Orlando's Discovery Cove: Come swim with the dolphins!
There are few wildlife entertainment venues where guests literally come nose to nose with their non-human hosts – especially those as unique and intelligent as dolphins. Discovery Cove in Orlando is one of those places.
Discovery Cove, a sister subsidiary to SeaWorld Orlando and part of the Busch Entertainment network, gives “hands on” experience a new meaning. Swimming with (and hitching a ride with) dolphins and snorkeling with sting rays, among other amenities, make this relatively rare experience not just rewarding, but sometimes difficult to reserve. Thus reservations many months out are recommended, particularly in the spring and summer months and during major holidays. Reservations can be made directly on the Discovery Cove web site.
The primary draw of Discovery Cove is, of course, “Dolphin Discovery” – an unforgettable 30 minutes of in-water interaction with a professional dolphin trainer and resident bottlenose dolphins. Before guests are allowed to enter the Dolphin Lagoon, expert trainers instruct them about the experience, including safety tips. The end of the half-hour session is capped by dolphins who will “tow” their human guests by dorsal fin to shore one at a time with a trainer.
Discovery Cove dolphin swims are open to guests age 6 or older, but you’d better prepare any youngster who’s under the age of 10 to understand what to encounter, because on-site refunds aren’t allowed.
In addition to Dolphin Discovery, Discovery Cove guests may snorkel among beautiful schools of tropical fish, giant sea rays, and colorful coral in the Coral Reef sanctuary. The reef is replete with shipwreck remains, grottos, and an elaborate web of expansive coral, all of which serve as residence to an abundant array of species. Snorkel equipment and life jackets are provided.
After close encounters of the third kind with various sea life, Discovery Cove visitors can enjoy a resort pool and freshwater tropic river, as well as a heated swimming pool – something which, surprisingly, is often useful in the winter months in Orlando.
Through Nov. 18, 2009, Discovery Cove is offering $50 off its package of Discovery Cove plus one other Busch Entertainment park in Central Florida (SeaWorld Orlando, Busch Gardens Tampa or Aquatica) – now $239 versus the standard $289 For diehard dolphin fanatics, however, the “Trainer for a Day” package, priced at $489 for 2009, is an absolute must. Guests get additional time with the dolphins as well as a special private, individual photo session with two of them.
- by Jim Brown , Orlando Reporter for HelloMetro
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Jim Brown Jim Brown is a longtime freelance aviation, travel and destination writer and communications professional. A former reporter for Aviation Daily, Air Safety Week and World Airline News, Jim served for more than 15 years as a senior public relations executive for American Airlines, TWA and AirTran Airways.
