Sea World & San Antonio

I have to remind myself of something and never forget it:  Never go to an amusement park when the temperature outside is 110 degrees.

(Back at the Alamo in downtown San Antonio)


We were in San Antonio on Sunday and Monday.  We arrived late Sunday afternoon, visited the Alamo once again (my third time, the second time for Christy and the kids), and then had dinner at the famous "Riverwalk."  On Monday morning, Christy went to the USCIS office for her citizenship interview (detailed in my previous blog.)  After that, we decided to go to Sea World.

(Kyle tries to stay cool at the splash park in Sea World.)


Sea World, I should point out, has gotten insanely expensive.  Adults are $59.99, children are $49.99.  Parking is $15.  Had we paid full price for everything, we would have spent $235. Luckily, Christy was able to pick up 4 passes, plus parking for $50 (a perk from the company she works for.)

(From the Sea World aquarium, one of the few places to get relief from the heat.)


 I never went to the Sea World in San Antonio before, only the one in San Diego (when I was a kid.)  Things have certainly changed, and not just the price of admission.  It's no longer just whale and dolphin shows.  Now it's become Disneyland, with whale and dolphin shows.  The kids just wanted to spend their entire day going on rides and getting wet in the splash park, and we didn't catch any of the whale or dolphin shows.  The only show we did see was "Elmo Rocks!", which had nothing to do with the sea or sea animals.

(Christy poses withe kids inside the Sea World aquarium.)


I was perfectly content to let the kids do what they wanted, since I was in burning in an outdoor microwave the whole time.  I didn't want to spend my time walking around in the sun, or sitting in the sun watching an animal show.  We're currently in the middle of another crazy heat wave here in Texas.  In Austin, it's 106 degrees.  San Antonio was somewhere between 110 and 113.  It certainly felt like it too.  I spent most of my time just trying to stay hydrated and not suffering from sun stroke.

(The kids pose with the Penguin Man, who I imagine is very uncomfortable in that suit.)


Constantly running for shade and drinking endless amounts of water is no way to enjoy an amusement park.  Rather than having a nice memory of a family trip to Sea World, I'll only remember the heat and my fears of ending up in a hospital ER from heat stroke.  I think Sea World should offer 50% off admission on days that are over 100 degrees.  Anything over that temperature, and it's no longer an amusement park, it's a "survival park."