by Shawn Lapeyrouse, Independent Agent with Magical Moments Vacations
Discovery Cove is truly a hidden Caribbean treasure smack in the middle of Orlando, Florida! From the moment you walk out of the lobby doors after checking in, you are in the middle of a tropical paradise! The all-inclusive experience is truly a magical one!
I won't focus on the COVID-19 Safety protocols but I can tell you Discovery Cove has implemented temperature checks upon your arrival to the park, they have social distancing markers and masks are required when you are not actively in a pool/swim area or eating! While Discovery Cove always limits the number of people allowed into the park in order to ensure you have an incredible experience with the wildlife in the park, as of the time of this writing, they were limiting the park to only 500 guests per day!
A day at Discovery Cove is made even more enjoyable by the fact that you don't have to concern yourself with where to eat for breakfast or lunch and it's all included in the ticket price!
Discovery Cove is a part of the SeaWorld Family which means wildlife experiences are bountiful within the park! My first wildlife encounter was with the flamingos who were hanging out leaving their prints in the sand! My next stop was the Aviary where you are encouraged to feed various birds and while I didn't get to visit the otters or sloths, you most certainly can on your visit! And sadly I didn't have my camera with me when we sent snorkeling with all of the colorful fish, sting-rays and guitarfish in the saltwater pool! I even had a close encounter with a shark (who was safely on the other side of a giant glass wall)!
*The picture of the sloth is courtesy of Discovery Cove given to Magical Moments Vacations for use in this blog.
Finally, in my opinion, the most exciting wildlife encounter of all, a swim with a dolphin! While pre-COVID the dolphins would actually take you out for a swim with you holding his/her fin, the current encounter is still really amazing. I was delighted to be able to rub her belly, hug her, and have her give me a kiss on the cheek. She even performed special tricks for us while we were in the water with her!
*All pictures of the Dolphins were given to Magical Moments Vacations by Discovery Cove for use of this blog. The pictures were all taken during various Dolphin Encounter experiences.
Venturing further into the park you'll discover lots of hidden coves where you can sit and enjoy the sun both while on the beach or in the water! Then there's the super cool lazy river you can float down as well, not too mention the swimming pools that truly look like a Caribbean Beach!
Though I didn't get the opportunity to enjoy the relaxing setting of one of Discovery Cove's cabanas... I do encourage all guests to do so! Cabana's are available for rental for the day. There are different cabanas available, as well as different packages which you can explore here.
*The picture of the cabana is courtesy of Discovery Cove for use by Magical Moments Vacations for this blog.
While the Dolphin Swim is the only add-on that I chose to do during my visit, Discovery Cove does offer a variety of other encounters that you can add on to your package! One of my favorite parts of the day was that I also got to do some relaxing and just enjoyed the sun for the afternoon. Laying out on the beach, taking a dip in one of the pools, and cruising around the lazy river were all great ways to cap off the end of my adventurous day!
Full packages including hotel, park tickets (you can include passes to Sea World too) and additional experiences (as well as Cabana rentals) can all be bundled together into a package or you can book some component a-la-carte! Be sure to contact your Magical Moments Vacations Agent today about booking your Discovery Cove package today! Remember, because they limit the number of guests per day, you want to book early to ensure you are able to visit on the day of your choice! You can request your quote here!
Shawn Lapeyrouse has been an agent with Magical Moments Vacations since early 2014. She, along with her husband and two sons, visit the Orlando area frequently. She can be reached at shawnl@mmvagent.com or on Facebook.