Discovery Cove: a hidden gem in Orlando to add to your trip
Swim with dolphins, fish and rays, enjoy incredible pools, eat delicious. Discovery Cove is much more than a "beach" in the heart of Orlando: it is a unique experience that you will hardly find anywhere else in the world.
There is no other place like Discovery Cove in the world". This is what the publicity of this extraordinary theme park in Orlando, Florida claims, and it is enough to spend a few hours there to confirm that there is no exaggeration in the statement. It is as is: You will hardly find, in the middle of a city, an oasis where you can enjoy the most natural and close contact with an underwater world that is as friendly as it is fascinating.
It's called Discovery Cove and it's Sea World's all-inclusive water park. It is located in Orlando and has a very attractive proposal for those who want to rest for a while from the rush of the big parks and the long days of shopping. In this fabulous place, you can spend a whole day swimming with dolphins, rays and tropical fish, as well as feeding exotic birds and small animals that will steal your heart.
Discovery Cove: connect with the best
Spending a whole day at Discovery Cove is an incredible experience that can be enjoyed all year long. We went in mid-January 2023, in the middle of the American winter. Although it was around 20°C, the temperature of the pools was ideal and you didn't feel the cold.
Each visitor receives a swim vest or wetsuit, beach towel, and swimming gear, including a souvenir snorkel and environmentally friendly sunscreen. Lockers and changing areas are also available.
In the middle of January, we were able to enjoy long hours in the rivers, reefs, and pools without feeling cold: the neoprene suits provided by the park not only protect you, but also make you feel like a top-level diver.
The emotion of our children when putting on the costumes and the photos that the experience gives is unforgettable. Disvovery Cove is not only a boutique proposal for adult pleasure, but it is also a great plan to do as a family. We all had a spectacular time. There are options for all ages and the experience of swimming with fish, rays and dolphins engraved an unforgettable memory in the heart of the family.
Discovery Cove and the focus on an exclusive experience
One of the most incredible things about this unique water park is that the animal encounters take place in a stunning tropical atmosphere. Discovery Cove is a paradise of rocky lagoons, surrounded by lush tropical landscaping, tropical reefs, meandering rivers, cascading pools and pristine white sand beaches.
The proposal for an incomparable experience with the underwater world is completed with an all-inclusive system that offers a day of pleasure and tranquility that is difficult to achieve in Orlando, where hours disappear in high-voltage activities.
If you buy tickets for Discovery Cove, you will have continental breakfast, lunch and drinks (alcohol for adults), towels, wetsuits, snorkeling equipment and even sunscreen included. You do not have to worry about anything or bring food or hygiene items. As the products used in the place are ecofriendly, everything is provided by them.
The dynamic is relaxed and enjoyable for all ages. If you go with babies or small children, they even give you a stroller with wheels for the sand and beach games for the little ones to have fun with the sand.
New restaurants and dining at Discovery Cove
Discovery Cove launched in 2023 by expanding its dining offer and further reinforcing its all-inclusive system, with new restaurants and a renewal of the "carte" of its buffets. At Blue Bamboo Bar and Hibiscus Hideaway you can find hammock “seats”, a selfie-ready mural backdrop and seven new signature drinks. Also added a pizzeria and ice cream.
Adjacent to Sunken Terrace, Blue Bamboo Bar has a fun island-style tiki bar vibe where guests can hang out on the revolving seats, snap a selfie in front of the Blue Bamboo “Paradise Found” wall, and pick up unlimited food.
In turn, if you want to have an even more exclusive experience, you can reserve a cabin, where you will even have your own minibar full of fresh drinks and delicious things.
Discovery Cove Attractions
There are different proposals within Discovery Cove. You can swim with dolphins at Dolphin Lagoon, snorkel with thousands of tropical fish and velvety rays at The Grand Reef, enjoy the soothing currents of the Wind-Away River, hand-feed exotic birds at Explorer's Aviary, and soak up the sun while you relax. on the white sand beaches.
One of the most fun for kids is the Freshwater Oasis, where you can get up close and personal with playful otters. Designed with lush rainforest above and crystal clear streams, it fits perfectly into Discovery Cove's tropical setting.
But, without a doubt, the most incredible attraction is The Grand Reef, a fantastic artificial reef with a hectic marine life that includes thousands of animals with which you can swim without the slightest risk. The children's face when touching and seeing manta rays and fish of all sizes and colors is something that will remain engraved in your soul forever.
The Grand Reef offers you multiple levels of exploration, from shallow waters to swimming adventures in waters where you can dive deeper, diving or snorkeling among tropical fish, rays and canyons inspired by the most beautiful reefs in the world.
Swim with dolphins at Discovery Cove
And the experience that closes the day and that you will hardly find anywhere else is at the Dolphin Lagoon, where you will have the unique opportunity to swim with Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, during an interactive adventure of more than 30 minutes.
Accompanied by a trainer, groups of 7 to 9 visitors wade in shallow water and get acquainted with their dolphin through hugs, kisses and caresses, then enjoy an exhilarating ride on a dolphin's dorsal fin that takes you to the beach.
Another experience that the park proposes, and that has an extra cost, is Sea Venture, an underwater walk where visitors, wearing diving helmets, will have close encounters with sharks (behind huge panoramic windows) and will be able to touch the animals that They swim right next to you.
If you are tired of the walks and intense days that Orlando proposes, you will be fascinated to enjoy Wind-away River. This waterway passes through the park, has super-comfortable water temperatures, and is surrounded by beaches, palm- and foliage-covered walkways, and rocky lagoons.
Visitors can swim the Wind-Away River, passing through different environments: a sunny island beach, a dense tropical forest, and an underwater cave (hint: floatation equipment is provided, as the river varies in depth). . If you cross the waterfall, you find yourself on the other side inside a huge free flight aviary. It is called Explorer's Aviary and is home to more than 250 exotic birds.
You can also hand-feed hundreds of tiny birds and interact with birds over 4 feet (1 meter) tall. You enter this tropical paradise with abundant vegetation through the park's beaches or through a refreshing waterfall.
A day at the beach in the heart of Orlando
When you want to lie down for a while to observe or read a book, you can rest on the white sand beaches, surrounded by palm trees, tropical foliage and quaint thatched cabanas.
Guests can enjoy their own space under an umbrella, on lounge chairs, lounge chairs and hammocks to sunbathe or sleep for a while in a postcard setting.
For children to enjoy, there are toys scattered on the beach for them to play with sand. Something important: remember that all these services are included in the admission ticket.
Trainer for a Day: trainer for a Day
For a truly extraordinary experience, guests can also spend more time with the dolphins for additional interaction. It's called Trainer for a Day and it offers the chance to take a "behind the scenes" tour of the support areas and spend time with the Discovery Cove trainers, learning more about the animals, feeding them and having a super encounter with them. near.
To do this, visitors between the ages of 6 and 13 must be accompanied by a paying adult.
Discovery Cove: tickets, address and useful information
It is key to note that reservations are required, since no more than a certain number of visitors are accepted per day to ensure that there are no crowds and everyone can enjoy the place and its activities.
Where is Discovery Cove? On Central Florida Parkway, at the Interstate 4 and FL 528 Intersection (the Beachline Expressway), 10 minutes south of downtown Orlando and 15 minutes from the International Airport.
The park was distinguished by TripAdvisor as one of the 10 Best Attractions in the United States and won the award for the best theme park in Orlando in a USA Today ranking. Additionally, it won fifth place in the Best Marine Life Parks category at the 2012 Golden Ticket Awards by Amusement Today.
As you will see, at Discovery Cove you can rest and explore. Splash, meander, swim and float on water filled trails. It doesn't matter which way you go... You'll find new things to discover in every corner of the park. Do not miss it.
Remember that some activities are not included in the ticket. Check first on the Discovery Cove Orlando website.
