A special day at The Shedd
My parents and mom’s mom are in town for our annual baking extravaganza*. Since Steven and I have a membership to the Shedd Aquarium, we ventured in to the city yesterday to go. We got there when they opened, and I am so happy we did – the aquarium was not crowded for the first hour or so that we were there, and it was so nice to be able to look at exhibits without feeling rushed or trampled on. We even got to hear Shedd staff do a mini presentation on sharks and then another on penguins – I didn’t even know they did presentations!
Anyway, my favorite part of visiting the Shedd is always the dolphin** show. I just loving seeing the dolphins do their coordinated jumps, flips and other tricks! So we got tickets to the 10:30 show. I am also happy we got to the theater early – because it filled up fast. There were a bunch of school groups there and we had to make sure we sat in a non group section. We chose the our seats and were hanging out when a Shedd staff member started to approach us. I immediately thought “Oh crap! Did we sit where we aren’t supposed to?!”
But no. She approached to ask if I wanted to be the special guest in the dolphin show and get to pet a dolphin!
OF COURSE I WANT TO!
So I left my family*** and sat in the first row of the theater, and Courtney, the Shedd staff member, prepped me – she would introduce me to the audience, then we would sit together and watch the show until it was time for me to go play with the dolphins!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The show ended up being holiday themed, which I LOVED. They had singers, a sing-a-long, and characters that came out. It was so fun to hear the excitement in the audience (especially all the kids). When I introduced myself as being from Round Lake, some kid in the audience excitedly proclaimed that he was from there too, ha ha. Courtney welcomed me asking questions to her during the show, so I actually learned a little bit too!
Then we got to go backstage. I wore boots provided by the Shedd so I could walk in the water. I had to sanitize my hands and the boots, and Courtney also prepped me on how to stand out there, and three different commands for the dolphins – to touch my hand, spin and clap.
I went out there with Courtney (she had her hand on my back the whole time, for safety) and got to meet the trainers. I got to hold my hand out for the dolphin to jump up to it,
and I also got to pet it! The Shedd has a new baby dolphin, and while he was not in the show, he was swimming around the whole time, checking us out, and seeing what his mom was doing. So cute!
My mom made a little video of me out there – you can see the dolphin jumping up at my hand at :35 and me petting her at :53.
After my participation was over, I got to stay out there to watch the finale! It was really cool to see the trainers give the commands up close! And to be so close to the dolphins!!! (whoa, lots of exclamation points)
The show was done after that and I went back to my family! Courtney told me I did a great job (despite a few mistakes I know I made) and was so nice the whole time. She really made me feel like a special guest! I have no idea why she picked me! She didn’t even know I was a Shedd member until we were talking. I wonder if maybe my red jacket made me stand out?
And the only bad part about the whole thing was that my family had to watch the show on their own. But they had fun without me (and were excited I got to go out there).
After that we toured the Shedd some more and a few kids said “Hi, Kim!” I would think “How do I know them?!” then remember I was in the show. Ha ha ha.
Have you ever pet or fed a dolphin?
It’s funny, when I was sitting with my grandma before Courtney came up to me, my grandma asked me if I ever had fed a dolphin! Nope! But now I can say I petted one!
Steven wasn’t able to come with us, but was really excited for me, and now he says we should look for a “swim with the dolphins activity” for our next vacation.
*which is now just a shopping extravaganza
**well aquatic show, but the dolphins are my fave
***and jewelry behind
Themocracy
Wow, Kim, that’s awesome! I’m sure it was fun for your family to see you meeting the dolphin. I bet Courtney picked you for your red jacket and natural beauty!
I looked back at my family when I introduced myself and saw my dad smiling. 🙂 That made me happy 🙂
Thank you 🙂
That is the coolest thing ever!! Wow! I’ve never seen a dolphin close up, that would be awesome though!
WOW!! That is so freaking cool and amazing!! I am a tad bit jealous that you got to pet a dolphin- and “command” it!!! SO WAY COOL!!! I haven’t seen a dolphin up close like that, I can only imagine!! Awww!!! I bet the baby dolphin was cute!!!
=^..^=
The baby dolphin was TOO FREAKING CUTE! You would not believe it! Come to Chicago and go to the Shedd with us so you can see them 🙂
I am so jealous!
Wow!! So cool!! I got chills watching that, you are so lucky! <3
😀 I thought of you while I was doing it and how you used to be in to dolphins! We should go together and you can sit in the spot I was in and see if they ask you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That is so cool! My family went to Florida without when I was college and swam with the dolphins. We have it on video and I almost pee my pants every time I watch. There is one part when my Dad is hanging on to the dolphin’s fin and it starts swimming pretty quickly. The Dad looks terrified and has this hilarious expression on his face.
Not to be creepy but how did the skin feel on the dolphin? I went scuba diving a few years ago and I petted a turtle. Thats pretty awesome you pet a dolphin. 🙂
The skin was soft and smooth, and I thought it kind of felt like an aloe plant feels like – a bit squishy but still firm… if that makes ANY sense.
We did a “dolphin experience” excursion on our honeymoon when our cruise ship was in Belize. We were basically in the water with a dolphin and trainer, we got to pet the dolphin and then the trainer had the dolphin do some tricks. There was a more hands-on dolphin excursion – I think it included swimming with/on the dolphin and feeding it, etc, but it was more expensive.
I think the Shedd has or had some kind of “penguin experience” that I would looove to do.
Did you go scuba diving in Belize when you stopped there? We thought about going there a few years ago just to dive 🙂
Nope, we have zero scuba experience and I personally prefer to avoid very deep water. We went snorkeling in Grand Cayman, and I purposely picked the excursion described as “shallow” (I think the water depths were around 10 feet). I don’t know why I get so freaked out by deep water – I’m an excellent swimmer and have been in the water my whole life. Just one of those things that makes me nervous.
That is so cool Kim and thanks for sharing the video.
I got to pet dolphins at Sea World in San Diego. They have a pool where you can purchase a bucket of fish and feed them. I didn’t feed them but people stood next to me did so I was able to pet them and tickle their chins. They also had sting rays to pet in another area (with the stinger removed).
Did see Dolphins swimming in the wild near Ponce De Leon FL. They was trying to play with the surfers.
how cool! I hope you have a great weekend!!
That is so awesome, Kim!! I really want to go see the holiday show now. 🙂 We took my cousin’s kids in August and it was so fun. At one point Lex said, “When I grow up, I want to be a dolphin!” Ha!
A friend of mine did the Penguin Encounter and that is now on my bucket list. It’s not cheap, but it would be AMAZING. I thought they would be smelly and gross, and she said no, they are very clean and surprisingly soft.
I LOVED the holiday show! Try to get your cousin to come back again and go with them? Lex will REALLY want to be a dolphin then 😉
I would love to do the penguin encounter! I got to see them up close backstage and they were SO DARN CUTE!!!
That is the coolest Shedd experience I have ever heard of. And an extra jolly Santa Claus to boot! Did they ask you if you knew how to swim, in case you fell in? Great job getting the dolphin to come up to your hand!
Hee hee hee. They did not ask me! My mom said she was a bit worried they asked me since I am so clumsy. LOL! I stayed mostly dry though!
I. Love. Dolphins. You are sooo lucky!!! Xoxo
The Shedd is so much fun! I have a photo of the same fish you posted first. 🙂
Oh my gosh, dolphins and penguins are among my most favorite animals ever. They are so smart and friendly. What an AWESOME experience for you!!! Mother nature really is amazing, isn’t she!?!?!?
I dont generally trust dolphins, but that is FREAKING COOL!. I love penguins though. 🙂
That looks really cool!! Looks like they have fun with their holiday show! That is awesome that they chose you! i got to swim with the dolphins on our cruise this year thanks to my roomies parents. If they wouldn’t have payed, I wouldn’t have been able to do it. It was one of the best experiences ever!
Awesome!!!
AHHHH! This is so coooool! I’m so glad you got to do this! And I think I realized from watching the video that I’ve never been to Shedd, so we HAVE.TO.GO.
YESSS!!! Maybe before the other show? 😉
What an amazing experience! And one you’ll remember for years. You must have been exuding your usual bubbly “up for anything” self and that attracted them to you.
Aww, thank you for the nice compliment 🙂
This is SO COOL!!! That’s so exciting that you got picked, and awesome that your parents got a video of it! You definitely need to go swimming with dolphins on your vacation, that sounds so fun!
I’ve sadly never been anywhere near a real dolphin, though I remember seeing them pretty far out in the water when I was in Florida in high school. I did get to pet a reindeer today though, so that’s something!
AHHH! A reindeer! Yes! That is awesome! JEAL!!!
Whaaat this is so cool! Hanging out with dolphins is on my life bucket list, I hope to do it sometime soon preferably in a tropical paradise 🙂 On another note, I can’t believe I’ve never been to Shedd (at least I don’t think so?)…pathetic!
How fun!! I’ve never petted or fed a dolphin before.
Pet a dolphin at Sea World in San Diego for the first time when I was like 12. I love that cute little penguin.
There were so many cute penguin things at he Shedd and I kept thinking of you. Come out (by August) so I can take you!
P.S. I am thinking of tagging along with my mom on her trip to Utah this April 🙂
I would like to see that penguin. I might just make the trip out there this summer.
Utah… how cool. You must tag along and then we can finally meet. I have many friends that are vegan and can help guide you to the best places to eat. And Salt Lake has many of them.