Is Discvery cove worth it?

[Steph&katie]

Hello there me and my friend are travelling together to florida in august this year and we do want to go to DC however with the price we were wondering is it worth it? I've never swam with dolphins and i would love it but since it's only half an hour all in all is it worth the cash?
Plus the lakes and pools etc are they very deep i can swim quite well but I don't really like really dark and deep water I'm okay with the dolphin pool but will it be any deeper than that?
Thanks in advance!
Stephanie & Katie

 

[Steph&katie]

If someone could please reply and let me know since discovery cove you need to book in advance if we do go we want to book it soon and I'm still unsure please help!
Thank you!!
Stephanie & Katie

 

[KBF]

I think its worth it. There is so much more to do than just the dolphin swim. You can swim with tropical fish, there is a lazy river and a new tropical reef is opening in the summer. You can learn more about it here.... http://www.discoverycove.com/grandreef.aspx

Also, food and drinks are included with admission if I remember correctly.

 

[CKBear]

Hello there me and my friend are travelling together to florida in august this year and we do want to go to DC however with the price we were wondering is it worth it? I've never swam with dolphins and i would love it but since it's only half an hour all in all is it worth the cash?
Plus the lakes and pools etc are they very deep i can swim quite well but I don't really like really dark and deep water I'm okay with the dolphin pool but will it be any deeper than that?
Thanks in advance!
Stephanie & Katie

I think it is well worth the money. I have been twice and both days were wonderful days. There are some spots where the water is deep, but it is crystal clear and you have no problems seeing to the bottom. You should go!

 

[SmallWorld71]

We thought it was! We also enjoyed swimming, snorkeling and the aviary. As a PP mentioned food is included (breakfast, lunch, snacks, drinks including soda, water beer and wine) which alleviates the cost somewhat if you factor in what you would have spent on food for the day. Also, I don't know if they still offer it or not, but we were able to choose entrance to another park (SW, BG, Aquatica) for free for 14 consecutive days. So, we went to SeaWorld for 2 days at no additional charge, which again made the price much more reasonable.

 

[Doodie]

Hi

We went to Discovery Cove a couple of years ago, me, hubby, daughter and my mum and dad. Although it is expensive we thought it was a first class day out. Could not fault any of it. The meals, drinks, snacks, staff and surroundings were fantastic. The dolphin swim was lovely and you got good close up experiences that you may never get the chance to repeat. Even though it's a short time it's still worth it - got some fab photo's/video's. The area with the birds was so peaceful and lovely, got food to feed the birds and they just sit on your hand/arm. You also get entry to other parks with your fee for Discovery Cove. We loved it so much we are coming back to Orlando in August and are looking at doing the non swim day out. I'm sure you would enjoy it..

 

[Steph&katie]

Wow thanks guys! This is a big help I think me and my friend are going to book it after your advice thank you again and were going in august to haha
Katie and steph

 

[JLR]

Hello there me and my friend are travelling together to florida in august this year and we do want to go to DC however with the price we were wondering is it worth it? I've never swam with dolphins and i would love it but since it's only half an hour all in all is it worth the cash?
Plus the lakes and pools etc are they very deep i can swim quite well but I don't really like really dark and deep water I'm okay with the dolphin pool but will it be any deeper than that?
Thanks in advance!
Stephanie & Katie

I agree with the pp.

Let say you pay rack rate of $289:

It is an all day experience (the New Trek at Animal Kingdom gives you 3 hours for $250 and does not include park admission).

You get 30 minutes in the water with the dolphin and 15 minutes of education before.

The you can spend time in the aviary feeding the birds

You can feed and pet the stingrays in stingray lagoon

You can snorkel in the coral reef - the new one the grand reef will be open at the time you go. There will be an additional experience for $58 to walk with a diving bell on in that reef, in addition to the included snorkeling.

You can enjoy the lazy river - fresh water and crystal clear. This is welcome after spending time in the animal habitats which are cold for the animals' health. It goes right through the aviary.

There are several educational sessions in the education cabana each day. I don't know how it happened - we were so busy we never got to see these!

Food and drinks are included all day A continental breakfast, a hot lunch, unlimited snacks, and beverages included some alcoholic beverages. I can't tell you what since I did not partake.

The 14 days admission to a sister park: Sea World, Busch Gardens or aquatica are included.

So if you had planned to go to one of those parks consider this:

80 Admission to the second park
+45 for food, drinks, and snacks (the value is more if you have alcohol)
$125

So the cost of the dolphin experience + other animal experiences and spending all day in a relaxing, uncrowded park with a beautiful beach is $ 164

Now if you can get one of their special deals where admission is less then the real cost is of course less. I have seen some deals for $90 off - and if you are going at the END of August, they may offer them. If you can get one of those, then DC starts to look like a real bargain!

If you want to see what the water looks like, click on my TR link below and then look at the links to my Discovery Cove day. The links should be at the bottom of my first post.

The old coral reef was deep in some areas but relatively clear. It is the murkiest water you will encounter. I don't know how the new grand reef will be. The lazy river is deep in some areas, but perfectly clear.

 

[Steph&katie]

when you put it like that it seems alot cheaper its only £169 each for us so its alot cheaper anyways
i think were going to definatly go and experiance this awesome place before i cry cause im so excited now xD were going on the 4th of August!

 

[JohnnySharp2]

It is worth it but you need to spend all day there and make every second count.
Take advantage of the free dining, personally I would prefer the Sea World, Busch Gardens and Aquatica options to be slightly different.

For example I would prefer 7 day at SW and BG, as opposed to 14 days at one of them.

If you want a morning swim I would advise you to get there early.

 

[Steph&katie]

yeah i heard check in is at 8am?
so i think were going to get there for that time however we arent driving and taking free shuttles and local transport so i think i might leave extra early just incase we miss a bus etc

 

[JohnnySharp2]

yeah i heard check in is at 8am?
so i think were going to get there for that time however we arent driving and taking free shuttles and local transport so i think i might leave extra early just incase we miss a bus etc

Yes I would advise no later than 8am really. Assuming you want a morning swim or at least improve your chances of getting one.

 

[SmallWorld71]

Yes I would advise no later than 8am really. Assuming you want a morning swim or at least improve your chances of getting one.

Just wanted to add that another reason for getting there early in the summer/ getting a morning swim is that you won't have to worry about the afternoon thunderstorms that are so common in the summer getting in your way.

 

[SanFranciscan]

I do realize that Sea World is a much smaller operation than Disney World;but that doesn't mean that it has to be a lesser experience, for the same reasons that I love the intimate environment of Disneyland even though there is so much more to see at Disney World. Having never been to Sea World in Orlando, I would like to know how Discovery Cove compares to Living Seas.

We almost took a day off from Disney during our last trip to check out Sea World anyway. Which are the most important advantages that make you choose to spend time there other than the smaller crowds?

 

[JLR]

I do realize that Sea World is a much smaller operation than Disney World;but that doesn't mean that it has to be a lesser experience, for the same reasons that I love the intimate environment of Disneyland even though there is so much more to see at Disney World. Having never been to Sea World in Orlando, I would like to know how Discovery Cove compares to Living Seas.

We almost took a day off from Disney during our last trip to check out Sea World anyway. Which are the most important advantages that make you choose to spend time there other than the smaller crowds?

Are you asking for a comparison of the living seas (The big indoor aquariums at Epcot - now called the seas with nemo and Friends I assume) with Discovery Cove - or with Sea World?

Here are my thoughts:

The Seas is like a set of large aquariums. It is in a huge building, but it is just one building, and it is inside.

Sea World is a whole park. There are numerous indoor and outdoor exhibits. Some of them may be similar to the seas, but many of them are quite different - and at Sea World the marine mammals are showcased (dophins, orcas, sealions, etc) There are also a series of shows, all but one of which involve animals in some way. In terms of comparison to Disney: theming is a bit less at Sea Wrold, but it is truly beautifully landscaped, and the animal habitats are attractive and appealing. In addition, there are just plain way more - it is a park, not a pavilion. Sea World did seem to be slightly less well maintained. One thing really stuck with me (no pun intended although it seems funny now) - that the gum disposal receptacle on the queue for Manta (their newest and coolest ride) had clearly not been emptied in a long time and was overflowing - ick. Journey to Atlantis and Kraken (both rides) did not seem as well maintained as disney attractions but this comparison is because Disney does such a superlative job - SeaWorld was worlds better maintained than six flags, IMO. Both Manta and Kraken were more intense as coasters than what you would find at Disney - so if you like that - that would be a plus. It is also so nice that in the afternoon you don't really have to worry about crowds since the exhibits are enjoy at your own pace, mostly without lines. (Do the rides and the dolphin feeding in the morning before the crowds get there)

Discovery cove is something completely different. It is essentially a resort without lodging, with limited admission. You are paying for the beautiful white sandy beaches, all your meals and beverages are included, and the opportunity to have direct interactions with the marine animals far more interactive than what you could get at Sea World. You get to hand feed the birds in the aviary, wade with, touch and feed the stingrays in the stingray lagoon, snorkel with the fish in the tropical reef, or just float around on the lazy river which flows right through the aviary. We played a game of twig catch with the birds and one of the lifeguards. If you get the dolphin package, you also get a 30 minute swim with a dolphin which is very fun (it adds about $70 - $100 but is the key defining experience for DC) If you click on my trip report link below there are links to my sea world day and discovery cove day so you can get a better idea.

I hope this was helpful and not too confusing.

 

[stacyp9]

Definitely worth it! The scuba diving water can get pretty deep, but it's clear and has some shallow areas, too. The lazy river is long and relaxing, with some shallow and some deep water. However none of it is particularly dark save for the one part of it that goes through a cave. Unlimited food is included in your tickets, so that's always a plus. It's GOOD food, too! The dolphin swim is definitely something not to miss as long as you don't mind very cold water. There are only 1000 people allowed in per day, so there's no crowds, either! To caution you, though, don't plan your trip before June 2011. They are currently working on building a new Grand Reef to replace the old one. It wouldn't be worth your money if you came when there was construction going on. All of the information stated previously was based on the old reef. However, if you come when the Grand Reef is finished, it will definitely be worth your money based on the rest of Discovery Cove, and what I've heard about the Grand Reef. They have information on it at discoverycove.com

 

[Palekaiko]

I think it is definitely worth it!!
I went last year for the first time. I booked the "Trainer for a Day". Yes, it is more expensive than the general "swim with the dolphin" package, but you spend much more time with the dolphin (ex: a double foot push with 2 dolphins). You spend all day with a trainer from DC and they take you behind the scenes to look at the food prep area and a close-up look at other animals you might not see in the general area. We got to touch a shark, feed the stingrays and we even were lucky enough to see a newborn baby dolphin with it's mother in a separate area. As mentioned in previous posts, everything is included, food, alcohol, towels, snorkel (you get to keep it at the end of the day).
You definitely should go to DC, it's an experience you'll never forget.

 

[MarleKing]

discovery cove is so worth it dolphins are so cute <3