First time to Discovery Cove - what is you best tip?

We will be at Discovery Cove for our first visit on Sunday (woo hoo) What do we need to take with us? What is the one helpful tip that you would give a first time family? What is that one thing we can't miss?

Get there early. We arrived around 7:15 Monday and had an 11:20 swim time. Everything was perfect. We stayed till almost 5:30. There was plenty of time to see everything without rushing. Enjoy your day there!

Totally agree, get there early and plan to stay until they kick you out (which they won't). Don't rush to do anything, take your time to do everything.

You don't need to bring anything but your bathing suits and sunglasses. I brought a book and enjoyed relaxing after I got too water logged. It is an amazing experience!

We just came back as well. We got there around 9 and stayed almost to 5. They will take a complimentary family picture when you get there. You get breakfast and lunch plus they have snack bars where they do serve alcohol. If you go to Avery they will give you food and birds will land on your outstretched arm to eat it. We loved the snorkeling with the stingrays. The towels are in the bathrooms. You are allowed to keep the snorkle but not mask. Plan on a fun leisurely day with free food.

Get there early. Relax and enjoy. If you do want to feed the birds; do so earlier in the day; they tend to get "full" by early afternoon. But mostly, just relax and enjoy.

I sure wish it was me going tomorrow! My best friend and I went for our first time on Sept 25th and I would have to say that it was probably one of the highlights of our 14 days trip! We can't wait to go back As others have said, arrive early - we checked in at 7:10am and we were by no means some of the first people there. Our dolphin swim time was at 10:00 I think. None of the water areas can be accessed until 9am but if you arrive early you will have time to eat breakfast, find where you want to have lounge chairs (we rented a cabana, it was great) , gather your swim vests or wet suits, get the lay of the land etc. We didn't leave until about 5:45, and there were still plenty of people there shopping, taking pictures etc.

The lazy river is awesome, the great reef has so many fish and sting rays to see, I actually bought a snorkle mask with my eyeglass prescription in it and was able to see while snorkeling for the first time ever - it was GREAT! I think we took 1000 or so pictures in our day there, I have a Kodak Playsport camera that is waterproof, it was the first time I was brave enough to put it in water but it took great pictures both in and out of water.

I do hope you plan on going to Aquatica and Sea World too, we fell in love with Aquatica and we don't "do waterparks" LOL! Since Shamu was already at Sea World and we weren't wearing black swimsuits............these 2 Pooh sized women felt pretty safe going in the water and not worrying that anyone would think Shamu was "loose"...........don't worry, I can laugh about myself, I know I am not ever going to be confused with a whale! Anyway, if you are able to go to Aquatica - Roa Rapids is the BOMB! We couldn't get enough of that area, the lazy river was BORING compared to Roa Rapids!

Like others say, get their early...and have fun! You can't go wrong there.

Hello Chelley00

How was your day at Discovery Cove ?

Did it meet your expectations ?