Discovery Cove - General Information

[RangerPooh]

I've recently read that you can purchase drinks from the bar even if you don't have the drink package. Can anyone confirm this? If so, what are the prices?

Yes, you can purchase drinks without having the drink package. I didn’t take a picture of the menu when we were there in July and October, but found this one recently posted online.

We opted for the drink plans on both trips, however should have passed on it when we went there in October. Next time we’ll probably pay oop. We had a cabana so that probably contributed to less consumption in October as beer and wine were included with that.

 

[mjhtvchick]

I have just updated the main post. Sorry for the long absence!

Visit HERE for information on Discovery Cove's COVID-19 safety protocols.

 

[macraven]

 

[cartydog]

Anyone been recently? Heading there next Saturday? How is social distancing and COVID stuff?

 

[Julie Amber]

Anyone been recently? Heading there next Saturday? How is social distancing and COVID stuff?

We were there last week and I didn't see much social distancing or Covid procedures. The only place I saw them doing anything was for the dolphin swim. They socially distanced everyone getting instructions and had us wear masks in that one area. As soon as we got in with the dolphins though, it was standing shoulder to shoulder and no masks. There was no social distancing or masks anywhere else in the park.

 

[jeff_h]

We were there last week and I didn't see much social distancing or Covid procedures. The only place I saw them doing anything was for the dolphin swim. They socially distanced everyone getting instructions and had us wear masks in that one area. As soon as we got in with the dolphins though, it was standing shoulder to shoulder and no masks. There was no social distancing or masks anywhere else in the park.

Same here - we were there two weeks ago, and there were signs at the entrance to the cafeteria that said masks were required but probably 90% of people were unmasked while getting food.

 

[cartydog]

Thank you, we are headed there this Saturday

 

[Luckay]

I want to share more information.

For men, a swim brief is highly recommend
For women, a Speedo swimsuit or a sports-bra top, a tank top with a bikini bottom is highly recommended.

 

[MarBee]

Debating on whether to go to DC in January, March, or May. January is the better timing for us, but I’m worried it will be too cold. Has anyone been to DC on a particularly cold day? How was it?

 

[V.B.]

Hi there! I'm reading through this post and looking through the website. I'd love to hear from those of you who've been to Discovery Cove, is it a good experience? What is the rest of the park like experience wise (do you get to feed the birds, what is the Lazy River like, etc). The prices look reasonable, especially with the hotel packages and add ons for the other parks, so I'm wondering if it's worth it . With the way Disney is going, I'm looking at other options, I have a son who would love to swim with Dolphins! Thanks!

 

[CAPSLOCK]

It is phenomenal! It's a peaceful day, no rushing around or trying to "fit it all in." The only lines are check-in and lunch.

I strongly recommend doing the aviary first thing when it opens (9am). The birds are much more interested in the food / visitors then. There is plenty of time to have breakfast & get in your DC wetsuit / vest before then. You can even bypass the first room of the aviary (there are several rooms) and you will end up with a room all to yourselves for a few minutes.

The lazy river is huge, nice & warm and has a few different offshoots - one goes past otters/fish, one loops around marmoset island with little tiny monkeys, part goes under waterfalls and through the aviary. There are also some lounge chairs in the shallow water at the edges.

I love fish and have only snorkel at Discovery Cove, so I love to spend time in the Grand Reef. You can snorkel with all the fish & rays, and touch them (mostly the rays, the fish tend to be too quick to be touched). There is also a separate area with sharks, where you can swim up to the plexiglass tank divider so it seems as though you are in with the sharks. Grand Reef is a bit chillier than the lazy river, so I tend to transition between the two to warm up.

The dolphin interaction is not too long. You get to touch the dolphin several times, learn about them up close, pose with him/her, and then do the fin pull swim. It is pretty cheap to add the dolphin portion & I think it is worthwhile, especially for the first visit.

In addition to breakfast & lunch, you can grab free snacks from several places all day long - warm soft pretzels, warm chocolate chip cookies, bags of chips, little rice krispy treats, plus icees, fountain drinks, booze. All included. Although drinking your weight in free icees/booze means more pee breaks...

There are 2 banks of lockers (free) and you can grab a few if needed. There are also showers for the end of the day, complete w/ toiletries/towels and even wet swimsuit bags. It really is all inclusive for the day.

I have been twice & done the 3 parks add-on - it makes the price per day downright cheap if you spend a few days at the other parks. DC is also a great low key rest day between busier park days - and a good Saturday option because it is never crowded.

I haven't bothered with a hotel package, I just book DC when there is a good deal. Then you can pair that with a good hotel deal & you are all set.

 

[Gentry2004]

We are going for the very first time over Spring Break and we are very excited. We also booked the ticket with the 3 addtional parks and free parking. Its me, DH, and DD's who are 11 and 14. A few questions:

1. Do you wear the wetsuits the entire day, or just for certain activities?
2. What type of alcoholic drinks are included vs. the drinks that are "premium" (aka cost extra or come with the drink package.)
3. Other than visiting it aviary first (if open) is there any other recommended order to do things in? My husband is the type of person will want to do every since attraction/area at least once so I want to do it in the most logical way.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

We are going for the very first time over Spring Break and we are very excited. We also booked the ticket with the 3 addtional parks and free parking. Its me, DH, and DD's who are 11 and 14. A few questions:

1. Do you wear the wetsuits the entire day, or just for certain activities?
2. What type of alcoholic drinks are included vs. the drinks that are "premium" (aka cost extra or come with the drink package.)
3. Other than visiting it aviary first (if open) is there any other recommended order to do things in? My husband is the type of person will want to do every since attraction/area at least once so I want to do it in the most logical way.

1. Wetsuits or vests must be worn anytime you are in the water. You are welcome to remove them when you are lounging on the beach, eating at the restaurant, etc.

2. Domestic beer and wine are included with regular admission, as well as soft drinks. Juice and milk are available at breakfast, so I'm sure you can get those throughout the day as well.

3. The Grand Reef is also a good place to go earlier in the day, as the sandy bottom tends to get stirred up as guests are in and out, which makes snorkeling less clear.

If you are visiting during the summer months (when daily storms are common), and assuming you are doing the dolphin swim, you may want to arrive as early as possible so you can get an earlier dolphin swim [meaning your time slot will be less likely to be affected by any incoming thunder/lightning]. It's also nice to get the swim done early, so you don't have to worry about checking the time constantly to ensure you don't miss your specific time slot. We always like getting there early, having breakfast, getting dressed in our wetsuits and then doing the dolphin swim, which generally has us done all the "scheduled" stuff by 10 am. Then we have the rest of the day to just relax and enjoy.

Don't stress too much about planning your day out.....that's part of the joy of Discovery Cove. You'll have plenty of time to check out the whole park, and then let your favorite areas dictate the remainder of your time. If you really love the snorkeling, you'll likely want to spent a lot of time in the Grand Reef. Some folks love soaking up the sun from one of the many chairs on the beach. Others could spend all day floating around the Wind Away River, making sandcastles, or enjoying endless snacks in the sunken loungers of the Freshwater Oasis. Enjoy every relaxing, perfect moment of your visit!

 

[Gentry2004]

1. Wetsuits or vests must be worn anytime you are in the water. You are welcome to remove them when you are lounging on the beach, eating at the restaurant, etc.

2. Domestic beer and wine are included with regular admission, as well as soft drinks. Juice and milk are available at breakfast, so I'm sure you can get those throughout the day as well.

3. The Grand Reef is also a good place to go earlier in the day, as the sandy bottom tends to get stirred up as guests are in and out, which makes snorkeling less clear.

If you are visiting during the summer months (when daily storms are common), and assuming you are doing the dolphin swim, you may want to arrive as early as possible so you can get an earlier dolphin swim [meaning your time slot will be less likely to be affected by any incoming thunder/lightning]. It's also nice to get the swim done early, so you don't have to worry about checking the time constantly to ensure you don't miss your specific time slot. We always like getting there early, having breakfast, getting dressed in our wetsuits and then doing the dolphin swim, which generally has us done all the "scheduled" stuff by 10 am. Then we have the rest of the day to just relax and enjoy.

Don't stress too much about planning your day out.....that's part of the joy of Discovery Cove. You'll have plenty of time to check out the whole park, and then let your favorite areas dictate the remainder of your time. If you really love the snorkeling, you'll likely want to spent a lot of time in the Grand Reef. Some folks love soaking up the sun from one of the many chairs on the beach. Others could spend all day floating around the Wind Away River, making sandcastles, or enjoying endless snacks in the sunken loungers of the Freshwater Oasis. Enjoy every relaxing, perfect moment of your visit!

Sounds like heaven! Thank you! My girls have been talking about snorkeling ever since our canceled April 2020 cruise!

 

[Joanna71985]

We are going for the very first time over Spring Break and we are very excited. We also booked the ticket with the 3 addtional parks and free parking. Its me, DH, and DD's who are 11 and 14. A few questions:

1. Do you wear the wetsuits the entire day, or just for certain activities?
2. What type of alcoholic drinks are included vs. the drinks that are "premium" (aka cost extra or come with the drink package.)
3. Other than visiting it aviary first (if open) is there any other recommended order to do things in? My husband is the type of person will want to do every since attraction/area at least once so I want to do it in the most logical way.

1. It's personal choice. I prefer the wetsuit over the vest, and wear that all day. It is required for certain tours (including the shark snorkel and the flamingo tour). However, I know people who wear the vest all day. Just know that one or the other is required whenever in the water

3. I wouldn't say there's a set order (with the exception of trying to do the aviary early). Just go with the flow

 

[CAPSLOCK]

There are only the 4 main activity areas - in order across the park, they are: aviary, lazy river, dolphin lagoon, and grand reef.

Your dolphin swim time will be assigned to you in order of your arrival (you can ask for it to be a little later if you get a real early one).

Otherwise, just head where you want. No rush. Want to spend 3hrs floating the lazy river? No problem, still plenty of time!

I always bounce around a bit - taking advantage of the snacks & beverages as you head past on them. Hop out of the grand reef and grab warm chocolate cookies & an Icee on the way to the lazy river - lovely!

The water in the lazy river is warmest.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

There are only the 4 main activity areas - in order across the park, they are: aviary, lazy river, dolphin lagoon, and grand reef.

The water in the lazy river is warmest.

One more to add: the Freshwater Oasis.

Which has a similar water temperature to Wind Away River.

Discovery Cove FAQ - Plan Your Discovery Cove Trip | Discovery Cove

The temperature of our pools remains constant throughout the year. The fresh water Serenity Bay, Freshwater Oasis and Wind-Away River are maintained around 85-86 F (30 C). The salt water Dolphin Lagoon and The Grand Reef® is maintained around 76-77 F (25 C).

 

[CAPSLOCK]

One more to add: the Freshwater Oasis.

Which has a similar water temperature to Wind Away River.

That's true. I mentally lump it in with the lazy river.

 

[CdnKayDee]

Oops! Figured it out!

 

[Sue M]

1. Wetsuits or vests must be worn anytime you are in the water. You are welcome to remove them when you are lounging on the beach, eating at the restaurant, etc.

2. Domestic beer and wine are included with regular admission, as well as soft drinks. Juice and milk are available at breakfast, so I'm sure you can get those throughout the day as well.

3. The Grand Reef is also a good place to go earlier in the day, as the sandy bottom tends to get stirred up as guests are in and out, which makes snorkeling less clear.

If you are visiting during the summer months (when daily storms are common), and assuming you are doing the dolphin swim, you may want to arrive as early as possible so you can get an earlier dolphin swim [meaning your time slot will be less likely to be affected by any incoming thunder/lightning]. It's also nice to get the swim done early, so you don't have to worry about checking the time constantly to ensure you don't miss your specific time slot. We always like getting there early, having breakfast, getting dressed in our wetsuits and then doing the dolphin swim, which generally has us done all the "scheduled" stuff by 10 am. Then we have the rest of the day to just relax and enjoy.

Don't stress too much about planning your day out.....that's part of the joy of Discovery Cove. You'll have plenty of time to check out the whole park, and then let your favorite areas dictate the remainder of your time. If you really love the snorkeling, you'll likely want to spent a lot of time in the Grand Reef. Some folks love soaking up the sun from one of the many chairs on the beach. Others could spend all day floating around the Wind Away River, making sandcastles, or enjoying endless snacks in the sunken loungers of the Freshwater Oasis. Enjoy every relaxing, perfect moment of your visit!

If you’re just doing the day guest without packages do you have to wear a wet suit even to do the lazy river or swim in pool? By vest to you mean life jacket?

Is it worth it to book a daybed?