Discovery Cove, Orlando, Florida, is a truly amazing incredible place to visit! From simple visits, to enjoy the reefs and lazy river, not to mention all you can eat and drink included in your package, to day bed loungers, to the more luxurious VIP Cabana’s
We checked in at the main entrance to Discovery Cove, we had pre-booked our VIP package in the UK, prior to arriving here, immediately on entering the park from checking in, we were greeted by our hostess a lovely lady named June, she was originally from Georgia and had a fabulous Southern American accent, she was really informative and talked us through all the different aspects of our visit today, already we felt very important.
Firstly, she took us from the check-in area prior to going to the Cabana, instead taking us over to our reserved dining table, complete with a flower arranged “Reserved” sign on the table. we enjoyed our complimentary breakfast, you can have hot dishes (Bacon, Sausage, Scrambled Eggs, Southwest Scrambled Eggs, Toast or Toasted Bagels) or cold dishes (Fruits, Yogurts, Danish Pasteries, etc) there are hot drinks as well as cold beverages, whilst your eating you have to be mindful, of the wild Ibis Birds, Herons and Starlings, if you leave your food unattended youll lose it! Once we had finished our breakfast, we had our very own private animal meet & greet, where we got up close and personal to the gorgeous two-toed sloth named Mila the trainer gave us some amazing information on these elusive fascinating little creatures, we even got to stroke her, it was a magical start to the day.
June then walked us across to our luxury VIP cabana, which was overlooking the Dolphin pool. The VIP cabanas come complete with hammocks, sun loungers, towels, drinks, etc. In a secluded private location. There are only 9 VIP cabanas at Discovery Cove. Naturally, we asked June if she had met anyone famous who had visited, and used the area we was in, she told us that she had looked after Chris Rock, Chris Tucker, John Terry etc. As well as recently taking care of Florida governor Ron DeSantis, she didn’t divulge any gossip, lol. She asked what drinks we would like, so whilst we were on our dolphin swim, she could top the fridges up, she was really attentive.
We made our way to the Marine Reef just a short walk from our cabana, everybody entering the marine pool and dolphin swim MUST wear either a full wetsuit or a wetsuit top which zips up, these are provided by the park, as well as snorkel kits, you then swim freely in the massive reef pools, its a little cold to get in, and it is salt water, once in put on your snorkels and swim freely with dozens of stingrays, and other types of rays as well as hundreds of other free swimming fish of all different sizes, shapes and colours for as long as you want. You swim to the back of the Reef. There are large glass windows, where you can watch huge sharks swimming around, these can not come into the Reef where we was, instead enjoying their own pools, you can pay extra and do a deep dive if it’s your thing?
Once we had endulged the explorer in us, we headed back to the cabana to get prepped up for our dolphin swim and experience. Our swim was scheduled for 10.30 am June. Our hostess collected us promptly at 10.20am and walked us across to our briefing area prior to going in the pool with these amazing creatures. Once the briefing had concluded, we followed our dolphin trainer to the pool, where we was introduced to the beautiful dolphin named Ipanema she was a 14 year old 400lbs dolphin born in Discovery Cove, we got the opportunity to stroke her numerous times (dolphin skin feels like a wet chamios leather) we then got the chance to hitch a ride with her as she took us from one part of her pool to another, we did some tricks with her, including getting a kiss from a dolphin 🤷🏼♂️ Abi our friends daughter on the trip, got a surprise from one of the dolphins, she brought Abi a keep sake bhoy with a special message on it she was made up with it!
As i said, all food is free all day for everybody. This includes alcoholic beverages! This includes a great selection of beers (in aluminium bottles) as well as wines. We paid an extra ($45.00) for a drinks package upgrade. This gets you all your freshly made delicious cocktails and dozens of different spirits.
Lunch was brilliant, a mixture of hot and cold dishes, from crusted Salmon, to pulled pork, beef, salads, rice, burgers and hot dogs to mouth watering desserts, we again sat at our exclusive reserved table, to enjoy our lunch, I had Salmon with fresh vegetables and Laguna salad, followed by a chocolate chip cookie, really was superb food, during lunch, the heavens opened and it torrential rained for around 20 minutes, we were undercover so simply carried on eating. I was a little concerned about our things at the cabana left on the sunloungers, but once the rain had stopped, we headed back only to find June had been prior and brought all our things off the sun beds and placed them undercover, I also noted that our fridge was now well stocked with beers, wines, cocktail mixers, soft drinks and water. There was also a snack box with crisps and other complimentary savouries to nibble on. June swang by again to make sure we had everything as well as to bring our dolphin photos on a pen-drive. She treated us like movie stars she really did.
Inside Discovery Cove is a huge lazy river which is fresh water as appose to salt water in all the other pools. Water floatation aids are provided if you want them, simply put your arms over the flotation device and amble around the lazy river, which is 1600ft long with depth ranges from 2ft to 8ft deep, the lazy river isn’t fast flowing anywhere, as it makes its way around it takes you through the aviary, guarded at both ends by big waterfalls you have to go under, this keeps the birds inside, once your inside the aviary floating along, wild exotic birds fly around you, interacting justvas they would normally all different types and varieties, once you’ve exited the aviary there is an inlet where you can watch Otters behind glass, which is pretty cool, further round there is an inlet, where you can get out go to the bar grab a drink, then sit on seats within the inlet waters in the sun and indulge, it really is fabulous and very relaxing.
Once back at the cabana, our host June was there again to cater to whatever we needed she was truly amazing. She told us she’d been there 20 years and lived her job. She didn’t want to retire as she loves what she does.
There are numerous animals around the park. Some you can see some you can only meet on specific animal meets and greets, there are two pairs of scarlet macaws situated in two locations, these are out all the time and can be viewed, they aren’t caged just left on their perches, there is the aviary I’ve mention, two ways to see this either floats through, or walk through, doing this you get the chance to feed them, there are otters you can view as well as attend their feeding time, there is Mila the sloth plus some Armadillos, also they have a flock of pink flamingos which can now be viewed at their enclosure, but every morning at 9.30am the whole flock are walked around the public area for you to see, it’s a great site to see, there is also a Geoffries Marmoset island as you travel around the lazy river. Obviously, there are the 36 dolphins and hundreds of fish in the marine Reef.
My overall rating for Discovery Cove is an easy 10/10 in everyway, the attention to detail is excellent, the plant life and rain forest setting they have created is brilliant, the animals look content and very well cared for, food is delicious and the beers are cold. If you’ve not been to Discovery Cove in Orlando, Florida, I strongly urge to go. Remember when you purchase your Discovery Cove tickets, they entitle you to unlimited entrance into Seaworld Orlando, Aquatica Waterpark Orlando, and Busch Gardens near Tampa, the tickets also come with free parking, which saves you $32.00 a day!
June, our hostess was superb a real credit to the Discovery Cove brand she amplifies everything that is brilliant about the park, her knowledge is unquestionable, and enthusiasm is infectious, if you visit and get the chance to be a VIP for the day ask for June she will make your day memorable.
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