Days before it was forecasted to have thunderstorms, I got tickets for Marineland to celebrate DD#1’s birthday. Crazy, yes, but there was no other available schedule for us to take off. So, with raincoats and umbrellas in tow, we set off for Niagara.
We arrived at 1030am, just 30 minutes after they opened. The skies were dark but there were some breaks which brought some hope. We went to the King Waldorf Stadium first to catch the 11am show featuring dolphins, sea lions, Beluga whales and a giant walrus. The show was just ok. The animals were not cooperating much and the stunts were not really spectacular. Now, this is coming from having been to Sea World in San Diego and Ocean Park in Hong Kong so that kind of set the bar for me. However, my kids, who were seeing these stunts for the first time, enjoyed.
Next, we had lunch at the Hungry Bear restaurant. We got hamburgers, pizzas and hotdogs. Each meal costs just under $10, which is pretty pricey as it is not really gourmet. But the serving was big—DD#1 could only finish half her burger—and the fries were generous. If you have the inclination and the opportunity, though, it might be better to bring in your own food. They have a big picnic area for this purpose. After all, at $45 per person for admission (less for kids, of course), expenses can really add up.
The rides and attractions were spaced well apart from each other (be prepared to do some walking!). Some people might not like this set up, but we liked the stroll. It felt like being in a nature walk interspersed with activities. The place was not packed that day (I think many did not want to risk the thunderstorm forecast) so we didn’t feel hurried or harassed to line up. There was hardly a crowd. By noon, the sun had come out and it stayed out for the rest of the day! I couldn’t believe our luck!
We went to the Friendship cove after lunch. We observed the Beluga whales and the sole Killer whale. The Belugas were plentiful and so amusing to watch. Every so often they would bob their heads above water and this always brought a smile to their audience. There was just one killer whale, but still it was magnificent to watch. There was also an underwater viewing area on the lower level which provided amazing views of these animals. Facts about them were also displayed on the walls.
The girls hit a few thrill rides next. They were able to go on all the rides by themselves except for one which required an adult to accompany them. How my girls have grown! There were a couple which were out of service, but it was ok. The girls got to go many times without the long lines so we were good.
The Arctic Cove was one of the main highlights of this park. I got some tickets for the girls to be able to touch and feed a Beluga whale. After they sanitized their hands, they were assigned a whale to interact with. Lily, the Beluga, was one of the younger ones so she was still quite shy around people. She hardly came up above water to get food or be touched. So, we moved on to Isis, a more experienced Beluga, and the girls got to pet and feed her. This was a great photo op!
We crossed the fish-feeding lake after our Whale encounter. The fish-feed kiosk was closed so we didn’t get a chance to feed some fish. Missing this experience just allowed us more time for the next highlight—the Sky Screamer.
This triple tower ride, the world’s highest at 300ft, features a free fall at 2G’s (4G’s for ascent). You can see this Marineland landmark pretty much wherever you go at Niagara Falls. As well, from the top of this ride, you can also get such an impressive view of the city and the falls (depending on where you sit). I did not plan on riding this one so only hubby and DD#1 lined up. I stayed below to take pictures. Hubby emerged dazed after this ride while DD#1 had a huge smile on her face. I figured, you haven’t been to Marineland until you’ve ridden the Sky Screamer. So, when DD#1 said she would ride again to accompany me (how roles have reversed!), I took the chance. And what a ride it was! I am pretty sure the entire Niagara Falls heard me scream. Sky Screamer indeed! While DD#1 laughed at me at the top, hubby laughed at me from below. Talk about support! Hmph. When my insides had settled down, though, I had to admit it was quite a thrill!
A nice walk to Bear Country, which had a significant collection of Black bears, helped brought down our heartbeats. It was nice to see so many black bears lazily sitting among the logs or swimming. It seems they have more bears here than in the Toronto Zoo. There was bear-feed kiosk as well but it was closed. I wasn’t quite sure I wanted to feed bears anyway so that was fine. The girls also checked out the enclosures for Elk and Bison. But before long, they were already watching out for the next ride.
The next ride I took with DD#1 was the Dragon Mountain. Hubby was still trying to get a sense of equilibrium at this time, so we left him in one of the many benches along the path. We entered a pitch black cave to get to the coaster and we had to walk slowly to make sure we didn’t trip. The ride itself was more shaky than thrilling for me. I ended up getting a crick in my neck from all the jolts.
Then, we checked out the deer park. The deer were shy, of course, and tended to move away as we approached. However, when we bought some food (the deer feed kiosk was open this time!), the adult deer sought us out to eat from our hands.
We went to the family rides next. These were a bit too boring after all the thrill rides that the girls had gone on. However, this was DD#2’s chance to ride the mini-Sky Screamer, called the Orca Screamer, so her big sister rode with her—four times!
At about 5pm, we were ready to call it a day. But first, we had to stop by the Whale shop. As can be expected from gift shops, the items were not cheap. The girls got a treat from Grandma and they each got a stuffed animal. One was promptly named, Cutie Pie, the killer whale--the girls can be so hilarious sometimes.
We were about to exit when we realized we haven’t been inside the Aquarium Dome. The sea lion exhibit was nice, but nothing compared to the Beluga exhibit. They also had several freshwater fish aquariums on display. Of course, these were not colourful, unlike marine fish, so we just breezed through.
The kids have had their fill by this time and just wanted to play with Cutie Pie. It was a fun and memorable day for all of us. Thank God for this and the sunshine!
