So we also have to remember that it says Magic Kingdom and not WDW as a whole so LOOKS like they broke WDW into 4 choices? So the people who would pick disney would be spread out over 4 different parks because they could only choose one of the 4 parks at WDW. Making it more diluted and and in turn not ranking as high.
Well, it included Magic Kingdom for sure. Kings Island coming in above Cedar Point is really weird, but the biggest weirdness is the total lack of any Six Flags parks. They have the parks with the most roller coasters (Magic Mountain in CA) and the tallest roller coaster (Great Adventure in NJ), and both of those are in very, very heavily populated marketsā¦ at least one of them, if not both usually makes it to any top 10 list.
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We really loved Hershey Park and itās probably my kidsā #1 ask for a future vacation. But, theyāve been to Orlando 3x and only HP once. We only spent about 2.5 days at Hershey, and itās driveable in a few hrs. Iām sure weāll go back there.
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Im searching for recent info on the best way to tour Sea World and there is not much at all. Do liners have a problem with SW or what?
I am excited to our upcoming visit. Last time we went was 2015 and a lot has changed since.
I would rope drop the coasters first thing and then create a loose plan for the shows based on the times posted on the website. Most shows run multiple times a day, but they do overlap and you do have to have a plan if you want to hit them all in 1 day.
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My DD14 will not allow me to visit Sea World after seeing Blackfin I think it was called. We did used to go to the one in San Antonio when they were little. I have a really old Beyond Disney book UG put out and it has Sea World stuff in it.
Itās copyright is 2016 so itās decently out of date but it might have some info youād like. You can probably find a used copy out there somewhere.
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HAHAHAā¦ yes, this. Been to Hershey Park several times. Its a fun day. Would never go 2 days in a row, and if several years went by, I wouldnāt miss itā¦
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You may want to start a new āSea Worldā thread to get more input.
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Ah, the days of old 
āThe printout we got on arrival had a very useful show scheduleā.
Sigh. Simple times 
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We watched Blackfish yesterday and now none of us want to go. DD9 actually predicted it would be too upsetting and didnāt watch. She also said that if she ever goes to an orca show, she would sit far from the tank to be safe.
DD12 says that if we go, she only wants to do the rides.
So thatās where we are 12 days before our trip. Sigh
FWIW Blackfish has been demonstrated time and again to be propaganda-ish.
I say this as an independent individual who has not seen it nor who has any love (nor hate) for Seaworld or any other marinelife parks
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My first thought was - all stories have 2 sides. Wishful thinking? I wonder
As I said I havenāt seen it and I have no skin in the game.
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Wish I hadnāt seen it.
In this particular, case I tend to disagree. I once did the lunch with Shamu. I asked the trainers why the whales fins are curved in captivity and why they live longer in the wild and I got very deflective responses. Now if we are able to properly provide a large enough space and allow families to live together but the mere fact that these animals live longer in the wild which is the opposite of most captive animals speaks volumes. However, given the effect of global warming on them in the wild this may cease to be true in the future. But they are obviously healthier free. In addition, the deaths happened. Thatās a fact and not propaganda.
Also, the fact that Sea World is changing their policies on the shows, not allowing trainers in the water and discontinuing breeding says there is truth to this movie.
I also noticed that the dolphins in the feeding pool in San Antonio are beat up. They beat each other up but there are far too many of them in a very small space and thatās why. They are bored and competing for food. The ones Iāve scuba dived with in the wild were not beat up nor are the ones at Atlantis where they have a few dolphins in a giant man made bay.
I think Sea World does take these complaints seriously and is making changes and that should be rewarded but I think my daughter has been too turned off at this point to give āem another chance.
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I think the point that OBNurse was trying to make - as someone who has not even watched the documentary - was to be mindful of biases
There seems to be a bit of sensationalism in the documentary. The information is presented to create a very strong emotional response.
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Thatās what makes them watchable 
There is a lot of truth in there to evoke that emotional response; I think the sensationalism would bother me more if the facts didnāt back it up. But we should be horrified that people died and that the whales are less healthy in captivity and it should evoke change, which I believe it has. Progress is important and it takes activism and movies like Blackfish to evoke that interest in enough every day people to help. The counterargument for keeping animals in captivity is valid; itās important to study these animals to help them and the world environment as a whole but we should aim to always improve the safety of the research for the animals and the people involved.
And I do thoroughly enjoy some of the aquarium aspects of Sea World like the penguins and shark buildings. The rides and sea lion show are also fun. They donāt need the orca shows or the dolphin feeding pool and then DD and I would go back. I mean we have one an hour away and itās cleaner than Six Flags LOL
Also, this was interesting: Blackfish: how captive killer whale documentary ended SeaWorldās orca breeding programme (theconversation.com)
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Thatās so sad 
when I was little we went to the sea world there in Ohio. I have great memories of that trip!
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Have 6 of the 10 parks listed scheduled over the next few months.
@gingerSnaps543222 My kids did the snorkeling add on a few years back @ living seas inEpcot - they were advised to stay away from the Dolphin area ( didnāt realize before that trip they were segregated in the tank ) the cast members explain they were bullies in the tank.
Is it me or does everyone else miss the other Unofficial Guides titles ā¦
Had the beyond Disney loved it and so many of the others-wish they would bring āem back even just as Ebooks
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