{"id":56833,"date":"2017-09-07T08:00:06","date_gmt":"2017-09-07T12:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/?p=56833"},"modified":"2022-04-09T00:34:38","modified_gmt":"2022-04-09T04:34:38","slug":"new-experiences-discovery-cove","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/new-experiences-discovery-cove\/","title":{"rendered":"New Experiences Now Available at Discovery Cove"},"content":{"rendered":"

So many wonderful Discovery Cove experiences await you at this\u00a0intimate, SeaWorld-owned resort. You probably know that you can swim with dolphins here, but now you can also swim with sharks and feed stingrays!<\/p>\n

Swim with an\u00a0Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin\u00a0<\/b><\/h4>\n

This is, of course, the main draw at Discovery Cove.\u00a0The 50-minute experience begins with an orientation led by trainers and includes time for participants to ask questions. Next, guests get several opportunities to interact with the dolphins before swimming into deeper water and being towed back to shore by one of the alluring creatures.\u00a0I loved feeding a dolphin, placing my hand on his heart, and even getting a kiss!<\/p>\n

\"Discovery<\/p>\n

New Discovery Cove Experiences<\/h4>\n

The\u00a0Shark Swim\u00a0includes a shallow water talk and training session with Discovery\u00a0Cove\u2019s expert aquarists, followed by the opportunity to swim freely alongside several species of sharks in the deeper part of their habitat.\u00a0The cost of the shark swimming experience, which takes place daily at 11:30 a.m. and 12 p.m. is an additional $85 above the normal admission fee.<\/p>\n

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Discovery Cove donates 5% of the proceeds from Shark Swim to the\u00a0Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation<\/a>,\u00a0which conducts scientific research and hosts educational programs aimed at conserving the marine environment.<\/p>\n

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The\u00a0Ray Feeding\u00a0experience\u00a0allows guests to assist Discovery Cove workers as they manage the feeding process of the cownose and southern stingrays. The cost of this experience is $50 on top of the normal admission fee. The stingray feeding experience happens every day, except for Tuesday and Wednesday, 7-8:30 a.m.\u00a0All participants must be at least 10 years old and comfortable swimming in water. Children ages 10-13 must be accompanied by a paying adult who is also participating in the Ray Feeding experience.<\/p>\n

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In addition to feeding the rays, guests\u00a0will also give thousands of beautiful tropical fish their morning meal before venturing out on a private, guided swim of The Grand Reef.\u00a0All participants must be at least 6 years old and comfortable in water.<\/p>\n

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What Else is There to Do at Discovery Cove?<\/h4>\n

Snorkeling with thousands of exotic fish in the\u00a0Grand Reef\u00a0<\/b>is an absolute must\u2014and so is feeding the gorgeous tropical birds in\u00a0Explorer\u2019s Aviary.<\/b><\/p>\n

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Guests can\u00a0visit with otters and marmosets at the\u00a0Freshwater Oasis\u00a0<\/b>and spend time relaxing in the\u00a0soothing currents of\u00a0Wind-Away River\u00a0as it flows past sandy beaches, beneath cascading waterfalls, and through an underwater cave.<\/p>\n

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More Fabulous Discovery Cove Experiences<\/h4>\n

For an additional $49\u2013$69 per person, plus tax, depending on the season, you can experience\u00a0SeaVenture,\u00a0<\/b>a 25-minute underwater stroll on the bottom of the Grand Reef aquarium. Participants wear diving helmets (large enough to accommodate eyeglasses), and no experience or SCUBA certification is necessary. The minimum age for this experience is 10 years.<\/p>\n

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Trainer for a Day\u00a0is an all-inclusive\u00a0Discovery Cove day, plus exciting extras such as shadowing a trainer all day, a second\u00a0enhanced deep-water interaction with dolphins (including a private photo session with two dolphins), a behind-the-scenes tour of all Discovery Cove support areas, and special meet-and-greets with tropical birds and small mammals. The\u00a0program is limited to groups of no more than nine. Prices for the program start at $428 and include all the amenities of the dolphin swim package.\u00a0Trainer for a Day participants must be in good physical condition and at least 6 years old, and\u00a0participants under the age of 13 must be accompanied by a paid Trainer for a Day adult.<\/p>\n

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The Ultimate Way to Relax at Discovery Cove<\/h4>\n

Rent\u00a0a private cabana for a treat well worth the splurge! Different locations, layouts, and packages\u00a0are available, and prices are $200 and up. Some cabanas offer a view of the dolphin swim experience, while others are more secluded. All are nicely equipped with a\u00a0private locker and a fridge filled with drinks. A canopy offers shade over a table and chairs, and the sun can be worshipped in\u00a0chaise lounges\u00a0in a beach-like area. My cabana even had a hammock.<\/p>\n

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Best of all, a\u00a0cabana attendant regularly checks on guests and brings fresh towels, snacks, and drinks.\u00a0If you have kids in your party, sand toys are available upon request at no additional charge.<\/p>\n

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The Basics<\/h4>\n

Discovery Cove is open 9:00 a.m.\u20135:00 p.m. daily; check-in begins at 7:15 a.m. Admission is limited, so purchase tickets well in advance.\u00a0Prices vary seasonally from $276 to $361 per person, including tax (no children\u2019s discount). Prices for Florida residents start at $233. Admission includes the dolphin swim; self-parking; Continental breakfast; a substantial lunch; snacks and drinks; use of beach umbrellas, lounge chairs, towels, lockers, and swim and snorkel gear. All you\u2019ll need is a swimsuit, pool shoes, and a cover-up. Everything else is provided. On rare days when it\u2019s too cold to swim in Orlando, guests are provided with free wet suits. Discovery Cove also provides fish-friendly sunscreen (guests may not use their own sunscreen).\u00a0Also included in the package is unlimited admission to SeaWorld and Aquatica water park for 14 days surrounding your visit to Discovery Cove.\u00a0Children must be at least 6 years old to swim with dolphins. Children ages 6-12 must be accompanied by a paying adult who also is participating in the dolphin swim experience.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re not interested in the dolphin swim, you can visit Discovery Cove for the day for $180\u2013$233 per person, plus tax, depending on the season.<\/p>\n

Good to Know<\/h4>\n

If you\u2019re participating in three or more add-on Discovery Cove experiences during your visit, you must plan to arrive by 7:30 a.m. for check-in and proper scheduling of your day.<\/p>\n

Guests staying at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel,\u00a0Hard Rock Hotel Orlando,\u00a0Loews Royal Pacific Resort,\u00a0Loews Sapphire Falls Resort, and\u00a0Universal\u2019s Cabana Bay Beach Resort can use free transportation to Discovery Cove. For a fee, transportation is offered by\u00a0SpringHill Suites Orlando and\u00a0TownePlace Suites Orlando at Flamingo Crossings.<\/p>\n

Discovery Cove is a\u00a0beautifully landscaped place. There are waterfalls, winding rivers, and white-sand beaches. Its slower pace is a welcome change from the hustle and bustle of the theme parks. The Discovery Cove experiences are unforgettable, one-of-a kind encounters with amazing creatures.<\/p>\n

Have you visited Discovery Cove? What are your suggestions for visiting? Share them in the comments.<\/em><\/p>\n

Did you like this article? Make sure to share it with your friends! Check below for easy ways to share!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

So many wonderful Discovery Cove experiences await you at this\u00a0intimate, SeaWorld-owned resort. You probably know that you can swim with dolphins here, but now you can also swim with sharks and feed stingrays! Swim with an\u00a0Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin\u00a0 This is, of course, the main draw at Discovery Cove.\u00a0The 50-minute experience begins with an orientation led…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":68,"featured_media":56844,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wprm-recipe-roundup-name":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-description":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1065],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-56833","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-other-theme-park-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56833","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=56833"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56833\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":57007,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56833\/revisions\/57007"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/56844"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=56833"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=56833"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=56833"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}