Vacationing tips for trip to schlitterbaun and seaworld

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by 4Movingeast

We took our boys to Sea World last summer, not sure why, and both my husband and I regretted it almost instantly. It is truly a depressing place. It's bad enough for the animals- and that alone is cause enough to not visit- but I felt the rides were unsafe. My tall, then 7-year old seriously, no exaggeration, almost slid out of the Steel Eel. The restraints are not safe and my husband and I both upset and talked to a park official who noted that my healthy boy was just "too skinny." Um, no. We got home and started talking to friends and evidently many others have noticed the same thing. My husband and I agreed that after doing Disneyworld, anything else is second rate. The same weekend we were there the lady fell out of the roller coaster at Six Flags in Arlington, so I will admit I was a bit freaked at the timing. Then Blackfish came out a couple of weeks later and I was so convicted and sad. Some might say it is "weak minded" to feel compassion but we make it a priority in our family to respect living things. I will add we haven't visited any type of zoo since then and have no plans to do so.

Would give reps, but must spread reps.

I never felt like the restraints were going to give way when I rode the rides at Sea World but this was sometime around 1999-2000 when I was a bit larger than I am. If anything I felt a little squished.

Also, on my last visit one of the rides broke down and people were trapped on it for quite a while. I realize this could happen anywhere, but it's one more strike against it. And after seeing Blackfish, I can't go back to sleep. I simply cannot support keeping such large mammals in such small enclosures. And at Sea World San Antonio, it's all artificial. There's no SEA anywhere near it. Just think of how those animals had to be brought in in the first place.

But back off my high horse; I think we've given the OP some great cruelty-free alternatives and I hope she considers them seriously.

[KeyToFrisco]

Groupon or Living Social (I can't remember which) just had Sea World deals, and often have hotel discounts. There's also a website, Visitsanantonio.com that has coupons and travel packages.

We love the Drury hotel, near 1604 when we go. It may be a bit out of the way, but we paid somewhere around $80/night, they have evening snack foods and breakfast, and clean rooms. That's usually our pick when we go to SA, unless there is a killer deal for a Riverwalk hotel.

We go down there often and I still always love to visit the Riverwalk every time. It's so beautiful and there are some really good restaurants. Casa Rio is good, and then there are some of the popular chains there, too. Having done this recently, I will caution you- check the sports schedule before heading downtown! The Spurs are in the NBA finals, and it turned into a massive street party after their win last week. What we thought would be a half hour trip for ice cream with our kids turned into hours of sitting in traffic next to car-loads of cheering, half-drunk people, some dancing on top of cars. I'm sure it's a blast if you're a fan, but we just wanted to get back to our hotel.

[Souleiado]

Originally Posted by BigDGeek

I'd skip Sea World and just go to Schlitterbahn and Fiesta Texas (the Six Flags park). If you want to see ocean creatures, visit Corpus Christi or the Dallas World Aquarium.

Home - Dallas World Aquarium : Dallas World Aquarium

Blackfish Official Film Site

Sea World = Evil Incarnate.

The Dallas World aquarium is a rip off , it is expensive and done in less than an hour!

[abbybaby]

I would spend the entire trip at schilitterbahn and floating the river. The water park is huge and we only do one section per day. Sea world will be crazy hot.

[loves2read]

Take your kids to Austin and show them the state capitol
if you go I35 stop in Waco at the Texas RAnger Hall of Fame--although going on 35 is a crap shoot as to construction delays or wrecks caused by speed demons...
if you go on 35 stop in Gruene and eat at the Grist Mill--awesome food and historical setting
town is botiquey shops but neat...