Hi All,
We just returned from Orlando on Sunday, Oct 28th. We attended Dine with Shamu on 10/19 at Sea World. We were seated at table 25 which was a great location. You're table is assigned to you based on when you booked your meal. Our particular dinner was sold out for that day.
At 4:00PM we headed for the backstage entrance at Believe stadium. We were greeted by a hostess who asked for our last name. She found our name on a list and gave us each a lanyard with a VIP backstage pass inserted in the sleeve that we wore around our necks. We were then taken to our table by another hostess who asked us a few questions about our day at Sea World. Once we were seated she kindly told us who our server would be and how the experience would work. I call this meal an experience because to us it was more than just a dinner.
Our servers name was Mark. He immediately came over to our table and asked us what we would like to drink and told us we could go to the buffet at anytime. The buffet was located in a room called the "Green Room" just behind the dining area. The room was rather small and the line seemed unorganized because of the way the food was presented. Food items included seafood creole, oven roasted turkey breast, roasted chicken, pasta and several sides including mashed potatoes and gravy, and a vegetable melody. The buffet has a child's area with food just for them. There were also several desserts including cakes, pies, cookies, and bananas foster flambe. The food was fresh, well prepared, and absolutely delicious.
Once we finished our food a trainer introduced himself and told everyone how trainers interact with the killer whales at Sea World. They use a series of under water tones which tell the whales what to do. The trainer gave the audience a few examples. We could actually hear the same tones and watch how Shamu reacted. There were a few tricks and then Shamu actually paid us a visit near our table. It was really incredible watching how Shamu reacted to the audible tones and how close he got to us. Another trainer explained to us how they develop a relationship with the killer whales at Sea World. She also explained the importance of rewarding the whales after they successfully perform a task.
Next we received a visit from one of the trainers at our table. We were able to ask the trainer questions. She told us some of her job duties and what she experiences in a typical days work. The interaction was terrific. At this point I realized how educational this experience was becoming. This just wasn't a typical dinner, but it included an educational component I wasn't expecting. If you've ever wanted to know how Sea World interacts with its marine life you will want to make it a point to attend this experience.
My personal view of this event is it is well worth it. It is an educational experience as well as an opportunity to see Shamu up close. This food was delicious and well worth the price in my opinion. The buffet room did get a bit tight at times and seemed unorganized. Beyond that everything was perfect. I would suggest this meal to anyone!
Here are a few pictures from the event:
Beverages available included with your meal
Banannas foster table outside the main buffet room
Our Daughter Anna with the trainer that visited our table
Our server Mark. He was fantastic! He lowered the shade for us as he saw the sun was bothering us.
These badges were given to us in a lanyard we could keep and wear around our necks. It made us feel special.
Our visit from Shamu. This was simply spectacular and one of the highlights of the meal.
The wall along the dining area sports graphics and information about killer whales and the Believe stadium.
The dessert table inside the "Green Room" or buffet room. Very delicious!
A trainer had Shamu perform tricks for the dining audience.
Thanks to Cass for posting this experience for our family to try it!