Discovery Cove

Pros: An incredible experience for you and your family to remember!
Cons: Photos and video are very costly!

Just a quick note ... this review on Discovery Cove is quite long. I couldn't stop writing about our great adventure and what this theme park has to offer!


Last summer while our children were attending Camp Sea World in...

Pros: Incredible personalized experience
Cons: a created environment, more expensive than your average day at Disney

Living in Florida, dolphins are a fascination for us. We can walk along our shores and spot them playing in the surf. My children have always particularly enjoyed their antics. When Discovery Cove first openned this year I knew I would take them...

Pros: Clean, No Crowds, Numerous Animals, Relaxing, Once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Cons: Expensive, Annoying Photographers, Limited Bathrooms

I visited discovery cove in Orlando, Florida for the first time this past July. I was a little bit nervous that I would be disappointed when I arrived because the cost of admission was so high. My family and I chose to purchase the non-dolphin swim ...

Pros: Who wouldn't want to swim with a dolphin?
Cons: Pricey for the average family; service levels need to be improved a bit.

The last two weeks have provided me an oddly contrasting set of experiences. I spent a little over a week in Alaska for vacation, where one of the highlights of the trip (captured in a separate opinion) was when I caught and ate a big fish. This week, I...

Pros: dolphin interaction, river snorkling, Sea World passes
Cons: dolphin photos hard sell

Heading for a week-long stay in Orlando to see the Disney parks, we had also booked a day at Discovery Cove for the dolphin interaction. We knew that this would be special but it (along with visiting Sea World) became the highlight of our trip. While...

Pros: Dolphin swim, aviary, lunch
Cons: Lack of clear directions, cold water, boring snorkel area

When my wife learned of Discovery Cove, we just had to include it in the itinerary for our Walt Disney World trip. She had an overwhelming desire to have a close encounter with a dolphin in her lifetime, and here was an opportunity. Our...

Pros: Dream like atmosphere, friendly staff, extremely relaxing. Prescription goggles available
Cons: Over priced photos at three hard sell picture booths. Very poor signage to locker areas.

I had read several reviews about costly Discovery Cove but it didn't deter me in any way. We are from the Great White North so the thought of snorkeling and a dolphin experience was too much to resist. They picked us up from the SeaWorld stop in a ...

Pros: Once in a lifetime experiences, very clean and not crowded, everything provided.
Cons: Expensive

This thanksgiving, my family was down in Fla for a week of family escape (except the in-laws were with us!). We had saved a day to do something that was new and exciting. That was the day we spent at Discovery Cove.

First a little...

Pros: Dolphin Cove probably does wonderful things for dolphins and sea creatures
Cons: Not an enjoyable experience. Expensive and little to do once you have seen the fish

What a disappointment this turned out to be! My family and I were really looking forward to our day of rest, relaxation and swimming at Discovery Cove and of course, our dolphin experience. Perhaps the advertising had led us to have high ...

Pros: Swim with the dolphins!
Cons: Not enough time with the dolphins.

Everyone says that the reason you go to Discovery Cove is to swim with the dolphins, so let's dive right in to that part of our experience Oct 14, 2002. We arrived right before the park opened (it is right next to Sea World), and like Sea World the line...

Pros: Beautiful park, neat experiences, no crowds, good and plentiful food.
Cons: Dolphin swim can seem "canned".

Arrival – Checking in, arrival picture, and orientation Check in went very smoothly. We arrived around 8:40 a.m. (registration begins at 8 a.m., the park supposedly doesn’t open until 9 a.m.). The parking lot is small, which hints at the lack ...

Pros: The feeling that you will have with you for a life time
Cons: High cost of video and photos

There is something magical about dolphins that has always captured my attention and swimming with them has always been a dream of mine. When I heard about Discovery Cove I was so excited. When the opportunity to go to Florida arose, I jumped on it....

Pros: a once in a life time memorable experience
Cons: nothing really only annoying if it rains on your day

I first heard of Discovery Cove from a friend, I was then told to go onto the website which is www.discoverycove.com if you are planning to go after reading this. Well I looked on the site and realised it is a day of relaxation of lying on sandy beaches...

Pros: Unique experience, free 7-day pass to Sea World included
Cons: Generic "tropical" environment, so-so service...

My husband and I recently had the opportunity to have a "mini-vacation" by ourselves (a first since our honeymoon) while attending a fundraiser in the Orlando area. The fundraiser was held at the Portofino Bay Hotel, which is where we...

Pros: Fun and a once in a lifetime experience
Cons: The cost could be too much for a whole family

On my work trip to Florida I was lucky enough to visit Discovery Cove for a half day trip and it was one of the best places I have ever been! I have previously been to a similar place in Jamaica called Dolphin cove but this place is much better! What ...