I was provided complimentary accommodations and access to the events for the Snowy Holiday Experience Kissimmee Event.
As part of the #SnowyHoliday event, I have already shared 2 AMAZING days filled with Holiday and Christmas Experiences in the Kissimmee Florida area.
I am now going to share DAY 3 and the up close and personal moments my daughter and I had with the wild and the unexpected.
After another comfortable night in our Villa at the Encantada Resort, we headed over to SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration.
While still the same familiar aquatic attraction, SeaWorld has taken it up a notch with festive decorations throughout the park. There are Christmas Trees, holiday cheer on buildings, and beautiful arrangements among the greenery.
Also on select days and nights there will be special events like Santa’s Fireside Feast, O Wondrous Night, Waterfront Snow Flurries, Winter Wonderland on Ice, plus more.
Our first stop in the park was at the Manta Roller Coaster. Now Little Miss and I decided to skip it, but others in our group took it for a spin. Immediately thereafter, we headed over to watch One Ocean with Shamu and friends.
We then continued to admire the parks decorations and took a moment to visit with a few of the non-water animal residents.
My daughter got to feed a 3-toed Sloth, pet an Opossum, and admire a snake from a distance.
Next, we took a look behind the scenes of Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin. This Up-Close Tour was a once in a lifetime opportunity for us.
We went around the back of the building, and entered in where the employees operate the attraction. One of the staff members then showed us a map of the facility and spoke to us about the various breeds they keep in the enclosure.
She also talked to us about how they care for the birds, and the breeding program. We then checked out real penguin eggs, and saw (and smelled) what the birds eat.
Once we got a little tutorial on how to act around the birds, we headed into the exhibit to meet them in person.
My first reaction was “WOW it is cold in here!” but after a moment of adjustment, I was totally distracted by the penguins on the other side of the gate.
They were just as curious about us as we were them and seemed to like being petted. My daughter was loving it!
It was apparent by their reaction, that they also enjoyed spending time outside of their typical environment.
When it was time to head back in, the bigger penguin actually resisted as the trainer lead him back out.
Once we left the Penguins, we headed over to a behind the scenes tour of the Rehabilitation Area.
There we looked at the containers they use to transport animals and also visited the tanks where they treat sick and injured animals.
This was real eye-opening to me, since SeaWorld houses many animals that we may never see in the public. These aquatic mammals, reptiles, and birds are in the process of healing and will eventually be released back into the wild.
For more information on how you can also get a “Behind the Scenes and Up Close” tours at SeaWorld, visit Exclusive Park Experiences.
Our next and final stop at SeaWorld, was at Dolphin Cove. There we saw dolphins swimming in a lagoon type pool, and got to touch and feed them as well. Never did I ever imagine that we would get that close to a dolphin.
This was an amazing “bucket list” moment for me.
I decided it was best to leave the photo opp to the park, and they did a great job of documenting the experience.
To find out about additional attractions at the park, check out my post, SeaWorld Orlando: Things To Do At This Florida Theme Park.
You would think that the day could not get any better a than this, but the Now Snowing in Downtown Celebration really just made my Little Girl’s winter ideas come true.
I’m not sure if it was the beautifully lit tree, the sight of horse-drawn carriages, or the field of snow, but we were immediately immersed into a Winter Wonderland in Florida.
Of course Little Miss immediately made her way over to the Ice Skating Rink, and would have stayed there all night long.
I actually got out there with her and she definitely has great balance. She pretty much managed to out skate me and everyone else around her.
One of the moments that really took my breath away at this event, was when my daughter was skating and the snow began to fall.
This reminded me of a Norman Rockwell painting, it was a perfect scene and setting.
Now, after I convinced Little Miss to take off her skates, we went to dinner at the Columbia Restaurant in Downtown Celebration Florida.
We all had a delicious meal, and mine included freshly baked bread, a 1905 Salad, and Mahi Mahi “Cayo Hueso” with plantains and rice.
After we ate, it was time to head back to the resort. However we did stop to listen to a group of Christmas Carolers.
Hearing these seasonal favorites was a perfect way to get in the holiday spirit and end the evening.
There was also one last request, my daughter wanted to play in the snow one last time. I agreed and the smile tells me that she really appreciated it.
FYI, be sure to look for Santa and Mrs. Claus along with the Celebration Express at Now Snowing in Downtown Celebration.
Have you visited any of these area attractions before? What do you think would be your first stop?
Want a chance to win your own Snowy Holiday?
You can enter for chance to win a prize package that includes a 3-day/2-night stay at a destination resort, theme park admission and local area attraction tickets for the winner and 3 guests. To enter, text “snow” to 82257 or simply visit the official campaign website snowyholiday.com to fill out an entry form along with additional details and special holiday offers. Promotion ends January 11, 2015.
I can’t wait to share the final day of our visit to this awesome winter time vacation destination!
FFM
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