Orca Encounter — Attraction in San Diego

I've encountered orcas three times. Once from the shore in the Pacific Northwest, once from a fishing boat in the ocean, and once from the bleachers at SeaWorld San Diego.

From the shore i saw a mother and calf together close to shore. The locals I was with talked about the meaning of a sighting like that and the history around the blackfish (orca).

From the fishing boat miles off shore it was startling to see one breach unexpectedly. As it got closer to the boat it became clear they are big enough to tip the boat if they wanted to. It commands respect.

From the bleachers at SeaWorld with my daughters it was unpleasant to see an orca with a drooping fin doing tricks for fish. But what I found deeply depressing was the humans gathered around watching this, content to relegate this creature to a corporate circus act... show after show, day in, day out. I was there one time one day. The orcas are doing multiple shows daily, week after week, year after year. Each time with a bunch of humans buying rain ponchos, yelling and screaming, wondering if they will get splashed. A very different feeling than being miles off shore in cold ocean realizing these creatures could capsize your boat and you would die of hypothermia before anyone got to you. Not that they would, just that they have that power.

Showing my kids was educational for them. Other kids were shrieking if a splash of the chlorine water got near them. They saw how depressing it was for me. They got to understand two sides of it a little bit.

I see the arguments on here, there is no question these animals dont belong in captivity. The tanks are small but bigger tanks are pointless. A bullet in their brains would be more humane than a bigger tank. That might be harsh, but thats how seeing this...

It was our first time back at Sea World ever since our last visit back in 2004. So this was definitely our first time watching the Orca Encounter ever since Sea World stopped doing the theatrical orca shows that my sister and I grew up with.

Personally, we really liked how the Orca Encounter was much more educational and focused on orca conservation, and where the orcas could swim around amid a huge digital screen that highlighted their importance and life as some of the most majestic animals in the ocean. As children back in the 1980s and 1990s, we had watched the orca theatrical shows in which trainers swam and interacted in very close proximity with the orcas.

But due to animal rights activists, movies such as "Blackfish," and also incidents that happened with trainers at some of their parks, Sea World changed their shows over at least the past decade to becoming more educational, and less theatrical. All the seats in the Orca Encounter stadium are fantastic :D ! And if you really want to get splashed, such as on hot summer days, you're more than welcome to sit in the "splash zone" rows :D !

Trainers praise the orcas from the stage, and point out interesting facts and highlights regarding orca life :) ! We are really happy to hear that Sea World stopped their orca breeding program in 2016, and are focused on educating the public about the last generation of orcas in captivity at Sea World, as well as about how orcas live in the wild :) ! Let's hope and move towards a better future in which all orcas can thrive in the wild and always travel freely with their...

Orca Encounter is most popular show at Seaworld, though that does not necessarily mean much. There is plenty of space to sit and there are two entrances into the stadium. The show itself is informative and the enormous screen in the middle of the pool is impressive. It is amazing to see orcas up close and you will be impressed by their intelligence and incredible size. Additionally, I’m glad that Seaworld ended the Shamu shows and replaced it with a more educational and interesting presentation that aims to teach the general public about orcas in an interactive and inspiring manner. My complaints is that the tanks are very small and lack enrichment. It looks very outdated. Don’t get me wrong, the orcas themselves are taken care of (as much as possible in that environment) and are extremely energetic, I just wish that the tanks were larger, as these guys love to swim fast. I would have been a lot more comfortable seeing the orcas in a closed off bay. Also, I think there should have been less splashing of the audience. Additionally, I know that seeing orcas in captivity is definitely becoming less encouraged now, and I completely see why. These are massive animals that need to swim far distances, and especially after Blackfish, it can be uncomfortable seeing this. But overall, I only recommend the show if you are...