Tom Krebs

Review of Loro Parque S.A. (Loro Parque ...

One of the smarter promotions I've seen anywhere i...

One of the smarter promotions I've seen anywhere is Loro Park selling their souvenir yellow hats for 1 Euro. This generates all kinds of free advertising for the park as tourists head back home wearing the hats. In fact, I have given several away as gifts since returning and it cost me very little! Anyways, almost immediately after entering there is signage promoting you to return for half-price within the next 15 days. You may seriously want to consider taking advantage as during the high travel season it becomes difficult to get in to see the shows (whale, dolphin, sea lion and bird) due to many, many others wanting to be at the same place at the same time. So, here's my high season recommendation: the park opens at 9:00am everyday. Get there in time to see the 9:35 Sea Lion show. This show runs with about half the audience seats filled. Also, the prima donna Sea Lions don't work again until the early afternoon and by then the long lines of parents and impatient kids will have formed and you want no part of that misery. After the Sea Lion show wraps, head for the Loro Show (the bird show). You will be one of the first in line and will get a good seat. Thereafter, skip the Dolphin Show for it will most assuredly be full as by this time all of the tour buses will have arrived at the park for the day. Instead, head for the Orca Show. You'll be one of the first in line, but you won't have to wait more than 10 minutes for them to open the venue and you can pick your seat. I chose the 3rd row above the walkway, near the center and the water the Orca flung with it's tail miraculously hit on my knees and below, but where I held my camera at remained dry! Anyways, I would then kill some time until the next dolphin show, maybe by either visiting Planet Penguin or the Aquarium. Using this plan, you should be able to see all four shows by 1:30, and spend the minimum amount of time standing in lines. A couple of additional notes: there is a large bird tent near the front, where many species have a large space to fly about. At the top of the path there is a catwalk, or free-swinging bridge for people to cross. One smart bird landed on the rail and allowed passersby to pet it's head and neck and posed for pictures! People were enthralled with the friendliness of the bird. Last, the lions. These guys sleep through the day. At 4:30, they start to awaken. By 5:00, they begin chasing each other around and taking an interest in park visitors on the other side of the glass. A lioness and a little boy had quite a game of hide-and-seek going on at the glass. And for a time all three lions took an interest in the here-and-there of the boy. If I had to guess, the lions stir in the late afternoon because the sun is no longer overhead and feeding time occurs after the park closes at 6:00. So, if you're a lion fan, come late.