Sea World Orlando Visit with William Paul Dudas, Jr.

It seems like a million years ago that my family and I went to Orlando for the week.  The entire trip is nothing but a memory now except here where I immortalized it forever.

Bill with his pizza and coca cola

We arrived by Amtrak and as soon as we were settled in our condos, Bill was off in his wheelchair to pool side where they have a restaurant under a canopy where we all met up for a lunch.

Monday and Tuesday, were lazy days by the pool for me, Bill, his sister and great granddaughter.  Two of my grandchildren and their mother went to Disney, where my granddaughter got made up by the Princesses. My other two grandsons went to Universal and had a fun filled day.






The baby had a lot of fun playing in the water spouts with her Mom and Aunt.

On Wednesday, the fun continued for my granddaughter as she went to breakfast with the Princesses.  Bill, his sister's family and I from the Penthouse spent the day at Sea World.

Bill and I in our scooters

The bus leaving the timeshare picked us up at the gatehouse stop.  We all had early admission passes so we were on the 7 am bus.  That was good timing because the walk from the bus stops to the park entrance was at least a couple of city blocks away.  The first thing we did when we entered the park was to trade my son's wheelchair for a scooter and get one for me.  I don't think I would have made the day if I didn't have the scooter.  It was all I could do to walk from the bus to the entrance and back again without one.

The first display you see when you enter the park are the flamingos.

Bill at the Sting Ray Area

Bill was into getting his all day food pass and quickly lost the rest of the family as he rode away from us going lickety split in his scooter.  I think it was intentional and he readily admits that it was.  By that time, being with Mom was not his heart's desire.  I finally caught up with him at the Sting Ray Pool.  We talked for a short time and he was again off he went to anywhere away from Mom.

From there it was off to the Waterfront and the Seaside Fire Inn to get our food passes for the day.  Lost him again after he got his pass.  I looked for him outside but he was gone and I just went my merry way taking pictures as I went.  He later informed me he had gone through the buffet but I didn't see him and went on my way.

My first stop was the Manatee exhibit.  I used to visit the gulf coast of Florida and I remember the manatees.  I love those mammoth sea cows.

A ride over the Overlook Path took me past Dolphin Cove.  I took several photos but I never got one close enough to see the dolphins hanging out over the sides waiting for food.

Then it was a trip through Turtle Trek.  They shooed me through so that that they could get me out fast after the show.  It was at this point that my scooter started running out of battery power and I limped my way back to the entrance to exchange my scooter.  I could have just stopped at any display and they would have sent one to me but I was out to see what I could see.

After I got the new cart I went up around the opposite side from where I had been past the dolphin nursery but they would not come near enough for me in my scooter.  It was a bad day for seeing the dolphins.

From there I met up with Bill who was stretched out sleeping on a bench waiting for the Shamu Show at 11:30.  He joked that a park attendant had stopped to ask if he was ok.  Bill was always a prankster and he delighted in the fact that he was able get someone just by resting on a bench.  

I went on up to the show and got a spot just above the splash zone.  It was so funny watching the handlers wave their hands in a direction and then the whales would flip their tails to send water cascading in that direction onto the crowds.

After the Shamu show was over, I made my way back to the entrance again and bought some souvenirs for people who were taking care of my animals at home.  After I turned in my scooter, I had a long walk back to the bus stop to get the shuttle back to the resort.  It was a very hot muggy day and the bus that was there was going to the water park before he came back to pick up for our resort.  I got on anyways and rode around to the water park and then back to Sea World where I found Brittany and Bill waiting in his wheelchair for the bus ride back to the Hilton property.  

It had been a fun day but I was tired and ready to stay in at the resort for the rest of the day.  I've since sold the timeshare and this week will live on forever in my memory as a time that was spent with Bill that made him happy.