The family we were with was slipping and sliding on the rocks and I was once again grateful we hadwater shoes. We arrived right at 7 a.m. to start our day of relaxation and adventure. You too can escape the busy theme park crowds and have a relaxing day at your own pace at the resort Click here Discovery Cove, which features free parking for guests, is only a 15-minute drive to both Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando Resort. We bought the biggest package as my hubby wanted the dvd, think my credit card screamed as I paid for it lol. It would have been nice to do the river more, but it was just more crowded than we felt comfortable with. The first tip when starting your visit at Discovery Covecome hungry. text-align: center; SUBSCRIBE! Access is limited to 1,000 visitors daily, which makes the park feel exclusive and resort-like. He gave us a claim. Jay and I had driven separately because he had to go somewhere after we were done, so he actually left before I did. I also really didnt like that masks werent required for theSeaVenturesafety briefing, but they were for the dolphin swim. } .et_bloom .et_bloom_optin_4 .et_bloom_form_content { background-color: #c1eeff !important; } .et_bloom .et_bloom_optin_4 .et_bloom_form_container .et_bloom_form_header { background-color: #c1eeff !important; } .et_bloom .et_bloom_optin_4 .wedge_edge .triangle { fill: #c1eeff} .et_bloom .et_bloom_optin_4 .et_bloom_form_content button { background-color: #1a1a1a !important; } .et_bloom .et_bloom_optin_4 .et_bloom_form_content .et_bloom_fields i { color: #1a1a1a !important; } .et_bloom .et_bloom_optin_4 .et_bloom_form_content .et_bloom_custom_field_radio i:before { background: #1a1a1a !important; } .et_bloom .et_bloom_optin_4.et_bloom_optin .et_bloom_border_inset { -moz-box-shadow: inset 0 0 0 3px #424242; -webkit-box-shadow: inset 0 0 0 3px #424242; box-shadow: inset 0 0 0 3px #424242; border-color: #c1eeff; } .et_bloom .et_bloom_optin_4 .et_bloom_form_content button { background-color: #1a1a1a !important; } .et_bloom .et_bloom_optin_4 .et_bloom_form_container h2, .et_bloom .et_bloom_optin_4 .et_bloom_form_container h2 span, .et_bloom .et_bloom_optin_4 .et_bloom_form_container h2 strong { font-family: "Open Sans", Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif; }.et_bloom .et_bloom_optin_4 .et_bloom_form_container p, .et_bloom .et_bloom_optin_4 .et_bloom_form_container p span, .et_bloom .et_bloom_optin_4 .et_bloom_form_container p strong, .et_bloom .et_bloom_optin_4 .et_bloom_form_container form input, .et_bloom .et_bloom_optin_4 .et_bloom_form_container form button span { font-family: "Open Sans", Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif; } Clipper was the dolphin the other group was meeting while I met Capricorn. Last call for alcoholic drinks is at 4:45 p.m. Be sure to ask about our 5x7 Black Marble Tile Etchings! At the end of the dive, these photos will be uploaded to our Adventure Photo computers for you to view and purchase, if you wish. Lunch is even better at Laguna Grill, which is served between 11 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., The menu often rotates but during our visit, we feasted on steak, salmon, jerk chicken, burgers, chicken tenders, turkey wraps, macaroni and cheese, French fries, steamed vegetables. The water is chilly, but youre ready to swim and snorkel in order to enter the world of thousands of colorful fish through a coral reef. We were both curious what made it special, and we quickly realized it was just a plain black disposable mask. It is one of the most relaxing things you can find in Orlando, and its also one of the best values. I made one last stop by the snack bar after I was finished with my photos and grabbed a couple of rice Krispy treats and a bag of chips to go. MK on same day as 2023 Princess Marathon or Friday after? We made sure to bring our IDs to verify our reservations at check-in. ut the lives of everyone around you at risk. I have just received the price list for the photo packages for (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Moving to Orlando in 2013 to join the Disney College Program was the start of the Great Florida Adventure for Chelsea and her best friend Duffy Bear. We were directed to a spot to stand on, and I thought it was a little silly they put us in the front instead of the back. For two people as active as Jay and I are, trying to chill out that long is hard. he had forgotten them. If you werent comfortable swimming out that far, they would do it in the shallows for you. Duration: Discovery Cove itself is a full day. So,they had us do a few cutecouplelypictures. About thirty minutes is in the water with the dolphin. margin: auto; Additional copies of your SeaVenture CD is only $20. Holiday joy will unfold at Magic Kingdom as Mickeys Very Merry Christmas Party returns this SeaWorld say there is a high surf advisory on the horizon in 2023 as a Mickeys Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is returning to Magic KingdomPark this fall during the resorts50th Anniversary All logos, trademarks and information in this site are property of their respective owners. If swimming with dolphins is on your bucket list, then Discovery Cove is the place for you.Speaking of which, travel restrictions are set to be lifted in November 2021, which means international guests will be able to visit Discovery Cove for the first time since the global pandemic in March 2020. The one activity we didnt do was SeaVenture, which is an additional upgrade. You can use your own camera or we can loan you a digital underwater camera to snap as many photos as youd like. margin-left: 0; } He laid on his side and waved at us with his flipper before Conner walked us back to the shore. We too are going in July for the first time and were wondering about photo prices. Its a different kind of lazy river as there are no tubes and the depths can vary from shallow to 8-feet deep. I think she thought this happened on a tourist outing, because she wasnt nearly as interested in asking Jay questions about his research work there as othertrainersweve talked to about it, but thats okay. Once you add the dolphin swim and/orSeaVenture, youll have more than enough for a full day no matter how many people you have. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in New Zealand. Then I lost his new Ray-bans right before the wedding. What is Disney's PhotoPass? There is a package that just includes the digital images for $199, but I figured for the extra $7 Id take the prints! The only info we have struggled to find out is how much the photo packages are in discovery!! You can use your own camera or we can loan you a digital underwater camera to snap as many photos as youd like. They'll take photos of your whole group together and individually and they'll all be added to one photo package. The sister park of SeaWorld Orlando and Aquatica Orlando, Discovery Cove proudly displays We Welcome You To Paradise on its ticket vouchers when guests make their reservations. Cathy looked at us curiously. We made our way back to our locker to change back into our other masks and realized the park had emptied out quite a bit. The SeaVenture photo CD is a great value at only $60 plus tax and is a separate purchase from the dolphin interaction CD. My husband Jay hates dolphins. If you buy it in advance, its $206 plus taxes as opposed to $229 in the park. Of course last but not the least is the Dolphin Swim, which is the main attraction of Discovery Cove. They sent Jay and I over at the same time, and I opted to go first so I could be back in my spot to watch him. Well, not only did everyone have to walk past us, a lady without a mask stomped past twice while screaming about the fact that they were making her go get a mask. This was my third time doing the flight and its still one of the most fun things Ive ever done. Discovery Cove Photo Packages - updated price list, Re: Discovery Cove Photo Packages - updated price list, Get answers to your questions about Orlando. Our trainers name was Cathy, and we met the second trainer Conner as we got down by the water. #gallery-1 { During our visit, we had Yoko, who is a matriarch dolphin at Discovery Cove. The parks Laguna Grill serves up all-you-can-eat buffets, which are definitely better than the typical theme park food fare. The wife was saying she wasnt going to do it, and the trainers quickly began talking her into it. My Central Florida is your ultimate resource for everything Central Florida has to offer your family. There are 43 bottlenose dolphins at the park, including Moby, who was born at Discovery Cove in June 2021. My friends and I then decided that same dolphin was out there somewhere in the world, wearing Jays Ray-bans. #gallery-2 .gallery-item { We made our way over to the Starfish Cabana to check in. See its a nice dolphin! I said as he came back. Dolphins feel like this weird combination of rubber and leather and I just love it. Yoko was quite the ham as she didnt hesitate to pose for solo and group shots, including one with a kiss on the cheek. width: 33%; Check-in and breakfast begins promptly at 7:15 a.m., but waterways dont open until 9 a.m. That would be dangerous for the dolphins. Its just different. Discovery Cove is less of awater park and more of an interactive aquatic zoo experience. If youre doing the day resort package with just two of you, you might find enough time to get bored with just relaxing. I have no idea if the missing person ever caught up or not. Jay and I spent the rest of the safety briefing praying we wouldnt be in their group. Stingrays are there to touch, exotic birds to feed, dolphins to cuddle. Our dolphins name was Brig, he was eleven years old, and he is the son of Clipper and Capricorn. We had to pick out what eight photos we wanted to print then and there, we decided to go with the photos of both of us with Brig. The first time I did the dolphin swim the photos were included anyway because it was paid for by someone else, and when I did the dolphin swim with my mom, I wound up spending $40 on a single print. Apparently, his best friend is named Maui. border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; The Dolphin Swim takes about forty-five minutes, including the safety briefing. If you have a group, like we did for our. As I was walkingaround,I got a text from Jay. The only real difference between doing it in deep water versus shallow was I was keenly aware if I let my knees go any lower, I would hit rocks. I was steeling myself to defend the poor guy checking people in when her own husband told her to, and Im quoting here, Stop acting like white trash., This made me like the husband until a moment later when he told his kids, Its okay, she makes enough money to act like that.. Remember to add tax though. I hadprepurchasedthe Discovery Photo Package, it included all digital images, plus eight prints, a photo album and a frame. We swam with Yoko the dolphin, fish and rays, stared down sharks and moray eels, fed exotic birds, and chilled out on an amazing lazy river. It feels like youre going so fast and its over far too quickly. Did you meet a not nice dolphin? Jay quickly explained and Cathy then went on about how its illegal to approach dolphins in US waters and how Australia must be different. This site is owned, designed and managed by. Bur thee is a different kind of theme park adventure that has been called by many visitors as a hidden gem in the City Beautiful, Orlandos other nickname. Its worth noting someone not doing the dolphin swim can stand on the beach and take photos of you, but the photos arent nearly as good. My husband Jay hates dolphins. It was. At the end of the dive, these photos will be uploaded to our Adventure Photo computers for you to view and purchase, if you wish. 2022 Epic Expos, Inc. All Rights reserved. The 'Dolphin Swim Experience' is the highlight of the park: it feels refreshingly intimate being ingroups of aroundtenin the water with these amazing animals as they wave, splash and shaketheir fins at you before takingeachparticipanton a quick, invigoratingride through the water. All opinions are my own and do not reflect the views of my employer, nor the employers of anyone who is featured on the blog. They come up and youre likeoh,its a cute little dolphin, and then it tries to drown you!. } Discovery Cove Family Photo Review by ERIC TIANSAY, dad We Welcome You To Paradise is an atypical greeting from an attraction in the theme park capital of the world. margin-top: 10px; Are you jealous yet? Holiday Inn Resort Orlando Lake Buena Vista, an IHG Hotel, Holiday Inn Orlando Disney Springs Area, An IHG Hotel. Not a problem, just one more thing to carry since I didnt have a bag. thanks everyone! Fun fact: there are lots of rocks to fetch from the bottom of the Wind-Away River.Even if youre not the adventuring type, Discovery Cove is the ideal place to unwind, and Serenity Bay hits the spot. Discovery Cove has a total of forty-five dolphins, so I thought it was really cool I managed to get one related to my first dolphin. Our group loved this spot and spent a lot of time enjoying the scenery of waterfalls, caves, rainforests and beaches, which offered a combination of relaxation, fun and breathtaking scenery. I like to be prepared ahead of time for the outrageous photo prices! After some brief instructions on where it was safe to touch him, avoid the blowhole, the eyes, and the teeth, they had Brig swim back and forth in front of us so we could pet him as they told us a little bit more about dolphins. So you'll only need to buy one. I have said it before and Ill say it again, I cannot say enough good things about Discovery Cove. Have your family etched into stone by our new, state-of-the-art laser system. So,Jesse continued his safety briefing with me trying not to laugh and Jay glaring at me. , and more. Our photos would be waiting for us at Adventure Photo in about fifteen minutes. He gave us a claimticketwith the number 60 on it. They asked how Jay and I knew each other and I said, Were married. Thats still so fun to say! No, she does not. It wasfinally emptyenough we could keep our distance from everyone else and still enjoy ourselves. Well, the family behind me and their unmasked children kept moving closer to me. *DVD video footage is only available for up to 30 days after your visit date. #gallery-2 { Rides, Attractions, Genie+ Questions and Info. So bring your ID if you decide on indulging in adult beverages. "THE DISCOVERY PACKAGE (a $500 total value) $229 + tax"??????? Discovery Cove offers quite a few options to choose for tickets and the park frequently has specials. with the number 60 on it. However, based on how our experience at breakfast, Jay and I decided to skip lunch entirely and just get snacks at the snack bar. It was nice to be able to just chill out in the water and not have anyone bother us.