Pls tell me about Discovery Cove - first timer

[yaya74]

I have read the informational post on Discovery Cove here at Disboards. As titled, my family has never been there and would like to consider visiting DC and SeaWorld next summer.

- Please share if there is anything that you wish you would have known before visiting Discovery Cove
- What would happen at Discovery Cove during the afternoon thunderstorm in the summer??
- Which Seaworld-affiliated hotel is better?
- Is it worthwhile to book the hotel package?

Thank you all!

 

[CAPSLOCK]

It's a wonderful day! I love how relaxed it is. The grand reef is a great experience - snorkeling amongst all the fish & rays. All the icees you can drink.

Head to the aviary first thing, and walk straight through the first room or 2 so you end up in a room all by yourself - this means that the birds are hungry and interested in you! Best time to feed them. You get the most attention from them then, which is great. It's also worth spending plenty of time there, either first thing or circling back later in the day. There are a lot of birds and it's easy to miss some of the more reserved ones.

You can get multiple lockers throughout the park, so don't be afraid to bring a real camera or other things that you don't want to lug around all day.

I've hit good weather and can't address storms for you.

Wait for a good deal on tickets, then pounce. You can add on SeaWorld / Aquatica and add Busch Gardens on top of that, for a nice SeaWorld focused vacation. The add on parks are quite cheap, which makes DC feel much more affordable if you look at it as multiple day tickets to all the parks. Either way, get your tickets nice and early as they get more expensive nearer to the date.

Apply the provided sunscreen at least 3-4 times through the day. I've been to DC twice - applied sunscreen twice each time - burned each time. Really rub that stuff in, and apply frequently.

Personally, I don't think the hotel package is worthwhile, since you can get DC at a discount and include the other parks in that ticket. But play with the numbers and see. I stayed at the Residence Inn Orlando at SeaWorld. The rooms were very large, and I got them right through Marriot at a good discount by reserving early. They have a built in kitchen (nicer than mine!) and free breakfast. Close to the three parks. It was nothing spectacular, but the proximity, free breakfast, and large rooms were quite nice.

 

[DebLovesPooh]

We got the wetsuits to stay warm in the cooler reef. They ended up chafing our arms. So next time we will wear swim guards to protect from them.

We had a cabana so we just hung out there during the thunderstorm. Everything will close when the storm is a certain distance away and stay closed until a certain amount of time once it has passed.

 

[TravelandLeisure]

We just returned from our Discovery Cove/Sea World/Aquatica/Busch Gardens vacation, and had a great time!

I didn’t purchase a vacation package—it was cheaper for me to get tickets during the Black Friday/holiday sale and book lodging separately.

We stayed at Hilton Grand Vacations Sea World in a 1 bedroom villa. I loved this property! It was very roomy, had a kitchen, washer/dryer, updated decor, great pools, etc. It’s also super convenient to the Sea World parks—no more than a 5 minute drive to any of them, and Sea World is technically walking distance. I highly recommend. Book early and join Hilton honors for the best pricing.

We ended up with a beautiful day at Discovery Cove, so can’t answer your weather question. I would advise booking dolphin swim in the morning as a precaution against afternoon thunderstorms.

 

[Doofenshmirtz513]

We love Discovery Cove. It is usually a highlight of our trip and, for longer vacations, we sometimes go twice. I've never done a hotel package and, like others, have had good luck with weather. A few things we have learned over the years:

1) We prefer the lazy river to the grand reef much of the time so like being more toward that side of the park.
2) Having done it twice, the dolphin swim isn't something we do any more, so don't be afraid to skip it if that's not your thing.
3) Keep an eye out for the flamingos in the morning when they move them. You can get very close if you're at the right place at the right time (around 9:15 for us).
4) The regular tickets include only basic beer and wine for adults. The drink package opens up a much wider variety of beer and wine plus mixed and frozen drinks, which we like.
5) As others have said, the 3 or 4 park tickets are a great deal. We often build a trip around doing Discovery Cove plus multiple days at Aquatica and Sea World and hotel pool days or Disney Springs in between.
6) We love the cabanas and get one for every trip. It's great to have a home base, plenty of shade, and handy access to drinks, towels, and sunscreen.
7) Their shower facilities are pretty nice, and the park gets quiet late in the day. Once, we were among the last people walking out close to 6 because we showered, changed, and shopped late in the day (although the stores may close at 5, too, I forget that part).
8) We're big on the wetsuits to stay a little warmer in the reef and give sun protection on upper arms.

 

[ColoradoMom!!]

I really appreciate all the info. I am trying to pull the trigger, but the tickets are a lot higher for November than I thought. I am looking at Undercover Tourist. I have used them in the past for Disney, so I am not concerned about their reputation. I am more concerned that DC may have trouble with them. I would hate to show up (we only have 1 day that will work because they are closed Tues-Thursday of our week) and they say they are full or something.

 

[Dizneydaz]

Did you check prices with their up to 40% sale that’s going on until August 8th? That’s what I‘m using. I did notice that some of the dates were cheaper the first time I looked and then they went up. My tip…book it the first time you look at it.

This will be our 4th trip. Last time 2017. First time around 2004 or so. We had bad weather twice. We learned the first time to not turn in our masks and wetsuits too soon. Once the storm passes, and most of the guest leave, you’ll have the park to yourself.
Another time the storm was so bad they made us shelter in the restaurant and bathroom. Lightening was directly overhead and so loud. You could not walk around until they sounded the all clear. They were serious! Afterwards we had it to ourselves again.
After storms pass sometimes they stay open later so they can get all the dolphin experiences done. Otherwise the guest will have to come back another day (comped). They like to avoid that.
Have fun. It’s great!

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

Buy one of those waterproof phone lanyards before your trip. They sell them at the park - for $35. I also brought my point-and-shoot waterproof camera that has a buoyant strap. That was easier to use in the water than the camera on my phone.

Having water shoes was extremely valuable. The pools have uneven surfaces and there’s a lot of walking around out of the water.

I wish I had brought a hair brush for after the shower. They provide shampoo, conditioner, body wash, washcloths, towels, and large plastic bags. But my hair was so tangled and I hadn’t thought to pack a brush in my day pack.

The park closes pretty early, so I had plans to go to another park after. I should have planned to have a restful evening instead; swimming all day is exhausting.

 

[andyw715]

Disclaimer: I went in 2016 so maybe things have changed.

If you plan on doing the Dolphin Swim I would try to get there early to be on the first to get in. This enables you to get an early morning swim time. Then you do your swim and don't have to watch the clock for the rest of the day!

The place is so relaxing, it's nice not to have a schedule.

 

[MoxieBadger]

Are the lockers there free?

 

[CAPSLOCK]

Are the lockers there free?

Yes, and they are spread out across the park - meaning you can have one in various locations for easy access. Or move stuff with you as you enjoy different areas.

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

Yes, and they are spread out across the park - meaning you can have one in various locations for easy access. Or move stuff with you as you enjoy different areas.

To add to this, the keys are on lanyards. You just select any locker that has an available key and then wear it around your neck. The lanyards are color-coded; each locker bank is a different color and indicated on the columns. Also, the keys have the locker number stamped on them, but it's not obvious. Some people couldn't remember their locker location and didn't realize the key was labeled.

I also agree with getting there early for an early dolphin swim time. The day I went, there were afternoon storms and many people did not get to experience the dolphin swim. The line at customer service when I left was as long as check-in had been in the morning, but the mood was far more sour.

I also didn't spend as long as I wanted to in each area. I spent a little bit in each area to explore, then had intended to do that again in the afternoon, but was unable to. I fortunately got to experience each area a little bit, at least. I knew there was a chance of afternoon storms, so my touring style was intentional, but it was still frustrating that I didn't get to go back and spend additional time.