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See Shamus Happy Harbor pictures, and learn about the many active-play opportunities for kids in this delightful section of SeaWorld San Diego! Updated Sept 27, 2007. Related info--- HOME :: Latest News :: Shamu the Killer Whale :: Shamu Show "Believe" :: Shamu training techniques :: SeaWorld Rides :: Dolphin attractions :: Other animal attractions :: Other SeaWorld Shows :: Shamu's Happy Harbor :: Behind the Scenes Tour :: Sea World FAQs :: SeaWorld Discount Tickets :: SeaWorld Contact Info :: Dining with Shamu :: Shamu Buffet Photos :: Shamu's Happy Harbor Pictures
Hot News! Shamu's Happy Harbor has closed permanently! Construction has begun on new rides for the "area formerly known as Shamu's Happy Harbor." When this area re-opens in 2008, not only will there be several new children's rides...but the entire section will have a new theme! Shamu is "out," and Sesame Street is "in!" Expect to see a Sesame Street-themed play area that's sure to please your toddlers, preschoolers, and elementary school-aged children.
However, not everyone is happy to see Shamu's Happy Harbor go. This page will stand as a tribute to the beautiful children's playland which was home to many happy memories for both San Diego's children, and those who visited the theme park from near and far. Goodbye, Shamu's Happy Harbor! We love you and we WON'T forget you! End News, begin special archived page--- Shamu's Happy Harbor is a 3 acre magnet for active kids visiting SeaWorld San Diego! In Shamu's Happy Harbor, kids can explore the "Wahoo Two" play ship, climb and bounce on netting, jump in a bounce house, get squirted by water jets, crawl through tubes and race down slides. There's even a super-soft play area for babies! And toddlers will love to dig in the sand---where fun toy dump trucks, cement mixers, pails and shovels are awaiting them. Shamu's Happy Harbor was constructed by the Del Mar Pacific general contractors, famous throughout the San Diego, California area for their excellent theme park work. (The Del Mar Pacific company also designed and constructed a similar giant play area for Legoland California...to the tune of $1 million dollars! While children's play areas are a less-expensive addition to theme parks than roller coasters or animal shows, they're certainly not dirt cheap, as you can see!) Del Mar also constructed an exotic & rare bird facility for the San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park in Escondido (greater San Diego), California. So, you don't have to worry about the safety of your child while playing at Shamu's Happy Harbor. It was designed and constructed by experts at a company experienced in building structures that will draw the large crowds that theme parks like SeaWorld attract! Shamu's Happy Harbor Pictures: Play Boat, the "Wahoo Two"
The centerpiece of Shamu's Happy Harbor at SeaWorld San Diego is the "Wahoo Two" giant play boat. Aboard, kids can wander and explore her various compartments, ring bells, push and pull levers and wheels, etc.This attractive ship, as you can tell by looking at the photo to your left, is painted in the sky blue, pink and teal colors that are featured prominently throughout Shamu's Happy Harbor play area. A whimsical pink flamingo adorns the Wahoo Two's bow. Coconut-bearing faux palm trees set around the boat are an "extra touch" that gives a tropical sense to this Happy Harbor setting. In front of the Wahoo Two play boat...as you can see in the same picture...is a small water-play area. Several fountains squirt water at intervals. Children can get as little...or as much...water on them as they choose. A slip-resistent, rubberized flooring helps to keep running toddlers from falling down if they take off running through this wet-floor area. This structure also includes a completely-enclosed (in other words, accident-resistant!) spiral slide, and climbing opportunities. Shamu's Happy Harbor Pictures: Crawling and Climbing Fun!
This colorful row of tube-shaped slides is just perfect for children to "race" with their friends and siblings!. Since they are totally enclosed, these slides are fall-resistant; and parents may keep a close eye on their children through the clear tubes. The bright teal, pink and purple colors of the slide area make this still another great spot in SeaWorld for snapping family photographs!
There's certainly no shortage of mesh-rope climbing areas at Shamu's Happy Harbor! As you can see from the photo on your right, there's enough mesh to keep quite a few children climbing, bouncing, and exploring at the same time...without tumbling on top of one another.The mesh play area is completely enclosed by a still-finer mesh that will keep kids from falling out. However, my one complaint about Shamu's Happy Harbor is that the mesh used for climbing includes large, gaping holes big enough for even a adult's foot to slip through. All the theme parks use this size mesh in their kids' active-play areas---Legoland and Disney's California Adventure, included---but I still don't like it. Though children can't get seriously hurt by falling all the way to the ground, they can indeed slip into the mesh up to the groin. It isn't a pleasant experience. I'd recommend that only older children use the mesh-climbing equipment in Happy Harbor.
Shamu's Happy Harbor Pictures: Let's bounce!
What kid doesn't like a bounce house? Shamu's Happy Harbor has quite a large bounce house to let kids jump to their heart's content. There is no specific "bounce session" at this bouncing structure. Kids can enter and leave at any time they choose, and stay as long as they want. (This is in contrast to the Snoopy's Bounce House at Knott's Berry Farm and Goofy's Bounce House at Mickey's Toon Town in Disneyland Park, where kids must enter and leave the bounce floor all together as a group, and stay for specific 5-minute bounce sessions.) I've never paid any attention to the SeaWorld Bounce House before this particular SeaWorld visit...so I can't tell you if the employees start making the kids use this area in "sessions" when the crowd starts to get heavier (in the summertime), or not.
If adults were allowed on the Shamu's Happy Harbor structures, I can tell you where I'd head first---to the bouncing, swinging bridges! I don't know why, but I love bouncing bridges. And, it's so hard to get a chance to use one at the Los Angeles theme parks. Whenever I try to bounce on the barrel bridge (on Tom Sawyer's Island at Disneyland), there always seems to be some parents taking their little toddler across the bridge at the same time. Sigh!Using the many bouncing bridges within the Happy Harbor structures, your kids shouldn't come across the too-crowded-to-bounce-freely issue as frequently! Shamu's Happy Harbor Photos: Infant and toddler fun
Shamu's Happy Harbor even has an activity for babies---how thoughtful! This is an ultra-padded area where babies who've been sitting still at the Shamu and dolphin shows can get out, stretch, and crawl to their hearts' content.Older babies and toddlers may wish to play with the large, soft blocks provided for their use within this padded play area. Included within the play area are a number of colorful plastic toy trucks, cement mixers, sand pails and shovels, etc. which your toddler may use while in the sand pit. Plastic picnic benches provide a sitting area for kids...if they don't wish to plop down on the sand itself. The sand-play area is completely enclosed by a rope-mesh fence which has only one entrance...so you don't have to worry about your preschooler wandering out of the area without your knowledge. Near Shamu's Happy Harbor: Arcade and Carnival Game Photos
Older kids, teens and adults will enjoy the SeaWorld "Coco Loco" arcade, filled with both video games AND win-a-prize games. ("Coco loco" means "crazy coconut" in Spanish!)As you can see from the phot on your left, you'll have a chance to win official SeaWorld Shamu stuffed animals! Let me explain how this particular game works...because you can't win a big Shamu plush animal after just ONE ROUND of play. You'll pay a fee to enter the game, then--when the starting bell sounds---roll balls into the holes you see on the game tables. Each time you get a ball into the hole, you get a step closer to winning the game...your playing piece automatically advances one step ahead in the game. The person whose playing piece crosses the finish line wins the game. The prize given to this player is NOT a giant stuffed Shamu, however! Instead, it's a smaller prize...not seen in this photo.
To win the giant Shamu plush, the winning player must give up this little prize and play AGAIN...for still another fee! If the player loses, then he or she loses the little prize, too! But, if the player wins, he or she receives a bit bigger prize for winning the 2nd time in a row. For a chance to win the large Shamu plush, the player must give up this "intermediate" prize, pay another fee and try still AGAIN. After several rounds, though, it IS entirely possible to win one of the large Shamus. Best strategy: play on a slow day when the only players are members of your own family! In that case, someone from your group is the SURE winner! 
Inside the Coco Loco arcade building, you'll find a variety of video games. They may not be the latest games on the market, but they'll give the game addict a quick fix! All video games, like the carnival games, are played for an extra fee. None of the games come included with Sea World admission.
Other carnival games sit right outside of the Sea World arcade building. In the photo on your left, you see the basketball game. Pay a fee, test your aim, and win a prize!Backwards Links: Back HOME :: Back to top of "Shamu's Happy Harbor Pictures" (this page) Choose another SeaWorld page: Shamu the Killer Whale :: Shamu Show "Believe" :: Shamu training techniques :: SeaWorld Rides :: Dolphin attractions :: Other animal attractions :: Other SeaWorld Shows :: Shamu's Happy Harbor :: Behind the Scenes Tour :: Sea World FAQs :: SeaWorld Discount Tickets :: SeaWorld Contact Info :: Dining with Shamu :: Shamu Buffet Photos ::
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In the image to your right, you see just ONE of the many play areas in Shamu's Happy Harbor. Though Happy Harbor is mainly designed as an area where kids can run, play, and "get the wiggles out," this particular play structure is partially wheelchair accessible and offers a few activities that a sitting child may perform with his or her hands.
Another toddler and preschooler "favorite area" at Shamu's Happy Harbor is the sand-play area. This large area is completely shaded---unlike the Southern California beaches! Your child may dig and play for hours without burning!
