from my son (maybe for getting those questions right!). I’m saving our matching penguin T-shirts for the grand opening of Antarctica… Empire of the Penguin. I may, however, have to sport ALL my penguin garb if I’m luck enough to #jointhevoyage with the Epic Voyage tour.

Win a Pair of SeaWorld Tickets with My Coke Rewards

Win SeaWorld tickets through My Coke RewardsOur family drinks Coke products and this time last year we were thrilled (nee ecstatic) that SeaWorld had switched to Coke at their parks. Because of this partnership, My Coke Rewards has a couple of SeaWorld prizes!

First: Now through the end of January, 2013, My Coke Rewards is holding an Instant Win game to win a Pair of SeaWorld Tickets for 3 points, or once a day using their free entry option.*

The instant win game will enter you “for a chance to win a pair of tickets for a full day of adventure at the SeaWorld park of your choice in Orlando, San Antonio, or San Diego.”

No. of My Coke Rewards Points to Enter: 3
Eligibility: You must be at least 18 years of age or older to enter.
Start Date: January 1, 2013
End Date: January 30, 2013
Game Instructions: There will be 150 random, computer-generated winning times, 1 for each of the prizes listed below, during the Promotion Period. Follow the links and instructions to navigate to the Instant Win Game, and play the Game and see if you are a winner. 150 Grand Prizes: 2 tickets to the SeaWorld location of winner’s choice (Orlando, San Antonio, or San Diego), terms and conditions apply. Tickets expire on 3/25/2014. Failure to use tickets prior to the expiration date will result in prize forfeiture. Travel not included. Approximate Retail Value (“ARV”): $170. Limit: 1 prize per person. Total ARV of all prizes: $25,500.

To play: Log in to your account or create a new one. Go to the Rewards Catalog —> View by Type —> Instant Win.

Click on SeaWorld Instant Ticket Giveaway

Enter Coke Rewards codes found on Coke products, or use the free method of entry.

*Free entry option is found by clicking on the “Rules” option. Scroll down to section 5 (c) and find the “Free Method of Entry” area and click on the “click here” words. The free entry method is available once per day.

mycokerewardsSecond: Now through the end of January, 2013, they are holding a Sweepstakes for a VIP Trip for 4 for 3 points.  (Free entry option for the Sweepstakes is by mail, with NO instant win click-through option available.)

A 2-day VIP trip for 4 to the SeaWorld park of winner’s choice (Orlando, San Diego or San Antonio) including: round trip, coach-class air transportation for 4 from a major airport near winner’s home (determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion); 2 nights’ accommodations at Sponsor’s choice of hotel (single room, quad occupancy); four 2-day admission tickets and preferred parking; a private VIP tour for 4 including front of the line access to rides of winner’s choice; reserved seating at SeaWorld shows; behind-the-scenes access, as appropriate; all-day dining; and $250 allowance that may be used for rental car. All travelers must travel on same itinerary. Winner must complete the trip within 1 year from the drawing date or prize will be forfeited. Winner must book trip at least 21 days prior to departure. Travel subject to availability and blackout dates. Travel must be round trip. Sponsor will determine airline and flight itinerary in its sole discretion. No refund or compensation will be made in the event of the cancellation or delay of any flight. Travel is subject to the terms and conditions set forth in these Official Rules, and those set forth by the Sponsor’s airline carrier of choice as detailed in the passenger ticket contract. If trip destination is less than 250 miles from the winner’s residence, winner will be provided $200 in spending money for driving expenses in lieu of air transportation. Sponsor is not responsible if any scheduled event is delayed, postponed or cancelled for any reason and winner will not be reimbursed for tickets. Tickets may be subject to issuer’s standard rain-check policies and procedures. All expenses, travel, and other costs not expressly stated in the package description above are the sole responsibility of winner. If winner is a minor (as determined by his/her state of residence), one of winner’s guest must be winner’s parent/legal guardian. If any of winner’s guest is a minor (as determined by his/her state of residence), winner must be the minor’s parent/legal guardian and must complete required paperwork on behalf of minor, as applicable. Travel companions must execute liability/publicity releases prior to issuance of prize documents. Restrictions, conditions and limitations may apply. Lost, mutilated, or stolen tickets, vouchers or certificates will not be replaced. By accepting ticket prize, winner agrees to abide by any terms, conditions and restrictions provided by the ticket. Sponsor is not responsible if winner does not use ticket on day of event. Approximate Retail Value (“ARV”): $6,400. The ARV of travel may vary based on airfare fluctuations and distance between departure and destination. Winner will not receive difference between actual and approximate retail value. Limit: 1 prize per person.

To play: Log in to your account or create a new one. Go to the Rewards Catalog —> View by Type —> Sweepstakes

Click on VIP Trip to SeaWorld

(Or go to the search window, and enter “SeaWorld” for this and other SeaWorld promotions.)

Through My Coke Rewards you can also purchase (using My Coke Rewards points) SeaWorld “Quick Que Unlimited” for 530 points. You can also click on the link for the new SeaWorld® Presents TurtleTrek™ game. (There is an  in-app purchase for $2.99 to upgrade to the “full” version, which my son most ardently recommends.)

Good luck!

Manatees Rescued from Merritt Island

SeaWorld manatee rescue December 2012This past week SeaWorld Orlando Animal Rescue Team has been involved in rescuing three manatees trapped in waterways in Merritt Island National Refuge where they were unable to navigate back out. Each exhibited symptoms of cold stress.

121218_manatee_4 121218_manatee_3 121218_manatee_2 121218_manatee_1

The manatees, one male and two female, were taken back to SeaWorld Orlando where they were assessed. Blood samples were taken and all will be monitored closely for the next few days while they receive exceptional care and a healthy diet.

SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment works in collaboration with the government and other accredited stranding agencies to rescue ill and injured marine animals. In 2012 they have rescued 19 manatees, 10 of which have already been returned to their natural habitat.121218_manatee_6

If you see injured marine animal, you can help by calling the
FWC hotline at 1(888) 404-3922 or by dialing *FWC on a cellular device.

All photos courtesy SeaWorld Orlando through footage produced by SeaWorld under FWS Permit Number MA7701911.

SeaWorld Unveils Antartica: Empire of the Penguins Vehicle

The new ride car for Antarctica: Empire of the Penguins was revealed this morning at the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions’ (IAAPA) Expo 2012 in Orlando. The state-of-the-art adventure ride puts visitors closer than ever to hundreds of kings, gentoos, Adelies and rockhoppers.

SeaWorld Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin

Set to open Spring, 2013, Antarctica: Empire of the Penguins will be the coolest ride in the WORLD!

It’s Not Too Late For Free Child Admission to Dine with Shamu

With each full-paid adult reservation made and used between now and December 25, 2012, you can get a free child’s meal (for kids ages 3 to 9)—a $19 value!.

Our family had a TON of fun watching the whales and the trainers “do their thing” while we dined. And, yes, it was more than eating. It WAS dining! Chef Hector Colon and his staff prepared delicious creations with something for just about every taste. All items served are fresh, seasonable and come from sustainable sources.

Tickets can be purchased on site (if available) or ahead of time online (click here).