We spent the day Sunday at Sea World. It's the second day of their Christmas Celebration and we loved it. The first thing we always do is hit the big rides: Manta, Journey to Atlantis, and Kraaken. The we went to the whale and dolphin show. This is always spectacular but it's hard to get photos of a fast-moving animal with a cell phone. I took quite a few this time because you can't tell if you actually got it. The show includes
dolphins, pilot whales, and flying macaws. There is also an acrobatic act over the water that's worth seeing. We skipped the Shamu Theater because the show times didn't match up with where we were in the park but we did see the Winter Wonderland On Ice, a skating, singing, and character show. I missed this one last year but it was worth seeing. The show is in an outdoor amphitheater with a breathtaking view of the entire park. They have real ice and snow. If you have been to or live near Rockefeller Center in New York it gives you the feel without the tall buildings in the background.
Next, we visited the Polar Express which is the Arctic Adventure during the regular season. Narrated and starred in by Tom Hanks there is a small film preview followed by a virtual train ride through a winding mountain range. The entire adventure takes about ten minutes. I took this shot of a quartet outside standing in front of the locomotive from the movie. When you step off the ride you walk through the arctic and see beluga whales, polar bears, and walruses. you wind your way through an Alaskan type outpost which is cold inside. I lived in Alaska for a number of years and the experience is very realistic. I like it so much it makes me miss living there. 
