I’ve been visiting SeaWorld San Diego my entire life. Learning about whales at the park began at an early age and my daughters have also grown up with those same experiences. While the experience has changed drastically, the value in learning about these beautiful animals with an up close experience at SeaWorld has not. SeaWorld Orca Encounter opened in San Diego last week and our family watched the stunning educational presentation over the weekend. With only a handful of public presentations prior to our Saturday experience, Orca Encounter left our family with a deep knowledge of whales in their natural environment and how research being done at SeaWorld is advancing our abilities to understand and help whales in the wild.
The first of its kind infinity screen is nearly 140 feet wide and stands three stories tall. The Pacific Northwest theme set against the gorgeous ocean views around the world provide guests with an experience like no other.
Our family has been visiting SeaWorld for many years and exactly three years ago our now eight year old daughter spent time with a whale behaviorist in the park to learn about killer whales. Many park visits later, her appreciation for whales and knowledge has matured. We also added a little sister to the family and now she shares her big sister’s love for the ocean due in part to many SeaWorld visits. Whale behaviorists like Lindy and Kristi care deeply about creating an education foundation for our next generation of ocean enthusiasts.
Orca Encounter offers a look at whales you would never experience elsewhere. The presentation shows real video footage of killer whales in the wild in addition to the many educational visuals. Hearing the size comparison of a blue whale to an orca is much different than seeing an actual blue whale above a real killer whale for comparison. The visuals are magnificent and beyond any educational opportunity you could provide in a classroom or whale watching experience.
Whale behaviors are demonstrated by orcas alongside footage of the same behaviors in the wild. Breaching, splashing, spy hopping and more teach how and why each behavior is specific to communicating, hunting and playing.
Previous presentations included many facts about whales in the wild but the infinity screen provides powerful reinforcement.
Almost eight years ago, we heard our oldest daughter identify a whale for the first time at SeaWorld. Her interest in marine animals began very early and has been fostered by our many visits to SeaWorld San Diego. Orca Encounter is another wonderful learning opportunity available to all park guests to gain a deeper appreciation for whales.
Scientific research on killer whales at SeaWorld are helping benefit whales in the wild and it’s very important for people to understand and appreciate orcas for conservation efforts to continue.
Our family saw the Orca Encounter presentation Saturday and then returned to watch again Sunday evening. Each presentation was unique and the second time we noticed additional details on the infinity screen. Orca Encounter is more than a one time experience and I look forward to our daughters appreciating it in very different ways as they continue to grow.
The SeaWorld Orca Encounter features four killer whales during each presentation with the rotation changing depending on the whales’ moods and desire to participate. Each experience is unique and the infinity screen looks different against the San Diego sky during different times of day.
What do you love most about Orca Encounter?
Currently Orca Encounter can only be viewed at SeaWorld San Diego but parks in San Antonio and Orlando will move to the new presentation by 2019.
Learn more about Orca Encounter by connecting with SeaWorld San Diego on Facebook, Instagram and with Clyde the Sea Lion on Twitter.
See more about our experiences at SeaWorld San Diego and read why I still choose to support SeaWorld. A few of my favorite visits include my daughter learning that girls can be anything they want to be from Miss California and killer whales at SeaWorld.
Please keep in mind this is a family friendly site and I will not tolerate harassment. Comments will be moderated and deleted as necessary.
Can’t wait to see this. My kids and I will be there in mid July!
I hope you enjoy your visit. We just came home from a week in San Diego and had a fantastic time!
Why would you go there? Captivity is wrong. These whales were taken by force. Go on a whale watching boat.
I am so looking forward to seeing this new Orca Encounter at Sea World in Orlando, Florida in 2019 when I go back.
My favorite part is the killer whales. That’s why I go to the Sea World in Orlando, Florida to mostly see the current killer whales and the dolphins too. This is my favorite of Sea World in Florida. I really wish I could really live in Orlando,Florida so I can be really close to Sea World there. I live in Florida not far from Orlando, Florida
I think my very first time at Sea World in Orlando, Florida was in 1985 when I saw baby Shamu being born for real nicely. That was very exciting for me to see baby Shamu being born. That was very cool. I have nothing bad to say about Sea World and the current killer whales. Not one bad thing. It’s all good.
Unbelievable! Captivity is not where these beautiful whales should be. With stomach ulcers and sunburn and mosquitoes bites. And inbreeding. Taken their babies away from their mothers. The sea lions are mostly blind from pool chemicals. These whales belong with their pods who stay together forever. And live a lot longer. I wish that baby photo was the baby jumping into the ocean. Seaworld with holds food before shows. The whales bang their heads against the cement and gates. They chew the cement and gates and get their teeth taken out. I would Never bring my child there. He got to see dolphins jumping from the beach . Why you go here and pay to see these unhappy whales is beyond me. One whale died when his head was crushed by a gate. Another whale died after a fight and bled out. Go to FreeMorgan website please and read that tragic story. Celebrities won’t perform or take their children there . And sponsorship is being stopped to. Haven’t these whales done enough? When Seaworld first caught these whales they shot the whales who followed the boats. Then tried to sink them with rocks. Read the trainers book who worked at Seaworld for fourteen years. Real eye opener. Watch documentaries Life In The Tanks and Voiceless and Luna on You Tube. Keiko had a rash that was killing him. When he got to the seapen it cleared up in the ocean. He gained a thousand pounds and grew to. He was vocalizing for the first time and breaching. It’s time to Empty The Tanks and let the celebrities pay for ocean seapens where they can be orcas and eat live fish .No more dumb performances.poor Loita living in a pool to small with two dolphins for 48 years. Actually one dolphin died. Seaworld was fined for her pool. And they left her in the pool during Hurricane Irma. That’s Seaworld. They kept 13 dolphins after they got better and permit said to release. Luckily DR Ingrid got some back into the ocean. And they are doing fine. What if someone took you away from your family to be held captive for years? These whales have emotions like humans. Recently the whale who carried her dead baby for 17 days was heartbreaking. But it woke up the world to these whales. And they are starving and there is only 74 whales left in Seattle. There is no dorsal fins laying down in the ocean. Stop giving money to a place where they pretend to care about their animals. Even the circus gave their elephants up to retire. Baltimore aquarium is going to release their dolphins and Vancouver is going to do the same, Seaworld lost 17 million last year. Great news. Please watch those documentaries or read the books. Teach your children that whales belong with their pods. Do you know when a whale is sick they help it swim or get food for them? That they have babysitters for the babies when the mom goes for food. They have greeting ceremonies where they spy hop out of th water across from the other whales doing the same thing. They swim to each other and rub their bodies against each other. Seaworld whales can’t do anything they were meant to.do. We have no right to make this choice for them.
You are amazing family . Don’t teach your daughter to work with whales in captivity. Teach her to be an advocate instead.