Discovery Cove is an amusement park located in Orlando, Florida and is owned by the Busch Entertainment Corporation.
The amusement park admission is all-inclusive and there are different options to the pricing structure depending upon what you want to do once you’re inside. The cost covers all food and drink at the amusement park as well as any equipment rental. Because it is owned by Busch, the admission charge also entitles you to a free ticket to one of its sister amusement parks, SeaWorld, which is adjacent to it, or Busch Gardens in Tampa.
Interacting with marine animals is at the forefront of what the amusement park is all about. It gives you the opportunity to swim and play with bottlenose dolphins where you’ll also be taught how to use hand signals and in giving positive reinforcement to get the dolphins to perform specific tricks for you. There is even a ‘Trainer For The Day Package at the amusement park’ which offers an even more intense experience in training and communicating with the dolphins.
You can go snorkelling at the amusement park as it contains its own coral reef which allows you to observe the thousands of tropical fish underwater. Not only fish though, there is also the chance to look at the underwater barracuda and shark tank – thankfully from behind glass!
The amusement park also features the Ray Lagoon where, after an orientation from one of the amusement park’s guides, you can get to swim amongst dozens of rays, some of which have grown to up to 4 feet wide.
As well as fish, there is free-flight aviary within the amusement park which features over 250 tropical birds as well as a further 30 exotic birds including toucans, ostriches and parrots. You’ll also have the opportunity to feed the birds and to interact with them.
A great way to relax at the amusement park is to float on down the Tropical River which runs through the aviary and circles the park and simply delight in the beaches, rainforest landscape and waterfalls as you float gently on by. Or, you can relax in the heated freshwater resort pool.
With such a focus on wildlife and the environment, it’s not surprising that the amusement park takes a very keen and active role in conservation issues. This even manifests itself in its ethos of using biodegradable materials in the production of its food containers and tableware.
Furthermore, the all inclusive cost of entrance at the amusement park really does mean ‘all inclusive’ with snorkelling gear including wetsuit, lockers, sunscreen, towels and beach chairs all covered in the entrance fee. For an additional cost, you can also hire your very own private cabana for the duration of your stay at the amusement park.
See also:
Amusement Parks - Lion Country Safari - a Potted History
Amusement Parks: Blizzard Beach - a Potted History
Amusement Parks: Aquatica - a Potted History
Amusement Parks: Adventure Landing and Shipwreck Island - a Potted History