Discovery Cove -spring break

[essmom]

Just starting to think about spring break in March. How's the water at DC? Is it better to hit it on Sat. or Sun. or does it matter during spring break. Someone mentioned going on weekend while Universal and IOA would be crowded!!! is it really worth it? My kids are begging to go !! their friends went last year-they will be 9 and 11 and really want to go and I can swing the price-$239 in March OUCH!!!! We don't come to Orlando often so i prefer to go ahead and do it all. WE came 4 years ago and did Disney now we plan to do the other Universal,IOA, SW, Dc-stay onsite!!! Any suggestions!! tips etc.

 

[vernon]

You don't say how long you're staying for. The cost of DC is pretty high, but if you can make use of the SW tickets then it isn't so bad. There was a post saying you could add BG into the ticket for an extra $30 PP which if you're able to drive there would be a great park for kids of that age. If you're planning more than a 3-4 day break I would suggest thinking about splitting your stay. At that time it's likely that IOA and US are going to be VERY busy. The FOTL access for staying at a Universal hotel would be very helpful in making the most of thoseparks without having to spend all day in long queues, but those hotels are relatively expensive when compared to others in the I-Drive. IMHO it's hard to justifythe premium for that proximity and access to the Universal parks if you are planning to visit DC, SW and/or BG. A 2 night stay at Universal would give you 3 days access to their parks ( IMHO enough time to cover them) you could then move to a cheaper hotel along I-Drive to cover the other parks (if you ticket allows you could always revisit IOA and just cover a couple of "big rides" and a few of the less popular.
My favourite hotel along I-Drive is the Wyndham on the corner of I-Drive and Sandlake road. It offers great value with good facilities and a very convenient location. It is having some room renovations at the moment but the set up of the hotel (several individual blocks) leads me to believe that shouldn't have an adverse effect on any guests staying there. I've got some great deals on http://www.hotwire.com and with so many hotels along I-Drive competing for business you should get a good hotel at a great price.

The water should be fine at that time of year, I would opt for a Sat or Sun as the limited numbers at DC mean it won't feel busy, I would expect USF to be VERY busy. SW , IMHO, copes better than any of the other parks with big crowds so I'd try to schedule a visit here for days you expect to be the busiest.

 

[georgina]

We did DC on a Saturday in July because of the limited admission. It was a great experience for our kids, ages 8, 10, and 13. We all did the dolphin swim, but I think if we ever did it again, I would save a couple of hundred bucks and just have the kids do the dolphin swim. They enjoyed seaworld too, and US and IOA. During spring break, I suspect room discounts may be harder to find, but the Entertainment book rate is usually half off the rack rate for the Universal hotels. And that time of the year, the express lines will be a big help.

 

[prymsu]

I believe they only allow 800 guests per day, so that is a big plus. No matter if you go spring break, or summer or any other peak time, it won't be too crowded.

 

[gshoemate]

You never have to worry about crowds at DC. I have gone all differant times of the year and it's almost like having the place to yourself. I have done both the Dolphin swim and gone alot doing the non-dolphin swim. My one suggestion would be to get there early. The park doesn't open until 9:00 (usually) but you can get there earlier then that, get checked in, get your locker, stake out your spot for your chairs and be waiting to get into the water when it's 9:00. I usually do the coral reef and the stingrays first thing, and I'm usually the only one there. Have fun.

 

[cjc]

I will be visiting Florida in Feb 2004 (week prior and Presidents week). I know that you cant just turn up and pay on the day but what are the chances of booking for DC about 2-3 weeks before arrival? Then I'll have a better knowledge of my budget!

Thanks
CJ