SeaWorld San Diego: Inside Look 2022
January 8, 2022
Inside Look is back, and I am crying happy tears. :’) This event is one of my favorite SeaWorld events ever, and after this visit, it continues to be. There was so much to do that I didn’t have time to do everything! I’m planning to go back another weekend to see what I missed and to see the other special guests who will be there.
This year, there is a new orca presentation, dolphin and sea lion pre-shows, talks from caretakers of otters, belugas, sea lions, flamingos, sea turtles, and penguins, shows with the SeaWorld Rescue team and other special guests, and a tour of how water quality is maintained at Wild Arctic. This weekend, Stephen Fishwick – an artist with a passion for conservation – painted two pieces of art in front of guests, while sharing his inspiring story.
There were so many special moments during my experience at Inside Look, and I hope you enjoy peeking into a few of them. This year’s theme is “connection,” and let me tell you, I felt it.
First Stop: Dolphin Ampitheater
Before Dolphin Days, there was a 15-minute presentation during which the trainers shared some of the newer behaviors they are working on with the dolphins. The highlight was definitely watching a younger dolphin, Skylar, work on behaviors, including her “tail walk.” Make sure you get to the ampitheater before the start time of Dolphin Days so you don’t miss this cute presentation!
Also, shoutout to the trainer who did the Dolphin Days commentary during the 11:00 show because WOW the excitement and passion in his voice was evident. It literally made me want to stand up in my seat, raise my hands, and cheer. LOL…but I didn’t. (Okay, maybe I did a little under my mask.) 😁 Shoutout to him for inspiring guests with his energy!
Next Stop: Orca Encounter
Something I love about Inside Look is how personal it is. The presentations are not as scripted as the usual shows, which I LOVE. Don’t get me wrong, I love the usual shows too, but it’s just so fun and refreshing to see something different, you know?
I loved the Inside Look of Orca Encounter. It was the length of a typical show, and the trainers shared a unique behavior that I’d never seen before. Keet was learning how to search around the pool for different shapes, and then go back to the stage and report which shape he found. I thought it was cute when his trainer said, “he prefers the heart.” (He tends to choose the heart, even if that’s incorrect). 🥰 The goal of this behavior is to provide mental stimulation for the whales, and while Keet is the first one to learn it, they may start to teach the rest of the pod in the future.
Next Stop: Stephen Fishwick's Show at Nautilus Ampitheater
At 1:00, we headed to Nautilus Ampitheater to watch Stephen Fishwick create two pieces of artwork, during which he shared inspiring stories of his experiences growing up and his own SeaWorld journey. I’ve bought a few of his art pieces from the San Diego Zoo in the past, and now that I know he has a collection of marine animal artwork, I am eyeing the orca painting on his website. 👀 Should I click “Add to Cart?” 😅
Next Stop: Sea Lion & Otter Stadium
There are so many shows and presentations to see during Inside Look that we were continually bouncing around from one thing to the next! Around 1:45, we went to Sea Lion & Otter Stadium to watch the Inside Look pre-show, where we saw Otto, a rescued sea lion, slide around the stage, swim in the water, and play with his trainer.
Something funny that happened at the end of Sea Lions Live was that guests did not want to leave! You know how at the end of a show people usually start getting up immediately in an effort to beat the crowd? Well, not at this show! People stayed in their seats for a good 30 seconds after the end of the show. I’m guessing they enjoyed it so much that they didn’t want to leave, which made me happy. 🙂
Pizza at Mama Stella's, then back to Nautilus Ampitheater
It was about 2:30, and we had to make time to eat! We made a quick stop at Mama Stella’s for a pizza, then took it to Nautilus Ampitheater to watch Stephen Fishwick’s second show. In this show, he painted the same pictures, but used more pink in his orca painting, which reminded me of Light Up the Night. 😍
Last Stop: Back to Orca Encounter
Aaand we’re back to Orca Encounter… 🙈 …because you can never get enough of the whales, am I right? I am SO glad I went to this presentation because the energy of the animals, trainers, and guests was unlike anything I had felt in a while. At the end of the presentation, one of the whales (either Keet or Ikaika) had breached, and a man in the audience shouted, “AGAIN!” His excitement for the animals spread throughout the crowd, and people just stood around after the show waiting for any behavior that might come next. One of my favorite things in the world is watching people connect with these animals, and this moment made my heart smile.
Another special moment was when a few kids wanted to get splashed, and the trainer near them shouted to a trainer on the stage, “They want to get splashed!” So…she sent a whale over to splash them! (I was VERY close to getting splashed too 😅). It was totally impromptu, which I loved. It was a very special and energetic evening, and a perfect way to end my day at SeaWorld.
Witnessing every animal at SeaWorld is such a privilege, and I feel grateful every time I get the opportunity to. Every visit to SeaWorld is a good time, but my last couple of visits have just been 👌. I highly recommend visiting SeaWorld during Inside Look if you are in need of some fun and inspiration.