Discovery Cove - General Information

[macraven]

An update would be very helpful !

 

[Mikey15]

I haven't been to DC since 2019, so I am curious to hear what's new and how things are going!

Potentially heading back later this year,

 

[mjhtvchick]

An update would be very helpful !

Will do! Will start working on it! Glad to hear that it is still beneficial and that it is helping people find information.

 

[macraven]

Thank You !!

 

[mjhtvchick]

Sorry that I got a little delayed getting this done, but the main post is now updated!

 

[WalkingintheFog]

Are there floatation devices available for the lazy canal?

 

[Brandis]

An update would be very helpful !

Yes, they have pool noodles for the lazy river and they have swim vests in sizes for toddlers up to at least XXL.

The noodles are not allowed in the Dolphin Lagoon or Grand Reef!

Sone other stuff I noticed on my last visit (Nov. 14, 2022):

- No more free photograph taken on the path coming in. (Already not existant in May 2022)

- The buffet is being renovated and all meals are served a la carte and on a reduced menu, also needed to select a time for lunch at check-in (might be done by now)

-Wet suits are no longer mandatory when in the water

- This might be something that has existied for a long time and I just never noticed, since we always choose loungers on the stretch of sand between the lazy river and the Dolphin Lagoon and always used the snack stand at the start of the lazy river.
I inew about the second snack stand near the Grand Reef but always assumed they the the same snacks (salted pretzels and cookies) but there, they also offer pizza which was quite good, by the way.

 

[Rick195275]

Yes, they have pool noodles for the lazy river and they have swim vests in sizes for toddlers up to at least XXL.

The noodles are not allowed in the Dolphin Lagoon or Grand Reef!

Sone other stuff I noticed on my last visit (Nov. 14, 2022):

- No more free photograph taken on the path coming in. (Already not existant in May 2022)

- The buffet is being renovated and all meals are served a la carte and on a reduced menu, also needed to select a time for lunch at check-in (might be done by now)

-Wet suits are no longer mandatory when in the water

- This might be something that has existied for a long time and I just never noticed, since we always choose loungers on the stretch of sand between the lazy river and the Dolphin Lagoon and always used the snack stand at the start of the lazy river.
I inew about the second snack stand near the Grand Reef but always assumed they the the same snacks (salted pretzels and cookies) but there, they also offer pizza which was quite good, by the way.

Thanks for this update! So you didn’t have to wear their wetsuits in the water all day??

 

[CAPSLOCK]

So you didn’t have to wear their wetsuits in the water all day??

No, only in the dolphin lagoon. It was a surprising but nice change from past visits.

No buffet was a bummer, plus the service was a bit haphazard. You sit at any open table and a server will come to ask your order. But they were not great about getting around to the tables fairly or consistently, so it became more irritating watching newly seated people get food before anyone came over to acknowledge us. Did not need to select a lunch time.

 

[bloomcruisers]

Anyone know when the buffet will reopen? We aren't going till May, so hope it will be back by then. Everything seems to take forever anymore.

 

[mjhtvchick]

So based on an email I just received (posted below), I will take a scan through and do another quick update on the main post...the dining section at least. Will post again onc it is done!

January 30, 2023

To our valued guests,

On behalf of Discovery Cove Orlando, thank you for being part of our family.

As we look toward an amazing year ahead, it’s important to recognize that 2022 brought with it some challenges and obstacles that may have impacted your park experience. This year we experienced cold temperatures, severe weather, and hurricanes. Staffing shortages as well as supply chain issues delayed our park enhancement projects and affected our park operations at times. As we embark on 2023, our goal is to improve in these areas and deliver a high-quality and consistent experience to our guests. We are excited to share with you some of the upgraded experiences new to Discovery Cove Orlando.

We recently expanded our all-inclusive dining options with the addition of the Blue Bamboo Bar and Hibiscus Hideaway. These two new bars and culinary experiences are now open and will fuel the fun with flatbread pizzas, multiple snack and dessert options, and seven new signature drinks.

Our newly renovated Laguna Grill is also open and has transformed our dining experience. It eliminated the old cafeteria-style lines and introduced a new selection of culinary stations to expedite your all-you-can-eat experience, including upgraded dining options.

We will continue to deliver world-class, immersive animal encounters that you know and love - - and encourage you to follow us on social media (as well as email) to ensure you stay up-to-date on new products, sales and experiences as we look toward an incredible 2023.

Thank you for your continued support.

 

[macraven]

We all appreciate you are keeping this thread alive and updated!

You are a gem

 

[mjhtvchick]

So based on an email I just received (posted below), I will take a scan through and do another quick update on the main post...the dining section at least. Will post again onc it is done!

January 30, 2023

To our valued guests,

On behalf of Discovery Cove Orlando, thank you for being part of our family.

As we look toward an amazing year ahead, it’s important to recognize that 2022 brought with it some challenges and obstacles that may have impacted your park experience. This year we experienced cold temperatures, severe weather, and hurricanes. Staffing shortages as well as supply chain issues delayed our park enhancement projects and affected our park operations at times. As we embark on 2023, our goal is to improve in these areas and deliver a high-quality and consistent experience to our guests. We are excited to share with you some of the upgraded experiences new to Discovery Cove Orlando.

We recently expanded our all-inclusive dining options with the addition of the Blue Bamboo Bar and Hibiscus Hideaway. These two new bars and culinary experiences are now open and will fuel the fun with flatbread pizzas, multiple snack and dessert options, and seven new signature drinks.

Our newly renovated Laguna Grill is also open and has transformed our dining experience. It eliminated the old cafeteria-style lines and introduced a new selection of culinary stations to expedite your all-you-can-eat experience, including upgraded dining options.

We will continue to deliver world-class, immersive animal encounters that you know and love - - and encourage you to follow us on social media (as well as email) to ensure you stay up-to-date on new products, sales and experiences as we look toward an incredible 2023.

Thank you for your continued support.

Ok - Main post has been updated with the changes to the dining options and updated pricing.
If anyone sees any errors or thinks something else should be added, let me know!

 

[macraven]

 

[MamaKate]

Question: We are a party of 4 with only 3 doing the Dolphin Swim. Will the person not doing the dolphin swim be able to take pictures of us from the beach or another area?

We'll still buy a few of the professional pictures, but it would be nice to have a few extra...

 

[Mikey15]

Question: We are a party of 4 with only 3 doing the Dolphin Swim. Will the person not doing the dolphin swim be able to take pictures of us from the beach or another area?

We'll still buy a few of the professional pictures, but it would be nice to have a few extra...

They’ve pretty well always let us take some pictures from the beach, but if your “pod” is more to the side of the cove rather than the centre, your photographer might not be able to get a good vantage. They can’t walk on the rocks to get closer.

 

[MamaKate]

They’ve pretty well always let us take some pictures from the beach, but if your “pod” is more to the side of the cove rather than the centre, your photographer might not be able to get a good vantage. They can’t walk on the rocks to get closer.

Thanks! I'll cross my fingers for a center location

 

[CAPSLOCK]

Question: We are a party of 4 with only 3 doing the Dolphin Swim. Will the person not doing the dolphin swim be able to take pictures of us from the beach or another area?

If possible, you want your 4th person to be "behind" the photographer (but on the shore, obviously) - because they pose all the photos in that direction. Although if you're buying the very expensive photos anyways, perhaps you want the 4th person to be offset from that so you have a different angle on the interactions?

 

[MamaKate]

If possible, you want your 4th person to be "behind" the photographer (but on the shore, obviously) - because they pose all the photos in that direction. Although if you're buying the very expensive photos anyways, perhaps you want the 4th person to be offset from that so you have a different angle on the interactions?

Thanks for the tip! I will keep that in mind