Sleeping with the fish at Aquarium of the Pacific

[Gwyren]

Hey all!

On August 29th the Aquarium of the Pacific is having a sleep over for adults.

Adult Sleepover (http://www.aquariumofpacific.org/education/programdetails/adult_sleepover/)

It is from 6 pm to 9 am the next morning.

$60/per person for members, $70/per person for nonmembers.

The phone number to RSVP is (562) 951-1630

Peach and I went last year and had a great time. We are also attending this one.

[Gemini Cricket]

The Monterey Bay Aquarium has something similar. It is really neat. Many of the guests loved this.

[innerSpaceman]

I didn't like the one at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.


I think it was misleading advertising that led to my disappointment.


But it was basically having a pretty small group alone in the Aquarium for a couple of hours after closing, and the 100 or so people got to run around in their P.J.'s for those 2 hours.

After that, it was lights out, and you had to bed down in sleeping bags near one of the tanks. And when they said lights out, they meant in the displays, too.


Bah.


We were fortunate to be camped out in front of a huge tank of giant jellies. They were sorta backlit after the main lights went out, so we could still see their fantastically undulating forms ... and it was very hypnotic and a cool thing to fall asleep to.



But from how the adverts read, we expected the Aquarium to be open all night. Nah. They just charged us money to sleep there while they went through their normal operations.



I wouldn't do it again.

[BarTopDancer]

Do they haz a Sharkey (http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/news/content/images/headline/p_headline_whiteshark_2007.jpg)?

[Gemini Cricket]

I didn't like the one at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Well, of course you didn't. Your saltiness probably turned the million gallon tank into the Dead Sea.


:D

[CoasterMatt]

I think the entire Aquarium of the Pacific would fit inside Monterey Bay Aquarium's million gallon tank.

I've slept on a bench over night at Knott's, with Ghostrider roaring away over me, only waking up for the occasional lap (and lulled back to sleep by riding Silver Bullet).

[BDBopper]

Well, of course you didn't. Your saltiness probably turned the million gallon tank into the Dead Sea.


Ouch! ;)

[innerSpaceman]

With all due respect, Gemini Cricket ... i hold you partially resposible for my disappointment at your Aquarium. Ooooh, 2 hours to have the place to yourself ... oh, with a hundred other people.

I bet you were the one who sprung the bad news that we all had to go to bed at 10pm 'cause you were turning all the lights out. I just didn't know you then.


You're a bad, bad man.

[Gemini Cricket]

Well, what kind of stressed fish would you be if you were in bright lights for 24 hours straight while sticky brats smear ice cream sandwich runoff all over your windows?

:D

[Alex]

I've heard similar disappointment stories from friends who did various zoo sleepovers.

You get a couple hours in the zoo after closing then they put most of the animals into their indoor cages, don't let you go anywhere than the designated sleeping spot, turn off all the lights, and then you get to consider yourself lucky if a monkey hoots in the distance.

If you're ever in Singapore, though, there zoo has a fantastic night time experience. You don't sleep over but the zoo is open and active which is great since so many zoo animals are essentially nocturnal.

[DreadPirateRoberts]

You get a couple hours in the zoo after closing then they put most of the animals into their indoor cages, don't let you go anywhere than the designated sleeping spot, turn off all the lights, and then you get to consider yourself lucky if a monkey hoots in the distance.


This sounds like our house.

[katiesue]

We did the SeaWorld sleepover last year with Swanie's girlscout troup. It was AMAZING. They had tons of activities. We trouped all over the park after hours. We slept in with the belgua whales. They did turn off the lights but they're white and kinda glowy. Then in the AM we got up and did some more activities before the park opened. Definatley was worth it.

Maddy's going for her birthday present on Friday. This time she's sleeping with the Manatees. I'm interested to see if they do as much with regular guests as they did with the girlscouts. Plus it's summer so park hours are longer.

[innerSpaceman]

One night a year would hardly stress the fish.

But, ok, howabout letting us see behind the scenes of how the fish are cared for, how the Aquarium is operated, what the ROUTINE is for overnight maintence of animals and operations.


No, they did none of that. It was a rip-off.


I'm not saying we didn't have fun. I just would have liked to have been told the drill before we bought our tickets, and for those tickets to be far lower priced for the actual experience provided.

[Not Afraid]

So, the moral of this thread is - if we want to go sleep with fish, don't ask ISM to come along.

[innerSpaceman]

Unless you want to sleep with the fishes.

[Gn2Dlnd]

^ And that's the wørd.

[madmonkeygirl]

ISm they offer that at the Shark Reef at Mandaly Bay in Vegas. Brea and i paid the extra $$ for backstage tour of the aquarium. We saw the kitchen where they prepare everything (actually someone was starting to get the fish their food ready) and we were taken backstage of sorts and told all sorts of interesting things as far as filter systems, tanks etc that i wouldn't have even thought about. We didn't see anything being put into the one tank or taken out of but still it was really neat to get that backstage experience i would never have even thought about doing or how much goes into taking care of the aquarium and the exhibits etc.

I for one wouldn't shell out that much money to do a sleepover period. Not when i have enough time during the day and take the backstage tours that places offer and hands on by other means...

Matt you crack me up the sleepover at Knott's lol loved the last ERT time we had that night since you did sleep while i rode lol

[Gwyren]

Last year when Peach and I went it went thus:

We all met in front of the large tank, where they proceeded to take us elsewhere and feed us pizza, beer, and wine, and give a presentation on something sea related (ours was the kelp forest).

After that we went out, fed one of the tropical tanks upstairs, watched a diver feed one of the tanks, were given a backstage tour, prepped the squid for some of the rays, then fed the rays.

Then was some free time, then a flashlight tour of one of the wings. After that was time to stake out our sleep spot (either in the northern pacific or tropical wing), then there was yoga for those who wished to partake. Lights out was at midnight. Peach and I slept next to the otters and awoke to one swimming back and forth at the glass...probably wondering what we were doing in the human tank.

We woke up, packed up, watched someone feed the otters, then had breakfast. After that we received a shirt and it was time to leave!

They did keep us somewhat busy.

[€uroMeinke]

I did grad night at Disneyland but that involved watching other nocternal creatures

[The Original OC Adventure]

Sounds like fun. Do they provide the concrete golashes?

[lizziebith]

For a true overnight, I've long wanted to do a Star Party (http://www.mwoa.org/60-inch.html). Perhaps this warrants a new thread? Hmmmmm...