I really loved it here! When snorkeling in the open ocean, sometimes the animals just aren't around. Here, they're all there to be seen because it's closed off. I was a little disappointed to see them collecting snorkels. Why? Are they being reused? Gross! I spent the whole day using just my swimming goggles after seeing that snorkel return bin on my way in. The food and snacks were really good. The staff were friendly. It's worth the price when you book many months in advance. Almost died in the lazy river from having tired arms after doing it without a floatie. But that's a different story. read more

This is in regards to the Paradise Nights dinner. For 65.00/pp for adults. We checked in at 6:30pm. We got are pictures and they made badges for us to wear. I felt there was too much idle time between 6:30-7:10pm. This time could have been used for the formal picture taking and the Sloth meet and greet. Yes, you see and pet a sloth! It rained earlier so then placed us in the outside seating which I didn't mind. Food was good, not great. Some of he meats were over cooked and dry. All you can eat including wine and beer. Wished they had pina coladas for the tropical feel. Dolphins show/Q&A: 10 out of 10! Trainers were informative and they left enough time to answer all your questions. Very knowledgeable! After show, they had a dance party with DJ, desserts and more bar and wine. Overall it was good. read more

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WORDS can not describe how beautiful this place is! I mean it is absolutely breathe taking it's no amount of stars to give because the sky is the limit at this place . Every one is so nice the food is amazing I seriously can not describe how beautiful my experience was here! the water is so warm swimming with the dolphins was amazing and also swimming with fish was unbelievable it's a great experience one of my best an I been all around the world . read more

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One star by default. While visiting a friend in Florida from MS, we decided to visit Discovery Cove. Booked tickets the morning of and set out for an hour and forty-five minute drive. We get there and we're quickly helped by a customer service agent, Lauren. Lauren looks at her computer then tells us that because we booked the morning of our visit that we'd need to contact the bank to have the pending charge pushed through. This didn't sound right to me as I use my bank card for everything and transactions can pend for days. No one has ever turned me away because the transaction was pending. I called my bank, USAA. My bank advised Lauren that this wasn't possible and they confirmed that I had the $744 in the account plus more to cover this pending transaction. Long story short, Lauren held us up for 45 minutes before making us pay again on a different credit card and guaranteeing that they would stop the transaction on my other bank card. Melissa, Lauren's manager, never came over to address or apologize for their incompetence and the inconvenience but was communicating with Lauren via phone though she was one counter over. When asked how discovery cove would make up for the time and inconvenience they caused Lauren said that Melissa told her that nothing could be done. This was the worst and most time consuming experience and 7 days after my trip I'm fighting the charge that they never removed from my bank card. Therefore, I've paid 1500 for a 1/2 day at a park with bad customer service and a mediocre park experience. Please do not spend you money here because they do not care about their customers or your money. Please read the other reviews about their scandalous ways of stealing customer's money before going here. Shame on the CEO's and owner's of this company scamming hard working families. read more

Absolutely horrified. Responded to a Facebook ad this morning. I wanted to by 3 tix next week. All week was sold out except Friday the 3rd. Got all the way to purchase and then it said no longer inventory. Went back out it was still available. Total Disgrace. We always loved Seaworld. I can not believe how they could do this. read more

**BEST VALUE IN ORLANDO** This place is amazing! We went luckily on the day the weather began to get warmer at a cool 50°F in the morning moving into the low 70's. Everything about this place is catered for a great day. Everything is inclusive with your ticket from wetsuits (vests, short, full), fish friendly sunblock, shampoo, unlimited food, fountain drinks, coffee, alcohol, towels and clean restrooms with showers. The customer service is on point, everyone was polite and took initiative to ask if you looked lost. If you're looking for legitimate Dolphin experience this is the place to do it. Unlike the bougie ass dolphins at Sea world San Diego who literally let you touch them 2-3 times, these Dolphins let you actually get in the water and even take you on a short ride! Considering the price which includes your entrance it's very affordable and well worth it. The park is relatively small if you're a person who only goes for the attractions and leave once you've done them, you're not going to be spending a lot of time here. Instead take your time enjoying the lazy river which is heated and extremely well decorated with an abundance of tress, sandy bottoms and even an aviary and marmosets (in a seperate pool with otters). The jewel of the place is the Great Reef! There's a bunch of tropical fish and sting rays you can snorkle with in a large artificial reef. Don't miss out on this experience if you're in Orlando, plus the price of this admission gives you access to seaworld and their other parks for 2 weeks! Well worth the money and time. read more

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The highlight of a simply wonderful two weeks in Florida. Entry to Discovery cove is limited so you never get crowds plenty of sun beds available for those of your party who don't swim. Whilst this is expensive it was worth every penny. We arrived early and got our slot at around 11am to swim with the Dolphins. We had a complementary breakfast and then spent the rest of the morning swimming with Sting rays (Don't panic the stings have been removed) and snorkelling around some lovely water scenery. The swim with dolphins was mind blowing these creatures are simply incredible they video the experience for you and then sell you the DVD. They also provide lunch and drinks are all included. They let you keep the snorkel as a souvenir of the day. We are saving the DVD for a cold and miserable December evening to bring back these wonderful memories. read more

Discovery Cove - Amusement Parks Near Me - Orlando, Florida

Totally duped by the package description. Package of Dolphin Swim with unlimited access to Sea World and Aquatica sounds great right? Especially when promised 30 minutes of a private dolphin swim. I will forever hold the memory of meeting Kaylie the Dolphin, I had an exceptional experience. It was a deceptive encounter though. 30 minutes is the total amount of time allotted to a group. The group may consist of 2-12 individuals at a time; if you are not family, expect strangers. The numbers vary depending on how busy the resort is. Our group consisted of 9 individuals, my boyfriend and I were two out of the nine. We probably had a total of 3 minutes each with Kaylie, excluding some of the moving into position for our photo op. We had a great time kissing Kaylie and getting out for a dolphin ride, but as someone stated, it's really just a photo op, and they want to CHARGE extra for those photos! ($35 ea, or $99 for 4, etc.) The food and drinks are TERRIBLE! The butter and herb rice was the only item worth eating. Steamed vegetables are flavorless, the Hawaiian chicken has a strange artificial flavoring to it and the dessert was some kind of packaged mix, that was mixed and poured into a mold then refrigerated. The lazy river was alright. Warm and relaxing. It's cool how you can stop among the different exhibits (aviary, marmosets and otters). The Great Reef was the most exciting exhibit worth a majority of the cost. If only our kids were with us this trip. They would have LOVED this! I loved the Aviary! I would have spent all day in the aviary if there weren't so many people entering into each area. What a relaxing atmosphere without a dozen or more people entering at once and invading the space of the birds rather than waiting for the birds to come to them. All in all, never will I purchase tickets again. Lesson learned, going out with binoculars and some of your own snorkel gear will suffice. You may not see dolphins, but at least it's just a short car ride away. read more

I am here as we speak and it is absolutely horrible. I have paid $3,000 dollars to be at this stupid place with my family only to not be told that my children under 6 can't swim with the dolphins ( the whole reason why I am here ) and that the adults that are here have to split in groups. If possible you are better off paying for your family to just fly to the Bahamas or Jamaica and enjoy and whole experience plus vacation for the same amount. Don't recommend, never coming back here again. Make sure you read the fine print read more

The most amazing place Ive ever been to!! And now due to covid--19 they take every precaution to keep the employees and customers healthy and safe!! read more

Discovery Cove - Amusement Parks Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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This place was a great experience. Really enjoyed the dolphin experience. The grand reef was also really cool to get to snorkel with all the tropical fish and rays. Even if you are not a strong swimmer you can wear a life vest and still have a great time.The river was also pretty neat, as you get to float down at a calm relaxed pace through their aviary. Food and drinks were decent and unlimited. My only complaint is that as much as the entry cost, that they could be more reasonable on their photo package cost. read more

Wow, is the best word for this place. The price might make some people think twice but this is a must. I went with my family, all adults, and we had a great time. The swim with the dolphins was amazing. The resort provides everything you need. The food was terrific and the snacks were never ending. We went on March 1st which is low season so not too many people which was great. When I come back to Orlando I'm stopping in here. read more

How can you not love a place that feeds and beverages you, all while playing on Sandy Beaches, floating on lazy rivers, and swimming with really cool sea creatures! read more

Had an amazing day here! Parking was included in fact it's all inclusive! Of corse it is extremely expensive just for one ticket. On arrival they check you in and try to sale you more stuff. Lockers, wetsuits, drinks/snacks, snorkel gear and sunblock are provided. Drinks are beer/wine and soft drinks or you can upgrade for over 40 bucks to get liquor and margaritas. Breakfast/lunch are provided also breakfast was good however lunch is a bunch of cheap meats that taste gross. The had vegetarian options they were okay but we wish that we had eaten a super big breakfast and not wasted time waiting in that super long line for lunch that was time we could have been having fun since the park closes so early 5:30 but really 5:15 cause that's when they kick you out of the water. All the extra activities were all worth the extra money! The time with the dolphins was only 30 mins which went by so fast you feel a little gypped but still it was amazing! The photos are so absolutely over priced we didn't even go look at them it was almost 300 and no option to just get one for under 100 at least. Make sure you do the dolphin swim in two separate time if your family is big enough so that one of you can take your own photos or you will leave without proof of this memory. Take your own snorkel if you are a clean freak like me or you'll have to trust the ones in the bins were in fact properly sanitized and let's face it most jobs don't pay workers enough to care. I also recommend if you own a thin wetsuit take it instead of using the ones provided. If you are one of those people who is always cold you will definitely need a wetsuit because the water is chilled so you will freeze! My daughter got sick the next day...she spent all day freezing in the water to the point she had to go sit in the sun for a while. I used liquor to keep me warm lol My only complaint is that the park closes too early for the money you pay. I think it should stay open till 7pm and May stop the dolphin swims at 5. We loved it and will return. read more

We have been to Discovery Cove 3 times in the last 5 years. The first 2 times we didn't have any issues and had a nice time as a family. The last time, however, the lazy river, our favorite park of the entire park, was closed for the entire day without explanation or apology. I understand that accidents or unexpected things happen and can't always be explained to visitors, but it was frustrating to be so excited for the experience and then be let down with no apology. This was the main thing we did in Orlando after flying from Ohio, and we purposefully didn't schedule extra experiences in Discovery Cove so we would have time to enjoy the lazy river more this visit. With how expensive it can be to go, it was discouraging to have a main part of the park closed and even more discouraging to not have an apology even after filling out their after visit survey. Although we have had positive experiences here before, it makes me hesitant to go back and even more hesitant to recommend it to other people. read more

BF and I did the dolphin swim and sea adventure. Dont upgrade your drink package...their idea of top shelf was Angry Orchard and Pepe Lopez tequila...um...yeah. Food was decent. Not overcrowded. Get a waterproof camera or water pouch for your phone...they will bend you over charging for those! Trust me! Dolphin swim was cool but overpriced for what you did. Sea adventure was cool to do once. Awesome in the lagoon you can snorkel and see sharks! Check that out by swimming to back area! read more

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Had reservations for November 2020, due to covid-19 resort cancelled all reservations, June 2020 had to call and request refund instead they suggested to reschedule for November 2021 and that they would still honor their 30 day 100% refund prior to the new reservation date. Due to the uptick in covid-19 again this year had to again call to cancel in September, I was then told that since the reservation wasn't cancelled prior to the original date as I had first requested, they couldn't help me. I finally got a supervisor to issue a refund to find out it was only a 25% refund on tickets of $2800. Guess I will be calling again. I will also be removing it from any of my future lists of things to do, I refuse to deal with companies that use such questionable business practices read more

amazing experience. Great customer service and well taken care of animals and facilities. read more

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Visited (1st time) Discovery Cove-Orlando on 11/19/17, weather was sunny and about 80 degrees. I just want to say, yes that the money was well spent, the day was as relaxing as you wanted to make it and the park was not close to being busy for a Saturday approaching a holiday week. The breakfast was good, not great, with the breakfast potatoes taking center stage. Lunch was great, a wide variety of choices and the quality on par with some of the better buffets around the country. Snacks throughout the day could have been a tad better and more involved - but if you are looking for the basics you should be happy. I recommend the upgraded drink package ($30) unless all you like is beer - as the frozen drinks are so-so, with minimal alcoholic content. Soft drinks, juices, bottled water, coffee and icees all day long for the kids and designated drivers.. The snorkeling and dolphin interaction were pretty cool, with the reef (regardless that the water is not warm by any means) standing out with the multiple species of fish and giant rays. The dolphin swim was nice for a one time only event, don't think I would spend extra on it again. All in all a great way to spend a "different" day in Orlando, with the kicker being the cost includes 14 days of admittance to Sea World and Aquatica (before, after or around your DC visit) read more

Our daughter got pink eye the day before we were to go to Discovery Cove. We called to cancel, and we were told we can't. So, Discovery Cove would rather us bring our contagious daughter to the public pools and take our $1,000 than do the right thing for everyone else. Also, the manager hung up on us. read more

The trio to discover cove was AMAZING. I surprised my girlfriend with the visit. From check in. To swimming. To sea adventure. To the dolphin swim. It was by far the best experience i have had. First time here. And it won't be the last. The staff was amazing. The dolphins were amazing as well as the trainers. Beer included in your package. How could i complain :). read more

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Great experience at Discovery Cove!!!! Thanks to entire staff. Thanks to Angel for an easy check-in....Tristan fr walking us to Ray Feeding...Danielle,Tristan, Brent and Matt for a fantastic Sea Venture, and thanks to Kate and Chris for dolphin swimming with Gala.... We had a wonderful time and can't wait to come back!!!! We recommend it to everyone!!! read more

I put 4 stars, beacuse although is a beautiful place, pools are clean, great experience with sea venture don't miss it, and dolphin experience, FOOD IS TERRIBLE, I paid $770 for two people I arrived an hour and a half before breakfast was over and the server told me that there were no more eggs, for lunch the most disgusting hamburger ever read more

Went for Vale tines day and it could not have been much better. The dolphins were so cute. I have done dolphin swims before. Most have the same stuff. Dorsel pull, pet and pose, etc. The dolphins at Discovery cove were very friendly and even came by for a few extra pets from our group. The birds in the aviary were friendly as well. Af one point I had 4 birds pirched on me. 2 were eating the food from my cup and 2 were just chilling. Food was ok, but it is a theme park. I did like not having to pay for anything as we walked around. Want a drink, just get one. It was pretty cool. Not as expensive as I would have expected with FL resident discount. read more

I haven't been here yet. But I've called 3 different times and every time their customer service are very rude! They have really strong accents so I had to ask questions several times and in return I get a whole lot of attitude!! I hope this is just the call center because I'm very displeased! All they seem to care about is money and getting a sale. read more

I plan a trip with my husband about a year ago with Discovery cove and had to cancel it because my father passed away and they still till this day they have not given me my money back I have called many times and it's the same response, it take two month to refund your money and it's been a year. I would not recommend this company to anyone because god forbid you have a emergency they will not refund your money back. I've lost countless hours on hold with them, and it's always the same thing and they always say the manager will call you back and nothing ever happen. read more

When I first looked up discovery cove the first surprising thing was the hefty price point in comparison to other amusement parks. The package that included the dolphin experience came to about $250 per person which is ... a lot! However, it quickly met my expectations. Discovery Cove is very much a low stress experience. They limit the number of visitors allowed in the park (so no lines!), and there's free food & snacks scattered throughout the park that made it feel kind of like a low end resort. There isn't any fancy stuff, but you can pick up some Blue Bunny ice cream & Rice Krispies when you're feeling peckish. I really enjoyed the Great Reef which featured string rays and a variety of fish swimming just below you. The lazy river was very relaxing as well, and it seemed really safe since there were lifeguards positioned at every corner. As for the dolphin experience.. I wasn't overtly awed. I more expected to be able to interact with the Dolphins in a more natural environment, but it felt like I had paid for a photo op with dolphins. Photos I would later have to pay even more for... (we didn't end up purchasing any). The food is not great, but probably on the tier of cafeteria food. read more

Once in lifetime experience and worth the horror of tourist mosh for the number of people allowed into the property is limited per day. The food leaves much to desire but most love it and the "all you can eat" approach that comes with that option. For me it's the animals, manicured landscapes and dolphins that make this so special. I found the shark tank pretty compelling too! read more

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Terrible Terrible Customer service. We purchased tickets through 3rd Party vendor. Paid $700 for 3 tickets. This was just after pandemic in 2021. Then on the day before our reservation day, my daughter got sick and we couldn't make it to the experience. After spending hours on the phone with so many different customer help desk associates (because somehow lines cut off frequently), they refused to cancel and refund the tickets. They at least gave us 2 years to use them. Until now I wasn't able to make the reservation. Every time, a customer service associate tells me something different. It is either the expiration day or extra money we have to pay, or we need to contact the 3rd party we purchased ticket through. So unprofessional, so unreliable. They don't give anything written, their terms and conditions are vague and customer service people are unprofessional and not nice. I am really exhausted. $700 down the drain. Think twice if you will spend that much money on Discovery Cove. read more

Absolutely amazing day at Discovery Cove. We had a fabulous time enjoying the amenities, snorkeling, and dining our way through the day - but the real highlight was our dolphin swim! Our trainers, Miguel and Connor, were the absolute best. They were so friendly and knowledgable, and did an amazing job allowing everyone in the group to be involved in the experience. I am so glad they was our trainers because it looked like we were having more fun than all the groups around us!! We were there for a birthday celebration and Miguel specifically made sure to make us all feel special and have the birthday boy involved! I would go back anytime and do the dolphin swim with him as my trainer. After the dolphin swim we were able to enjoy the rest of the day lounging away, but everyone in our group is still raving about our day with Briggs, the dolphin, and Miguel and Connor. 10/10 would do again!!! read more

In one word AWESOME! Went their on family vacation and the whole group 8 of us had a ball. I have snorkeled in several places including Hawaii and this place was right on par with the diverse group of fish. The service was top notch. The grand reef was where we spent most of our time, but we also enjoyed the aviary and lazy river. Food and non A drinks were good. They didn't have gravy for the biscuits but that's more of a personal preference. Three of us did the dolphin swim and loved it! The only downside to the dolphin swim is the price of the pictures. Way too expensive for the pictures. With the complimentary 14 day passes to aquatica and sea world the overall price of admission was very affordable. This was a great family experience. We all made some good memories! read more

Okay I'm gonna be real honest... My boyfriend and I had an okay time there. When we first arrived and checked in at reception the girls at the desk were not actually the most enthusiastic and I get it you're at work but it kinda put me off from the start. Now I'm not saying that I hate it there, but there is a lot of room for improvement. The main thing I would improve is there the food. I had many different things from breakfast and lunch and I can say that they are not great. To give you an idea of what I had... Breakfast: eggs, French toast, strawberries, pineapple, grapes, oranges, a couple different pastries, potatoes, cinnamon rolls, and mini muffins. Summary: Breakfast was all okay but nothing was like WOW Lunch: Steak and veggies, chicken tenders and fries, salmon and rice, chocolate cake, Mac n cheese, salad, grilled chicken. Summary: My boyfriend and I ate these together and we both agreed that most of these weren't great. Salmon and grilled chicken I would say were the best even though the salmon was overcooked. Salad was soggy, chicken tenders were dry, steak was awful. If you're looking for cafeteria food then I mean yeah I guess you're good. I personally was expecting more from the food, it was either bland, oddly seasoned, or over cooked. I honestly could barely finish some of my food because it was just not good. I'm not a total downer so I'll mention the good parts of the park too. The animal interactions are interesting such as the bird aviary where they have you free food for the birds. I also really enjoyed the grand reef, the water is cold but the fish and sting rays are very cool. Serenity bay was nice because you could just grab a float and relax. Just beware when you have kids that serenity cove has a bunch of rigid rocks and 8 ft. deeps ends. Despite the food being not the best, the snacks were good and unlimited drinks were nice! Cookies are super yummy! Overall I would say go if you want to have a relaxed day with marine animals but don't expect much from the food besides there being a lot of it. read more

Do not spend your hard earned money on this establishment as they are a bunch of crooks. They require full payment at the time of booking, however, they do not follow through on refunding money. I called and cancelled our trip on April 10th due to the Covid Pandemic and I was promised a full refund (almost $800) per their cancellation policy. As of July 9th I have not seen a dollar. I have called, emailed, reached out on facebook and sent an instant message (per their request) and have yet to get a date as to when I will get my money back. They have stop replying to any of my requests. Their customer service is awful. Disney, Universal Studios and The Grove Resort were all able to refund my card with in 48 hours of cancelling. I repeat... DO NOT spend your money here if there is any chance you will need to cancel... and given the pandemic is is very likely that will happen. read more

This was amazing!! I loved everything about this place ! We rode on a dolphin!! And the place is designed so well .. it's like a tropical island sanctuary. You can loose yourself in the landscape alone . We fed birds, saw a sloth, otters, dolphins everywhere and has free drinks and snacks all day. The lazy river is not a typical lazy river it's like floating through a jungle ! This should be top on the list for kids and adults!! It's so awesome! read more

This was my family's second visit to Diacovery Cove. I used the online ticket center to purchase tickets on black Friday when the advertised pricing was 50% off. The website kept refreshing and was confusing but I believed I purchased the dolphin swim package plus 3 parks. Our visit was scheduled for June 14th and we went to bush gardens before DC. They didn't honor the printed tickets, so I was charged $60 for two vehicles to park. The kiosks would also not accept the printed tickets so we had to see an attendant who printed me passes. When we areived to Discovery Cove, Ann stated that I did not purchase the dolphin swim. She was not welcoming nor helpful and proceeed to charge me $100 per person extra (a total of $800) for the dolphin swim unapologetically. I did not want it to ruin our day as I had planned our whole vacation around that day, so I paid. I layer called in for help and Anne (heavy British accent) once again answered the phone. I explained the situation to her again, and again she was unhelpful, not friendly, apologetic nor compromising. I asked to speak to a manager, which she refused saying "they are going to tell you the same thing". I persisted and she stated one would call me, but no one ever has. This created a terrible experience for us, much unlike our first. read more

Loved this place. I took my 6yr old son here this year. Our day started with breakfast provided by the establishment. There were plenty of choices and was not disappointed. While we ate there were some birds around that was a nice touch I thought. We then got fitted for our suits and vests. Everyone was very helpful. We did participate in the dolphin swim, the water was colder here but it was so worth it. They had a photographer and a videographer that documented the whole experience. Throughout the day you were able to get snacks and after I believe 11 you were able to get alcoholic beverages. Lunch was also good, they had adult choices and also kids choices like hot dogs and nuggets. The other features at the resort were the lazy river, where you could ride along a heated stream and take in all the exotic birds flying around. There was the coral reef, where you could snorkel and touch the fish. That was an amazing one of a kind sight. I think my mind had me a little scared when I was snorkeling and saw a big stingray swim right below me! Of course the stingers are removed but it was something I had never seen before. I would do it again though. They had a place at the end of the lazy river where you could see some monkeys. And then there was a sort of bird sanctuary where you could feed the birds. The birds were beautiful! They would land right on your hand, and sometimes your head lol. Overall I would say it was worth the price, everything is included in the price and you also have tickets to Seaworld and Aquatica included in the price. One thing I didn't know was that all the photo ops throughout the park were free. I thought they were going to ask us to buy them at the end but when we got to the register they just asked where we took photos and we got them. Make sure you take advantage of this. read more

Just.... jaw dropping WOW. When I came to this park, I really did NOT know what to expect, but for the price I paid, I definitely would not expect anything less. This place was hands down my most expensive and absolute BEST part of my trip. My total came out to $615 and a few cents for my boyfriend and I. That $600 included EVERYTHING from breakfast, lunch, parking, snacks, drinks, beer, slushies, ice cream, sun screen, use of towels, shampoo and conditioner, body wash, bags for wet clothes, lotion, snorkel gear, locker rentals, swim vest, lanyard for your card, beach chairs and umbrella, a photo, and free admission to seaworld, aquatica, or buschs gardens for 14 days; you absolutely do NOT need your wallet once you check in-- unless you do the dolphin experience. The dolphin experience was awesome, but cameras were not allowed into the water with the dolphins. Only professional photographers and videographers are able to capture the moment for you... and if you want to purchase the pictures or videos they are really expensive (the only downside). We bought 5 6x8, 1 4x6 with 2 key chains of the same picture for a whopping $94!. I think the DVD of your experience was $50 along.. just way too expensive in my opinion.. As many people already mentioned, this place is just bliss. You don't need to worry about ANYTHING here. The staff is EVERYWHERE and are sooo knowledgeable and willing to help you out every step of the way. It's like they care that you spent a buttload at this place and they're determined to make you feel like it was completely worth it. The coral reef was super awesome, filled with coral, schools of fish, shark tanks, eel tanks, and LOTS of sting rays. I have to admit, even though I knew the sting rays don't sting, when there are hoards of them at a time, especially with ones the size of my kitchen table, I got a little scared :) Lazy river had beautiful views of man made waterfalls and caves.. great picture taking opportunities. You are allowed to feed the birds in the bird aviary and if you stick your arm out, they'll land on your arm, which is pretty cool. Recommendations: BRING A WATERPROOF CAMERA!. We had to buy ours there for 14.99, I don't know if that's cheap or expensive, but I feel like it would be cheaper at walmart or something. read more

This attraction is the worst money we've ever spent on our many vacations to Central Florida. Don't expect to swim with dolphins unless you pay extra to do so. The Scuba Helmets are a colossal waste of money consisting of a 25 foot circle that takes less than 5 minutes to do. They are extremely rude to those who are hearing impaired. I was made fun of and laughed at because I couldn't hear the instructions they gave us to go on the 5 minute walk with the bell on your head. Management doesn't seem to care about their employees and it shows. Don't waste your money! read more

Ok, this is going to be a hard one. You will fall into one of two camps. Love it or think it was extremely poor value. I'll side with the family and not my whimpering debit card. Why you would rate it a five: - Everything is included. Just bring your swim trunks. You must wear one of their swim vests or wetsuits. They make you float so they don't worry so much about your swimming ability. - Cool interaction with dolphins. Get to pet them numerous times. Feed them. Ask the trainer lots of questions. Give them hand signals to do things. Also get to ride the dolphin. - Cool reef with fish. Snorkel all you want in a reef with cool fish and sting rays. Sharks and eels behind glass so it looks like they are with you. - Lazy river ride through an aviary. The aviary is cool and they give you food to feed them. - Free photo of family when you enter. - Free food and drinks. Several snack bars around. One dining hall. They serve beer, wine, and a few mixed drinks on tap. - lots of breach space, free towels, etc. Now why I wanted to give it a one star: - Free my wet buttocks! Everything is "included" not "free." - Everything is not included. You pay extra for dolphins, extra for snub a, and the biggest scam are the photos. See later point. - Interactions with Dolphins is less than 30 minutes and most of this is watching videos. You feed dolphin 1 fish. Touch dolphin 4 times. Group gives commands. Dolphin tows you less than 10 yards at a yawning pace. Only worth the funds if you have a fetish about dolphins. - Fish reef was very small. Great fish but after 30 minutes you've seen it all a number of times. - Birds in aviary have 1,000 people feeding them daily. They are well fed and little interest in it. - Photos are the big scam. They photo you with the dolphins but then want 60 - 130 dollars for the photo packages. Bring a waterproof camera! And take your own pics. - Food is adequate and not great. Not as bad as some rate, but nothing but well made cafeteria food. Snacks are pretzels, chips, ice cream, and trail mix. No wonder spread. Drinks are few in variety and each hut has something different so travel around to find your pleasure. - They have about one beach chair per person. Lots of chair swiping due to the shortage. - Many are friendly, but not all - perhaps not even most. Several were disengaged, poor humor, or even rude. They need mystery shoppers to identify the ones who need to be sent out. Most of them wear sweatshirts, jackets or otherwise don't have a visible name tag. Your results may vary.... read more

can't say much that hasn't already been said about this wonderful place. I can guarantee this will be your best experience in the Orlando area, bar none. My girlfriend and I started our day by arriving very early and were scheduled for a 9:30am dolphin swim. The check-in process was very easy and simple. We just showed our ID and were given the option of attaching a credit card number to our ID tag. This makes it very simple to purchase souveniers and photos without having to get your wallet or purse out of our locker. Discovery Cove also attaches a little map to your lanyard which makes it simple to navigate the modest sized park. When we arrived at our cabana to gear up for our dolphin swim we were given the option of a full wet-suit or a swim vest. We both went with vests and were glad we did so. They were much easier to take off when we were not in the water (You are required to wear the vest or suit in any water) and the water was not cold enough to validate choosing the wet suit. The swim was a fun and unique experience. Like most others, we would have loved to spend more time with the dolphin but we had done our research and were prepared for the brief encounter. The dolphins performed basic tricks, allowed us to kiss her for a photo op, and dragged us through the water for a short distance. This was well worth the money. The food was another distinct difference between this attraction and other Orlando area parks. All food and drink is free and included in the ticket price. The refreshing part was that the food was actually good! The breakfast was nothing to write home about but the lunch and beverage options were great. There was rotisserie and grilled chicken, glazed salmon, and superb salads. There were also old favorite like burgers, hot dogs, and chicken fingers. My favorite part of the Cove was the stingray lagoon. It was amazing to swim alongside these unique animals admidst a natural coral reef setting. The resort pool was beautiful complete with a waterfall and the tropical river was relaxing and a good place to use the provided snorkeling gear. The aviary was also a great place to get some photos with rare and colorful birds. The staff was EXCELLENT. I had read some reviews stating the staff was inattentive but I found the opposite true. Everyone from lifeguards to lobby personnel was friendly and willing to answer questions. To sum up, I would absolutely suggest this to anyone willing to pay an initially high cost. Believe me, you will feel this is well worth the cost once you spend a day here. read more