{"id":54663,"date":"2017-06-20T13:00:19","date_gmt":"2017-06-20T17:00:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/?p=54663"},"modified":"2022-04-09T00:47:28","modified_gmt":"2022-04-09T04:47:28","slug":"discovery-cove-orlando","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/discovery-cove-orlando\/","title":{"rendered":"Discovery Cove: A Very Different Orlando Attraction"},"content":{"rendered":"

There is no doubt that the highlight of a visit to Discovery Cove<\/a> is the opportunity to swim with an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin, but there is so much more to this beautifully landscaped place. There are waterfalls, winding rivers, white-sand beaches, and exotic birds, to name a few.<\/p>\n

\"Discovery
The Grand Reef at Discovery Cove<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The day at Discovery Cove starts early and it starts right, with breakfast served as of \u00a07:15 a.m.<\/p>\n

\"Discovery<\/p>\n

After breakfast there is plenty of time to get oriented, claim a spot on the beach, and settle in. Upon check-in, you are\u00a0given a time for the experiences you have booked, and you are then free to plan your day.<\/p>\n

\"Discovery<\/p>\n

The\u00a0day started with the\u00a050-minute\u00a0Dolphin Swim Experience<\/strong>. Our group of seven\u00a0received an\u00a0orientation led by dolphin trainers and had the opportunity to ask questions.\u00a0Accompanied by the trainers, our group waded into shallow water to get an introduction to the dolphin in its habitat.<\/p>\n

\"Discovery
The Dolphin Swim Experience<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There are several animal training demonstrations and hands-on interactions. We got to feed a\u00a0dolphin, and \u00a0even got\u00a0a kiss. The actual time spent in the water is about 30 minutes.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The experience culminated with each participant, one by one, swimming into deeper water and\u00a0being towed back to shore by this incredible mammal. Dolphins are beautiful and amazing creatures; interacting with them is an unforgettable privilege.<\/p>\n

\"Discovery<\/p>\n

After this exciting experience, it was time to check out the rest of the park. Snorkeling and swimming in\u00a0The\u00a0Grand Reef<\/strong>,\u00a0which houses thousands of exotic fish and rays, as well as an underwater shipwreck and hidden grottoes, is a lot of fun.<\/p>\n

\"Discovery
Snorkeling at Discovery Cove<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"Discovery<\/p>\n

Discover Cove\u00a0is dotted with beaches that serve as pathways to the attractions. And who could resist the\u00a0Wind-Away River<\/strong>? Make sure to visit the\u00a0Freshwater Oasis<\/strong>,\u00a0where you\u00a0can\u00a0get up close and personal with otters and marmosets. The marmosets are located behind a moat, and the\u00a0otters are behind a glass tank. The Freshwater Oasis is also a lazy river, albeit shorter than Wind Away River.<\/p>\n

\"Discovery
The Lazy River at Discovery Cove<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Just before lunch, it was time for\u00a0SeaVenture<\/strong>,\u00a0a 25-minute underwater stroll on the bottom of the Grand Reef aquarium. It is a lot of fun, and you do not have to have any experience or SCUBA certification. Best of all for those of us who wear glasses, the diving helmets are large enough that you can keep your specs on.<\/p>\n

\"\"
SeaVenture at Discovery Cove<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Make sure to take\u00a0an underwater camera with you. There is time to take pictures, and\u00a0the divers guiding the\u00a0group generously\u00a0offer to take pictures of your party throughout the journey.<\/p>\n

\"Discovery<\/p>\n

SeaVenture is a fabulous\u00a0experience and really worth the extra fee. There were so many amazing moments\u00a0\u201cdown-under\u201d\u00a0that are usually unavailable to those\u00a0who have no diving experience.<\/p>\n

\"Discovery<\/p>\n

Note that the SeaVenture experience is not included in the dolphin swim package but can be added\u00a0to a reservation starting at $49\u00a0per person, plus tax. Minimum age is 10 years.<\/p>\n

Lunch at Discovery Cove is good and plenty; offerings include Sweet Hawaiian Chicken served over rice, Bacon Burger, Fire Grilled Fish, Tropical Summer\u00a0Cobb Salad, BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich, and various cakes and assorted pastries. Should you get hungry, snacks and beverages are available all day long.<\/p>\n

\"Discovery<\/p>\n

Free beer and wine\u00a0is offered throughout the day to guests who are 21 and older, but a specialty drink package can be added at an additional fee. Lunch is served 11:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m.\u00a0Snacks and drinks are also served at the Beach and Island Bars 10:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.<\/p>\n

\"Discovery<\/p>\n

At the\u00a0Explorer\u2019s Aviary, guests get\u00a0to\u00a0feed gorgeous tropical birds. The specially prepared food is free of charge and caretakers are at hand to talk about the birds in their care. This is an absolute must-do activity!<\/p>\n

\"Discovery
Feeding the birds at the Explorer\u2019s Aviary<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"Discovery<\/p>\n

Another great way to really relax at Discovery Cove is to rent\u00a0a private cabana. The cabana is inside a private\u00a0area that guests have to themselves; some even offer a view of the dolphin swim experience.<\/p>\n

\"Discovery
Cabana at Discovery Cove<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The cabana has a table and chairs under a canopy, and\u00a0chaise lounges\u00a0in a beach-like area. The cabana comes with a fridge filled with drinks and a private locker.<\/p>\n

\"Discovery<\/p>\n

A cabana attendant regularly checks on guests and brings fresh towels, snacks, and drinks.<\/p>\n

\"Discovery<\/p>\n

If you have kids in your party, sand toys are available upon request for no additional charge. It is a treat well worth the splurge.\u00a0Different locations, layouts, and celebration packages\u00a0are available, and prices are $200 and up.<\/p>\n

With a focus on personal one-on-one animal encounters, the park admits only 1,300 guests per day. Discovery Cove is a welcome departure from the hustle and bustle of other Orlando parks.<\/p>\n

Arrive early at the park to enjoy all there is to see and do, and make sure to leave ample time for relaxation.\u00a0Admission prices\u00a0vary by season, occupancy for the day and residency of the\u00a0guest.\u00a0Opening hours are 8:00 a.m. through 5:30 p.m. with\u00a0water activities and beaches opening\u00a0at 9:00 a.m. Check-in and breakfast starts\u00a0at 7:15 p.m.<\/p>\n

\"Discovery
Chek-in lobby of Discovery Cove<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The all-inclusive Dolphin Swim package ($339 for the month of June)\u00a0<\/b>includes the dolphin swim; self-parking; breakfast, lunch, snacks, and drinks; use of a wetsuit (available in short and long versions), life vest, beach umbrellas, lounge chairs, towels, lockers, sunscreen that is safe for the dolphins, and swim and snorkel gear (guests get to keep the snorkel; prescription-lens masks are available). The changing rooms have complimentary body wash, shampoo, conditioner,\u00a0and the use of a hair dryer. If you forget to bring a bag for your wet swimsuit, free plastic bags are available.<\/p>\n

Your ticket includes unlimited free admission\u00a0to SeaWorld and Aquatica for 14 days surrounding your visit to Discovery Cove. Admission to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay can be added for an additional charge of $25. Florida resident rates start at $219. If you\u2019re not interested in the dolphin swim, a day at Discovery Cove costs\u00a0$149 for the month of June.\u00a0Note that\u00a0parking is not included at SeaWorld and Aquatica, unless you add the Busch Gardens admission to your package.<\/p>\n

For a complete review of all the is to do beyond Disney, check out\u00a0Beyond Disney: The Unofficial Guide to SeaWorld, Universal Orlando, & The Best of\u00a0Central Florida<\/em><\/a>\u00a0by Seth Kubersky.<\/p>\n

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There is no doubt that the highlight of a visit to Discovery Cove is the opportunity to swim with an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin, but there is so much more to this beautifully landscaped place. There are waterfalls, winding rivers, white-sand beaches, and exotic birds, to name a few. The day at Discovery Cove starts early…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":68,"featured_media":54688,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wprm-recipe-roundup-name":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-description":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[276],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-54663","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-travel-adventures-to-destinations-other-than-disney"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54663","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/68"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=54663"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54663\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":56346,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54663\/revisions\/56346"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/54688"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=54663"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=54663"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=54663"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}