Discovery Cove Reviews

The landscapes were incredible, I played with a lot of fish and had a lot of fun with my wife and children

Our visit to Discovery Cove began early Saturday morning 8/17/24. We were met by our host June and began our day. If not for June our day would not have been as special. June made sure we had everything we needed and then some. The interactions we had with our dolphins made our day even more special. We were lucky to have not one dolphin interaction, not two dolphin interactions, but three dolphin interactions. First we had Tyson, a young dolphin still in training, then Roxy and lastly Capricorn. June told us her favorite dolphin was Capricorn, so it was extra special we got to interact with her. I highly recommend Discovery Cove for an incredible day. If you are renting a VIP Cabana and want the best host, ask for June. Thank you for putting us in June's care it made our day very special.

This is really a 5 star review with two hiccups I will save for the end. The atmosphere is so delightfully tranquil and inviting. The place is pristine. Cleanliness was remarkable. The showers were resort class. Restrooms were kept clean. The food was decent and plentiful. Snacks and drinks galore. There was never a time when seating in the dining areas were too crowded that one couldn't find a table. The park is perfectly designed so you are not far away from anything but it seems like each area is its own oasis. We rented a daybed canopy for the day, which was convenient, however, we were so engaged it all the activities that we were only in our canopy for brief periods of rest. I honestly love the Great Reef most and it is included in the visit. There is so much to see there. We did the Shark Swim also. I did this mainly for my daughter but it was interesting and something I never thought I would try. The sharks were docile and basically stayed on the bottom while we floated overhead. The bird aviary was great. The birds will land right on your arm if you hold out your small food bowl that is provided. I enjoyed the lazy river. Be aware it is made to be a "natural setting" so the depths change. I bumped my big toe on a rock not realizing we had gone back to a more shallow area. Even if a good swimmer, I would not allow a child to float without a device, although, there are life guards everywhere. Make sure you take water shoes. Those will help with the hot sand in some areas and any contact you might experience with the rocks or reef. We left very happy! It was truly a special day I won't forget. The only reason I am not giving it the full 5 stars is the check in process was a bit slow. I know they are hammered with guests, all at the same time but the process is a lot like check-in at a hotel. The staff however, were very efficient and pleasant when it is your turn to check in. The only other reason I didn't give the full 5 stars was for the cost of the shark photos, $289 for digital/all photos package. I would have loved to have had them but I just couldn't spend that. I know that might not be much for some but it was for me. I purchased two single photos for $40 plus tax. Lastly, do yourself a favor and order a waterproof phone bag for your underwater pics and videos. Worked great. We just were not allowed to use our phones or cameras while interacting with the sharks, which I understand.

Our experience at Discovery Cove was divided into two very different parts.

Before the visit:
We needed to reschedule our visit from April 30 to September 9. According to Discovery Cove’s official website, one complimentary date change is allowed, so we felt confident this would be a smooth process.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t. We sent four or five emails, at least three of them to the official email listed for date changes, and received no response. After several attempts through different emails and the website contact form, someone finally replied saying the reservation had been rescheduled — but that there would be a balance due upon check-in.

We replied asking why, since the reservation was already paid in full and the website stated that one date change is complimentary. The answer was short and impersonal, quoting a policy about price adjustments if the new date is more than 15 days from the original.

We understood that pricing can vary due to seasonal differences — but we had simply moved our visit from May to September, which are similar in terms of season and pricing. We asked how much the difference would be — and again, received no response.

Then we arrived at the park and were told we had to pay an additional $800 — the exact same amount we had already paid. We were shocked. When we questioned it, we were told again that it was due to seasonal pricing.

To verify this, we went on the Discovery Cove website and checked the price for new tickets for that same day, September 9. The result: $832 total — essentially what we had paid months ago. In other words, the real price difference was $0 to $30, not $800.

We showed this to the staff. After a long wait and a lot of back-and-forth, they eventually adjusted the extra charge to $50 per person, totaling $200. Still, we ended up paying $1,000 for a reservation that cost $800 on the same day.

We felt trapped and misled. We had no choice but to pay the extra amount, or we wouldn’t be allowed in — and we had already traveled and planned the whole day for this visit. When we expressed that the charge was unfair, the supervisor simply replied: “Yes, it’s an expensive park.”
We know it’s expensive — we were happy to pay for it. What we didn’t accept was being charged twice under the excuse of a seasonal price adjustment that clearly didn’t exist.

Inside the park:
The experience itself was lovely. The place is clean, beautiful, and peaceful. The lifeguards and dolphin trainers were extremely kind and professional. The freshwater showers were great, the amenities were thoughtful (like sunscreen and toiletries), and the environment was relaxing and well-organized.
The food was simple but good enough. Everything ran smoothly once inside.

Small suggestion:
There are no seats or benches at the park entrance, either inside or outside, for guests waiting for a ride (Uber, shuttle, etc). Many people were standing and waiting outside — this would be a simple fix that improves the guest experience.

Final thoughts:
The park is wonderful and the staff inside truly made our day. But the reservation process and front desk experience were extremely disappointing — poorly handled, unresponsive, and ultimately unfair.
We followed the instructions, met all deadlines, and still ended up paying more for no reason. I hope Discovery Cove re-evaluates its communication and support processes, especially for international guests who rely on the official information provided online.
Unfortunately, we were left with the feeling of having been taken advantage of — and that affected our overall impression of an otherwise magical place.

This place is amazing beautiful surroundings very well maintained park we brought our middle granddaughter for a treat and she loved it. Food was delicious and so where the drinks and snacks all free.

One of the best days of our holiday. Included in the price is food and drink all day, tickets to Busch gardens, SeaWorld, and Aquatica! Also included is free parking at all of these parks, a real no brainer!! That's without all the amazing stuff that you can do at discovery cove!, this is what a trip to Orlando is all about. 100% fantastic!

We loved all the activities at Discovery Cove. Swimming with dolphins and snorkeling in the reef (and with sharks!) were truly life changing. This park is perfect for animal lovers, and for a relaxing day with still lots of activities. We did the Ultimate VIP package and highly recommend it as you get one-on-one time with the small mammals and flamingos and birds. We are so grateful for our VIP host Whitney-- she was the best host ever. Whitney made our day 100% enjoyable and stress-free, from getting our wetsuits to memorizing drink orders and ensuring we did everything we wanted to in one day. She is phenomenal. We will be back

I would recommend this attraction 200%. Clean, friendly, all food included with your package. They supply life vests and wet suites. ABSOLUTELY THE BEST!

Yes it is expensive but well worth it!!! My wife, daughter and I had a blast!! Felt like we were on a tropical island not in Orlando.

The Swimming with the Dolphins experience (an add-on) and the Grand Reef was our favorite thing to do. Loved being able to swim with so many different type of rays and fish.

Really appreciated that the food and drinks included. The breakfast and lunch were good, above average for a resort restaurant.

Definitely will be back. May make this annual summer getaway.

This place deserves the highest of grades for EVERYTHING!!! Not only were the grounds immaculate and well marked, the staff were plentiful and friendly and helpful and the animals appeared to be extremely well cared for. The waters were warm and so much fun!!!! The food, both breakfast and lunch were beyond expectations with items like fresh cooked salmon, chicken, burgers and many many desserts! Free snacks and drinks ALL DAY The cost was more than reasonable for such a memorable experience with the dolphins i a relaxed atmosphere OH, AND, they limit the number of people so that there aren't crowds everywhere! AND towels and sun lotions are free! Change rooms with showers even had decent shampoo, conditioners and bodywash I Can't say enough about Discovery COCE

This is the best and only place to go in Orlando in the summer. Everyone in Disney, and the other parks were melting, and waiting in lines. I was in a lazy river, drinking excellent drinks, and snorkeling. You choose....

This is our 5th time coming to Discovery Cove. We love this relaxing all-inclusive day resort. This time we purchased a day bed and I feel it was well worth it. The food is always good and they can accommodate a gluten, soy, dairy dietary restriction. Beautiful water, both salt and fresh. My kids stayed wet the entire time. We also love, love the 3 park deal.

Trying to book for another trip and finding their customer service is a complete JOKE!!! The online system keeps showing g errors, and so far 3 hours on hold has failed to solve the problem...or even gain an ounce of "service" from the call line. It's clear their "sale" is a complete bait and switch! Absolute disappointment.

Where do I start…
Arrived early to be met by a huge, very slow moving queue with no cover from the sun.
Once in the reception area, it was very chaotic to say the least, there seemed to be hardly any organisation and there were people everywhere. We had our bags checked for food and drinks, time consuming, no food or drinks to be taken in, then had to go to another area for a sign in, all taking time. The person was informative and helpful though.
Once in the park we were told that we could only go to certain areas and the lazy river area would only open after 9am, the park opened at 7am!
There was a young lady stopping people from crossing the bridge to go to this area, who I felt sorry for as all they’d needed to do was put a rope barrier across with a simple polite sign, not open until 9am. She was constantly making people aware that they were not allowed in this area and having to go through the reasons.
At 9:04, we were allowed to make our way to this area, which had lovely beaches and not overcrowded at all, had a lovely vibe about it. I wouldn’t say it was a lazy river, as it didn’t seem to be moving at all.
As for the breakfast and lunch, it was dreadful quality, you could tell they were giving you the cheapest quality food they possibly could, just awful, with moody, bored and uninterested staff. It was like being in a canteen and you pay a LOT of money for this!
Eventually, we made our way to the Grand Reef, OMG, it was way, way overcrowded and everyone was trying to grab the rays and other large fish in there, so cruel, the fish must dread this every day for 10 hours, terrible to see. This is awful animal cruelty.
A coloured wrist band which allows no more than 30/40 people in at a time for around 20 minutes would be an idea, once the time is up, the next coloured wrist band go in, not so cruel to the fish then.
The dolphin interaction was way better. Well organised and the staff were very, sympathetic, caring and respectful of the dolphins. My daughters loved it. (Be aware for the price of the digital pictures they charge, eye watering.
At 5pm, everyone is told to leave Discovery Cove, they are VERY strict on this, no hanging around, they’re quite forceful on it, so be aware!
Disney and Universal are impeccable in their organisation, so slick, especially with the amount of people they have going in their parks, always clean, nothing I saw was broken and friendly staff all around.
It’s such a shame as this was one attraction we were really looking forward to as a family.
For the price you pay for a day, it’s just not good enough. Fish cruelty and awful quality of food. Must do better.
(PS: The taps weren’t working in the men’s toilets either.)

Was very excited about this and kept it a surprise for the kids (12,12,9)
Arrived 07.30 which was the right time - already a queue forming and breakfast was getting busy.
Beautiful setting, it feels like you’re a million miles away from civilisation.
Plenty of sunbeds, we made our base at the edge of the grand reef so had easy access in and out of this area. Towels, toiletries, animal safe suncream all included, as well as wet suits / floatation vests and snorkel & mask sets.
The dolphin experience was a ‘nice to have’ but it wasn’t the highlight for me. It was fairly brief and actual contact time was very limited. Photos also £££. Kids loved it.
Swimming with the huge eagle rays and other massive fish in the grand reef area was easily the jewel in the crown for me. The river area with all its nooks and crannies was also a lovely experience, especially nice that you can get in and out to visit the birds and the otters etc. These areas alone are enough to make a lovely day.
Discovery Cove felt v safe and was v clean. I felt happy letting the kids go off to do their own thing.
Food was a massive let down and was far from luxury. This was v disappointing. It felt like poor quality, ultra processed canteen fare unfortunately.
Tickets felt like a splurge when we booked them, but with the other 3 parks added in and the parking all included I actually think they’ve worked out as good value.

It really is an amazing place to visit. Food is exceptional. Highlight for me was the snorkelling in the coral reef. The pools are heated and the place is clean. Loved it here it’s a must do

I loved discovery cove the very first time we did it around 10 years ago and I fell in love with it all over again

First of all the number limit on the park makes it a nice relaxing day as there are no massive crowds

The food was good but not amazing but it was plentiful however the addition of the pizza place is great and we enjoyed that better than the main lunch

Snacks ice cream food and drink available all day including beers if you wanted them

Your towels and sun creams are included as part of your day too

My favourite part last time was snorkelling with the stingrays and tropical fish and no different this time, I could spend hours in the lagoon doing this

The bird enclosure is also nice with the chance to feed exotic birds and see them up close

There are various other areas to watch dolphins play, see stingrays, otters, flamingoes etc

There is a lazy river type swim around however it is up to 8ft in some areas and the floor can be a little uneven so the addition of wet shoes was a great buy for this part of the holiday

We didn’t do dolphin swim this time but enjoyed watching the groups doing their dolphin interaction although I would say the dolphin swim seems very short certainly compared to before

When you book in uk and see the price it can be a little off putting however when you break it down it’s much more cost effective than you think as each ticket saves you $32 on parking so each of us used ours in SeaWorld discovery cove and Busch gardens as well as the all day food and drink. With current prices in Orlando this makes very good sense money wise as food available from 8.30 I think until 5 with no limitations. On top of that you get SeaWorld and Busch gardens included.

Although management has changed and SeaWorld and Busch gardens has changed not for the better necessarily this place is still a delightful and well managed slice of heaven and a great chill out day which seems a million miles away from the madness of all the business of Florida

Id do it again in a heartbeat

We enjoyed our visit hear. The park feels like a more premium experience than other orlando parks regardless of what experiences you book.
It's not cheap,but if you can afford it you get a unique day out.

Out of the 3 parks we visited this was by far my families favorite. From the limit of people allowed per day to the all inclusive package to the cleanliness and wide variety of things to do. Just a beautiful place. My kids snorkeled, swam in gorgeous pools and floated around a lazy river. They saw all kinds of sea life and enjoyed the food and snacks.

We have been loyal visitors to Discovery Cove for years, always singing its praises to friends and family. However, after our most recent visit, it is with great disappointment that I say we will likely never return.

The biggest issue we encountered was with the staff—particularly Andy, who was shockingly rude and disrespectful to my family. What made this even more unacceptable was how he treated my father, a disabled Vietnam Veteran with Parkinson’s. Instead of showing basic human decency and respect, he was dismissive and condescending, making what should have been a wonderful experience feel incredibly disheartening.

Hoping to find some resolution and clarity to the encounter, we escalated our concerns to Ronaldo at the customer service center. Unfortunately, instead of addressing the issue with care and professionalism, he completely dismissed our concerns. His response—or lack thereof—only exacerbated our frustration and disappointment.

Beyond the troubling interactions with staff, we have also noticed a decline in the overall upkeep and cleanliness of the park. What was once a pristine, well-maintained sanctuary now seems to be faltering in quality, making it feel like Discovery Cove is no longer upholding the high standards it once had.

This experience has left an incredibly sour taste in our mouths, and it’s heartbreaking to see a place we once loved lose its charm. Unless drastic improvements are made, both in customer service and facility maintenance, I can’t see us returning—nor would I recommend it to others.

The check in process is very inefficient. Staff attitude was poor in the sense they all seemed miserable to work there. There are no signs or direction on where to go for purchased experiences. Cabana options are way too expensive. Getting towels and equipment is very inefficient and should be streamlined upon arrival; huge waste of time running around collecting things such as gear and towels to set up for the day. The experience of snorkeling with a beautiful variety of fish was the best part of the day, however the snorkeling reef was over crowded and had too many screaming kids scaring people and wild life away. The lazy river is very dirty, crowded and had many changing bottom materials causing foot pain. Recommend wearing water socks or shoes through out the day. The sand is very hot and burns your feet and the bottom of the lazy river has many stones thus stubbing toes.

I paid over $1200 for me and my 3 kids to have the swim with dolphins experience. This was the entire reason we came to Discovery Cove. My receipt said swim with dolphins, advertisements all over the park show a “swim” with dolphins experience, the customer service over the phone prior to my trip described how we would each have a 30 sec swim holding onto the fin of the dolphin. Guess what was not part of our experience?! We did not get to swim with any dolphin. We got to pet it and take pictures (which they want to charge you a minimum of $239). For $1200, we got to pet a dolphin and have photos taken that were an extra $250 on top of the $1200 i flushed down the toilet.

I absolutely loved the service at the cafeteria, especially from Franklin who attended to us with so much joy and kindness.

We (4 of us, 2 adults and a 2 year old and a 15 year old) entered the park with sky-high expectations, only to discover that reality didn’t quite match the glossy YouTube previews. Instead of a sprawling aquatic paradise, I found a cleverly marketed, miniature oasis featuring just two “swimming experiences.”

The first area is a leisurely, drift-along stream—picture a gentle water taxi with the perfect 26°C temperature that whispers, “relax.” In contrast, the second area is a lagoon decked out with artificial coral and a couple of adventurous stingrays. Here, you're mandated to wear a life vest that appears to have a mind of its own—constantly floating upward as if to give you an unsolicited, strangling hug. One has to wonder why such a “safety feature” isn’t an option like in the first swimming spot!

The park itself is beautifully decorated, evoking a “Welcome to Jurassic Park” vibe that’s both charming and slightly tongue-in-cheek. Unfortunately, the culinary experience didn’t live up to the décor: breakfast was remarkably disappointing, and while lunch showed a slight improvement, it hardly justified the steep price tag of around 150 USD per person.

We visited Discovery Cove in Dec 2023 and had an amazing time. We opted to splurge with the VIP cabana. This gave us a dedicated host, a nice relaxing space to ourselves, all pictures were included, and a buoy delivery by a dolphin.

It wasn't crowded and we could have done without the Cabana, but it made our day even more special. Our host was fabulous. Everything was scheduled for us and the transitions between activities was seamless.

We also opted to do the Flamingo Mingle which was very special encounter and so worth it. The flamingos liked my son's hair and would preen him. We got to feed the flamingos, go in the water with them, walk with them and pose for pictures. It was a nice long visit. We also had a photographer the entire time and she took several dozen pictures.

Our two boys were the recipients of the dolphin buoy delivery later in the day at the end of our dolphin encounter. They loved it! Super special moment for them and they still talk about it.

If I could do it over again, I would have also done another paid activity like feeding the stingrays or something like that. We had time in the afternoon that we could have filled. Instead, we went snorkeling a 2nd time.

Recommendation on feeding the birds would be to go in the early morning while they are still hungry in all 3 areas for the most interactions.

We spend 9 days in Orlando and went to Disney World and Universal. When anyone asking either of our kids (boys 8 and 10) what they liked best about our trip, their answer is Discovery Cove.

Decent but got ruined by their photo setup where you can't bring a camera with you into the water and the photos they take cost as much as the entrance fee (over $200) even though the quality of the photos are amateurish and the quality of their printouts are lower than a decent home printer. So if you want any photos to remember your trip the price is significantly higher despite it being "all included", and most of them won't even be good.

Our family had an amazing day at Discovery Cove and was the highlight of our trip ( included SeaWorld and Magic Kingdom). The dolphins experience was incredible and our family also loved the reef. Swimming with the fish and rays was exciting and semi-terrifying at times. Definitely a unique set of experiences that we all enjoyed. Our family also loves lazy rivers and the heated water and scenery made it great. The expensive dolphin pictures were the one thing we never expected to purchase and annoyingly we did because we wanted to remember and share the experience ( would have considered a photo package ahead of time). Overall, we loved our visit and leaving time came too soon.

We had an amazing day at discovery cove! My 2 1/2 year old couldn’t have had a better time with the fish and the birds. It was so perfect!

I came here however to talk about our cabana, and more specifically Jeff F. who took care of us all day! He was so kind, very funny, and had all the tips and tricks. Discovery Cove is so lucky to have him as he is what made this a 10-star day for us! I recommend the cabana, and if you’re lucky enough to get Jeff, then you know you’re set for the best day ever!!

We have been to Discovery Cove on two previous occasions over the last 10 years and this was our third visit. When we have been before we have had an amazing day and previously felt relaxed as soon as you walk in and it was been one of my favourite days out due to the fact you away from the usual crowds and all round it was just a great day out. However sadly this time was a very different experience. The park opens at 7am, however after checking in we were stood in a queue of people and couldn't enter the park until 7.20am. We wanted to go and find a nice spot near the lazy River entrance as the water there is warmer and has a shallow part where you can see the children from but we weren't allowed on and we were told to go to breakfast. Breakfast was a shambles to be honest, because everyone had been sent to breakfast at the same time it was just so busy with people everywhere queueing in different directions. After breakfast we went again to go and find a sunbed, but were told the area we wanted to access was closed at the moment as there was a wedding going on the other side of it and they wouldn't want visitors in the background of their photos, which I understand ofcourse but it meant we were stood waiting, as were others, until it opened as that is where we wanted to sit. We have then been told we weren't allowed in the water until 9am, so again just waiting with the children desperately wanting to go in the water. 9 o clock came however they continued to say we weren't allowed in yet, and it was 9.20 when we were allowed in. We went to go round the lazy river but a big portion of it was closed and we were simply told it would be open 'later'. After this the day got better, the food was fine and there were lots of options for lunch. We had drinks and snacks throughout the day and swimming in the reef area with the fish and sting rays was good. We did not do a dolphin swim this visit. It was just a different feel this time to what we have had before which was such a shame. We still had a nice day but the poor start to the day was not what we expected.

We came early in the morning. There was already a long line. However, we were still able to see the pink flamingoes, the sharks, and the dolphins. For each experience, you are able to get close to the animals. Each experience came with several persons explaining things about the animals. The only thing that scared me a bit was the swimming with sharks. The guides told us we could only use our hands to swim in the pool because kicking our feet could upset the sharks. By the way, they offer free breakfast and lunch, and my family took advantage of this, but I didn't because I was too excited.

If you’re in Orlando, you must visit this park. Second visit for us and was just as good as the first! Good selection of food and drink on offer, wet suits/towels/suncream all included, you literally just need to arrive with a swimsuit, everything else is provided. Friendly staff, plenty of sun beds. The reef snorkelling was a fantastic experience, we missed this last time so made sure we did it this time and it was fab! Will return next year, thank you :)

Do not recommend this place!! they over charge the people. I got charge almost $800 for 3 general admission tickets. then, I called them since l saw the same 3 tickets for $560. They said that l can buy the tickets again since they don't have me on the system yet. I went ahead and buy the ticket again. Now, my bank is claiming that they took the money twice. I called them to resolve the issue and they refused to refund my money back. So, I paid more than $1300 dollars for 3 general admission tickets. Never will go back and l will advised not to ever go there or to Sea world which is associated with this company. I sent a email to complain and I never got an answer.

We visited Discovery Cove on 16 June 2024 and once again, it did not disappoint. This was our fourth year in a row visiting Discovery Cove and we always enjoy our time there. For those who have never been but are planning on visiting the Orlando area, Discovery Cove is a must. The Grand Reef is always spectacular for snorkeling. The lazy river is relaxing with the exception of people who feel the need to snorkel in the lazy river, which has always left me baffled since there is nothing to see in the lazy river other than the bottom. The bird aviary is always enjoyable as well, it is fun to feed the birds. The food is pretty good, nothing to write home about but it is plentiful and has a pretty good variety. I recommend, if you are planning a trip to Discovery Cove to book your stay and park tickets for Discovery Cove and SeaWorld through Discovery Cove, they have a package deal that includes a nearby partner hotel. Booking through Discovery Cove also gives you seven days at SeaWorld as well as free parking at SeaWorld and Aquatica. We typically stay at the Town Place Suites Orlando at SeaWorld. It is literally a stones throw from Discovery Cove and SeaWorld. The rooms are nice with a kitchenette, full size fridge, dining table etc. The hotel is also conveniently located to a Starbucks and plenty of dinning options within walking distance from the hotel. The only thing I wish Discovery Cove would do is enforce the no hording of the pool noodles, this is the third review I have posted to TripAdvisor and Discovery Cove still has not enforced a no hording pool noodle policy. We reserved a day bed for our stay there, which we typically do. Not sure I would recommend purchasing one though as there is plenty of seating and the only thing the day bed gives you is shade from the Florida sun. The staff was very nice and pleasant as always, we very much appreciated talking with one of the Marine Biologist responsible for caring for the various sea fish and animals. They also have private cabanas you can reserve, it is quite expensive but it comes with a personal steward who will stock the cabana with drinks and snacks. We reserved one a couple of years ago when we took my two adult daughters and their families and children and it was worth the cost, especially for my very young grandchildren when they were tired and needed a cool place to nap.

100% best day of holiday. From the breakfast which was amazing choice of food, to the swimming with rays and tropical fish. The tropical birds, the flamingos on their walk round the park. The swim with dolphin experience. Plus everything else we will be back. We booked with FloridaTix and had Busch Gardens and Sea World tickets also as part of the package. Brilliant day.

We had an excellent time here. We purchased the upgrade for the Flamingo Mingle and the Ray feeding. Both experiences were great. We thought the food was certainly above average for what we would've expected. The aviary was super cool as well.

Don't let the negative reviews sway you. Honestly, this was excellent. We brought 4 kids - ages 10, 12, 14, 16, and they all named this as their favorite activity of our 6 day long, excursion packed Florida vacation.

What a wonderful experience at discovery cove our family had! We have day tickets and a cabana for the day - Meg was our host and was amazing in keeping our fridge full of drinks and our snacks topped up, she even brought us warm cookies at the end of our day while we was getting changed to come home. Amazing experience!
We spent our day enjoying the lazy river and the cove with all the fish swimming around us. Our children loved feeding the birds at the aviary! They have plenty of choice to eat and drink on offer and the whole day was so relaxing and peaceful. We will definitely return when we come back to Orlando.

What a gorgeous place! Like a tropical island but conveniently located in Orlando. I cannot believe all all of the fish and giant stingrays we got to snorkle with in the grand reef. There were no fish in the wind away river.
I will add two pieces of advice I wish I had known -
1) It's easy to get separated so you have to stick together and/or have a plan for a meeting spot. We had a child float off down the river alone (he can swim so he was fine, but we didn't know where he was for awhile!).
2) Check photo prices when you arrive in the photo shack because prices are crazy, it was something like $200 minimum for dolphin photos. We would have been happy to pay $30 for 1-2 photos but that was not an option so then they got $0 from us and I wish they would revisit the pricing structure so more families could afford photos! Anyway if the photos are outside of your price range then tell your family and the photographer up front and firmly - We are not buying any photos! so that you can all relax and enjoy the experience with the dolphin or whatever other experience without posing for photos the whole time. Private cabana not necessary but could be a nice splurge. We arrived 7:45am and were assigned 11am dolphin swim - it was best to do the dolphin in the morning so I would not arrive any later than 7:45. We got a great deal at Undercover Tourist. If there's any trouble using the Undercover Tourist e-ticket, tell them you need to redeem it at "guest services" inside the park.

We spent the whole day here. Breakfast, swim lunch, afternoon swim. The food is really good and you can eat as much as you like.
The dolphin experience was fantastic. It is clear the welfare of the animals is paramount. We swam in the pools. Sat in the sun (they even have free sunscreen everywhere). Absolutely loved this place. Was the most enjoyable day of the holiday by far.

Beautiful place, organized, varied and quality food.
Snorkeling space included in the ticket, besides towel, closet, wardrobe.
Friendly staff

Every time we visit Orlando we book to visit Discovery Cove, we have now been 6 times and usually book a cabana. The actual staff are great, but the novelty for us has now worn off. We are arrived at 07-30 left at 03-30. It was a very disappointing day. They now charge for extra's that in the beginning were free. The dinning's - breakfast, lunch, pizza bar etc is extremely poor. At best the food is luke warm, and most on offer is tasteless. This is well known to be an expensive day and if you could afford it a must. NOT ANY MORE. A word of warning it is a cashless park you must use a bank or credit card and you get charged an extra 5% for any purchases using you cards. Time to give this attraction a miss.

We were at DC on 2/8/2024 and had a perfect day! We started with the Flamingo Mingle with Mia as our Aviculturist. Mia was friendly and knowledgeable and we had an amazing experience that was captured by photographer Nikki for us to remember always. Our VIP cabana host Ashlee was attentive, friendly, and made sure we had everything we needed, even things we didn’t know we needed! We had a wonderful time and will definitely return again!

Discovery Cove is a one of a kind experience. In fact, a quick AI check confirmed that there is nothing like it. For starters they limit the number of guests each day to around 1300. They also have an all inclusive environment similar to a cruise ship where food and drink are included and alcohol is extra but there is an upgrade package to include adult beverages. Everyone gets a beach chair, a wetsuit (if you want one, a snorkel kit, and towels.

Five star points go to the design of the snorkel reef with many types and volume of reef fish. The Mantas were friendly playful. The best way to describe it is if you have ever seen a highly populated aquarium and thought it would be great to snorkel or dive in it and you get the picture. All other parks researched have some form of swim but not all day anytime for as long as you want. There is also a very interesting place in the reef where wuite a few sharks of many types are just onthe other side of a glass barrier giving you a simple shark cage experience.

Five star points go to the lazy river. Some reviewers were unhappy that there were birds in the water at times. It is a very natural setting that includes floating through the aviary.

The Aviary was very nice and approved (bird) food was available with birds resting on you hand and feeding unsupervised.

The animal encounters were limited and we did not engage in the dolphin experience so I cannot comment.

The food is very cruise ship buffet oriented and yes, there are birds that hang out in the seating areas, it's not a big deal.

The bathrooms are extremely clean and the showers are very nice. Sunscreen is available if you need it. The lockers are free but limited in availability.

Even in June Orlando was hot and the provided lounge chairs are almost 100% in the sun. I would highly recommend paying extra for a day bed or cabana.

If we lived in the Orlando area we would buy annual passes to Discovery Cove it was that good. If you manage you expectations and love being with oven life (we are divers) it was really fun and a relaxing day.

I read these reviews after booking and I was a little scared - since we couldn't get our money back if we canceled the tickets. But I am 100% happy we went and we enjoyed everything. Some other comments seem to have individual complaints about specific things - but we didn't experience any of that. Very friendly staff, lots of supplies (towels, snorkels, free sunscreen), and not a lot of people over-crowding the park. The free foot was a plenty...lots to keep you full all day. If you think of the food like basic complimentary breakfast food at any hotel - you won't be disappointed. Don't go in thinking you're getting the best meal of your life...it was good...it wasn't the best. My kids ate slurpies pretty much every time we passed one of the stations - they were in heaven!

I'll give you this advice, if you're doing the sea venture (which I totally recommend because it's really cool), go take a dip in the snorkel area first to see how cold it is (they're joined pools). As you descend down the ladder for sea venture you almost go into shock because of how cold it is. Then as you're hyperventilating, they tell you to calm your breathing while they try to lower the helmet on you. So just FYI on that. My wife tried to descend down the ladder but got claustrophobic and couldn't do it. I was a little worried but once you're used to the water temperature it's totally fine and I had no issues.

We also did the dolphin swim - hard to say it was worth it for the price. It was very cool to be that close to a dolphin and swim with them and the kids loved every second of it. So I guess you can say it was worth it for their sakes? We might skip that part next time we go...once was cool enough.

Highly recommend this place!

Very unique, relaxing, and fun park.
Like me, many people will get sticker shock when they see the admission price. There are many videos posted online for Discovery Cove with “Is It Worth the Cost?” in the title.
My answer is Yes. At least if you are planning to include the dolphin swim package.
Our local zoo offers an in-water dolphin adventure for $275 per person. By comparison, for around the same cost (or less when on sale), Discovery Cove offers the same thing (or probably better) plus the day pass to the whole all-inclusive park. For not much more, you can get 14 days of access to the other Sea World affiliated parks in Orlando.
The only thing we got from Discovery Cove that I felt was overpriced was the photo package. It’s a “family” package that includes pictures of everyone in your group doing the different interactions with the dolphin. Since it was just my wife and I, there were less interactions and fewer photos needed for our group. Seems like we should’ve got a break on the cost for that. Maybe $50 per person for the photo package would be more reasonable and equitable for couples. If the package cost is being averaged out by group size, it’s not really fair for couples to
All the animal interactions and animal-care staff were excellent! Snorkeling in the reef, feeding birds in the aviary, and relaxing on the wind-away river were all amazing experiences! We purchased the Animal Trek upgrade and feel it was worth it. We got to meet some exotic birds and a sloth up-close, pet an armadillo, and even have a Military Macaw fly to and land on our arm.
Prior to going, I found several reviews that complained about the quality of food in the included breakfast and lunch buffets. However, we had no issues with the food quality and found it comparable to the buffets on a cruise ship. The recommendation I would make to the park management regarding the buffet meals is regarding the staff, not the food.
Almost every Discovery Cove employee we interacted with demonstrated outstanding levels of customer service. From the check-in hosts, to the amenity managers, the animal-care team members, to the bartenders, and the gift shop attendant… they were all really great! However, the buffet staff were somewhat unwelcoming and appeared unhappy in their work. Having worked in the hospitality industry, this stood out to my wife and I as an obvious area for improvement. Perhaps if the buffet staff were friendlier, patrons would not rate the food so harshly. Just an observation.
The final suggestion I would make to Discovery Cove management would be to include a single designated smoking area inside the actual park. It’s a pretty long hike out to the main entrance by the parking lot. Maybe a secluded area could be squeezed in somewhere near the bar at Serenity Bay. It was abundantly clear by the afternoon that there were many adult patrons in this area taking full advantage of the alcoholic beverage package upgrade. While it confused me as to why anyone would want to spend an expensive day at this type of park inebriated, I think if you’ve got an area where adults are slurring and stumbling back and forth between the bar and the beach, you might as well have some place for adults to smoke a cigarette, too.
Overall, we had a great time at Discovery Cove and do recommend it. The lack of lines and ability to see and even interact with so many animals makes it a truly special experience.

A good day overall, food is as you would expect middle of the road. Overall it cost us over 1700 dollars which included the swim with dolphins. At this price I would have thought that photos might have been included or even to purchase at a reasonable price. NO the photos are a COMPLETE RIP OFF at 300 dollars for digital pics give me a break. It’s price gouging at its best avoid the photos at all costs and take your pics from the shoreline.

So we have been planning this trip for over a year for my daughter’s ninth birthday. We decided to go BIG and do everything…so this is a review of our day!
We booked the Ultimate VIP experience (prices change day to day) it cost us $1,800 plus dolphin swim ($850 for family of four). This was great but NOT necessary to enjoy Discovery Cove and we would never do it again! Nice perk upon arrival was Ethan (our guide) met us at the door and parked our car and we walked in-pass the long line and checked right in. This was nice as long as very long and SLOW moving! Next he showed us around the park. The place is amazing and so beautiful!!!
We arrived at our cabana-something that was nice but would probably never book again. We didnt stop moving all day and the cabanas are tucked away from stuff. So it was a hike almost every time we went back. The sodas and beverages offered in the cabana are the same ones offered for free at the bars and restaurants. There was loungers and chairs but we literally sat in the cabana for a total of 20 minutes throughout the day. Unless u have little ones or older people that need to rest, it was a waste in my opinion. It was lovely and I wish we had utilized it more-it was right next to dolphin lagoon-but we just were never there.
Flamingo mingle: this was definitely my biggest disappointment. Online it shows pictures of feeding the flamingos and walking around them…it is so inaccurate!! Lol they bring u into a very small enclosure and make you stand in a straight line and tell u not to move or pet the flamingos (I understand they do not want to scare them). And they had three flamingos in the small enclosure with us-two never came near us. One came up and chewed on my daughters shirt and then went up to chew on my other daughters birthday sash. We could not move at all. And no other flamingo came near us. After ten minutes we were done. It was SO disappointing and not at all like the photos they promoted online-I would never do it again.
Dolphin swim: They should really call it a “swim” lol because when we left my girls kept asking when we were going to “swim with the dolphins”. I think we spent longer with the trainer before hand talking to us about dolphins then with the actual animals. It was a very special experience that we will never forget and the animals we so beautiful but I do not think I would ever pay almost $900 to do it again. You go in waist deep and stand in a straight line and the dolphin (we had Kaylie and Ipa) swims passed you several times and you get to pet her. Then they have u hold on to the fin and the dolphin pulls you ten feet or so. And then you get to pose for a couple pictures. They the trainer shows you some of the their tricks. They really are amazing animals but I guess after a year of waiting…it wasnt as exciting as I hoped. But I am still glad we did it once!!
The reef: this was our favorite part of the whole day!!! We spent hours here! It was crowded when we first went in, but if you went to the back area, it was much quieter. This was so a cool and wonderful experience. My kids and husband loved it so much. The fish and sting rays were so cool. I could have stayed here all day!
Lazy river: Another favorite of mine! Very long and quiet. The water falls were a favorite of my
Girls. Every once in a while there was no current and you would need to swim a little to move forward. And I loved that it was deep at times!! Another place I could have spent all day!
Aviary: so many amazing birds!!! But they were not that hungry the times we went!! Lol We went first thing in the morning (before the crowds-part of the VIP package) and very few came to us for food. And when we went later, it was the same. So my girls lost interest due to this. But there was some amazing birds there!!
Monkeys: just saying they should not advertise for this!! Lol we swam around the monkey island several times and never saw anything. A trainer told us there were only 2-3 monkeys on the island and they are small and not very active some times.
Food: It was fine! We were never hungry and they have two separate bars with drinks and snacks. One of the slushy machines was broken at one stand when we went. But my kids loved the pizza that was available all day. My hubby and I enjoyed a few of their alcoholic beverages as well.
Photos: this was included in our vip package and I am glad! They got some amazing pictures of our dolphin experience. The pics from the animal experience are all really dark and didnt come out good in my experience.
Be prepared to pony up the money!!! But honestly, you do not need all the extras to have fun!! I would go back just for the reef and lazy river again. I am happy we did the other stuff because it was amazing but I would not spend the money for the “add ons” again. Our guide Ethan was super friendly and was fun to hang out with for the day!! Overall I found all the staff to be very friendly and knowledgeable throughout the day!!

Got to swim with dolphins, sharks and sting rays along with lots of fish in the reef! Pricey but worth it. It attracted a nice crowd, unlike other attractions, plenty of professionals. It's all you can eat, can't bring anything in. Shark swim is bland, hard to get all the gear on and off if it's humid. It's nothing special. Dolphin swim is amazing, Kailey the Dolphin was great, as was trainer Jalane.

Discovery Cove is amazing! We visited for my birthday as it has been my lifelong dream to swim with dolphins. Every staff member was amazing! I have special dietary needs due to allergies and food sensitivities, and Joseph hooked me up! He was so polite, knowledgeable, and QUICK! I felt I was in a tropical paradise.

Our ONLY complaint was when we arrived just 2 days prior to our visit. My son had an accident back at the hotel and had stitches in his foot. The trip was prepaid for and couldn't be refunded. He sat in a wheelchair the entire day and couldn't participate in any of the activities. I understand the no refund policy, but unfortunately, life happens, and I feel some accommodations could be made considering the cost of the activities.

Horrible place. Food was fake crap, eat breakfast before you come or you get powdered eggs and fake meat sausage , staff was rude and the only decent thing was kids got to swim with dolphins but it was short and just okay. Not worth the money

This was a fun great experience . Staff was friendly : park was clean . Expensive . But understandable . Could have had a better rate for pictures with experiences . Already paying so much

After reading some of the reviews we almost didn’t go. So glad we did. The property is beautiful, the food was awesome, and we all had a blast! It was a great change of pace after the amusement parks. Sam was very helpful to us. Thought about renting a cabana but didn’t need to there are plenty chairs, umbrellas, and shade. Highly recommend! Kids and adults had a fabulous time!

Paradise in a day. Lovely relaxing day, amazing food and the snorkeling pools are fab.
The dolphin swim is good for getting up close, kids loved it.

I bought 2 tickets a few days ago. The park price was $399 per ticket (including dolphin swim, tickets to sea world and acquatica plus a $50 gift card). Yesterday I received a promotional email from Discovery Cove stating the price was reduced to $250. (I paid $353 using a 3rd party app). The park wouldn’t refund me the difference. At first they just said no, and then they said because I bought it through a third party app there was nothing they can do. Regardless, didn’t leave me with warm and fuzzy feelings about the place. Buyers beware. As a solo mom on one income that extra $200 hit hard.

This was the coolest day resort! The animal excursions are worth every penny. The included amenities like the lazy river, "pool", bird Aviary, scuba were all awesome.

The food is mediocre but had a good variety of options for all ages.

There were no clean snorkels in the afternoon, so that was disappointing. People were just throwing their used snorkels all over the beach, on the rocks, etc and leaving them there, so none were being cleaned and replenished at the stations for new users.

Drinks were great, plenty of seating around. We got a day bed to have a set place and shade.

Quick note- in the swimming area and lazy river, the ground is higher and lower at different points, so watch for the change in color of the floor below the water. That's how you can tell the depth. My dad broke his toe the first hour we got there because no one told us to pay attention to that. We all stubbed many toes, two others with our group got cuts on their toes.

Definitely recommend! We went with grandparents, parents, and kids aging from 4-12 and we all enjoyed it.

Our group of two families (seven total) had an incredible day at Discovery Cove! We rented a cabana last minute (I would do that in advance next time) and it was totally worth it! The kids loved exploring and the adults enjoyed giving them that bit of freedom to explore while still being able to all be together. Fantastic place!

This is a must-do for a relaxing day and a break from parks. We didn't do the dolphin swim as we have done it before, it's an amazing experience but we wanted more time to spend snorkelling. The reef is my absolute favourite, I love the rays and all of the different fish, it's so beautiful. The food was fabulous. The only reason I have given 4/5 is because even though the number of guests is capped, it was the first time it has felt crowded. So crowded that I struggled to swim around the river without getting stuck behind crowds of people. We wanted a break from crowds but unfortunately it seems that too many people were let in, which made this day less relaxing than expected. Other than that, it's a lovely place.

We visited Discovery Cove on our last full day of our 3 week holiday, and what an experience it was to finish on. Everything about that day was great. The young kids in our group loved the lazy river, whilst the older kids wouldn’t come out of the reef. We also did the dolphin experience which everyone seemed to enjoy. The staff and trainers were brilliant. Would definitely recommend, and will 100% be back in the future.

So I am very torn on this place. There is so much I love about it, and so much I don’t.
I love the food, the animals, and the cabana staff is amazing! I love the beauty of the place and the activities.
Here is what I DO NOT love. The lifeguards were screaming rules at people all day. I understand that rules are very important to keep everyone (including the animals) safe, but Discovery Cove really needs to find a better way to relay them. Maybe a quick educational video? Maybe a little list of rules? Maybe a board located by the reef? It was miserable to listen to people getting in trouble all day long.
I also did not appreciate booking a cabana and not being allowed inside until 9 am. We had a handicapped person with us, and it would have been great for him to have a location to be in to rest (especially since we paid a lot of money for it). That being said, our cabana worker was just wonderful. I think her name was Amber? She was just amazing.

We were celebrating several occasions and splurged on the VIP experience. Our host Jeff went above and beyond to make our day be perfect. The animals are well cared for, educational interactions abound and a positive experience. The all inclusive food/beverage is great for those budgeting for their trip and tasted great too! Highly recommend.

This was an AMAZING experience and I cannot believe how many times I have been to Orlando without coming. We went in November and the temperate was in the high 50s. The positive part was that the park was probably emptier than on a normal summer day, but it obviously did impact our swimming experience. Still, we thought the grounds were beautiful. We booked the dolphin experience, and everyone had a nice time. I don't think you need it though to have an enjoyable day. The lazy river was amazing in terms of aesthetics. It was a 5/5 and I have recommended to so many people.

Overall this was an absolutely amazing experience. A couple of notes of the packages/ add ons we chose and what I would do differently next time.

First we did the general day resort with dolphin swim. To that I added the ultimate animal experience (5 hour tour) and the elite cabana.
The ultimate animal experience was awesome. We got to snorkel in the grand reef with no one else so it was awesome to have that interaction. We got to meet a bird and a small mammal. The otter enrichment was okay. You’re still behind glass and it’s just the first time they let the others into the enclosure for the day. Same for the “private guided tour” of the aviary. This was no different than just visiting the aviary yourself. One of the best parts was the enhanced dolphin interactions where you got to spend extra time in the water with the dolphins. Going behind the scenes was pretty cool as well but be aware you’re gonna walk A LOT!

The elite cabana package came with a bouy delivery and the digital photo package so that was pretty neat as well.
The food is all you can eat for breakfast and lunch with snacks and drinks available all day. You can upgrade to premium drink package but that didn’t feel worth it to us. You do need to wear their wetsuits which can be hard to maneuver into if you’re not used to wearing them just as an fyi. I do recommend at least a shorty tho because the grand reef and dolphin swim can be chilly.

What I would do different next time is definitely not do the Ultimate animal experience and cabana because you don’t check into your cabana until after the animal experience, which means that you definitely don’t get full use out of it and it’s extremely expensive to only be able to use for half the time.

Altogether, this is one of our new favorite parks and even just going with a day pass and not doing the dolphin swim would be fully worth the money.

AMAZING. Can't wait to go back. My entire family loved this. The snorkeling in the salt water lagoon and the dolphin swim were the major highlights but the island feel and the float river just made the whole day.

AMAZING. My favorite part was swimming with the rays (free). My sons' favorite was swimming with a dolphin (extra charge). This is an experience you do NOT want to miss if traveling to Orlando.

From the start, you feel welcomed in the park. The combined fee that is included in the purchase pays for the parking, the towels, the wetsuit, the snorkel with mask, locker, and the ample supply of sunscreen that is accepted when you're with the fish. The snorkeling is great. So many fish to see and there are o many other swimmers attempting the same thing. Remember to not go on holiday breaks or high attendance days or you will be seeing less than you expected. The lazy river is a blast. It's 3/4 mile winding around and around. Use a noodle or not, it's great fun. There are a number of step out points should you want to lay on one of the beaches, or take a rest. There are several types of birds flying around you and they are within the area thanks to the waterfalls keeping them safe. There is also a place where you can step out and go to aviary to see and feed the various wild birds.

The package price also includes breakfast, lunch, soft drinks, water, beer, and wine. The meals are full breakfasts and lunch. What i mean is that you're not getting packaged food like a cafeteria. Our selection was everything from salmon, hamburgers, hot dogs, pasta with sauce and vegetables, and more. There were side dishes as well. And, there was also dessert. They serve Coke products!!!!

There's plenty of reasons to go to Discovery Cove and we only have been there twice (so far). It's a place for nearly all ages. Even if you don't decide to do anymore than put the mask on and put your face in the water, you will have a great time.

There are showers too! There is shampoo, conditioner, and showering gels. The areas are curtained off and private. There is a stall for added access if needed. There is a plug near the wash basins should there be a need for a hairdryer or??

There are also other events and things to do at Discovery Cove. Go to your favorite browser and find the Discovery Cove site. You will find out everything I have mentioned and more.

Remember to check your weather forecast. Sunny days will allow you to see the fish perfectly.

Also, you might consider buying water shoes. They were very helpful getting in and out of the water. Bring a beach bag in case you want to have a change of clothes.

My husband and I and our friends from out of state visit Orlando and the parks several times every year. My husband and I visited this park in 2019 and had a great time. So much so that for my 50th birthday celebration (postponed for several months due to my ongoing cancer treatment) I asked everyone to buy passes here instead of the many, many other places to spend large amounts of money in Orlando, but I am now full of regret. One of the kids in our group wants to have a dolphin encounter that we have done before but her other adults are timid about it, so we decided to add the dolphin encounter to our day to do that with her. When I called to upgrade our paid-for passes (and cabana), I was quoted three different prices that would all double or more than double the cost of the passes themselves that I purchased one month ago. We paid $703 for two (2) day passes and a cabana and when I tried to add on the dolphin encounter (a $30-40 upgrade on any given day) I was told the price would increase to over $1,100 - over $400 to add on two (2) encounters. That is more than double the cost of each day pass just to add on the encounter! Absurd. I wrote an email to guest relations hoping to find a more reasonable price for a simple upgrade.. that was nine days ago and ZERO response whatsoever. We are now unable to cancel these plans without everyone losing money so we're going to go and make the best of it, quite reluctantly and ZERO thanks to whoever is running this joint. Their "seasonal pricing" is a bait and switch scam so don't go into it thinking you can simply add on the experience - you will lose any "discount" that was offered when your original pass was purchased and additionally the cost will be accelerated to whatever their new pricing is because it is essentially a cancellation and rebook at a very steeply increased price. It is not "seasonal pricing" because our day has not changed - that is an outright lie. It is demand pricing at best or whatever wording they invent to justify this absolute nonsense. This place will never get another dime from us or the two other groups coming with us ONLY because I asked them to do this for my 50th birthday. There are too many other parks that do not feel inclined to scam their guests and we will be only too glad to give them our money and appreciation instead. Way to go. When so many are already questioning the ethics of such a place, a lack of integrity toward your very own guests does NOT instill a confidence or willingness to argue against that on your behalf.

Amazing experience that families should experience at least once in their lifetime. Snorkeling with stingrays and fish was so peaceful.

This place is awesome. This was our second trip and it was everything the first trip was and more. The dolphin encounter was terrific. The food was wonderful. The fact that they only let so many people in a day means it is never overcrowded. Yes it does cost a lot, but they are almost always running specials and really isn't much more than going to Disney World. I really only have two complaints and they are minor petty complaints. I don't like that they make you wear a life jacket for the grand reef, if a person is a good swimmer they shouldn't have to wear it. The cost of purchasing photos is a bit steep, this is the case with most places. Outside of the dolphins the lazy river is probably my favorite thing to do, just wish they had tubes to float down on. You won't regret spending a day here. Also if you are planning on going to SeaWorld or Aquatica, go here. There are ticket options that will give you unlimited visits to both these parks for 7 days, you will more than make up the cost.

Discovery Cove certainly has its charms. The grounds are clean and well-maintained, the atmosphere is relaxed, and the Grand Reef is genuinely stunning—snorkeling among rays and tropical fish was a highlight. The food was decent, nothing spectacular, but it did the job.

Unfortunately, the positives were overshadowed by a series of disappointments. The experience is seriously overpriced for what’s offered, and some staff interactions were unexpectedly rude and abrupt—particularly the team handling wetsuits and the reception at SeaVenture. For a premium-priced attraction, you’d expect a higher standard of hospitality.

We visited during a storm, which understandably led to closures. What wasn’t understandable was the chaotic way it was managed. We were offered a refund for the SeaVenture experience, but the process was a masterclass in miscommunication and understaffing. Guest Services had a single overwhelmed staff member and a queue that snaked endlessly. After 30 minutes, we were redirected to the front desk—only to face another long wait and more confusion. It took over an hour to complete a simple refund, with only one person authorized to process it.

In the end, Discovery Cove felt more like a missed opportunity than a magical escape. If you’re looking for a memorable snorkeling experience, Florida’s east and west coast beaches offer breathtaking spots—without the price tag or the hassle.

Have been many times over the last 15 years and the decline over the last three visits has been striking. More people, fewer staff, greater wear and tear on the facilities, unhelpful verging on rude ‘restaurant’ servers, disappointing food quality, etc. This is the second time we’ve been in recent years where the lazy river has been closed first thing - this time because there were apparently not enough lifeguards to open it! Hard to believe in a dedicated water park…… having said this, the lifeguards look very young and lacking in both life and work experience. The new rule regarding having to wear life vests in the grand reef is ridiculous. They don’t have enough (particularly if you need a bigger one) and you now can’t dive down in the deeper parts. DC used to be one of the highlights of our Florida vacation but this visit may now have been our last.

The Good: the winding river is amazing. So beautiful. Worth it to go just to experience this. Lunch was good. Crowd was good. Not too congested.

The bad: Applied their animal friendly sunscreen 3 times and still got a bad burn. Rude staff at breakfast buffet. Birds are annoying. They jump on the table while you’re eating and steal your food. Pretty pricy for the value.

This place is just fantastic, you really don’t need nothing for your day out here, just arrive with your swim gear, camera/video and enjoy the day, food is a good standard and the drinks are nice, plenty to do and see, well worth paying the money for this relaxing day away from the theme parks and hustle and bustle of busy Orlando, we went on a Wednesday half way through our holiday which broke it up nicely. Have already booked for next year.

I booked this for me and my 3 kids. It was a very fun experience. We chose the package with the dolphin swim. Our session was at 9:35 and was perfect because we had the rest of the day to snorkel and explore the lazy river. We got to meet Catalina! My kids loved the lazy river! It’s 8 feet deep in some spots.
My only complaint would be the price of the photos. Pictures of our dolphin swim were $300.

An all-inclusive water park. Park limits the number of visitors to 1600 people a day which makes it wonderful for never being overcrowded. Would recommend getting the drink package. Make sure you do the underwater walk.

Had an amazing time at Discovery Cove. We grabbed a quick bite of breakfast about 8.30 as we arrived then headed to the snorkel area. This was almost completely deserted at this time of the morning so we were able to explore without bumping into anyone. Then headed to the lazy river which was good fun. We also fed the birds in the aviary, tried to spot the otters but they were sleeping, and saw the marmosets. Another snorkelling dip which was a lot busier although seems to get quieter at lunchtime. Drinks package was great and we enjoyed the cocktails. Everything was made very easy to spend a relaxing day there.

I have waited over 10 years for an opportunity to go to discovery cove. Anytime I was in Orlando before, the rest of the group I stayed with wanted to do other things and I had to stick with them. This time, I was traveling solo.

I went to discovery cove on a Saturday which probably is why I felt it was a bit too crowded for my liking. Max capacity so I learned during my day there is 1,700 people. On the day I went, there was said to be about 1,200 guests. Even so, I felt like it was a bit crowded. I think they should cap the capacity at 1,000 per day if they are truly trying to make a luxurious experience for all. The amount of people and feeling crowded is the only reason I give it four stars.

I did an early morning dolphin swim. I went back to the lagoon later in the day to view the dolphins from the beach, and to me, it did not seem like the dolphins in the afternoon swims were as interactive and energized as they were in the morning. I'm glad I took the advice of a review I read online before I went saying to get there early for check in so you get an early morning dolphin swim. I arrived just about 7am and was assigned an 8:30 dolphin swim.

The staff are generally friendly, however there were I found that were not as willing to help, answer questions, or take the initiative if someone looked confused, I do realize that it's hard to always be friendly and answer probably the same questions over and over, but then again it is part of their job.

The aviary is so fun! You get a little cup of food and if the birds want some, they can fly on you and take some or you can lift your cup up to them. There are three different sections to the aviary.

The otters and marmosets and sharks are also great and I recommend going to the animal talks throughout the day. The keepers know alot and answered all my questions.

All in all, a wonderful day even if you're solo!

Discovery Cove is an amazing park. The limit the number of people they allow in on a daily basis, so it does not feel crowded. They have an all inclusive plan which includes entrance to the park, breakfast, lunch, snacks, and all non alchoholic drinks. I beleive this also includes beer and wine. They also include free lockers, towels, and animal friendly sunscreen. There are a few add ons which we did do this trip but may try in the future. These include swimming with dolphins, skarks, or undersea adventure which is kind of like diving in a suit and helmet. The included features are:
a salt water reef where you can swim with rays, and tropical fish. ( cooler water) they do provide wetsuits and snorkel and goggles.
A fresh water pool
A not so lazy river that is up to 8 feet deep at times
An aviary where you can feed birds
A flamingo spot
Otters and marmosets
The water was crystal clear, the staff very friendly, the fresh water areas are warmer water.
A word of caution a shovelnose ray bit my toe, so I would reccomend water shoes many of the bottoms are uneven also the ray bit my toe. They say that this is very rare. However the water shoes would have prevented this and also protected my toes from the uneven surface of the pools.
The food quality was good with a decent selection. My vegan wife was able to find a few things she could eat.
We also got the package that included other parks. I would highly recommend that you visit Discovery Cove. Even with the little incident it was a very relaxing day.

I made online reservations. They did not have records of it. So I assumed that something went wrong with the online res and paid again at the time of the visit.

Got back home, turns out that they did charge for the online reservations, and again at the time of the visit. I went ahead and disputed the charge. Discovery Cove submitted paperwork disputing back and now I'm being charged! I'm waiting for copies of the paperwork Discovery Cove submitted.

Completely dishonest! Do not book online!

My family of 7 went this past weekend and it did not disappoint. We didnt have a moment to where we were bored, this experience offers a variety of fun things to do with the family, whether its feeding the exotic birds, swimming with dolphins, chilling out at the lazy river, or snorkeling with the fish and sting rays, you will have a blast at discovery cove. Another cool thing is that the inclusive food and drinks, which were amazing and fresh, oh and the slushie/ice cream machines were awesome!

The resort itself is great - the crowds aren't as bad as usual parks in the area due to limited attendance, and the swim ways and pools are great. The all inclusive feature is a nice change from being gouged at other parks for everything.

My biggest complaint was the entire Dolphin experience, which most guests opt in for. The experience itself is 30 minutes long in which you will go into the water with a group of about 10. The entire experience is taking turns posing for 3 different photos as individuals and as groups. So basically your "dolphin experience" is a photo shoot. Once that is complete, they will tell you to follow the photographer to his hut (note, you're dripping wet from 70 degree water) No time to towel off or take off your wetsuit, or gather your things. The camera man then tells each person to look at a monitor that has all the photos from the whole group on it, and select the ones you are in. They try to coerce you into doing this whether you want to buy photos or not, saying things like "you have to do this", or "you have to select more photos you did not select them all". I and others around me were baffled by this, it felt like a test. The monitors are not responsive because you are sopping wet and cold, and the pictures are tiny and blurry. Then to really top the whole thing off, to purchase the photos it is THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS. 3 0 0. Absolutely ridiculous. Oh you just wanted to buy one photo of your child with the dolphin? Sorry we don't allow that. If you opt to purchase these photos, you then have to go wait in line at a different hut where they will eventually hand you USB stick.

This entire experience is TERRIBLE and soured the entire park for me. Why not give us a code to access these photos online at our leisure? Let us buy individual photos? So frustrating.

We visited on the 26th July 2024 with the family from the UK as part of a holiday. We arrived at 6-50 am which I thought would be an ideal time. There was a query on arrival and all bags are checked prior to entry which is a good thing. We were told our dolphin swim was at 7-50 am , however breakfast didn’t start until 7-15 am so we had very little time and no warning that the swim was this early . We had to miss breakfast and got to the lockers on time and changed quickly. The lockers are not allocated and it is a first come first served basis . You are told one locker per family so don’t bring too much as the lockers are quite small. The locks are also dodgy and some didn’t work . You can get wetsuits or vests and these are provided free of charge along with snorkels. It all seemed a bit chaotic initially and a bit disorganised and not as chilled out as I thought it would be . We went to a cabana for a pre swim briefing with the dolphins on time and watched a safety video . By 8-30 am a supervisor came along and told us the dolphin swim was now cancelled until 1-15 pm. In fairness that can’t be helped as the dolphins were not ready to play. So the initial rush was pointless and we returned to the grill for breakfast which was not great and very basic . To be honest the breakfast was quite poor with long queues and for the cost of the package they could do a lot better . We then used the lazy river which was good , the foam noodles run out quickly at the start points and you have to find these around the parks . The river though is good and you can stop on route to feed the birds in the aviary. We then went to the reef to snorkel. This was incredibly busy but the reef itself is good with lots of ray’s and fish . It has deep areas in parts so a good idea is to use a life vest to keep you afloat . We then went to lunch by 11-15 am to beat the queue and this was a good idea . My wife is a coeliac and they did cook her lunch fresh which was quite nice . The normal food was okay , not the best but adequate , again they could do much better. We then had the dolphin swim at the allotted time and this was a good experience. However you do not swim with dolphins so the advertising is slightly misleading and it’s more of an interaction with a dolphin in groups. You cannot take your own photos and the photo packages are quite expensive. After that we did the lazy river again and left the park by 3-30 pm which was a good idea to beat the queues leaving the park. Overall it’s a good experience but the park was very busy and a bit crowded and slightly disappointed me. I think for the money it could be better still especially around the food . The cabanas are very expensive and not really needed unless you just intend to spend the whole day lounging about . The best part for me was the dolphin experience . Would I return? Probably not , it’s a lot of money for what it is.

Exceptional place, experience that I indicate to anyone who has the desire to go and have some fear. The food is good, the options are not many, but what they offer is enough. Swimming with dolphins can not stay out, an unforgettable, exceptional experience. The photos are expensive, but since I didn't have anyone to take the photos,
I paid to have a souvenir. Unique experience.

We had a fantastic day at discovery cove. We have been a few times to Orlando and discovery cove is always my favourite day.
We were lucky with the weather this time which has not always been the case.
Everything is included, so you don’t need to bring anything with you (drinks, breakfast, lunch, snacks, towels and sunscreen) .
Food is plenty and lots of choice (pizza, chicken, burgers, rice, salads, cakes and plenty more)
The river is fantastic and you feel as if you are on a tropical paradise.
I personally do not like to swim with big stingrays and fishes, but my family had a fantastic time swimming in the reef and snorkelling while I watched.
Everything is very safe and there are a lot of lifeguards.
Staff very friendly as well.
Overall a fantastic day, and hope to visit soon again.

It was an amazing experience to be so close to the dolphins. It was a bucket list item for sure that we attended to celebrate my 50th birthday. Just a few suggestions: would love it if they would have inner tubes for the lazy river. And while the food was included, it could have been a little better as far as selection. Most things were spicy.

Nice place with friendly staff. Really clean and welcoming. We did a swim with the dolphins and had a good experience. A couple of times our dolphin swam away to explore the basin and the trainers said we just had to wait until it wanted to come back again - that was nice as it at least seems they animals has room for free will.
The experience with the dolphins felt longer than 30 min although the contact with the animals were very brief- but personally I think it’s fair.

It’s nice that you don’t have to pay extra for food and beverages, lockers and towels - all the other extras already accumulate fast - especially the photo package comes at a steep price.

And personally I would have preferred the background music to be turned down a notch or two - but if you like steel drum music you’ll have a party

Visited discovery co for the second time and absolutely loved it a family of SIX and we also this time hired a cabana which came with a fridge a locker and excellent service from a member of staff called JOHN. He was so funny and so helpful we cannot write him highly enough. The cabana we had was by the stingray pool right onto the beach and my God it was so good Even without the cabana the place is amazing and it’s excellent value for money. I would recommend doing this regardless of others saying it is not worth it. I can tell you as our second visit and definitely will be back. I can tell you it is well worth it. The food and drinks are excellent and the choice is very large Unless you get a very picky person fancy meals you would be spoilt for choice. You can keep going back for more and it is available most of the day. The snacks are excellent too and the drinks are very good. We swam with the dolphins, which was also really lovely And I cannot tell you how amazing swimming with the stingrays were. The whole place is not crowded. You can get a bed easily and you feel it’s exclusive no matter where you are. It’s not crowded. Thank you discovery for making our memories very special. One thing I will say the photo package even though we purchased it is very expensive.

We had a brilliant time, 2 adults and 2 teenagers. We did the dolphin swim which was a fantastic experience, we also enjoyed snorkelling with all the fish and rays in the pool, not many places in the world that can compete with this experience, food and drinks excellent and the staff all friendly!

My top tip would be to get there at 7am to get an early dolphin swim. Cancellations tend to happen later in the day!

Would recommend and definitely visit again if we were in the area.

Thanks!

My experience with customer service was awful. I have called numerous times regarding my refund and every time I call, I get a different answer. In addition, I am told to wait 3-5 business days and three weeks for my refund. I have waited since October 2023 for my refund. I called today and was told I would have to contact Affirm about my refund since customer service showed it was processed around Oct. 20th and sent to Affirm. They told me to call Affirm to check on the refund, so I called and waited and waited in line then I was able to speak one of their customer service representatives. This time I was told they had no record of a refund and I needed to contact Discovery Cove. So here I am stuck in the middle with NO refund. Buyer beware!!!

Visited Sept 2024, with a family of 4 (2 teenagers). If your visiting from outside the USA & have never been before I would recommend. If you have been before you may be disappointed as it is a shadow of it's former self.

Our visit was cancelled by SeaWorld, & they gave us less than 24 hours notice. Reason was bad weather but we knew the weather well before this. We were able to rearrange but more notice should have been given.

Dolphin swim times are allocated the day before so if you get a bad time they won't change it.

Told to arrive by 7am, so arrived slightly earlier. Lots of receptionists checking everyone in so no queue, very friendly, fast & efficient. It was 6.50am, receptionist told us breakfast was already open. When we walked around a rude member of staff blocked the outside path making us queue for 25 minutes. I did explain my disabled wife could not stand for long but she didn't care. We couldn't go forward or back. My wife had to sit on the floor. Not the VIP experience advertised.

Breakfast (included( was OK but nothing special. It was well cooked, clean. Self service buffet, paper plates & plastic cutlery. Clean plastic tables & chairs. All the same food as you would find in a cheap hotel or cafe. Not the VIP experience advertised.

Our cabana was preallocated in the sand dollar area.
After breakfast we went to put our belongings in a locker (included) we were told that half of the park wasn't ready yet. We had to walk to the opposite side of the park & put our belongings in a locker, only to return later to carry them over to the correct & opposite side of the park when it was open. Staff explained this as they aren't paid to come early to clean & get things ready. Not the VIP experience advertised.

There are several snack bars (included) dotted around. Self serve soft drinks, water, tea, coffee, crisps & a hot snack like pizza. Bar provides beer & wine (included) & other drinks paid. There is a drinks upgrade package to include spirits, although I don't think anyone could drink enough to get value for money. All served in plastic cups, straws, etc. OK but not the VIP experience advertised.

Lunch was the same as breakfast. The same positives & negatives.

Reef swim (included) . Have to wear a full or half wet suit (included). Mandatory but unnecessary. Most people seemed to put on a full suit in the morning, then realised it was far too hot & switch to the half. On top of the wet suit you also have to put on a cheap over sized wet suit. Even if you are paddling or standing in the water. Most of the reef is very shallow water. As someone who can swim my children & I found this unnecessary & uncomfortable. Did enjoy the swim though, saw lots of fish & Ray, got to touch them.

Dolphin swim (extra). We did this & enjoyed it. Times are allocated the day before & staff won't change it if you have a bad slot. Trainers weren't ready on arrival, so we had to wait 15 minutes & queue. Excuse was they aren't given any time to set up or paid to arrive early. You get 30 minutes in the water, with 4 families per dolphin. Can take own photos & videos. Discovery cove photos are about $200.

Ray feeding (extra). We didn't do this but it is extremely over priced. You can go to seaworld or another aquarium & feed the rays for $5. You can also touch the rays without doing this.

Extras. Most extras just aren't worth the high prices. Meet a creature. Flamingo mingle. Meet a shark. All can be done elsewhere free, cheaper or better.

Very disrespectful pictures turned out crappy. They run you through there like an assembly line. Do not help whatsoever with any questions.

It was amazing i loved the snorkelling and swimming with dolphins, i also liked how the food was free so you could get a snack whenever you wanted. The ice cream there is good and so is all the other snacks. Over all i loved the experience.

we go there because of the dolphin encounter experience, they don't allow you to bring camera or phone to take picture during the encounter unless someone take for you on the shore. however, the official photographer just took pictures, but not video. Different group has different trainer, and they may have different instructions to dolphin to show us different movement, some group can see more different movement of the dolphin, but not our group, I think we just see those basic skill, but I see some other group can see and experience more. We can touch the dolphin and let it to drag us for a distance, but kids need to be certain height in order to be dragged by the dolphin, I think 48 inches height. if you don't do the dolphin encounter, there are other things you can do, e.g. snorkeling with rays and fish, feed birds, see otters and monkeys. The breakfast, lunch and snack are included and you are feel free to get as much as you want. But it closed at 5pm.

I booked a visit directly through discovery cove for during spring break and paid $1350 for 3 people for a basic one day package. A few days before, I got an email about a promotion and checked the dates a found out the same day was now over $200 less than when I booked it a month ago. I called to see if the current lower price could be honored or if I could receive a credit for the difference. After waiting over an hour on hold I was told there was nothing they could do. It leaves a very disappointing first impression of their customer service.

Horrible experience. Arrived at 8:30 and received a 1:15 dolphin swim time. We explored the park and checked in at the seahorse cabana for our dolphin swim. After removing jewelry and watching a presentation which was delayed and lasted about 40 min the trainers arrived. All the other groups were called at which time an employee approached us and told us that unfortunately our swim would be canceled due to the dolphins not participating. We tried offering alternative ideas of splitting us up into different groups since we had several children in the group, pushing our swim to the next available session etc. and we were told none of that could be done , that there is only 9 people allowed per group. Our group was a group of 11 so seems to me like someone made a mistake in scheduling and they were trying to cover it up by giving us these ridiculous reasons. After wasting over 2 hours going back and forth with management a resolution was finally reached. This is still unacceptable because we wasted 2 hours we could’ve been exploring and enjoying the park. Due to poor management we also missed lunch, lunch which was included in the very expensive park ticket. By the time we were all done lunch was over and not long after all pools were closed due to thunderstorms. Our time and money was definitely wasted and I will never recommend this park to anyone. If the problem would’ve been addressed correctly we wouldn’t have missed out on enjoying what we paid for. To all especially those traveling with children, Beware when booking your dolphin swim because you may show up only to be turned away.

First time here and I’m blown away by how nice it is! Love the all inclusive with food and drinks and the food is actually very good compared to all the other parks we’ve been to. Swimming with stingrays and seeing all the tropical fish makes you feel like you’re out in the middle of the ocean. Dolphin experience was good but even if you passed on that the rest of the park is more than worth coming here for

Awful customer service - my partner booked and it was far more expensive then it should have been I went through the whole process 20 minutes later to confirm the price and it was $115 cheaper than whatever he did. They told me they cannot fix the price despite my screenshot proving it all and wouldn’t refund. Horriblw

First Time visit and only booked the basic package (no extra animal interactions or premium drinks).

Pros
Snorkeling reef was great, so much to see, could spend all day just swimming in there.
Food was lovely, snacks were plentiful, beers were flowing.
Lazy river and other pools were cold, refreshing and fun.
Lots of animal talks as day goes on.
Beds in various places.

Cons
The floor in Lazy river is very uneven and changes depth quickly causing lots of foot and knee scrapes.

Some animal viewings are only accessible from the water. Anyone who cannot swim cant access them.

Whilst we didnt do any animal interactions from what I saw I don't think they are worth the money, but I didn't do them so I can't go into detail.

First visit to Florida and booked this as heard such good things. Arrived early to find an already huge queue. On check in staff member reeled off a whole barrage of stuff that was far too much to take in and off we went. The place was overcrowded, people were on top of each other and it felt very claustrophobic. Loungers with no gaps in between so you have to walk the entire row to get out. Parasol didn't work so had to move. We went on the lazy river and not being a great swimmer I was apprehensive as it has sudden drops. People were just all over the place. Nothing lazy about it and it had barely any flow carrying you along. The breakfast was canteen food, watery egg, sausage patty and very thin bacon. No ice in the machines. Lunch was pretty much the same.
We had the alcoholic drinks package and ordered the pins colada slush. It was just that. slush. no alcohol in sight! I felt unwell and asked for a bottle of water at same time as ordering my drink and was told it was one drink per person at a time!! Idiots!

Husband went to the Great reef and said it was best part of the day. I wasn't feeling great so just stayed in the shade.

We had the dolphin 'swim' booked. First we were kept waiting for the trainers to arrive for over 15 minutes then had to watch a video which could've been played while we were waiting. We were taken into the pool to meet and stroke a dolphin. That was fine. Then the other dolphin wasn't coming out as was too busy playing with a buoy. Had to stroke dolphin again and again. Very boring by the fifth stroke!!!! We were then told we had to leave the water while they sorted the other dolphin out. Another 15 mins hanging around in boiling sun with no updates. Finally, the other dolphin was ready and it was back into the pool for our 'swim'. The 'swim' was a complete farce, you go about 5 yards, if that. Then you're ushered out of the pool and told to head to photo shop within an hour to get photos. No photos are included in the package and they were trying to charge us $300 + dollars for a bunch of rubbish and unprofessional photos including one of a generic duck that I could have taken myself!!!!
We turned the card over that is on the counter and saw it actually sold prints individually. You have to enquire or they will pretend you have to buy the big packages.
Bought 2 photos for $80 complete rip off.
Would not return or recommend this place.

Absolutely amazing experience!!! Food was great! Customer service was great! Kids loved swimming with the dolphins, just wished we got a bit more time with the dolphins but would definitely do it again!!!

If you enjoy wet furniture in your cabana and insects that enjoy biting and customer service that is impossible to get a hold of then this is the place for you. We lasted half a day, did not even use our premium drinks package.

Seaventure and shark experience really good though. Thank goodness for a short wetsuit or the insect bites would be so much worse.

The price we paid for our experience was really not worth it. We will not be back and I'm not sure I can recommend because of our experience.

Leaving this review so that others are aware of their deceptive rescheduling and hurricane policy.

I purchased tickets directly thru Discovery Cove. We were scheduled for Sunday 8/4.
We were to drive down from WI. I called on 3 different occasions over the last week to confirm their rescheduling and cancellation policies. Each time I was told that given the weather situation, they were waiving the 48hrs needed to reschedule our day at no charge because of the weather. They told me that I could even call the morning of our arrival date and request a credit to reschedule if we were not able to make it. Each time I also confirmed that if there was a named storm (as per their own hurricane policy listed on their site) that we would get a refund. I was assured that I would by each employee I spoke to.

I called today, Saturday, 8/3 because they have officially named this storm and was told that I could not receive a refund. I was told that only if they closed the park would they “possibly” refund me our money and I would need to speak to guest services at that time. It does NOT state that in their hurricane policy online.

Instead I was offered a credit to be used for a future booking within 1 year. However it was not for the full amount that I paid. It was 138.40 less than I paid. Although the employee could never tell me why - it appears to be that the resort fees were not credited back. (And resort fees would need to be paid again with my future booking if we reschedule).

I requested to speak to a supervisor and after being on hold for over an hour, he also stated that they would not refund my money even with a named storm and then hung up on me as I questioned why, if that is what their policy states online.

I have ALL of my conversations with discovery cove recorded.

I have now started a dispute with my credit card company.

This was the highlight of our holiday. Excellent place, all the kids swam with the dolphins and loved it, there is also a grand reef pool where they swam with other fish and rays of all sizes. There is a limited number of people allowed each day so it wasn't packed like the other parks. Everything is included all day so no worries about food or drink, and everything else is provided towels, masks, snorkels etc. Really recommend booking before you travel as it gets booked up fast. Great day.

Excellent place, with great service and good structure for the family, comfort, safety and lots of fun. The park offers on its ticket access to free buffet for breakfast, lunch and snack, towels, sunblockers and swimsuits. There we can swim with dolphins and rags and also feed the birds. I super recommend

Discovery Cove is advertised as luxury and exclusive however upon arrival at 7.30am, we had to wait in a 30 minute queue, this didn’t feel luxurious to us. However once at the front of the queue staff were lovely and helpful. The grounds are beautiful. All staff helpful and welcoming. The food was very standard, nothing to shout home about. There were queues for the food but the amount of people they’d let in, I wasn’t surprised and again, it didn’t feel very exclusive. We swam with dolphins which was very good value for money and enjoyable. The reef where you can swim with fish was absolutely packed, it was unbelievable.

The only beers and wines available at the bar unless you pay extra. Wine came in what looked like a small plastic pot.

The sun cream isn’t great, it’s like PVA glue. Not enough sun loungers with shade either.

All in all for what it cost to go and what we got for our money, we definitely wouldn’t return. For what we paid we wouldn’t expect to queue for 30 minutes, be served sub standard food and given wine a tiny plastic pot.

This is my third visit within 15 years. The staff are friendly and very helpful. Breakfast, lunch and unlimited snacks/drinks are included. Even the pickiest eater can find something to eat. The bird aviary had smaller birds 12 years ago that were more interested in eating the food from your hand. Discovery Cove really tries to think of everything that you might need - towels, sunblock, bags for wet clothes, showers, changing rooms, etc. The only thing that they need to fix is the pathway leading to the main entrance because when it pours (which it does often in Florida), the path floods with several inches of water.

Spent the day with my adult son and his family. My granddaughters loved every minute and so did all of the adults. What a great experience! We rented a cabana and it was well worth the price. Privacy, shade, loungers, a hammock, a refrigerator and a locker gave us everything we needed as our base camp. We loved the lazy river, snorkeling with the multitude of fish and rays and the dolphin experience. The fact that the resort is all inclusive made it so easy for our family, no extras, all meals, snacks, drinks and activities (except the dolphin experience), were included. The entire staff were extremely helpful and cheerful. We highly recommend this place.

2 families - 10 in total. Easy check-in! Had no problem finding lounge chairs. Had a great breakfast buffet. Did all the areas. Snorkelled, did the lazy river through the aviary, went to see the Otters & Marmosets. Dolphin experience was fun. We had Rose for the 2nd time in our life. We were with 5 people who had never experienced this before - lots of laughs. The endless slushy drinks/frozen treats were a huge hit. The eat any time and the choice of drinks was great. Lunch was also great in buffet style. The sand could use a good rake for garbage, but I cleaned a lot of it up around our area when we got there. The bathrooms are clean. The showers are nice at the end of the day. Towels are provided, with snorkels & wetsuits/vests. They even have plastic bags to bring home your wet stuff. The sunscreen provided needs to be applied every 1/2hr-hour. It washes off every time you get in the water. Don't forget to reapply often.

Where to begin? I guess Let's start with the all inclusive Food and Alcohol.

Food and Beverages
The Food was absolute garbage, Breakfast was on par with school quality level. Eggs powered, bacon so thin, just everything was horrible. Lunch wasn't much better but there was a few decent choices. Do not believe any of the descriptions on their site or menus. We had the premium alcohol add-on with this special they ran. It was nice to have tropic drinks. The snacks throughout the day were such low quality for the PRICE. Now the Day Bed BAIT & SWITCH, to add-on a day bed is expensive extremely expensive for what you get and were they are located. All Day Beds are in front of the two areas you cannot swim, the dolphin pond and the share reef pond. You spend all your time away from this area!!!! They do not tell you ahead of time where they are located. So you have no clue. We didn't do the Dolphin Swim but we had front seats to it. 15 minutes and you STAND not SWIM with the dolphins. Now the Reef sharks and fish oh my 10 minutes of excitement, Now the great SERENITY BAY and Lazy River. All garbage. Serenity bay needs to be much bigger and swimmable, the low depth cracks your toes, knees. The lazy river is the same there are nice 8ft zones but still as you float crack scuff toes and knees. Not sure where all these positive reviews are coming from. I am fair had a great day with the wife because of her. This SeaWorld part Deux is an overpriced mess.

Lifeguards wouldn’t allow me to get lifesaving insulin from the lockers, whilst I can see the potential of how it’s a good day out, the lifeguards seems to be ill trained and simply do not care, whilst there was a tragic incident at the time when we were there we were told we needed to vacate the area for now, when it transpired that the area would remain closed for a considerable about of time, I explained to a lifeguard that my friend it insulin dependent and will need it urgently, her response was “she can’t have it”.

What a horrendously evil response, when your sole job is to preserve life and someone had already died there today and you’re risking a 2nd death. Fortunately another team member overheard this conversation and showed it to another path where we could access the locker for the insulin. 3 deaths in 3 months is hardly surprising giving this attitude amongst their “lifesaving” team. Had an issue with a refund for a cancelled experience that was booked directly on site with Discovery Cove, telling me I needed to go via a 3rd party, which was eventually resolved dispute multiple explanations and staff telling me I’m lying etc. I wouldn’t return.

BEWARE!!!!! NOT THE PARK IT USED TO BE*******
I went to Discovery Cove with my pregnant fiancé in June 2024. We decided to do a quick family getaway before the birth of our first son. At the park they were unable to find a vest for her to wear (she wasn't huge, 175 lbs but big belly with baby) so she could not go into many of the areas of the park or enjoy a lot of the areas. The manager there offered us a reissuance day pass to come back if we left the park a. We elected to do so as we paid a decent amount and felt defeated at that point. We had spent thousands on hotels, tickets, etc and for the park to not have the vest that is required for certain areas because it was "very busy, and full" is unacceptable. I called back today (4/16/25) to rebook and give this park another go. I booked the park for 5/31/25. Within 24 hours I realized i mistakenly read the date wrong (5/31 vs 5/3) and called back to correct. The booking dept could not help me and insisted that I needed to pay a fee even though I just made the booking. I requested a manager; after 20-30 minutes on hold Jose R. (could not give me any more info) told me I needed to pay $350+ to change. I explained to him I just called and I made an error and I explained why I was given these reissuance passes to which he had no care. He had zero emotion or remorse. Kept insisting that I needed to pay if I wanted to change. My pregnant wife could not be accommodated by the park, its not that we didn't want to be there. These were issued for a reason! To not be able to help yet again blows my mind. I would give 0 stars if I could. Jose R, the manager, would not provide me with email to send or a corporate phone number. This place used to be awesome. I don't know what happened.

We did the dolphin swim and Sea Venture and they made the day worthwhile. Without the extra events this is really just a Theme Park Beach Day so if you are staying in a nice hotel with a pool you would probably not get a great deal more out of this. It has been very well designed and gives the illusion of space and privacy with lots of winding paths and plenty of planting, but it's actually not a very big space. The aviary and flamingo areas are consequently really pretty small which didn't feel great. Service in the cabana was fantastic, and all the staff were extremely helpful, friendly, attentive etc. Food was quite average, but there's plenty of it and the self-serve ice cream went down very well. The dolphin swim was quite excellent. Of our group on Sea Venture 2 out of 9 ducked out because they felt claustrophobic (and once you leave you can't go back) so think about that before you book it. (Helmets are heavy and noisy with the airflow.) Overall this felt like a theme park version of a tropical island which was just a bit odd. Not 'bad', just not really what I was expecting. One major downside was the amount of plastic for food serving and lack of recycling which we all found really disappointing.

Dolphin experience was pretty much a Photo Booth and there’s only a couple of main things to do in the park so you end up respecting a lot of the activities. Foods decent, but it’s all inclusive meals and drinks save for alcohol. Loved the wind away river; sooooo relaxing. The icees there are fire!!!

Ok, so here is my long review of my first time visit to Discovery Cove. I give it a 10 out of 10.
Let's start with the basics. The grounds are beautiful and very well maintained. There is plenty of seating so there is no need to rush for seats. There are so many tucked-away places to sit and escape the crowd.
The food is good, especially the lunch! There are plenty of options for everyone that's for sure. Please get yourself a banana slushy, 🍌 it was delicious. Every staff member we encountered was so friendly and helpful.
I did the Dolphin Swim,
Flamingo mingle and shark snorkel.
Here are my thoughts on each.

🦩Flamingo mingle was my absolute FAVORITE. I would book it again in a heartbeat. We spent so much time with them and they have so much personality. 1 of them ignored the food and chewed on my hair instead. I loved it! Even though they do the walk-through, it's nothing like sitting in their enclosure with them. 🦩

🐬Dolphin Swim, a must-do! My second favorite. While swim isn't the best term to use, it's still so much fun. We had Kelani and she was a charmer. They are such intelligent animals. Definitely do it.

🦈Shark snorkel- I didn't care for it. You spend very little time snorkeling and the area is very tight. Had I known. I would just have watched them through the Reef.

Pics 📸. We paid for the digital package. There are DOZENS of duplicate pics-not actual duplicate but the same shot like 5 or 6 times. I guess it's cheaper than selecting pics individually but it's still a bit overpriced. It would have been tough to select just a few pics from all the wonderful shots.
I had a BLAST!

I am completely saddened by a conversation I had on the phone this morning with Discovery Cove regarding tickets that we purchased and were not able to use because my son got sick. We had to leave and we rebooked and paid extra money and were not able to come. I was told that our tickets DID NOT expire. Now we are trying to use the tickets and I was told that they did in fact expire. I cant believe this. I spent a lot of time on the phone waiting for a Supervisor and got no response. The worst customer service that I have ever experienced.

We went Xmas day 2024 , weather wasn’t great but it is what it is . The thing that’s really annoyed us and a lot of people who went on Xmas day , they didn’t have enough staff , they shut the lazy river , and the marmoset pool the warmest pools , little did we know when they did open it , the lazy river , they only opened half of it , water was freezing .:. Known issue with the heaters which haven’t been fixed , staff telling everyone issues with staff , nothing done about it , they charged people full price to get in yet it wasn’t fully open and the staff were very rude to be honest . We have been to discovery cover a few times now and this was by far the worst visit yet . Totally get the weather nothing they can do on that but the heaters and the staff to be honest why open if you know you can’t operate 100%

Really disappointed but no one at the park wanted to listen

WEAR WATER SHOES. If you read nothing else in this review, wear water shoes. The sand is so hot that it is literally scalding to your feet.

We went to Discovery Cove in 2010 and raved about it for years. 2025, the giant area that used to be for snorkeling is now made over to offer all the upgraded experiences (helmet walk, etc), what used to be the smaller area where you could feed the sting rays is now the snorkeling area. Much fewer fish to see than 15 years ago. The food was still pretty good. It seemed like getting from one attraction to the next or to food or beverages was a LONG walk. Most everyone had a pretty good time. If I hadn’t been there before to see what it “was” compared to now I would probably give 4 stars.

We actually had a lovely day here. The dolphin swim was very interesting and an amazing experience but my autistic son wasn’t able to take part, unfortunately he couldn’t cope with the amount of people in the briefing cabana. There is no allowance made for people with this sort of additional needs, therefore we were unable to do this as a family, me and my husband did separate swims. I felt like some of the staff had no understanding of why he was stressed even when I explained it.

Swimming with dolphins at Discovery Cove is a major attraction. The park's trainers and marine experts make sure it's a safe and educational experience. The dolphins taken care of, showing the park's dedication to their well-being.SO fun!!

It was the second time we had been ( we are booked this year too) what a lovely place. Quiet and peaceful. Food galore and very good quality. Free drinks ( and alcoholic if you fancy). Snacks free. Pizza cart free. You get snorkels free and wetsuit/ vest. You can do activities or just relax. Lazy river is awesome. My only downside would be that it closes too early. They could surely run until 6 or 7pm. Great changing areas with plenty of towels and shampoo and shower gel provided. It really is a lovely place to visit. Far better than disney water parks

Amazing experience that is worth the money. We swam with the sting rays, swam down the lazy, and did pretty much everything the park has to offer. The staff were friendly and helpful! Whilst swimming with the dolphins our dolphin got bored and swam off so really enjoyed the fact staff let her do what she wanted and we were able to swim with another dolphin that was more than happy to! I know many people mention not being able to use cameras during the dolphin swim however my sister stood on the sand and recorded and photographed the whole thing even tho we decided to buy a few pictures anyway. There was plenty of food and drinks and sun screen to go around.
A must when in Orlando!

A whole day exploring nature in a new way! Put on a wetsuit and enjoy any water temp, usually warm too. Ride with a dolphin at a good speed, snorkel over cliff to see stingrays nesting in sand, float around river with unique birds, monkeys, and otters with beautiful landscapes everywhere. Eat delicious meals and snacks- included in admission tickets.

We visited Discovery Cove in Dec 2023 and had an amazing time. We opted to splurge with the VIP cabana. This gave us a dedicated host, a nice relaxing space to ourselves, all pictures were included, and a buoy delivery by a dolphin.

It wasn't crowded and we could have done without the Cabana, but it made our day even more special. Our host was fabulous. Everything was scheduled for us and the transitions between activities was seamless.

We also opted to do the Flamingo Mingle which was very special encounter and so worth it. The flamingos liked my son's hair and would preen him. We got to feed the flamingos, go in the water with them, walk with them and pose for pictures. It was a nice long visit. We also had a photographer the entire time and she took several dozen pictures.

Our two boys were the recipients of the dolphin buoy delivery later in the day at the end of our dolphin encounter. They loved it! Super special moment for them and they still talk about it.

If I could do it over again, I would have also done another paid activity like feeding the stingrays or something like that. We had time in the afternoon that we could have filled. Instead, we went snorkeling a 2nd time.

Recommendation on feeding the birds would be to go in the early morning while they are still hungry in all 3 areas for the most interactions.

We spend 9 days in Orlando and went to Disney World and Universal. When anyone asking either of our kids (boys 8 and 10) what they liked best about our trip, their answer is Discovery Cove.

Was pleasantly surprised about how much fun we had at Discovery Cove. Took the family and we were there from 8am to 5pm. There's not a ton of things to do, which is what makes it nice. None of us were overwhelmed when we left but felt we had plenty to do. The lounge chairs are great, but if you can, rent a day bed (fits 2) or a cabana for bigger parties. Well worth it and you get a concierge in a cabana. The biggest surprise was the food. So good! And plenty of variety. Kids loved the soft serve ice cream and Icees. And the animals are treated humanely (they don't take animals from the wild either). Would recommend to anyone who loves animals or wants a beach day in Orlando.

Don't waste your money. What a waste. We paid more to go here than to Disney World and had a terrible experience. I would post photos, but they didn't allow us to take any on our adventure. Then, they wanted us to pay for the terrible ones they took. No thank you.

From arrival the site itself is beautiful to look at.
On arrival everyone has breakfast before getting in the water, the initial welcome at reception is polite and friendly. The breakfast is absolutely delightful for food that is produced in such high volume this really is good quality.

There are always those people who run off to secure their sunbeds for the day, you really don't need to do this, there are more than enough sunbeds around all the different pools for everyone and honestly you probably wont spend anytime on it at all.

It is fabulous that when you get in the pool to snorkel around the reed their are staff standing around in the pool ready to explain to you about the coral/fish and for a man made site the coral is absolutely stunning.

we had booked a dolphin swim as this has been a life long dream off mine. Whilst all the staff were fabulous and the experience was just incredible " swimming with dolphins" is a stretch of the description

You spend approximately 30 mins stood in the water with a group of other people whilst the dolphins are brought to you and you smile at the camera
YES you get to touch them, YES you get to kiss them but all while smiling at the camera
The swimming is actually the dolphin pulling you 30 meters across the shallow water from one end of the queue to the other
The focus does appear to be on the photos and then selling them to you for a bargain price of $100 for 4 photos.
I did enjoy the experience of just being so close to them but was it worth the money??

I cannot fault any other part of the day there is food and drink on offer all day , Lunch again was really good considering the volume they are producing. All staff are friendly and polite.

It was a fabulous day out and I would recommend it just maybe think carefully about the dolphin swim

Stingray feed is something my children wanted to do for such a long time , and wow just wow from the moment we arrived to the moment we left this place is so special magical my daughter says . Discovery cove is the best place we visited and we will always have these memories, well worth the money the food and drink was wonderful lots and lots of choices the staff was extremely kind and professional . We will definitely be back

This is an incredible experience. Arrive at 700am and have your pick of the day when you want to have your dolphin experience. We had 7 in our group , kids and moms and dads. Everyone loved the hands on experience with the dolphins. All wore wet suits as the water was cold. Breakfast and lunch provided as well as snack bars in many locations
A relaxing atmosphere after the hustle and bustle of Orlando. Swimming and snorkeling all day. Just a gem of a location.

We reserved a day here as a family of four, which included the dolphin swim. We spent the entire day having a blast. The fact that the meal was all-inclusive meant that we didn't have to pay more for food or beverages that day.

My family and I stayed in the VIP cabana and had Jeff F as our host. He honestly made our day even more special, he went above and beyond including restocking the fridge without even asking. Very informative and even waited at the edge of the water with our towels. He never stopped working and we couldn’t thank him enough.

This was an amazing experience. Swimming with the dolphins is a once in a lifetime experience. My kids loved it. It is a bit pricey. You should use a camera that can go under water so you can take some when you swim with the fish.

An honest review! Just back from Discovery Cove and while it was a lovely experience I really think it's not worthy of the hype or worth breaking the bank for. Unless you can afford it. The drink is plentiful as is the food. The latter was pretty average tbh though with only options of jerk dishes or burgers or fried chicken at lunchtime. Not the all-inclusive variety I'm used to. The reef was amazing for a man-made one. The lazy river was lovely but you obviously weaved through man-made rocks. The dolphin experience was memorable but I did feel uncomfortable during it and it felt like just an opportunity to sell photos rather than to bond with the beautiful creatures. It finished at 5pm, which felt very early for such an expensive experience. On the whole it was very enjoyable but not sure I'd do it again.

We visited in August 2025, was a fantastic experience to see the dolphins and one which will stay with us forever.

It was extremely busy, personally think more people are being let in now and prior been told a lower number was set, massive queues for lunch and drinks etc which took away part of the experience.

The photos were great but I think should be an option when you book and is expensive and the majority of the time you will buy them.

The guy we bought the photos from couldn’t care less he was more interested in snorting mucus up from his throat which was lovely.

We had the visit first aid and they were brilliant, absolutely faultless.

Four stars I think is far. A great experience but more like a cheap all inclusive resort.

We had a great day! Just be sure to get there early. Check in was a very long wait. I also wish we had brought water shoes, as the surfaces and depths in the pools change suddenly and there are many rocks in the lazy river. My feet got banged up. Also, there needs to be a designated changing room that is not a bathroom. Maybe there is one but we didn’t find it. The place is big.

However, the food was good, our son loved the all you can drink slushies, and we LOVED swimming with the dolphins. The staff was kind and attentive. We can’t wait to go back!

First class experience. Perfect day with my family. We have a 16 and 18 year old. All food and non-alcoholic drinks included, which was so nice. The lazy river was the best we’ve seen.

We visited 10 years ago and Discovery cove is just not the same. Staff were helpful but completely overworked. It was chaos getting wet suits with not enough staff. Lockers were broken and changing rooms not as clean as before. Also, unlike 10 years ago, we all got badly sunburnt. This was despite applying the suntan lotion several times. Save yourself the cash and go to a different water park.

My mum, fiancé & myself came here for the day on 18th April. We checked in at 0730 as we had the dolphin encounter booked.
We had one of the first dolphin encounters of the day, so had breakfast straight away.
The dolphin encounter & swim was fantastic! We got to meet the lovely Capricorn & Aries for our encounter - true definition of gentle giants.
The rest of the day we made the most of the other things to do. We thoroughly enjoyed feeding the birds in the aviary. We also had a nice swim round the lazy river.
Overall the food was excellent, could even help yourself to crisps, pretzels, pizza & cookies throughout the day. A good selection of soft & alcoholic drinks available too.
We treated ourselves to the photo package from the dolphin encounter & yes, pricy, but worth it for the memories.
Staff were fantastic, we’d definitely return!

This was our fourth visit to Discovery Cove over a 10 year period, sadly this visit left us rather disappointed compared to previous visits. We arrived at 7:30am and went for breakfast, which was very tasty with a large choice available. After picking up a towel and wetsuit vest we found some sunbeds, they seem to have removed the hammocks that were hanging about and relaxing to see and replaced them with cabana`s. Then on to the grand reef for some snorkelling with the wildlife, it`s changed ( and not for the good!), now some areas to enter the pool are fenced off, plus you have to wear a life jacket now which is not particularly comfortable-I understand safety should come first and they have had a bad year for that but why should competent swimmers pay the price for stupidity and carelessness on the part of other visitors? Worst still I would estimate that there`s about a third of the aquatic life in the pool compared with our visit two years ago. The wind away river we were not allowed to enter until 9am and even then you could not go all the way around until some time later, additionally this is now very cold where once it was heated and comfortable - don`t know if this is a money/planet saving plan or whether the water heater is just broken, if it is broken it would at least be polite to tell paying customers this is the case. We also had very little access to the fresh water oasis, which used to be open to all. Lunch was quite decent with plenty of choice also. All in all the mix of cold water (apart from the Grand Reef which obviously needs to be cold) and restricted access left us feeling like the day had been a bit incomplete. We would seriously have to consider if we want to visit again in the future.

We have visited twice before in 2014 and 2018. It’s lost its sparkle. All about the upsell. Cabana service was $100 more than Disney but half as good. Dolphin swim is now just a photo op. Full of people getting drunk. Lazy river is also BALTIC.

I absolutely loved my experience at Discovery Cove!!
Starting with the check in service, we arrived at 7:30 and there was a line but moved very quickly. We never waited in a line again, for food, drinks, snorkel equipment, bathroom, photos or showers at end of the day. We went on a Sunday at end of August.
The dolphin experience was wondeful but even of you don’t buy that, you can easily see the dophins!
The lazy river was beautiful, calming and fun! The water temp was perfect, and enjoyed going through the aviary,
I was amazed by snorkeling in the reef! Never thought I would touch so many rays! Lots of variety of fish, this was a little crowded so I would go earlier next time. They had prescription goggles i could borrow since I wear glasses.
Food was very good with a variety of healthy options and plenty of it. I didn’t think the flavored icees were good but plenty other drink options to choose.
The grounds are beautiful with a lot of shade which was important to me. I loved this place and would go back- worth every penny!

Yes it's expensive, but worth EVERY penny! It's like being on a tropical island! Every little detail makes you feel as if at a resort. Everything included, from breakfast on. The dolphin experience is extra, but totally worth it (the photos are too, but trust me you'll want to capture these memories)
The snorkeling in man made coral reef was overwhelming, just true beauty in the safety of a contained area with lifeguards.
Easily top moments in life for me. The dolphin experience was a magical moment.

We enjoy coming here. It is all-inclusive and is not crowded. Come early, even though there is a queue to get in but it is well staffed and we waited about 30 minutes in line. Once we were checked in, it was fun, fun and more fun. We started with breakfast but make sure you guard your food. It is outside dining and the birds will eat off any unguarded plate. The breakfast and lunch entrees were great. There are plenty of selections for everyone.
Some of us signed up for the dolphin experience. The trainers were very nice and we had a great time with the dolphin. We did purchase their digital photos. The photos were excellent but I wish they would just tell us the correct amount - it was the posted amount plus a 5% surcharge. We are glad we have the photos, just tired with places not being upfront on their prices.
Towels and swim gears are provided. There are lockers, restrooms, and shower buildings throughout. Plenty of lounge chairs and the park is clean and well maintained. There are snacks (chips and ice cream) and drinks (soft drinks, slurpee, beer and wine) stations around the park.
There is an interactive pool to swim with fish and see sharks behind a glassed wall, a lazy river and an aviary. Our day was fun and very relaxing. Definitely worth a visit.

This was just a fantastic place to visit. We booked the ultimate package and swam with dolphins. The trainers were amazing with my 2 autistic children and helped them so much. The swim was just everything we could of wanted and more. The animals are so well cared for and loved.
The grand reef was just spectacular. Swimming with stingrays and tropical fish was just wonderful.
The food and drink available was amazing. Such a great choice to suit everyone. The slushies were to die for.
The photo package we booked online saved us alot but give great value. We got all images on a pen drive. Metal print. Printed pics and a framed pic aswell.
Will definately return again

My husband and I have been to Discovery many times. We love the ambiance, food, activities, the fact that everything is covered in your ticket price - food, parking, snacks, even sunscreen. This place is great. If you don't like to fly anywhere Discovery Cove is the place for you. You feel like you are on a wonderful island resort. The support staff is fantastic and everything is done above and beyond expectations. Try this place at least once - you'll be hooked! I always book for the month of May because the weather is pleasant and you don't get too many afternoon storms. By the way the park is never overcrowed since they only allow 1000 guests per day. There is plenty of space at the park for everyone to spread out and not be overcrowed like at the other theme parks in Florida. Try this place you are going to fall in love with it! The food and snacks are great - restaurant quality! The park is also very clean.

We wanted to experience the dream of interacting with dolphins and felt that Discovery Cove offered the best opportunity to do that.
I booked the best package i could for my wife, our own private cabana for the day with uprated drinks package and photo package.
I never dreamt that we would be getting paradise served up to us. Our cabana host Jeff F made sure everything was just so! Drinks and snacks appeared as if by magic, five minutes before my alarm went off for each activity we booked, Jeff turned up to show us the way and replenish our wet towels with dry!
When we came to get our photos at the end of our day we were given fantastic memories to cherish forever.
Thank you Discovery Cove, we're hooked!

Discovery cove is an amazing place. We booked the dolphin and the sea venture experience and both were excellent. The place is a breath of fresh air if you've been treking round the parks for days and offers a nice relaxing day. Staff are friendly and knowledgable. Food and drink is available throughout the day. I would have given it 5 stars but for the price of the photographs which is beyond scandalous. Just felt like they were taking advantage of a captive audience with the cheapest photographs starting at $109 for 4 x 6" x 8" prints and going up considerably for higher packages. With the premium price of entry I felt this was excessive.

Great. You can arrive very early, from breakfast to an afternoon snack and everything is free, within the package. Prices vary depending on the package and experiences, with dolphins and other extra attractions. Only the photos they take are expensive. Super pleasant and comfortable environment. For all ages. Items such as sunscreen, liquid soap, shampoo and conditioner are all available free of charge. Enjoy it, it's worth it.

Excellent day but a couple of small downsides.

We enjoyed a lovely day at Discovery Cove with our children. The day started with easy parking and check in before we went to have breakfast. We had booked a dolphin swimming experience and arrived at around 8.15 which gave us a 12.55 swim slot with the dolphins.

The set up is all inclusive and there is plentiful food and drink centres around the main buffet restaurant but also at various bars dotted around the resort. The food was varied and even the standard package was good - you could upgrade for premium cocktails etc but we didn’t as that wasn’t the kind of day we had planned.

To give you an example of the food on offer, for breakfast we had juice, coffee, waffles, yoghurt, eggs and bacon and fruit between us four. There were plenty more choices besides. For lunch between us we covered salmon, a burger, a chicken stew and pulled pork followed by chocolate brownies with soft drinks. You could get ice cream, crisps and nuts from the snack bars and I saw people with pizza slices too. To be honest you’ll be so busy you’re unlikely to be able to make use of all the food & drink!!

The dolphin experience was great if a little staged. They didn’t rush you and it was a highlight but the photo prices are utterly ridiculous with the cheapest digital option at $249 (!!) and the cheapest print option being $40 for a single print photo 6 by 8. The dolphin experience lasted around 30 minutes in a group of 9 to 10 people. The ladies running it were highly knowledgeable and made it fun and special for our children.

The “lazy river” is dangerous for anyone who isn’t a strong swimmer as it’s very deep in places and the currents are erratic. Life vests a must for kids IMHO and use a green float if in doubt! The bird feeding at the aviary is neat and accessed via this river (through two very forceful waterfalls). They were understaffed so no otter access and we didn’t see any marmosets.

The Great Reef is fun with or without snorkels. You can view the fish and various stingrays from the shallows or swim out / snorkel the saltwater pool. Some of the rays are very big and might take you by surprise! They give you basic snorkels and masks. Not brilliant but ok. I wish I’d known you can get prescription masks!! Doh! It was pretty busy and I did wonder about (a) the level of contact on the creatures which seemed a LOT and (b) the removal of their stings which I guess is necessary for this whole caper to work… Also watch out for very slippery rocks and sudden changes in depth.

Water was warm in the river, a little less warm in the reef and cooler in the dolphin experience but all fine and you get a wetsuit if you want one (or a wetsuit vest if you prefer). There are free sunscreen dispensers all over. It’s very thick stuff and you’ll look like a ghost if you wear it but it’s animal friendly.

It was easy to find a lounger but there are limited lockers so if getting one is important head there quickly. The changing facilities are very clean, spacious and amenities were provided though the conditioner had run out and there are no hair dryers. Perfectly good
set up with ample towels and bags for wet stuff.

Amazing incredible place to visit! All you can eat and drink is included in your package, we did the VIP cabana we were greeted by our host named June, what an amazing lady.

Firstly she took us over to our reserveddining table where we enjoyed our breakfast, you can have hot dishes (Bacon, Sausage, Scrambled Eggs, Southwest Scrambled Eggs, Toast or Toasted Bagels) or cold dishes (Fruits, Yogurts, Danish Pasteries, etc) once we finished we did a private animal meet & greet, meeting the gorgeous two-toed Sloth named Mila amazing experience.

We then went to our luxury cabana overlooking the Dolphin pool, cabanas come complete with hammocks, sun loungers, towels, drinks, etc. Everybody collects free snorkels for use in the marine Reef.

We went in the Marine Reef where you swim (must wear either a wetsuit or wetsuit jacket provided) you then swim freely with stingrays, and hundreds of other free swimming fish for as long as you want.

We did the dolphin swim where you go in the water with your chosen dolphin. You stroke them, swim with them, and enjoy 40 minutes interacting with them incredible memories.

Alcohol is free. This includes beers and wines. We paid extra ($45.00) for a drinks upgrade. This gets you all your cocktails and spirits. Lunch was brilliant, a mixture of hot and cold dishes, our host June had our exclusive fridge filled with beers, wines, and soft drinks, it rained during lunch, June went to our cabana and ensured all our belongings were undercover and dry.

There is a huge lazy river in Discovery Cove (fresh water) they provide floatation aids so you can amble round, depth range from 2ft to 8ft deep, the lazy river goes through the aviary where wid exotic birds fly around you. It's very relaxing, there is an inlet from the lazy river where you can go to the bar, get a drink and sit on seats in the water to enjoy your drink.

Once back at the cabana, our host June was there to cater to whatever we needed she was truly amazing.

10 out of 10 for Discovery Cove if you've not been I strongly urge when visiting Florida to go, purchasing Discovery Cove tickets entitles you to unlimited entrance into Seaworld, Aquatica and Busch Gardens with free parking.

Amazing !!!!!
What an absolutely fab day we had.
I have nothing negative to say about the entire experience
The staff were so friendly
Such a environmentally interesting place to learn about, so interesting
Clean , so very safe, accommodating all ages,
Food excellent
Plenty of beach beds and umbrella and I haven’t even mentioned the dolphin swim…. Wow
100% fun. Definitely don’t miss this experience

Feels like so much that used to be part of the day now has an up charge. Did not buy a swim with dolphin ticket so keen to have breakfast and explore the park. Breakfast 7:30 but main lazy river not open until 9:00. We waited and started going round but had to get out and walk half way through because a private viewing of the otters was happening and second half of river was not open til 9:30. Two hours after opening! So went to the island with monkeys and told to stand to one side while another paying group could get the best view. Later went to see the flamingos and again asked to stand aside and watch the ‘Flamingo mingle’ people feed some of the birds. Just one thing after another. Yes you can have a drink but only some drinks not all (extra drinks package). Surprised the restaurant didn’t have separate sections! We came in 2009 and again in 2022 and we’ve seen this park go from everyone feeling like they have the luxury experience with access to everything on offer to feeling like you’re only getting a fraction. I’m not decrying paying for an additional tour but not if it affects the enjoyment of the other guests who’ve already paid out hundreds of dollars to be there.

Our first visit to Discovery Cove was a really nice time. This is an all-inclusive day resort, so they provide everything you need for your day - animal safe sunscreen, lockers, showers (with shampoo/conditioner and body wash), sun beds, towels, and meals & snacks. Although the check-in line was quite long when we arrived around 8:30, once we were past registration, it felt a lot less busy. Meal options are plentiful, and although there were many options for snacks, we didn't even get a chance to try them, because we were busy the entire day with other activities. The Grand Reef is really neat. Being up close and personal with that many varieties of sea life was spectacular. It did get a bit crowded mid-morning and was a little tough to swim around without bumping into other guests. The lazy river was amazing, and we went around multiple times. There is a hefty waterfall on each side of the aviary, but I believe you can step out of the river prior to those points if you don't want to get pounded with water. Speaking of the aviary - that was a fun place to get up close with some birds and even feed some of them! We also paid for the dolphin experience add-on, which I highly recommend. Although I've gotten to touch a dolphin before, I've never swam with one or been so close. It was neat to experience that, and it's clear how much the trainers care about the animals they work with. I highly recommend a day at Discovery Cove. My only complaint is the cost of the photo packages. I knew the expense prior to visiting, so I didn't plan to purchase photos. Of course once we were there and saw the pictures of us with the dolphin, I knew I needed them. The price of the photos is outrageous. I understand there's a cost to having photographers on staff, but they're just digital prints. We ended up going the most affordable route (HA), and purchased 2 6x8 photos, which were $40 each, plus tax ($89 and change). I'm happy to have them, but don't appreciate the fact that the photo packages are hundreds of dollars in addition to the $200+ cost of a day ticket.

We love this place. After a busy few days at some of the other parks, this place gives you a pure chilled vibe.

Swimming with the dolphins is a wow factor, and then you have the lazy river which takes around 10 mins to complete, and amazing.

You then also have the lagoon, which is full of stingrays, some beautiful fish and is 100% amazing.

The place is all inclusive, and the food on offer is vast.

You need to 100% visit this place, and I can't wait to come back.

What an amazing trip we had and it was made more special by our amazing host Tyler. He made us feel so welcome and tended to our every need. He made sure our trip was special and our grandkids were treated with first class service. Thank you Tyler, you made our trip extra special. Thanks for your hard work!!

Our visit to Discovery Cove was an absolute highlight of our vacation in Orlando. The experience is really special and especially memorable for our children. We booked the dolphin experience, and it was just magical – a unique moment we will never forget. However, you have to be prepared for the prices being quite high. Especially the photos of the dolphin experience cost an additional 200 €, which is really not cheap.

Apart from the price, the day was absolutely great. The all-inclusive offer of food and drinks was surprisingly good, and it provided us well throughout the day. The real highlight, however, was swimming with the fish and rays as well as the relaxing river channel that winds through the park. Our children loved being able to experience the animals so close, and didn't want to go home at all!

Even if the price is high, we would definitely come back because the experiences and memories made the day absolutely unforgettable. Discovery Cove is a unique place that is highly recommended especially for families with children!

Our group, including Grandpa and two teenage granddaughters, spent a fabulous day at Discovery Cove. We took advantage of the Ultimate VIP Experience and were thoroughly satisfied. All the wildlife encounters were outstanding but especially enjoyed swimming with the dolphins and then swimming with the sharks. Our navigator/host, June, was a delight and never missed a beat. We would highly recommend Discovery Cove and especially the Ultimate VIP program.

Discovery cove is a must for us whenever we go to Orlando. It's such a beautiful relaxing day.
We didn't do the Dolphin swim this time as we've done it before. If you do have the dolphin swim booked then I'd arrive around 7-8am.
We got there at 9am and waited about 20 mins to be checked in.
We did have an issue with our tickets which we booked through Undercover Tourist. They had actually cancelled them with no refund months ago, for no reason. 15 mins later the manager very kindly sorted the situation and allowed us in.
It's best to find some sun beds first as people do snap them up, but there are tons available.
Breakfast was ok, unfortunately not as nice as it used to be, but still good enough. And I didn't want to feel stuffed before walking around in my swimming costume all day anyway!
We went to the bird aviary after breakfast whilst it was still warming up and fed the birds, which is always lovely.
The lazy river goes to 8ft deep so my daughter used a life jacket as she's not the most confident of swimmers. The fresh water part with the fish also goes very deep, but it's shallow where the sting rays swim around.
Everything was very clean and lunch was very good with lots of choice of jerk chicken, coconut crusted salmon, burgers, chicken strips, salads etc.
One thing im not a fan of is that you now only get red/wine wine included and bud light, as well as a few other beers. No spirits. Which forces you to pay the $40 extra per person for cocktails.
There were also plenty of snack options, pizza, pretzels, chips (crisps) cookies, and bananas.
The showers are stocked with shampoo, conditioner, body wash and towels.
We looked around the shop but it was very expensive. $45 for a cheaply made t-shirt!
We will definitely go again as it's a lovely day, but I'll buy direct next time and look out of the black Friday sale deals.

Great experience visiting Universal and Disney parks. To have internet, answer an esim, it is cheaper and more practical, the best is Airalo, the others are more expensive and do not allow sharing. For me it is better to use Uber or Lyft than renting a vehicle, cheaper and without the stress of driving in Orlando. For kids Disney for ages 10 and up to universal. If you want extreme adventures Island of Aventures for Aquatica or Volcano water park.

Here are some tips to have a great day. Get there early. Get there at 630am. We arrived at this time. The entrance experience was well managed and we felt very well looked after. By the time we had got in and had a great cup of coffee we were swimming with dolphins by 0830. The place was lovely and clean and very well kept. Food was great. Spent the day on the lazy river and just had such a great time. The changing facilities and toilets were impeccable when we arrived. What ruined the place was the other visitors that did not give the place any respect. By about 1130 am those impeccable areas like showers, toilets and dining had been pretty much trashed by other guests. The staff were amazing and tried to keep it very well cleaned and they did not stop. Can’t understand why people have such low respect. Treat the place like it was yours and clean up after yourselves!!!. Other than that it was one of the best days of the holiday so far.

i got my tickets from discoverycoveorlando.com the whole family had fun swimming with sting rays and dolphins , i got 40% off and would like to visit again next year!

Absolutely amazing. Really sorry it was cut short by a storm. Also, I did not realize there was a lagoon by Flamingo point I would have liked to visit. Dolphin swim was great, but take my advice, get the biggest photo package online where you get a discount because you will want more when you see them and it will be much more expensive to add on after the fact. The food lines are a mess. When the storm hit everyone headed there. Instead of having one line that entered at one side and exited the other, it had four lines all with different things to eat, so you had to wait in one and then another and another, and everyone was on top of each other. This really needs to change. Other than that, it was a great day. The Grand Reef and lazy river were so nice. I would mo e to come back.

Disappointed to be writing this as we have visited previously however a lot has changed and not for the better. We previously visited pre COVID and had an amazing time so this was on our list of must do’s especially as our little one loves fish and marine animals. Check in was a little chaotic compared to before and the assistant who checked us in was efficent but not exactly welcoming. We headed straight to breakfast as the pool areas weren’t open yet. This was disappointment number 1, the quality of the food compared to our last visit has drastically gone downhill, both my partner and I noticed this. I would compare it to a school dining hall in terms of quality. After eating we went on the search for a beach stroller which we had pointed out to us by a lovely member of staff. These were very dirty even the assistant helping us at guest experience commenting on how dirty they were. He tried his best to clean off however still wasnt great. We moved on and collected our towels and bathing suits before taking our 1 year old round to swim in with the fish. Disappointment no.2. upon entering the life guard commented that our little one had to put on a life vest which was fair enough however we noted there were none that fitted to which he replied he will just need to stay here then. I then asked how far I could take him without a vest to which he replied have a nice day and walked off. very rude and not at all helpful particuarly given I was more than happy to put our son in a lifevest provided it fitted. at this point mum took our son to the smaller pool area. I swam around with the fish for a while which was amazing as before however disappointed I couldnt share with my son. we then headed for lunch as lightning in the area had closed the pools down. again a very poor standard of food on offer much akin to breakfast quality. we packed up and left shortly after 2pm feeling pretty disappointed and both commenting how it had went from a must do, to probably wouldnt return. Have a good think if you plan to take a 1 year old as its a pretty limited day.

I absolutely adore this place! We've been visiting Orlando, FL, for years but always skipped Discovery Cove (DC) due to the sticker price. After doing the math, I realized it’s worth it as you’re just paying the expenses upfront and there’s no hidden fees, or additional costs like having to buy an additional pass in order to ‘skip the lines’, etc. The all-inclusive admission covers food, drinks, and experiences like swimming with dolphins. We added a day-bed and the adult drinks package, and it was amazing. Even my husband, who usually dislikes water parks, enjoyed it thanks to the limited guest capacity. We visited on a Tuesday, avoiding crowds, and parking was easy to find. Also, the walking distance from the parking lot to the front doors is doable for any age or you can easily drop off younger children and elderly at the resort entrance before parking. The check-in process was smooth, and we were greeted with coffee. We arrived with my brother, his wife, and their 3 kids and had concerns that we might get different dolphin swim appt times. However, the staff was very accommodating and we all got to swim together at 2 pm. The park's layout is beautiful and convenient, with shaded walkways, and the bathrooms are so cleaned! The restroom staff really make it a priority to keep it immaculate. Our family of 4 got a day-bed and was pleased because it’s on the sandy beach and closer to the action. The cabanas are further away and hidden in foliage. I don’t like mosquitoes so I’m glad we opted for the less expensive one. My brother and his wife opted out of getting a day bed and their fam was able to grab the beach chairs right in front of us. DC was a dream come true for the teenagers in our group because the all inclusive package meant they could ditch mom and dad and get food and drinks on their own. It also meant minimal food lines and people aren’t fussing with money. The meals were delicious; more than what you would expect at a water park. I’m gluten free and many options met my dietary needs. My husband loves pizza and he was thrilled that he could grab a slice all day from the pizza bar. Our dolphin swim was absolutely memorable as our trainer was very friendly, and our dolphin was sweet. We purchased the $200 digital USB and since our whole group was scheduled with one dolphin, my brother and his wife didn’t have to purchase another photo package. If you are reading the itinerary emailed to you, downloading the app, and doing your due diligence to read the info on their website prior to your trip, none of the photo prices should surprise you. DC is very transparent with cost. Also, the staff throughout the park were so nice and helpful. I just want to give them a proper shoutout bc there were a few reviews talking about how rude they are but that was not our experience.
Overall, a fantastic family time, and we can’t wait to return!

We went to this incredibly beautifully designed park with our 12-year-old daughter and had a dream day! The highlight was the interaction with a dolphin, but there are many other attractions to experience in the park:
A "lazy river" through a bird aviary, a diving and swimming reef with rays and other sea creatures, a swim-around monkey island, etc..
Food and drinks are included in the ticket, as are swimsuits, animal-friendly sunscreen, deck chairs, snorkeling equipment - ALL INCLUSIVE (o:
As Discovery Cove belongs to Seaworld, it is worth buying an Ultimate Ticket, as it includes entry to 3 other parks (Seaworld, Aquatica, Busch Gardens) including parking!

This place is absolutely amazing. The people are very hospitable that work at DC. I would recommend not wearing your glasses if you do the lazy River due to the powerful water falls. I lost mine but they were found and returned to me after I was notified via email that they were found. I would recommend wearing the goggles they provide with the scuba gear if you can. Definitely take any jewelry off that you don’t want to lose or is irreplaceable. The dolphin encounters are pretty amazing. These animals are so beautiful and intelligent it’s hard not to be impressed. The trainers obviously love what they do and are a wealth of knowledge. The food that is included is not gourmet but is still pretty good. We had a solid breakfast and lunch and a small snack after lunch that was all included in our package. I would bring a couple of bags to put wet or dandy clothes in. Bring a water proof pouch for any phone you wish to carry with you. Bring water shoes ….this will make it easier to walk around. I also brought a brush so I could brush my hair out after showering once we were done with our dolphin encounter and the lazy River. The reef was really cool after we wore goggles so we could see all of the fish. You could spend a lot of time here just exploring and looking at fish. The rocks are slippery so be careful. The lazy River varies in depth so if you are not a good swimmer wear a life jacket plus a floatie to make it easier on you. The rocks are a little rough so watch your toes especially if you are taller. It’s a great place to visit even though it’s not cheap…it’s a once in a lifetime experience. The photos aren’t cheap but they offer several packages so we were able to get one that was slightly less expensive. Really enjoyed our visit here.

This was my 3rd visit to Discovery Cove. I broke my arm 2 weeks before travelling to the USA & I was unsure if I would be able to do the dolphin swim experience. I shouldn’t have worried as the staff were really accommodating & went out of their way to ensure I had a great experience & they really looked after me. My Trainer, Alexis, was brilliant. I also got to have a personal interaction room with dolphin, Coral, who I was lucky enough to swim with in 2018. Tips was arranged my Trainer, Katie, & it was amazing & made my visit all the more special. Thank you Katie. The food, drinks and snacks were good, the Stingray lagoon was fab. I couldn’t take part fully in the lazy river due to the depth & my lack of mobility. The Flamingo walk was great. We got a sale deal with Attraction Tickets which was great value for money. I would highly recommend the experience.

We have visited Discovery Cove 4 times before and had an amazing time. This has always been a "must do" our list each time we visited. However this year was appalling. Staff were in the main, grumpy , unhelpful and seemed disengaged. With the exception of the dolphin trainers who were as good as ever. The photographers had probably the worst attitude. As an example of the poor state , whilst eating, a man slipped up near us and fell over. We rushed to his aid, whilst the staff laughed at him, No doubt there are helpful and good employees there but for the first time they seemed to be hard to find. We wrote to various named people at Discovery Cove management and also Guest services, advising them of our experience . Not a single response or acknowledgement. Honestly not sure if we want to go back now.

we did the ultimate VIP day as a family of 5 and swapped the shark swim for the animal trek

This was our second visit we did the vip cabana the first time around so I'll compare the two

discovery cove is a beautiful day out and all inclusive.

Doing the ultimate vip you pre book your food and have a few things not available at the counters but also can go to the counters booking so far in advance isn't so great maybe doing 48hours would be better as we booked the year before.
although your meant to have silverware at dinner time we weren't given them unsure why as the one next to us did.Your table is reserved for the day.

our host was lovely and very friendly

you dont get what you used to they have cut back and it cost allot more so didn't feel as vip as we thought it would compared to 2019
Back then we were given towels a bag and a dolphin Teddy for our daughter as well as a printed photo in a frame and USB in the vip cabana and the cabana was restocked through the day

this time we were given a USB for the cost we thought you would at least still get a picture frame and no restocking so that was disappointing we wouldn't do the vip again as there isn't a huge difference other than a cabana and meeting an animal which we loved as it was the sloth and the animal trek was a highlight so personally we would book a basic cabana and do the animal trek on the trek we met some feathered friends a sloth and an armadillo

the views are stunning and still beautiful no option for juice or squash in cabana just fizzy and water
the dolphin swim was fantastic and we felt more informative than our previous visit and we would definitely return

We returned to DC after having been there a couple of times before and our whole family loves it. We did the dolphin swim again and that was fun but it would also be nice just to hang out all day with the day pass. We purchased the 14 days pass that included Seaworld, Aquatica, and Busch Gardens. DC is only good for the one day but the other parks are unlimited for two weeks. Still was worth the price for just one week.
We rented a cabana and put in a request for location which is not guaranteed but that note had been wiped out of the system when I had called earlier to switch my ticket to include Busch Gardens. Shout out to Diasy at the cabana check in desk for making our day even more special for getting us a cabana near the lazy river instead of by the swim with fish and string Ray section as we had a member of our party who had a fear of those so it made our visit more relaxing. We have stayed in the cabanas in that section before with other people and they are very nice also though.
We had a couple of people in our party who had a college class to attend online and the employees were helpful in helping us find a quieter spot with better wifi.
Jason and Nettie were our cabana people and they were super friendly, funny, and helpful.
Joseph worked in the cafeteria and he made vegan food for my son that he really enjoyed and it made my heart happy to see somebody truly care about making his day a great one by having foods he could eat and also tasted so good and now my son wants to try making some of that food at home.
The only downfall was that I wish it could stay open just a little longer even if it is just the lazy river part.
Thank You to everybody at DC who made our day wonderful!

This place is like a dream paradise. No line to get in, food good and private cabana worth every extra penny. I felt safe letting the kids go off to swim in the shallower areas alone and there are lifeguards everywhere. One word of warning though for people planning their trips. In the lazy river there are sections that go to 8 foot deep and there are very powerful waterfalls that you go under. I genuinely feared for my life and my 9 year old whom was floating next to me on her noodle as well. The waterfall is very thick and way too powerful. I struggled to swim thru the current and breathe thru the water that pelts down on you. I screamed at my daughter to just hold on to my noodle as well but honestly I was in fight or flight mode. She was crying when we came out the other side and my heart was going a mile a minute. We will definitely return but avoid the waterfalls next time. Other than the near drowning experience it was the most magical day watching my kids swim like fish.
Top Tip: bring water shoes, the pool floors are Rocky and sharp. Heard so many people complaining they cut their feet AGAIN.
Also the water in with the dolphins is absolutely freezing be prepared for chattering teeth.

Everything about this experience was AMAZING. John was our host, and his customer service and positive energy were unmatched! I did NOT expect that level of service, and I'm so thrilled. I can't say enough how happy we are with the whole experience. It was equal parts luxury, educational, and fun. It truly is paradise! And my teenage son had a blast (that's saying something). We WILL be back with the whole family. 100.

absolutely love this place i visit everytime i come to orlando. did the dolphin experience this was amazing and i will do this again. food is included so if you have a family great value for money

Plenty to do for a day. Recommend doing the lazy river a couple of times. The grand reef is fun but a lot more shallow than you may think in most spots. I did the Seawalk, which was a bit intense, but definitely worth it. I have food, allergies and had a difficult time getting something I could eat at the breakfast, chiefly because it was so busy that the person who is assisting me was going in so many different directions. my suggestion is that if you have dietary restrictions, plan to spend a little extra time at breakfast so that you can get what you need. By the time lunch came around, the activity was a bit more spread out, and the lunch person was able to assist. he took the necessary time to ensure that I was able to get something to eat. That was safe for me. Food was good overall. Lots of snacks available throughout the day, including allergy friendly snacks. Staff were friendly and helpful.

We have been a few times before and am not sure after this recent visit, we will visit again for a few years.

All the booking details say, get there early as the dolphin swim is allocated on arrival. When we arrived at 0730 and was told the swim was after 2pm, we asked if this could be bought forward as the forecast was awful. Were told that the times were actually allocated BEFORE arrival, so no it couldn't be changed. Guest Services confirmed the same. As it happens the rain came earlier than forecast, so we were super lucky.

After breakfast, we were shown to our cabana (the wrong one at first) then went to collect our vests / wetsuits. One lady told us we had to walk to another hut to collect one, when we got there that lady tried to send us back to the first one. Not great service to continue the day!

This was our first time having a cabana this year, which had 4 chairs, 2 loungers, a table, locker & fridge. Was very grateful as could shelter under there and look out across the reef. The service from the lady visiting / checking the cabanas was the best we received all day.

Lunch was brilliant, plenty of choice for all and adequate number of tables / chairs.

The dolphin experience was good and our daughter adored receiving her personalised buoy that my husband had ordered.

Unfortunately the day ended after some idiot decided to start throwing stones in the Wind away river towards their family and hit my 9 year old on the head with a large stone. The Lifeguard was informed and that family immediately swam out of sight. Thankfully she didn't suffer any concussion and think that unlimited alcohol could have been the cause of this anti-social behaviour.

Discovery cove was the best day of our holiday by far! We had the dolphin swim with the first group of the morning and wow it was an experience our dolphin trainer certainly didn’t disappoint and was so warm and friendly. Our dolphin Frankie was an absolute dream also.
Food was fantastic for both breakfast and lunch,and snacks and drinks were also included. The atmosphere was amazing and everybody was so lovely and welcoming!
The only slight downfall with discovery cove was the price for the pictures it cost us $320 for all the photos digital and 8 small prints,but other than that it was a fantastic day and can’t wait to visit again soon.

Had a wonderful day once again. This was our second visit. We didn’t do the swim this time round but still had the most amazing time. Very relaxed and chilled day.
My only negatives are given conservation policy that they have on their website I do wish there was less use of single use plastic for all the dining. Surely would be the first way to help. Make the investment of proper crockery and cutlery so that there isn’t so much waste
And please ask your food and beverage team to bring back the coleslaw they had from a few years ago 😊. Disappointed that it wasn’t served. The yogurt and blueberries at breakfast were delicious

We visit Florida from the UK a couple times a year and when I tell you this is one of the best places to visit I’m not lying! It’s so relaxing and calming on what tends to be a busy and chaotic trip. I believe they have a capacity limit which means you’re never gonna feel pushed around and you can always enjoy all the experiences. The food and drink being included is brilliant and keeps you going throughout the day. We have also done the dolphin swim in the past which is also a not to miss experience. I love discovery cove and can’t wait to go back time and time again! Couldn’t recommend more!

I really thought this place was great I grew up around Florida and theme parks so I have seen a lot of things over the years but this place was different I got to swim with a dolphin touch a dolphin and of course learn about dolphins they had a swim pool with stingray and other fish you can swim with snorkeling and mask they had a pool with sharks in it I WAS NOT INTERESTED IN SWIMMING IN THERE but I did observe from bridge and glass the food was included in price but they might change that policy after they get the food bill after I left I always enjoy hanging out in lazy river that goes through bird sanctuary it was fun and I highly recommend this place

From the moment we arrived at Discovery Cove, we knew we were in for something special. The transition from the bustling Orlando streets to this tranquil oasis was seamless, a testament to the park's meticulous planning and attention to detail. The check-in process was swift and welcoming, with friendly staff guiding us through the day's itinerary and ensuring we felt comfortable and informed. The provided wetsuits and snorkel gear were of excellent quality, and the changing facilities were clean and well-maintained.

The highlight of our day, without a doubt, was the dolphin swim. It wasn't just a quick photo op; it was a genuine interaction with these intelligent and gentle creatures. The trainers' passion for their work was evident, and their insightful explanations about dolphin behavior and conservation added a profound layer to the experience. The connection we felt with the dolphins was truly moving, a moment that will forever be etched in our memories.

Beyond the dolphin encounter, the Grand Reef was a mesmerizing underwater world. Snorkeling amidst the vibrant coral and schools of colorful fish was like stepping into a living aquarium. The stingrays gracefully gliding through the water were a sight to behold, and the knowledgeable staff were always on hand to point out interesting marine life. The clarity of the water was exceptional, allowing for crystal-clear views of the underwater spectacle.

The Explorer's Aviary was another unexpected delight. Being surrounded by exotic birds, some of which landed on our arms, was a truly immersive experience. The lush, tropical setting created a sense of wonder and tranquility. And the lazy river, winding its way through the lush landscape, was the perfect way to unwind and soak in the serene atmosphere.

The all-inclusive aspect of Discovery Cove elevates it to a truly luxurious experience. The food was consistently delicious, with a variety of options to cater to all tastes. The attentive servers and bartenders ensured we were never left wanting for anything. The quality of the beverages, from refreshing tropical cocktails to freshly brewed coffee, was exceptional. The fact that we didn't have to worry about carrying wallets or cards allowed us to fully immerse ourselves in the experience.

The park's limited capacity is a key factor in its success. It never felt crowded, and we were able to enjoy each activity at our own pace. The staff were incredibly attentive, always ready to assist and answer questions. Their genuine enthusiasm and dedication to providing exceptional service were evident in every interaction.

Discovery Cove is more than just a theme park; it's a sanctuary, a place where you can reconnect with nature and create unforgettable memories. The combination of world-class animal encounters, luxurious amenities, and exceptional service makes it a truly unique and unparalleled experience. It's a place where time slows down, and you can truly relax and immerse yourself in the beauty of the natural world. For a day of pure magic and unforgettable moments, Discovery Cove is an absolute must-visit. Five stars, and then some!

This was the 3rd time I have visited Discovery Cove

Our first 2 trips were amazing and set the expectation

So much so, we convinced our party to go along..

We all booked in at 7am as per the advice given and walked round to the lagoons.

Unlike the previous times, we were not met by a photographer offering complimentary family photos (Saving Number 1)

We did swimming with Dolphins. It appeared that there were more people in the party and the time had not extended. The length of interaction appeared to be reduced. The length of the swim with the Dolphin had definitely reduced (Saving Number 2)

We has Seaquest, which is a good experience, and from what I remember a similar time frame. We got to see numerous underwater creatures

We then went swimming in the lazy river. This has changed significantly. There are no longer any fish in the lagoon. This was VERY Disappointing as swimming with the Rays etc was a good memory from previous visits

while the overall experience in the park was positive, there are a few areas for improvement:

1) at 8am, the line to enter the park was over an hour long directly in the sun. This was extremely harsh for a 100 degree weather day. building some shades or directing the traffic to the side of the shade would help or a timed entry system.

2) we spent a lot of time selecting photos to purchase from swim with dolphins, only at the end do you see an 8% surcharge on top of advertised price. when i asked what this is, the response was very vague - all prices at seaworld is increasing by 8%. so why isn't that included in the advertised price and only disclosed last minute? seems shady and unethical to me.

3) the direction in the app works very poorly. when trying to find the location for the money demonstration, it took me all the way to the front entrance. then i was told to walk all the way backwards to the river, wasting 20 minutes of my time.

Picked the wettest day of the year to go which spoilt it a little.
Which seems quite ironic considering its a water park..
Despite the weather it worked out ok,paid to swim with the dolphins which was quite an experience, mainly just to get close to them in general as the swim consists of 10-15 feet only.
Over before you know it..
I also got flee bites quite a lot from something lurking around the park which doesn't normally happen.
Don't want to spoil it for anyone but its a great day out for the family and the food and beverages are great.
Be aware if you decide to swim with the dolphins the photos are ridiculously pricey.
We paid $40 for one photo. (8×6)😬

Upon our arrival, after booking well in advance for a party of 11, including children, to participate in a dolphin swim experience, we were informed at 9:30 am that there was no longer availability. But we had booked it in advance weeks ago!! The staff member at the desk, while polite, attributed this to the dolphins not cooperating. We were advised to return within three years (!) and were told that there were no options available that week. Perplexed and disappointed, we requested to speak with a manager, who then changed the explanation, stating that availability was on a first-come, first-served basis. After some persistence, the manager offered a slot for Thursday at 7 am. This experience has left us thoroughly unimpressed. The level of service we have encountered thus far falls short of what we would expect in Orlando, making this one of the most disappointing service experiences we have had, despite the potential of swimming with dolphins.
* update.. Just been told by two staff members. Even though we booked they offer spaces out all the time so would have taken the additional revenue opportunity this morning! Wow! Poor is an underestimate.

We visited discovery cove as a family of 4 in September and had the best day of our 14 day trip.

The experience was excellent from start to finish, good food options for breakfast, lunch and snacks. Excellent set up. Snorkelling with the fish and rays was magical, staff were all excellent, plenty of lifeguards and felt very safe. The staff were good at telling us about the marine life and enhancing our experience but also at making sure that guests didn’t overstep the mark and respected the animals too.

The lazy river is amazing, lots of areas to enjoy, plenty of Sun loungers available.

Absolutely wonderful day that I would thoroughly recommend to anyone visiting Florida.

Booked this day as was highly recommended. We enjoyed the snorkelling and a dolphin experience. Breakfast was good, lots of servers and food available. Took us a while to find available lockers and we didn’t manage to get any sun loungers to base ourself, which was disappointing.

Maybe I just missed it, but didn’t see any water available with the other drinks. There are water fountains by the toilets though. The queue for the bar was on and off-sometimes quite a big queue. Toilets / showers were ok, with plenty of towels available.

They ask you to use their animal safe sunscreen but they only do it in SPF30, and despite reapplying often we all got burnt. At one point I left the snorkelling pool to use the bathroom and was denied entry back in as they said it was at full capacity. I understand there are safety issues and as my family were still in the area the staff member allowed me back in once I’d pointed them out.

Overall it was a good experience but there were a few points that let it down considering the cost of the day.

I had been to Discovery Cove in 2006 and it has been my dream to return. Our trip there last week was 90 minutes from where we were staying in Palm Coast but we left at 8:30 and arrived at 10 am and it was perfect! The park suggests arriving at 7 am but it was just my husband and I and 10 am was our version of perfect! We did all of the offerings! The Great Reef swim was awesome as was the Lazy River/Aviary. We had a day bed for two which meant we had a home to be stationed at. The lockers and showers in the restrooms were fabulous. And we enjoyed the food and wildlife too! We left at 2 pm and for the price those 4 hours were action packed and very worthwhile. We’ll be back!

You have to spend hundreds of dollars extra to reserve seating or a cabana. We did not and could not find any available seats because what they did have had peoples belonging on them to save their seats (way more belongings on chairs than people). The food is average and the staff wasn’t super friendly. Most of the showers were out of soap. You can not take pictures of the dolphin experience and can purchase them for $200-300! Our experience last year was far better!

an exceptional discovery
everything is included (except alcohol) even sunscreen
unfortunately that day it was very cold but we were able to test all the lagoons and even dolphins

I was a little concerned after reading the most recent reviews. My optimism held out and my son and I visited the week before Christmas 2023. By all means, this is still one of the best experiences you can give someone that is in line with all inclusive feel though not necessarily top of the line. I was a bit concerned with the temperature high only being 69 degrees but planning ahead of time and taking breaks helped keep us warm enough. THE PROS: Considering the experience, it really still is a great bargain in my opinion-especially if you look at calendar dates for the best pricing and plan ahead of time. The food selection was what you would expect (no its not 5 star dining but nice options like salmon or standard burgers). EXCELLENT STAFF-the cleaners worked so hard all day, and it showed, the park was clean-in areas where birds congregate, areas were rinsed routinely. The tanks are very clean also, lots of showers/well stocked towels, areas to get snacks/drinks. The park is smaller-so you do not get too exhausted walking around trying to find the areas. I very VERY much appreciated the complimentary Rx goggles-I didn't pack contacts and this saved my experience though it was unexpected. RECOMMENDATIONS: As someone else mentioned, getting rid of the initial park photo was kind of a bummer. As a single mom-it would have been really nice to have one good picture with me and my little one with a nice discover cove frame or something behind it. Heaters! The gas heaters are adequate but in my opinion they cannot be too cheap to be running all the time. Having one or two areas where you can get in and have a hot, fast, dry for like 60 seconds would conserve more energy and get people dry fast on these colder days. Thanks for a great time Discovery Cove! ~beth (PS, Tripadvisor says you are closed on dates you aren't, you should update it for accuracy)

it was truly a fantastic visit. The Children had a wonderful and unforgettable day full of joy and adventure. We will definitely come back. Thank you !!

Discovery Cove is nothing short of magical! We recently celebrated my daughter's birthday there with family and friends, and it is one to be remembered. The check-in is completely smooth, no long lines, and reservation specialists have every detail covered - right down to special laniards to acknowledge an occasion like a birthday. The park was not crowded, yet bursting with positive energy. There are pop-up, educational animal encounters at every turn. The dolphin experience is relaxed and thoughtful, with the trainers answering any and every question by tapping into their expertise and undeniable love for the dolphins. We're already planning our next Discovery Cove adventure!

The experience was spoilt by having to use the parks sun screen. It's only SPF 30 and despite plastering on the cream 3 times during the morning, myself and children got quite badly sunburnt. We had to cut our experience short in the end and luckily we did otherwise it would have been much worse.
The Dolphin experience was okay. It's more a photo session. You do get pulled by a dolphin individually, but only for about 2 metres before another photo.

We have been to Discovery Cove almost ten times over the years. It used to be our favorite theme park. When owned by Anheuser-Busch, the park was first class. Since it has been operated by United Parks and Resorts backed by a private equity firm, everything has gone downhill.

Our latest visit was evidence of the continued and massive cost cutting. The towels were threadbare, the swim vests were very worn and they quickly ran out of the most popular sizes, the lounge chairs have holes and tears in them (see photo, and that was the best chair around), the food selection and quality has been slashed.

To show the cost cutting, you are paying for a highly premium experience and they use a generic mustard and ketchup that has no flavor and powdered eggs vs real eggs. This is fine if you are low end, but not when you are charging for a premium experience.

United Parks and Resorts has forced cost cutting programs on all Sea World parks over the years and it is really showing. While it has helped their bottom line, it has been at the expense of the guest experience. They have added larger numbers of guests to the park while reducing quality.

If you are a first time guest, there are some really cool things to do. The aviary, lazy river, and the dolphin experience are cool. You will most likely say, glad I did it once, but I overpaid and the quality was not what I expected. You are paying for a high end experience and they are delivering a low end experience. While they are helping their profits in the short term, it will only hurt them in the long term.

It is so sad that what used to be the crown jewel of theme parks in Orlando has fallen to the bottom tier. There is no value here.

My 2nd time to Discovery Cove over the past 3 years. Loved the first time (Oct '23), but only liked the second time (Mar '25). I don't expect a 3rd time. Biggest like the first time? Swimming with the dolphins was great, but the best part was swimming and diving on/around the Grand Reef with the fish and manta rays. Biggest disappointment the 2nd time? They no longer allow you to 'dive underwater' on the Grand Reef among the fish and manta rays. The new rule (Dec '24'ish??) is you have to wear a life vest in the Grand Reef cove and you are not allowed to 'dive' under water. Thus, you simply swim above all the fish and manta rays. I really thought the under-water diving was a unique experience that brought me back to Discovery Cove for the 2nd time. Now that you simply swim above the fish it loses some of its luster.

Let's just say that when I asked my adult children (who did not go on the first trip) what their favorite part was they said it was the lazy river. $300/person for a lazy river float? There are better lazy rivers out there for less than $300.

Visited Discovery Cove again as enjoyed it so much 10 years ago. Must say the Dolphin experience seems a lot shorter than before and more like photo shoot so that spoilt it slightly but still nice to be up close to these gorgeous animals. Very organised place and food was very nice . The lazy river nice and relaxing difficult to get floats mind u as people were keeping them even when not in use . Had to wait for afternoon to be more spare. Lockers and towels facility great and all in price.I agree about suntan lotion we got burnt on areas not covered despite applying several times especially shoulders .

Arrived, staff looked miserable , puts you off before you even start the day, food drinks, snacks were good, lots of choice. Tbh there's not much to do, dor the day, food options all shut by 4pm so when you are hungry you can't get anything. It's an expensive day out for what you get, 2 of us "swam" with dolphins, the swim itself lasts about 20 seconds. Customer service is non existent in the UK, never trust anything they tell you.

Having been to discovery cove on numerous previous occasions my daughter and I were looking forward to what has previously been the best day of our holiday.
Unfortunately we were in for a huge disappointment.
We had booked a private cabana and a dolphin interaction so this was by far the most expensive day of our holiday. As its all inclusive we were initially sent for breakfast but the food was of a much lower standard than on previous occasions and lacked flavour.
When we were shown to our cabana we were again disappointed. It looked tired and in need of an upgrade. The locker for our valubles didnt work and I was told that this would be fixed straight away. It wasnt fixed at all and from looking at the lock it was obvious that it had not worked for some time.
We then went for a swim in the lazy river....only to find that it was closed. I was told that it was due to a lack of staff. Unfortunately the knock on effect from having such a large part of the park closed was that the other 2 areas became crowded. The grand reef was almost standing room only and this was where our cabana was. I saw a number of guests who had obviously drank too much of the beer and wine and who were loud and confrontational with one guest who tried to sit in our cabana and then try to use it as a cut through to the path. All in all it was a dreadful day. I spoke with guest relations who offered me free re entry , but no cabana. I discussed this with my daughter and we both decided that we did not want to come back given what had happened. For the extortionate price I paid I really was not worth it.

My family and I enjoyed visiting Discovery cove. We swam with dolphins. It was a great interaction with dolphins. The park was very clean and the employees were very friendly. It is worth the pay for this park. The snorkeling at the grand reef was amazing.

Was a bit concerned with some of the recent reviews saying standards had slipped since covid, having not been since before then I was a bit concerned but my wife and I had a wonderful time and I need not of worried. It was fantastic the breakfast in particular was very good and the grand reef was as great as ever.

3rd time ,,,,,but disappointment. especially the requirement to wear a vest makes swimming with fish less interesting-. last time

Discovery Cove is an oasis. The lazy river is fun, just be prepared to go through two waterfalls. The water is deep in some areas and shallow in other areas. We did the swim with the dolphins, which was amazing. We also did the Sea Venture where you put in the hood on and walk the reef underwater with the fish and stingrays. You can see the sharks through a glass wall. That was incredible and such a great experience.

Lovely time as always! Just love to relax and enjoy the sea creatures. Absolutely brilliant we’re waiting for my daughter to turn 10 to do the sea adventure!

We visit Orlando every 2nd year - sometimes more. When we have booked we always purchase the Discovery Cove ticket on or around Black Friday. For UK visitors this gives 14 day unlimited access to Seaworld/Auatica and Busch Gardens - so it really is best deal in Orlando.
Discovery Cove is always a wonderful start to our Holiday - a peaceful Oasis. Numbers are restricted so never busy but if you visit mid/week in September it is so quiet as nowhere near reaches capacity. The Food is good quality and oh so plentiful.
P.S if using Black Friday offer consider downloading the Seaworld:Busch apps and get the all day dining packages half price at this time.

I have lived in Orlando since Discovery
Cove opened. I have visited 3 times first with my sister in law then my son for his 10th birthday and then with my daughter-in-law.
I love animals of all species and nature overall. I believe parks like this foster that love and teach people overall. I think it is well worth the visit although it is not inexpensive .
I understand and have seen the documentaries that are against the parks. The thing is as a Floridian I see firsthand who is the first to rescue stranded endangered animals in the wild . Floridians also
See the celebrations when these same animals
Are Returned to health and released back into their natural habitats. Sea World & Discovery Cove are always there on call.
I can tell you that each time I visited the park the dolphins are not forced to interact with the humans . Human visitors are sit through a class and learn before they enter the water and are told the dolphins will choose whether to interact or not. My kids have helped rescue baby turtles ( after we consulted marine biologists) we have returned a tiny octopus to the ocean , we have had manatees swim by as we enjoyed the gulf waters together and watched dolphins breach and play in the ocean . There is nothing better than that, but properly run Zoos and parks are important to education and wounded animal conservation.

What a great experience to swim with a dolphin & snorkel through tropical fish!!

pros: All food & drinks are free! Hot breakfast / lunch, and all day crisps, snacks, drinks around the park.
Spotless.
Friendly knowledgable staff.
Great chaging facilities / lockers / wet suits / masks & snorkels.

cons: You can't use a camera / phone / go-pro for the dolphin swim, so you'll have to pay upto £200 for a photo package.

I was very nervous as some of the recent reviews were not good, but I highly recommend going. Get there early as a line forms quickly for check-in. The food was very good, it was not overly crowded, the dolphin experience was a lot more hands on than I was expecting and I thought there was a ton to do. We did the birds first thing but a lot of people had the same idea, so go back I. The afternoon as crowds are lighter and we saw new birds. Try to get an earlier dolphin slot in case the dolphins are not cooperating and things shift (our time was over an hour later). and the water is cold, so beware. Dolphin pictures are crazy expensive. Close to $300 for all digital prints. When spending $350+ to get in, I was expecting these to be part of the package. Watch the birds near breakfast and lunch as they steal your food the second you are not paying attention.

Third visit, and another perfect day! You just need your swimwear, everything else is provided in this all inclusive day.
Lazy river is lovely, we snorkelled with the fish and swam in the main pool. Food is ok, it’s not amazing but it will do and there is a good choice.
Highly recommend here for a day out, we will be back next year :)

The staff was super friendly and welcoming. The all-inclusive nature of the park is definitely a big plus. Food and drinks were all provided, and the facilities were clean and well maintained.

We showed up at 10 o’clock with a pre paid pre booked dolphin experience and the next availability for a Dolphin encounter was at 1:10. So at 1:10, we were ready for our encounter, but by then, the dolphins were not because they had been overworked and were tired from the hundreds of people who had already done the dolphin experience before us. The trainers told us they do not make their dolphins do anything they do not want to do which is respectful to the dolphins, however, you have patrons like us who have a strict travel schedule and have spent over a thousand dollars to have a Dolphin encounter and expect to have one. They rescheduled our encounter for 3:40 hoping to have a rested dolphin for us by then and they did but by then, the trainers were the ones that were tired and ready to go home and I feel cut out encounter short. Other than having a few pictures taken with the dolphin WHICH YOU HAVE TO PAY UP TO $300.00 EXTRA FOR (SO OF COURSE THEY ARE GOING TO MAKE SURE THEY GET THOSE TAKEN)! 🤯 ( and I was told they were included on the phone ) Petting the dolphin and a very short lame dorsal tow were the only experiences that we encountered. I would not recommend anyone looking for a good dolphin encounter here to go here. Instead perhaps support a local business and Go to a smaller local business (not a large corporation) that has smaller more intimate setting where you will get more interaction and your moneys worth and not have to pay for pictures. I will say that the snorkeling “reef” was pretty cool with more sting rays and better fish than we have seen snorkeling and scuba diving elsewhere which is included with general admission.

What a great day we had here! Clean park with wonderful employees who were all kind and helpful. We loved the convenience of having food and drinks available to us all day and several locations so we didn’t have to walk far to get refreshments. Breakfast and lunch were great and we appreciated the shaded tables.
The lazy river and provided pool noodles was so relaxing and we loved snorkeling with the Rays and fish! (Snorkels, masks and life jackets provided to us, along with towels and wet suits if you want them)
When it was time for us to leave, we had warm showers in the clean locker rooms where they provided shampoo and body wash along with plastic bags to put our wet swimsuits in- they think of everything here!
The aviary with all the birds was wonderful and we thoroughly enjoyed that as well! Getting up close to the Flamingos and hearing a presentation about the animals was wonderful and informative.
We spent about seven hours in the park and did not rent a cabana, but we will probably rent one for next time so we can rest and stay longer.
We highly recommend this park and definitely plan to go back!

My wife and I paid for a VIP experience with the cabana and personal assistant for our three girls and us. Every upgrade was worth it for the amazing experiences we made swimming with dolphins, sharks, and stingrays!

…OH and request Ally! She was awesome as our personal assistant!

We travelled to Florida from the UK a few years after covid sabotaged our originally planned trip back in 2020 and so the anticipation for Discovery Cove had certainly had some time to build! We were not disappointed.
Let's just get it out of the way - yes, it's expensive. BUT if you've got the cash then it is so worth it and once you're inside there is no reason to spend a penny more if you don't want to. Food and drink are available freely throughout the day, as are shower supplies, suncream, fresh wetsuits and snorkels. Also, because there is a strict limit on numbers, you won't find the intense crowding of some of the local theme parks; of course there are plenty of people there but you're certainly not struggling through crowds and there is no lack of seating or space to take part in whatever activity takes your fancy.
I don't want to go over every single thing I saw that day because there was so much, including some unexpected appearances from an armadillo and a kookaburra but my favourite part was the Grand Reef. A huge, open body of water full of different, beautiful fish. You pull on a floatation vest (which come in all shapes and sizes), grab a snorkel and just explore. The vest prevents you diving so that the fish don't have to come to the surface and interact with you if they don't want to but many will; I think this is a wonderful way to balance interaction and animal stress.

I had an amazing day which will stay with me forever, so, why the 4 stars? Honestly, the food was a bit of a letdown. Rather unpleasant for the most part and later that evening I found myself feeling very unwell... Maybe I'm connecting dots that aren't there as none of my companions suffered the same issue but I am sceptical of the quality. That said, this didn't overshadow what was an otherwise incredible experience!

Me and my family went to discovery cove on December 13, 2024. It was a horrible experience. Once we checked in we headed to get lockers and wet suits. The lady at the wet suits was rude and very short with us. She gave my son a wetsuit then walked away from the rest of us and assisted other guest. Finally she gave me and my sons girlfriend our suits. After we changed the park only opened the top lockers and the wet suit staff said they had no idea who was supposed to open them so me and other people stood there for 45 minustes, when she finally decided to contact a supervisor/manager. Needless to say that person NEVER appeared. We walked to a second locker location and the two staff members looked at us as if we had three eyes and offered NO assistance and said we should go to the guest relations desk. And proceeded to talk to each other and ignored us. We walked to guest services and the lady was helping another family who had complaints (she was trying to reach a manager on the phone) At this point we decided to leave the park. So a total of 1 1/2 hours spent at the park trying to find a locker or a staff member who could assist us with out an attiutde. This had to be one of the worse experiences we had. I have also tried to contact a manager since coming home and I only get the customer service ambassador. Who of course informed me that I would have to wait 45 minutes to speak to a manager. I expect a refund for this disaster.

We had a fantastic time which lived up to expectations.

Arrival

We arrived at 6:55 to be met with a small queue and therefore checked in quickly. We had booked Dolphin Swim as our only paid for activity and received a 9:05 slot. Perfect to allow us to form a base and get breakfast. We found breakfast plentiful and typical of most resort/hotels but with slightly more choice. Reasonable queue but plenty of seating.

Dolphin experience

We were a family of 5 in a group of 10. We had some group based activites (chance to stroke the dolphin, ask questions, encourage playful noises/jumps and then each at individual activity to glide while holding on to the dolphin and then two close ups (including a "kiss" on the cheek). Each family also had a group shot with the dolphin. The experience didn't feel rushed and felt it lasted just the right amount of time (around 30 mins) photos are taken throughout. After saying bye we were led to photos of which we had 109 covering our party so opted for a digital package to get every photo. Priced at $250 this seemed reasonable but can see how a solo party would feel its expensive.

Rest of the day

We enjoyed the lazy river and grand reef as well as generally strolling around and resting by sunbeds. There was ample food at lunch (pizza, burgers, hotdogs, chicken, fries, tacos, salad, fruit and deserts plus snacks and drinks all day from self service and bar areas. Again lunch was usual resort/hotel quality.

We didn't opt for premium drinks as typically beer drinkers and there was choice included in the base offering (coors, miller, budweiser, bud light)

Our only minor gripes where the "noodle" availability for the lazy river, people tended to hoard them and it can get deep so would be better to have a clearer rule enforced that "noodles" are only taken on entry then relieved (as per rings at other water attractions). That being said there were plenty of life jackets for less confident swimmers so wasn't unsafe just inconvenient.

Secondly there was a high volume of wasps we haven't really seen at other florida attractions. They seemed more prominent around self service slushies, didn't really interrupt us but may bother some people.

In summary our day benefitted from being an early arriver as we got checked in quickly, found a lounger with parasols and got a good dolphin slot. The entrance did get very busy shortly after 7 and therefore prime spots and early animal encouter times are taken quickly.

Return visit for me, first visit for my Husband and two teenage children. It was the best day of our holiday and we visited other parks.

We did the shark swim, excellent and the animal encounter, both fabulous and very informative.

The buffet style breakfast and lunch are great and with hungry teenagers it’s great that they can access snacks and drinks whenever they want to. No arguing over sun beds, there was plenty for everyone.

The lazy river was fabulous. Although I have to say, one of the female employees in the aviary was a tad Curt to me and my family.

The best part of the day was meeting our dolphin, Catalina, who was fab and amazed us with her talent, which was all done on her terms and was not made to do anything she didn’t want to.

We didn’t want to leave at 5pm when it closed, but hey ho. Until next time Discovery Cove.

Fantastic experience at Discovery Cove, well organised, great staff, amazing facilities. Great food. One of our best ever days in Orlando!

We had an amazing time here at Discovery Cove.
We booked with florida tix and got a really good price for dolphin swim @ discovery cove, seaworld, busch gardens and aquatica.
We had Latoya as our beautiful dolphin, she is awesome. Cheeky and loveable. The water is FREEZING, but totally worth those couple of moments. Listen to the instructors on how to keep warm (Hint- keep your wrists in the water)
All the staff we encountered were lovely and helpful.
Food was decent enough, not that we were interested in eating.
All the little sections were great especially the tropical pool, lovely and warm.
Overall, a truly lovely day making amazing memories.

After an amazing visit last year with my 4-year-old — who literally never stopped talking about it — I couldn’t wait to bring her back. Big mistake.

In less than a year, Discovery Cove has gone completely downhill.

Apparently, there was some kind of incident since our last visit (Sept 2024), and now they’ve shut down access points to the reef, forcing everyone through ONE single entrance. Fine — safety first. But what’s absolutely unacceptable is now having to queue just to get in the water. At one point there were 50–60 people in line, with a ridiculous one-in, one-out policy. Is this supposed to be a relaxing, luxury day or a theme park cattle queue?

I paid nearly £500 for a single day for myself and my daughter, only to stand around waiting for basic access to attractions that were once freely available. Meanwhile, they’re still packing the place with guests like sardines and calling it “exclusive” — what a joke.

The staff? Unmotivated and slow, especially around the food counters. More unnecessary queues. And to top it off, my daughter nearly drank a bee that flew out of a drink dispenser. If I hadn’t noticed, we could’ve ended up in urgent care — where’s the hygiene control?

Tried speaking with guest relations — total waste of time. Dismissive, uninterested, and clearly didn’t care. Why would they? They’ve already got my money.

This was hands down the worst Discovery Cove experience I’ve had. If you’re considering booking, especially during peak times — think twice. This is no longer the peaceful, high-end escape it claims to be. It’s overcrowded, poorly managed, and overpriced.

Wonderful place, you can spend the day with the kids. Rest and enjoy nature!
Swimming with dolphins is mto legal!

We (three adults and two children aged 5 and 8) had an AMAZING experience at Discovery Cove on New Year's day! The staff were helpful, welcoming and friendly. The day offered excellent value for money, with unlimited food and snacks served virtually all day and drinks from start to finish.

The dolphin experience was phenomenonal! To get up close, and to be able to interact with these animals in the way Discovery Cove makes possible is truly magical!

Thank you to the team at DC for getting 2025 of to a magnificent start!

This is no doubt one of the most amazing places. Even compared to all parks in Orlando, this one is no doubt one to beat. We were family of 10, ages 5 to 80 and everyone had the most amazing day. We all could do dolphin experience together, which was way better then we expected, longer and more interaction then what I thought it will be. The pool with other fish and stingrays also exceeded my expectations that ware not low by the way. We as bird lovers also enjoyed aviary where you can hand feed all birds. If it was up to me, I would just add more parrots ... way way more parrots :).
Lazy river was also amazing, very good that water was warm, I loved it went under / inside the aviary and how it was protected by waterfalls each side for birds not to escape.
We were very lucky to get amazing deal at Black Friday sale.

don’t even know where to start here but my visit this time was far from paradise, we checked in all good but come 7.10 we was told to wait before we could go down the ramp then when we finally moved we got stopped near the bridge and told to wait even longer in the blister heat finally 40 mins later we are finally aloud to go in, I go straight to guest relations who said my cabana isn’t ready yet?! Ok so we go and have breakfast and return to still be told it isn’t ready but yet you open at 7am and I’ve paid for the day? For the price of 500 dollars I want the day worth finally after 10 mins someone comes and escorts us to our cabana so we now we are already 1hr 20 mins into my day and still not in the water when we arrive at the cabana this is a far cry from the luxury I received last visit no privacy or hammocks very disappointed for the price paid, so we then proceed with our day to go to the lazy river to then be told of sorry this isn’t open till 9am, finally 9am arrives we go in the water float half way round to then we told oh sorry this isn’t open till 9.40 now as we have no staff I mean come on this is ridiculous at this point and half the activities and animal encounters aren’t open till 11am for the price we paid we want to enjoy our holiday and enjoy the paradise what once was, I’m extremely disappointed in this visit.

We had the best time at Discovery Cove. It is truly a beautiful park. The price initially seems high, but it is well worth it! You won’t regret it!! I cannot say enough about the staff. We had a little weather delay and some loud thunder that upset my son who has Autism. One trainer catered to him when she saw him upset, bringing us towels, offering games or water/snacks. Then she was also our trainer in the water and she was absolutely amazing with him when we told her he was a bit nervous! We will definitely be back!!

First let me say I have been to Discovery Cover about half a dozen times and always enjoyed it. I should have looked at recent reviews before going this time. The park has gone downhill, and I am not sure how they are treating their staff, but I would guess poorly as they are not showing up.

I arrived at 7 am for the ray feeding. The ray feeding and trainers were wonderful as always. Was then told the attractions would open at 9 so had some breakfast, which was good. I found out they recently started requiring these life jackets to snorkel in the grand reef. They are not snorkel vests, but more what you would wear to waterski. Not comfortable for swimming and they are designed to keep you on your back (think a life jacket made out of a life guard foam buoy).

It was chilly so I go to freshwater oasis as it is the warm pool. It's closed. No idea when or if it will open, they said they did not have lifeguards. Go into the big main pool and head towards the lazy river... closed. Wait around with a bunch of other freezing people for about a half hour and finally start down the lazy river. Get into the aviary part and... closed. Poor lifeguard there blocking the way could only tell us it was closed and did not have any more information so we could stand there in the current or exit through the aviary. Now I start hearing talk that some of these areas may not open. So... out the steps and to guest services where I can speak with a manager who tried to say it was due to the holidays. I ask him if and when they are getting staff and if these attractions will open. He states they are trying to pull staff from aquatica and he does not know (this may explain why aquatica was closed the day or two before for "adverse weather", lol-same sign on the freshwater oasis pool). I tell him I want a refund. He states "Usually in this type of situation we offer a pass to use within two years". I had to explain that I do not want to return to this park so a pass would not be useful. All said and done I got a 30% refund, so about $130 when I had spent about $400. I left by 11:00 AM.

They say the life jackets keep the animals less stressed. I found it odd that they just noticed people stress out the animals after all these years. My next question would be: if it is harmful to snorkel with the fish and rays, why does this even exist? However, life jackets sure make things safer if you are short on life guards.

Anyway, never heard anything from them other than the standard "we hope you enjoyed your day at discovery cove" email. I was glad I had not taken any out-of-town guests with me this time.

I bought tickets for my family of 8 (6 adults ranging from 76 to 46 and 2 kids age 12 and 15). We bought the tickets wayyyy in advance with Black Friday sales on Undercover Tourist, so the price was the best you can get. It is such a relief in Orlando to not be nickel and dimed. The fact that EVERYTHING is included here, from sunblock to pina coladas, is amazing. As soon as we walked in, we sent one of our party to get chairs while the rest sat down to breakfast. I am not going to review the food because it's free and you're going to eat it regardless and there are no other options (but it was very decent especially the slushy machines and the lines for pizza and ice cream are really bad).

Our first mistake was selecting chairs in the grand reef. It's the farthest of the 3 beach locations and made it a loooong walk any time we wanted to go to the chairs. Next time, we will set up at the lazy river, the first of the beach spots. Note that you can't swim in the middle where the dolphin lagoons are but you can still sit in chairs there.

Once we settled in we went straight to the snorkeling. Note that the water is cold. They keep it that way on purpose for the fish. Wear a wetsuit. They're free. Get a real one, either with the short sleeves/legs or the full length one. You'll be glad when you're not freezing. It makes a difference. Also wear a life jacket. It's easier to snorkel when you don't have to swim and can just float. We did that for quite a while and had a great time.

Then we moved to the lazy river (keep that wetsuit on and just go ahead and keep the life jacket too). This was my favorite. It is relaxing and you can get out to explore the animal encounter areas along the way. It took us a looong time to figure out that the birds, otters, etc, are all accessible via the lazy river or by sidewalks around the lazy river. Just FYI, you will get drenched in the lazy river. There are periodic waterfall spots that are unavoidable and pour a heavy deluge of water all the way across.

After that we did the dolphin encounter (you pay in advance for this). This is where you REALLY need that wetsuit. The dolphin pool is cold. My daughter took off her wetsuit and put on one of those wetsuit vests and she was miserable.

After the dolphins and lunch, it all started to fall apart. My group started separating to go do their favorite things and we could never find each other again. There was a lot of walking all the way back to the chairs, missed connections (you can walk on the paths and the beach and if you're in different spots you will miss each other). We had phones in waterproof cases but internet was bad, phones died, and we couldn't communicate. Even when we were able to tell each other where we were ("meet me in the aviary" or "meet me at the sunblock station") there are just so many ways to get everywhere both by land and water and so many different parts of the different locations (there are 3 rooms in the aviary area and there are multiple sunblock stations). We all ended up cranky and tired from trying to find each other and lost a lot of time that we could have been having fun. My biggest advice is to set a schedule where everyone goes to a SPECIFIC spot (like the beach entrance to the lazy river on the sand) at set time intervals to make sure you don't lose each other and have a bad time.

Be sure to do the aviary, it was way more fun than expected. You get cups of food to hand-feed the birds and they are really interactive.

I asked my kids at the end of the day and they had a great time, but they said they enjoyed the Volcano Bay water park better.

Tip summary:
Set a specifc meeting spot with set timed intervals to meet.
Use a real wetsuit, especially when meeting the dolphins and in the snorkeling area.
Use a life jacket while snorkeling.
Don't miss the slushies!
You don't have to bring sunblock but they don't stop you from using yours if you have something special.
I don't think I sat down the whole time. Just get a locker and leave your stuff, skip the chairs.

We had a group of 12 family members and friends to celebrate a 70th birthday. We arrived early to get a morning dolphin encounter. We had to be divided into 2 groups because the interaction is limited to 9 people per group but we could easily see the other group during out encounter.
We decided to add the cabana and it was totally worth the extra expense to have a singular meeting up point that had a fridge and snacks. All those things are available at various stations around the park but it was really nice having them altogether since more than are few of us are seniors.
Grounds and facility are pristine. Exhibits and interactions are fun and interesting. Staff is knowledgeable, polite and helpful.
We especially enjoyed the lazy river.

I’ve been to DC a few times now. It’s a great experience and still the highlight of our holiday. You can tell there have been cut backs (no longer get family photo on arrival & items missing from food menu) however, it is still the best day of the holiday. Highly recommend

Our trip was fun when we first arrived but things quickly went down hill from there. Mind you we traveled 16+ hours with 2 young kiddos to experience the dolphin swim at Discovery Cove. Our swim was at 1:15 my 7 year old daughter was so excited she absolutely loves dolphins, we sat through the orientation watched the video then had time to ask questions with the instructor. 15 minutes pass worker comes in whispers into the instructors ear she then says we are just waiting for the dolphins sometimes they don’t want to participate so we just are waiting for them to come out so we kept asking questions. Mind you there are tons of groups out swimming with the dolphins. 25 mins passed still waiting then another gentleman comes in whispers to the instructor then they both look at each other which we can all clearly see somethings wrong and they say “you tell them, well no you should it’s your job to tell them when this happens” 30 minutes later told that we are so sorry the dolphins are not wanting to participate we will have to reschedule then they have the audacity to take 6-7 people from the 15 of us to go swim with the dolphin that they couldn’t get to “participate”? That makes ALOT of sense. So then we are all sitting there as my 7 year old is BAWLING her eyes out to be told to come back another time. Yeah easier said then done when you live 16+ hours away! First off I get things happen but maybe DISCOVERY COVE ADD THAT THIS IS A POSSIBILITY ON YOUR WEBSITE!!!!! I will most likely never go back to this place which is unfortunate I would rather spend the money to go to Disney or Universal, this place is a JOKE and a rip off. I am happy for those who enjoyed this experience but I am here to WARN the families who are planning this vacation to be prepared that this could possibly happen to you. I will be going to the Better Business Bureau about this because what kind of place does this? THEN to top it off they said we can remove the charges for you which sounded like a deal right? NO it wasn’t because then they down graded our entire package plan that included Sea World, Bush Gardens and Aquatica for my daughter and I so we couldn’t even get into the parks THAT WE PAID FOR because of their stupidity. THANKS DISCOVERY COVE FOR RUINING MY ENTIRE VACATION!

A family ‘must do’ if you are in Orlando, we have a 6 and 9 year old and we all had the best day! Everything was amazing, just be careful with the suncream they provide as i got a bit burnt!

Literally one of the best experiences in my life. I loved swimming with the dolphin. This is the perfect place to relax, have fun, and spend valuable time with family. A perfect balance. Unlike other vacation locations in Orlando, I didn't leave exhausted after this. One of the best days of my life.

This is our 10th visit to discovery cove and sadly our last. We have spent so much money here ( we always do add one and a cabana), and this trip was no different, however the staff are just miserable, the only member of staff who was friendly, polite and knowledgeable was our cabana assist Todd- he took time to speak to us throughout the day so thank you!

First of all we was told we don't need to bring in a scooter for my disabled dad as one will be ready and waiting like previous years in reception, on arrival whilst my family waited in the queue I approached a member of staff to request the scooter- I was then met with a rude member of staff who said " well have you checked in yet" to which I said no that we are in the queue but my dad is disabled and can't stand, she then said " well I can't just give you one" my dad then struggled over to me to see what was happening, this woman could clearly see he was struggling and told him to just sit down.. where do we sit down? Because there is no seats in the whole of the reception. After I had to say to her I will go back to the car and get our own scooter this is when she reluctantly got the forms for us to complete and then got the scooter.

Next up when checking in it came to light that the agent who booked our tickets and extras had booked the dolphin swim for the wrong day.. the member of staff checking us in was already clearly not happy at her job because she was incredibly rude and abrupt from the start but then when this came to light she made us feel incredibly stupid for not seeing the tiny writing with a different date ( this was booked by a third party may I add so not our fault) she managed to sort it however in the process she actually cancelled 2 tickets..and never issued us with the card around our necks for entry instead we got a blank card and the card for the dolphin swim-this came to light a week later when myself and my daughter couldn't gain access to aquatica.

We requested a cabana we had previously which had a concrete path for my disabled dad who can't walk on sand to comfortably and safely walk along.. of course this wasn't done despite being told it was and we got a cabana with a sand path meaning once my dad was in the cabana he couldn't leave without help.

We left early in the end something we have never done here because throughout the day each member of staff we spoke to apart from our cabana rep was just miserable and clearly didn't enjoy their work- this is something that has had a lasting impression on us and we will happily never return. Do not waste your money here or at any park related to sea world because the staff are the same in every park we visited for example trying to order ice cream at aquatica and the member of staff kept saying she couldn't understand me.. this would be because she had air pods in listening to music from her mobile.

We had a great experience at Discovery Cove! Food, drinks, and beer/wine are included. Food is not great but it’s okay. They also have snacks throughout the park, including ice cream, icees, and chips. Swimming with the dolphins was a great experience! Staff is very knowledgeable and it will definitely be a core memory. There is also plenty of space to lounge by the dolphin lagoon and just watch them swim and play. The grand reef is an amazing experience but expect very cold water especially for a Floridian! Rays are everywhere and very cool. Towels do run out during the day, so that was a bummer when wet and cold. Wade in the warm waters and swim up to see the otters and monkeys. Check out the flamingo parade where the flamingos march through the park. Overall I would highly recommend this place, however not for very young children. If your child is old enough to enjoy snorkeling, then definitely.

We came to discovery cove on Friday 4th April 2025 to do the dolphin swim. Myself, my partner and our 8 year old daughter. Unfortunately when it was our time slot to do the swim the dolphin didn't want to come out. (We were told it's mating season and they had other plans) Initially we were very disappointed as this was the main reason for booking discovery cove. - I hadn't read up on discovery cove much. So didn't know what else it had to offer.
We were offered to come back the next day to try again with the dolphins. This wasnt ideal as we had every day planned out for our trip so had to miss out on something else.
To say they went above and beyond is an understatement. We managed to pre book a slot for the dolphins the day before and were given a private cabana for the inconvenience.
Giselle at the front desk was especially helpful. I cannot thank you enough. The cabana was amazing and it worked out for the best as we loved discovery cove and could have easily spent every day there after that.
The food and drinks were fabulous. Plenty of choice and lovely quality.
We would absolutely recommend discovery cove to anyone we know! 10 out of 10 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Been here a few times now and love it! It’s the best worry free day you can have as everything including sunscreen is included. The one and only little thing for me is I wish there was a solid walkway between the changing rooms and exit as after you was up and get changed to leave you have to walk across the beach so your shoes get covered in sand but that’s just my own little thing. This place is a 100% must do and if you can get the cabana it just adds to what is already an amazing day. 100% would recommend!

The most beautiful park of all the ones I went to, it has a lot of greenery, a lot of shade, beautiful animals, birds, you can swim with stingrays, they are very cute. There are dolphins that you can see up close without having to pay the "swim with dolphins" ticket, which is very expensive and they even charge for photos. All the food is included and very good, the park is very organized, there are towels, wetsuits... you just need more taps to get the sand off your feet. I loved swimming with a float in the warm water river, it was so much fun!

This is a place I could come back to annually. I really enjoyed our time here. We came for a special trip with one of our kids who chose the specific experience to swim with dolphins. I read reviews and tips for Discovery Cove before we came but it by far exceeded my expectations.

Personally, I love that it’s a controlled environment and that the trainers are so enthusiastic. In general, all of the employees were exceptional, friendly, and just made it a great day.

My husband and I got the prescription goggles which were fantastic! (You do have to pay $300 each if you lose them, so I’d suggest locking them up when you’re not using them just in case).

We did the Sea Venture tour, Swim with Dolphins, and our son did the Shark Snorkel. Each experience was great! They have go-pros for your use at Sea Venture if you plan to buy a photo package. Be prepared to open your wallet for photos! We were a little shocked at the price tag of those. (Around $270 for a digital photo package, that includes all of your photos, which was the cheapest.)
We came in May, so it’s warm out, keep in mind in the off season the water will be chilly! They keep the water at the temperature for the animals natural environment, but there are wet suits available, from vests, to short sleeve, or full body.

We got there right before they opened around 7, mostly for the scheduling of our activities and there was quite a line already, but the check in process moved smoothly. It helps that they limit daily attendance, but I think the day we were there they weren’t close to capacity. There were lots of open chairs all day.

It’s an all-inclusive day; breakfast runs from 7:30-10:30, then lunch 11-3, snacks and drinks are available at your convenience.
The food was good, not a ton of options for allergy restrictions, but that seems to be the way it goes everywhere.

There are plenty of lockers. I’d recommend taking a waterproof watch if you have scheduled activities and a waterproof phone bag if you want to carry that around, although you can’t take that into the Grand Reef snorkeling.

We did not get to do many of the scheduled animal encounters because we were busy with our experiences. It seems like a great place for families and people of all ages, I would definitely recommend going while in Orlando.

Wow that's all we can say! Our dream wedding in such a wonderful place. We have been to Discovery Cove once before shortly after our engagement and never imagined that we would get married in paradise.
The setting, the staff, the food was all top notch and the experiences of once again swimming with the dolphins is always a highlight.
There is something for everyone and our group was 12 strong. All you can eat and drink at your very finger tips, the staff are all incredible.
We would just like to give a shout out to Rachel, Carlos and CiCi who organised and helped make our day magical, they were incredible from our first chat through to saying our goodbyes before heading out.
The Dolphin swim was amazing as always and a special treat for those whoever never had the opportunity in such a safe environment.
The Lazy River in particular was a firm favourite of floating throughout the Park surrounded by dense nature it really doesn't feel that you are in Central Florida, surrounded by motor vehicles and a huge interstate road not far from it.
All we can see if you ever get the change to visit Discovery Cove, you must must must do it!
You may never know and find your own dream come true here.

Wonderful place, love feeling like I traveled to an island when I'm right in Orlando, it was nice warm water, clean, easy to navigate, getting breakfast and lunch was such a great perk and drinks included.

A really chilled out park, would definitely return.
The only line is the one to get in, after that it’s no more queueing - hurrah!

The grand reef was magical.

The food was very nice.

This place was as good if not better than we've heard about from others, stayed from open to close and can't wait to return.

Great place near Universal parks. Had to get taxi to get there. Lots of water type activities like one where had to hold on support to help swim in deep areas with current. There were parts of the Cove where it felt impossible to swim to tourists being rude and friend got injured due to rocks in strange places but still fun place. Ps Dolphins were fun and fun to learn about them too. Places like this will be forever withe because it was memorable.

An incredible experience in a beautiful setting. We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect experience. From start to finish our day was amazing. Would definitely recommend and it is worth every penny.

Terrible customer service. I never have issues with our trip excursions but this one was terrible. I ordered four tickets for my upcoming visit with my family on May 17th. They charged us double for our dolphin swim on our upcoming visit. I called to get refunded for the over charge of $1,0103.91 and was put on hold on my first call. The male customer service representative had me on hold for twenty minutes then hung up on me. I called back a second time and was put on hold, this time for over an hour. The representative would get on ever fifteen minutes to ask if I was still there and stated it would be just a few more minutes. I had to call back a third time and talk to a female representative named Alley and was told my refund would take up to three to four weeks to get back and it would be only $900 since they can’t refund tax. Ah you overcharged my credit card it was not a true transaction by me. I stated I wanted my full refund of $1,103.91 back and want it today, since it was a credit card transaction. They said no and I stated I wanted to talk with a supervisor. Ally stated I had to wait another hour in the que since they are busy. I still haven’t gotten my money refunded or talked to a supervisor. Is this the customer service Discovery Cove and Sea-world are putting out there? I just want my money refunded that your representatives overcharged me. It should not be a partial refund after four weeks, I want a full refund of my money and I want it today!

We had a Dolphin interaction. Our trainer Mario was terrible. No energy and attitude towards our group. He was a bit rude to my friends in the group, I understand dolphin safety is key but he yelled at her for her hair falling forward while near the dolphin. Besides that he spoke very low, monotone and was not expressive at all. Looking at all other trainers they were very cheerful and friendly. Mario shouldn’t be a trainer, it takes the excitement away from the experience.

Beautiful place! Dolphin experience was amazing, lots of interaction. The trainers were friendly and great with the dolphins. Food was amazing. Everything was clean and well kept. The freshwater river was awesome and there’s another river inside it to see the monkeys and otters. Snorkel area in the reef was large with lots of fish. Definitely plan to spend the whole day there.

I went to discovery cove having heard great things. However, after having visited the dolphins and sea creature swim I am shocked at the small space with which they are kept. It is completely unacceptable conditions, in particular for the dolphins who require much more space. The staff were kind and welcoming to us as guests but more needs to be done to provide a more adequate environment for the animals.

Years of going to Orlando and never done this because of the price. But figured kids teens now and my sons 21st so thought treat ourselves.
We enjoyed lots about the visit,

- swimming with sharks was a great experience with the kids and staff doing it were informative and supportive
- reef experience was really busy but brilliant thing to do
- staff on site all really helpful and engaging
- access to food and drink was good and quality nice
- access to wetsuits, snorkels etc all good
- lazy river was good and nice to wander and see rest

Some bits were less than we had expected, especially given if cost around £1400 for the 4 of us.

- reef and swim areas (sharks and interaction with dolphins) a lot smaller than expected, especially with how busy they pack the place
- we all had bad experience with their suncream - animal friendly but despite all obsessively putting it on regular all got burnt and see a lot of comments similar.
-Too many people packed in didn’t make it feel as special as it could of and made queuing and access to beds and equipment not as slick as expected
- dolphin interaction - staff lovely but it felt like a tokenistic rip off. 30mins but reality was about 5 mins each person in group and it was all just staged photo ops to be sold later. Having done dolphin conservation events in other countries - expected it to be more natural like shark and more interactive bits. But more like feeding them in sea world but standing in water. Dolphins beautiful but wasn’t a real experience and more using them like show ponies.

Overall a lovely thing to do but not sure given other experience in Orlando if it was work the price and it didn’t feel high end experience. But glad we did and all staff were amazing

Arrived before 7 and were amongst the first served. Unfortunately that meant we got given an 8:15 dolphin swim. It meant we didn’t have time or want to eat much breakfast.
However this may have been a bonus getting first dibs on lockers, wetsuits etc and having the first swim of the dolphins day!
Don’t wear any earrings. You have to take them all out to protect the dolphins. I didn’t wear any other jewellery but completely forgot about earrings.
You have a briefing first and are in a group of about 10 people. You get to touch the dolphin a few times and are pulled along once. Wish there was more interaction. For the money it costs.
No-one in the swim can take pictures or have any tech on them. Clearly to sell the professional photos taken. The packages are €269+
The lazy river is wonderful. We did it 3 times. There are unavoidable waterfalls you have to go through which is intense. Lost my RayBans on one but a lovely kids dived down with his snorkel for me. Snorkelling with the rays is also an amazing experience. Lots of people finding it freaky but there’s nothing to be scared of.
Would recommend some kind of footwear to walk around the areas in as it can get grubby gritty and sandy around.
Always plenty of towels, toilets and showers.

It was the third time in Discovery Cove, but this time it was very cold (120C / 530F). For Brazilians accustomed to warmth and without proper acclimatation the whole process was tormenting for the whole family.
The staff were generally very upset, but some of the less protected were shaking cold.
The few heaters spread across the park of nothing resolved the walks between one place and another.
I can say it was a torture that we paid dearly to suffer.
We knew of the cold days before, but the policy of exchanges and refunds is terrible.
The park does not close, delay, or relocate customers on other dates.
The attractions are charming, but with such a cold it becomes impossible to enjoy the money invested.
I know how the Americans are insensitive to this kind of complaint, but they should pay more attention to customers coming from hot countries at least warning of the problem they will face on cold days and giving options for resumption of the visit or humanized refund.
We felt hurt and misunderstood. Don't go to DC on a cold day without getting used to the weather. In fact, even with Americans there was strong discomfort and even suffering. I felt some abuse with the staff, especially saving lives.

It was our third time at Discovery Cove, but this time it was very cold (12⁰C / 53⁰F). For Brazilians who are used to the heat and who did not have the proper acclimatization, the whole process was torturous for the whole family.
The employees were generally well-dressed, but some who were less protected were shivering from the cold.
The few heaters scattered around the park did not help at all when walking between one place and another.
I can say that it was torture that we paid dearly to suffer.
We knew about the cold days before, but the exchange and refund policy is terrible.
The park does not close, postpone, or relocate customers to other dates.
The attractions are charming, but in such cold weather it is impossible to make the most of the money invested.
I know how insensitive Americans are to this type of complaint, but they should pay more attention to customers from warm countries by at least warning them of the problem they will face on cold days and giving them the option of rescheduling their visit or getting a humane refund.
We feel wronged and misunderstood. Don't go to DC on a cold day if you are not used to the weather. In fact, even with Americans there was great discomfort and even suffering. I felt a certain amount of abuse from the employees, especially the lifeguards.

Fun time with family. Overall a great day at the park except for some miscues by staff with guest service. Won’t go into it as it’s a minor thing but as someone who works in hospitality and Guest Service can’t give a 5 bubble when staff just didn’t care enough to fix a simple mistake.

The over $200 PHOTO PACKAGE is not like Disney. Unless you buy an extra excursion/upgrade like the signature dolphin swim or SeaVenture helmet dive, you will get NO PHOTOS taken by staff! There are NOT PHOTO OPS throughout the park like Disney has. ALSO, on the helmet dive, YOU HAVE TO TAKE YOUR OWN photos with the GoPro they hand you. They will request it from you a FEW times to take your photo, but that's it!! They do not limit the amount you take. I took 136 and they gave me all of them. You CAN NOT TAKE VIDEOS with the GoPro though. The dolphin swim IS photographed (no video) very nicely, so if you buy this extra excursion/upgrade, the photo package is worth it. I got the "Discovery Photo Package" which included all digital photos, eight 6x8 prints, plus an album to put them in and a beach towel.

We are in Orlando today with prepaid visit for Tuesday. Due to tropical storm Debbie hitting Orlando now, looking to speak to a rep for guidance and refund due to weather. No answer on hold for hours, yet recording says I’m number one in the Queue!! Very disappointed with customer service! Nothing in website and no answer…

The sea life was amazing but you have to wear their sunscreen so it doesn’t harm the animals waters when you go into the reefs with them which makes sense but no matter how much you put on it will burn you which they need to change I think for health reasons , and when we swam with the dolphins it was great and we were going to buy a photo frame and my dad was telling them about how they used to be different (better quality ) when we came here seven years ago and this man working there just rolled his eyes like we’d done something horrible which I didn’t understand because my dad wasn’t being condescending in any way so maybe they can be a bit kinder next time and give the dolphins more space

We had a fabulous time at Discovery Cove!  We purchased the dolphin swim + two parks tix, the ultimate animal experience, and the premier photo package.  I waited for sales before purchasing any tix.  You have 14 days to use your tickets for other parks. We went to Sea World one day and DC the next.  

We checked in at 7am and met our guide (Jocelyn) for the day at 7:15. We (two of us) were paired with a family of four for our ultimate animal experience. Once everyone was checked in, we headed to breakfast (we didn’t know if we would have time to eat breakfast so we ate beforehand, would be cool if DC posted an example agenda for this experience. As we walked to breakfast we were impressed with how clean and nice everything is after being open since 2000! 

Our ultimate animal experience went like this:

·         Breakfast – buffet style and plenty of tables.  Jocelyn gave everyone time to finish their breakfast and gave us a chance to chit chat with her. 

·         Wetsuits - after breakfast we went to get our wetsuits. The guy at the wetsuit hut was great! Got us in the right size the first time!  He doesn’t ask, he just looks at you and gets the right size.  After we wiggled into our wetsuits and put our stuff in lockers we headed to the grand reef. 

·         Grand Reef - we didn’t snorkel we just had a short one on one with a DC person in a closed off area of the reef.  She talked to us about a few of the animals in there with her. This was the strangest part of the experience. Not sure if we were wasting time or what?  We didn’t ever get the “exclusive, private, guided snorkel session in the Grand Reef prior to park opening” that is listed on the website.  I wasn’t upset about this because it was chilly that morning and I wasn’t sure I was ready to be in the water.

·         Flamingos - stopped and checked out the flamingos on the way to the otter area. They are neat to see so close.

·         Otters - the other group of ultimate animal experience folks joined us for this. They lead you into the area and rope it off so others can’t come in. They let the otters into their enclosure for the day and you get to watch and ask questions.  Cute little things.

·         Monkeys – you can swim or walk (we chose to swim). It was chilly the morning we were there, but we were able to see two monkeys. A DC person talked about them and answered questions.

·         Aviary – the aviary is cool if you like birds. You get a little cup of food and walk around and feed the birds.  They are very friendly but there were a few intimidating looking ones. 

·         Special meet-and-greets – I was hoping to have one on one with an armadillo, but we got an anteater, but she was cool.  Neat to see one up close and to pet her.  We also got a meet and greet with a little owl (no touching him).  They talk to you about both animals and answer questions.  Jocelyn knew I wanted to see an armadillo so as we were walking from one excursion to another, she saw one (out at the animal experiences they have around DC through the day) and took us over to check him out.    

·         Behind the scenes – we got to see (and smell) where the dolphin food is prepared and to learn a about their care and feeding. We saw a board with all the dolphins listed with their age and weight. This was cool as there are some old and some big dolphins there. 

·         Dolphin swim – this was way cooler than I expected! Two other guests joined us for this (so a total of 8 of us for this interaction).  Rose was our dolphin (she was around 500lbs, one of the biggest females they have there) and Jocelyn was also our dolphin liaison.  Your dolphin comes over to your groups area of the dolphin lagoon and Jocelyn talked a bit about dolphins.  Rose did some tricks for the group and then each person gets to hold on to her and she takes you for a short ride.  So much fun and she is so gentle.  There are other groups in the lagoon doing the same with other dolphins.  After this interaction everyone gets out of the lagoon.

·         Enhanced second dolphin swim – after everyone clears out from the regular dolphin interaction, they ask the ultimate animal experience folks to come back in (so we were back to our original group of 6).  This time we got to interact and get pictures with two dolphins. You also get to take another ride but this time the dolphin is on its back. Both dolphin experiences were so much fun. No, you don’t get a lot of time out there with them, but you also have to keep in mind the dolphins attention span and their willingness to do this interaction. They switch out the dolphins all day and the trainers know them so well they can tell when the dolphin isn’t in the mood, and they don’t ask them to do an interaction with guests.  This concluded our ultimate animal experience.

·         Notes – you can stop and use the restroom or grab a drink at almost any time during this 5-hour experience. Ask questions! We asked so many questions I thought Jocelyn would tire of us, but she didn’t. Jocelyn was great and did such an awesome job for our animal experience! 

After we were released to be on our own, we had lunch. All the food is served buffet style so eat as little or as much as you want.  We both enjoyed the food and had no issues with any of it.  After lunch we did the wind away river. Even if you swim well, I suggest you get one of the provided floats as the water goes from shallow to 8 feet and it takes time to go around the whole thing.  And yes, the waterfall is harsh but it’s to prevent the birds from flying out of the aviary.

Next, we got snorkels and explored the Grand Reef. It was a bit crowded but still plenty of room to maneuver. You have to wear life vests but there are some very deep areas in the grand reef so it’s probably for the best.   You are swimming with tropical fish and some HUGE rays. Some that weigh 300lbs! They were scary at first, but they just glide around and are super cool to swim with! We really enjoyed the grand reef!

It looked like it might rain so we decided to change out of our wetsuits and do some other things. They have showers with body wash, shampoo, and conditioner for guest use.  We decided to go choose our photos for our photo package so that would be out of the way.  Then we went to this cute little bar that has stools and swings (at the bar). It’s next to the pizza area.  Beer and wine are included in the price. We purchased pina coladas. I don’t recall the price being outrageous (we didn’t buy the drink package).  We tried the pizza while we sipped on our pina coladas, and it was not bad. 

Our suggestions for people going to DC: buy tickets when they are on sale (they have a lot of sales thru the year), take water shoes, take waterproof phone cases (we bought two for $10 on amazon and the same ones were $30 each at DC), get wetsuits if the temps are chilly (this is probably the only way we were able to enjoy all the water parts as it was a chilly day), and buy the photo package (wait for a sale).  I wasn’t sure at first, but you really don’t want to spend your entire day trying to take pictures and you aren’t allowed to take your own pictures at the dolphin swim. We got so many awesome pics to commemorate our experience from the DC photographer. We were very glad we spent the extra money to get photos of our experience.  The premier package includes pictures during the small mammal meet and greet and both dolphin swims. At the very least get the digital picture package! 

The DC guest relations folks that answer emails are awesome! They respond within 24 hours and I had a lot of questions ahead of time! 

Make sure you ask DC trainers and everyone questions! Did you know that dolphins have belly buttons?? We saw them!  We will definitely go again!

How can I best describe this place?
Inmerse into a very complex amusement park city, where the high energy activities ocupy most of the time when traveling, this place is like a refuge where you can relax, swim, see amazing animals, have a complete "full day" option all included (even sunscreen!!!).

You can just relax from all the walks and standing in line, you can have an slow day, enjoy, relax and have a blast.

Even on the slow river you can just flow and let it go. Be one with the water. Enjoy.

Kids LOVED this place. We got to play "bing" when spotting different fish. And still, so relaxing!!

You cant go wrong picking this place. I trully recommend it.

The most perfect day ever, if you do get a cabana ask for Mike to look after you. Absolutely brilliant guy who really made our holiday there special 😁. Dolphin swim and sea scape was fantastic and also the lazy river / reef and animals - can’t recommend this more highly

We have been lucky enough to visit her 3 times before and today’s experience left me not wanting to come back again as it felt like anything but what it is advertised as. We did not do a dolphin swim as we have done that before. We queued to get in for 20/30 minutes have never had to queue like that before. The lady who checked us in was lovely. No picture now on entering the park of your group. Cost cutting I presume. We then headed off to get our towels and snorkels. Next breakfast. Not good eggs had no flavor waffles were awful. Servers were miserable. Then we went to the aviary girls there were lovely. Went around the lazy river then came out to see the otters only to find it shut off supposedly because of bad weather the sign said. Then we went to the Grand Reef and this was lovely very good lots of fish and rays very enjoyable time spent in here. It had started to rain by this time so we had decided to get changed and have lunch. Total chaos in the dining room so many queues for different food, queues blocking the desserts so by the time we managed to get through people everything we liked had gone. The food itself was horrible. The staff again so miserable no speed to any of it. Was just a horrible experience. Would I go again I don’t know the Grand Reef for me is amazing but the experience everywhere else did not feel special and the staff weren’t friendly.

Amazing experience. Sea Venture, Dolphin Encounter, Swimming with Rays in the Grand Reef, Wind Away River and the Aviary were all of a very high standard. Just a shame the park closed at 5pm as there was so much to do. The only downside for me was the single use, disposable plastic cutlery at the restaurant- not a good look for a park that purports to support the environment. Surely Discovery Cove can find a better alternative?

Sensational first trip to Discovery Cove. We were blown away by the experiences - most notably the snorkeling, aviary and dolphin encounter. Discovery Cove really doesn’t feel like it’s located in busy Orlando and is it’s own little piece of paradise. The drink options were excellent and I was impressed by the food - fairly basic but good quality.

Excellent spot, we’ve been three times over the years. The first two times were stellar. Hence our third trip. The food was good as usual. There ends the stellar.

The lazy river was cut short at the aviary due to a lack of adequate staffing. Sad to see, hard to find your way out or around the aviary. The lazy river was my second favorite part of the place.

Second kind of fail was the reef where you could swim with the fishes. While it gets congested, people typically swim to their level of ability. So if you’re a strong swimmer you could go way out and actually dive down to swim with the fishes. For some reason, one has to don a flotation vest now and it is impossible to do little more than float atop everything taking place under you. Sad change.

Will we be back for a fourth visit, not likely. At this price point I’d get a fast pass at one of the other parks.

Sorry, but this place was one of my favorite spots to get to visit in Orlando. Not so much any more.

Way overpriced for what you actually get. Dolphin 'swim' isn't anything special and with a group and forced poses and interaction. Cost is crazy for what you get and photo packages are extremely expensive too.

The ads are misleading. They say its "all inclusive" but you'll have to investigate the website carefully. Meals, parking, towels, etc. are included, but the animal encouters ARE NOT. You have to pay separately for those and it gets pricey very quickly. You have access to the areas without adding the guided tours, but not the direct interactions. Paying for the Shark Snorkel or the Shark Interaction is the only way to get access to the shark area. You need to reserve these tours in advance as they have very limited numbers.

Service is terrible. Food is worse. Management doesn’t care to help you with any concerns you have. It’s a shame as we have visited so many times before, but since we last visited in Aug 2024, the park has gone down hill. Stay away.

Good prices online until you check out and they add a $75 processing fee. Typical bait and switch. Will not ever go due to this.

We had been recommended Discovery Cove by a friend as a break from all the theme parks. So head we took their advice.

We arrived at about 9 am and once we had checked in, headed for breakfast which was fresh and plentiful. Do watch out for the birds though, they will steal food given a chance.

Next we went to get our wetsuits etc, stow our stuff and bag a sunbed or 2.

2 trips around the lazy river next. It goes through the aviary and detours to see otters and marmosets. The waterfalls are fun but strong, I got stuck!

Next we went snorkeling in the tropical pool. WOW! Loads of fish and rays and sharks (safely behind glass!).

Then it was time for our dolphin encounter which was fun, but I wouldn't do it again. Photos are VERY expensive.

Lunch, then the lazy river again.

Not including the dolphin encounter, everything else is included, even parking!

Fantastic day and recommended.

I can’t express how amazing this was. We had been doing park after park and I was exhausted. It was so peaceful, but the whole family had a blast. I felt totally safe with my two kids. They loved the river and the rays. The river has 8 feet drops which my strong swimmers enjoyed. I would go back no hesitation.

Favourite day and probably best to do at the end of the holiday as it is relaxing. Arrived on opening and it was well organised, got the 8am dolphin swim, but he wasn’t playing ball today so the tricks were limited, but we still got the photos for $120. The rest of the day was ours to relax have breakfast, chill on the lazy river, snorkel, chill, lunch, chill plus the drinks are free too. At the end we grabbed loads of freebies left and a slice of pizza.
Would definitely return but no dolphin swim next time.

This was my 6th visit to DC since 2007. Unfortunately over the years more and more has been taken away. You now need to pay $45 to upgrade your drinks, if you do this I suggest just one person does it and goes to get an extra drink. Otherwise you're stuck with bud light or the most vile white or red wine. This was the same when I went last October so I knew what to expect.
The food was still no better and the servers seemed so miserable. I had stomach ache after eating the eggs which tasted like they were powdered ones.
The thing that really annoyed me this time is that they've now made the nearest central lockers, snorkel and vest area an upgrade so you have to pay extra or walk to the furthest ones down by the grand reef. Of course everyone did that which made getting a locker that actually worked hard work.
Only some areas opened up around 9-9.30am as well which wasn't expected.
The grand reef allowed way too many people in and the water was misty and a lot of the fish went to hide in the deeper area away from people.
There is also no free bus from seaworld now and the I trolly only takes cash unless you set up the app before. This also applies to Aqutica.
The dolphins are held in separate pens and we saw them throwing a ball between them. They shouldn't be separated or kept in such small areas and it was sad to watch.
The fact that DC have now had to change their dolphin swim policy and experience due to the dolphins not wanting to interact should tell them something!
DC used to be my favorite relaxing day but I won't be returning unless some big changes are made. It's gone down hill and become way too expensive like SeaWorld. I didn't like supporting the SeaWorld company in the first place, I gave it another chance but that was it's last.

Very neat, relaxing day. There’s no rushing or stress to your day. Just check in and they assign you your time for any booked experiences (I recommend the dolphins) and the rest of the day is relaxing with no lines! Find some chairs to keep your things. Lockers are free! All the food and drinks (besides special alcoholic beverages) are free so just pop up at one of the handful of stations for a snack. Kids and adults loved the snorkeling with sting rays and fish, floating around the lazy river (kids took the snorkels there too). I would love to go back sometime.

My name is Meghan Soudrette and my family and I went to Discovery Cove a little over a week and a half ago filled with great memories that I will live with forever. Since it was my first time visiting the park, I wasn’t sure how it was going to turn out due to my mild Cerebral Palsy.

Upon arriving, the staff or Discovery Cove ambassadors generously answered all of my questions and were as friendly as ever. I was accommodated with a beach type chair that I used for the Grand Reef and Dolphin Lagoon. I could easily transfer in and out of it in order to participate in the different activities that the park had to offer. I particularly wanted to commend the trainers at the dolphin lagoon who asked questions regarding what would work best for me in the water as well as get me set up for my very first dolphin experience. They did this in the beginning so I could get the best positive experience possible. It was absolutely unreal being up close and personal to a dolphin. The trainers were so kind, helpful, and assisted me with whatever I needed both from getting into the water and back to my beach chair safely. I won’t ever forget the impact all of them had on me around the whole Discovery Cove park. I also appreciated the accessible railing that they have in various sections to be a guide for those that needed it. I indeed benefited from it.

Moreover, I also used my scooter which got me around the majority of the park no problem. The whole place felt like an oasis to all who visit there. I would definitely come back again because whether someone is disabled or not, it is all around a relaxing getaway for the whole family.

10/10 review and 10/10 service.

Visited 6 years ago and it was a fantastic day . Visited again this October with 6 adults and 5 children, 10-15 years .
Food lukewarm and not great , dirty tables, wasps swarming around drink dispensers .
Lazy river cold and definitely not lazy ! Quite ferocious.
Biggest gripe? Servers pushing guests to have bigger glasses of alcohol resulting in a number of guests drunk, argumentative, unruly children, one man actually assaulting his wife in front of children and driving away while drunk.
Reported to park who should have a duty of care but they clearly weren’t interested.
Would I visit again? Absolutely not .

An absolute highlight of our recent holiday to Orlando. As a family of 4 we booked a day here including the dolphin swim. We had an absolute ball all day. The food being all inclusive was great as there was no additional food or drink costs for us on the day.
The pool with the fish was a hit with my youngest daughter, she loved seeing all the different fish up close.
The dolphin experience was out of this world. The trainers are exceptional and you can tell how well the dolphins are looked after. Our party had Coral as our dolphin, and was just precious! We had a truly amazing time, and has even made my youngest daughter decide she'd love to work with dolphins when she's older!

What an incredible experience. My wife and I had visited discovery cove years ago before we had kids and had a good experience so now that we have 3 children we decided to bring them so they could experience the joy we did years ago.

We opted for a dolphin swim, animal trek, and VIP cabana. I highly recommend the cabana as the convenience and package are well worth the cost. Especially when you have a host as incredible as Tyler.

As amazing as discovery cove was, Tyler was the highlight of our day right up there with the dolphin swim. I don’t even know where to begin. Tyler is insightful, thoughtful, accommodating, and just an overall joy to have as our host. This man is incredible. He had our entire day planned when we arrived, he gave us a tour of the grounds, gave us some helpful tips, and his service is unmatched. When I say unmatched, I don’t just mean at discovery cove. In all my years I’ve never had a host go so above and beyond for my family ever. He made sure we stayed on track and were on time for all of our activities for the day. When he saw my wife was getting overwhelmed while I was taking care of our 3 year old, Tyler went out of his way to get my wife a drink, came back, gave her the drink, told her to relax he’s got it, asked what the kids wanted to eat and got everything together for them allowing her some time to calm her nerves. He brought the trays of food to our table and made sure my family had everything they needed. He kept our cabana fully stocked, cleaned the mess of sand my kids made on the cabana floor, brought us wet suits and snorkel gear so we wouldn’t have to wait on the long line, and made sure we knew when to be back. He also took tons of photos for my wife and I.

At one point toward the end of our day it started to thunderstorm and we were ordered out of the water for safety. What was Tyler doing? He was busy getting warm chocolate chip cookies prepared for my kids and towels to make sure they were comfortable and happy without asking. We had a stroller that had gotten sandy and wet during the storm. When he realized we would be leaving soon, he cleaned the stroller and dried it out. We did not ask him to do this. He took it upon himself to make sure every detail of our day was as perfect as it could possibly be. His service is beyond exceptional and he is truly one of the best assets discovery cove has. He is the best of the best. I will ask for him next time as the kids absolutely loved him and so did my wife and I. He made the day extra special! I highly recommend requesting him to be your host if you opt for the vip cabana. I could literally go on and on about his service. There’s so much more he did that I haven’t written but I’m sure my wife will be leaving a review (which we never do) because his service is so incredible.

We visited Discovery Cove last week having booked before we came away and based on the you tube videos couldn’t wait to arrive.

When we arrived at the venue there was a small queue but that’s to be expected as everyone is getting there for when it park opens at 7.30am. We upgraded our package to the premium drinks package which on reflection we didn’t really need to as there was an abundance of choice. If you like cocktails though, this is worth doing.

We had our dolphin swim slot booked for 9.20am so had to rush a little during breakfast to ensure we were ready but that was fine.

Breakfast and lunch, there is loads of choice and I’ve read reviews where it says the food was below par or not enough choice. On the day we were there, there was plenty and in general decent. Drinks, they have all sorts running throughout the day so no need to worry here.

So the dolphin experience was good, not very long but still nice to be up close to an amazing mammal. No pictures were allowed to be taken as they want you to buy the professional pics but we opted not to and just enjoy the moment.

Once we finished, we went in to the grand reef which was pretty busy to be fair but still amazing to see so many various fish, rays, sharks etc..

There is a lazy river aswell and a bird aviary which was pretty cool. You could then pay for some additional experiences if you wanted to.

On the whole, the day was good and they limit the number of people who go on a daily basis to make your experience better.

Would I go back? Probably not, only because there isn’t much more to do there but a good day out nonetheless.

Forgot my paper copies of my ticket and my id, meltdown in the car park! Staff members couldn’t have been more helpful. Found my booking quickly and checked us in for the 8am dolphin swim. Breakfast was great, so much choice. Sadly my waffle was robbed by a hungry squirrel. Dolphin swim went quickly but was very happy with the way they treated them and made it clear they were not forced to anything, which was shown when our dolphin decided to go for a swim around the pool! Picked a spot for the day by the great reef. Spent hours in there, the staff were always on hand to answer any questions about the rays/fish. Again, lunch was yummy with lots to choose from. As I forgot my id I couldn’t get any alcohol but even without it, it was an amazing day. Booked to go again September 2025

Ticket with meals, drinks (breakfast/lunch/snacks) and parking included. They provide all the necessary equipment for the experiences (bathing suit, snorkels, towels). I went snorkeling in the large reef, swimming in the lazy river, visiting the aviary and swimming with dolphins. Worth every penny, indescribable experience.

Been our 2nd visit and I don't think there is anything but 5* reviews here I have nothing to say but just book it, go and enjoy was our best day on holiday again. And will return.

Excellently day! Beautiful setting, loved the lazy river and Grand Reef! We didn’t swim with dolphins as one of our daughters wasn’t old enough.

There was one downside, but I didn’t think this alone was enough to knock it down to 4 stars - the food was a bit chaotic at dinner time. I was with my 5 year old daughter, I queued for nearly 10 minutes to get my food, but the food my daughter wanted (burgers, chips etc) was in a different section, so I then had to join a different queue to get her food, which was frustrating!

The food itself was nice, with a good selection.

Overall it was a great day, and we will definitely return!

Paradise in the middle of Orlando. Relax amongst the beautiful gardens with the wild birds. Enjoy a snorkel with the stingrays , or pop to see the marmosets or otters.
The dolphin experience was amazing, we swam with Luna it was both fun snd informative.

The day was very relaxing although there is nothing to really do if they close the pools due to the weather.
Our major gripe was the staff (not the Dolphin trainers) being really quite miserable. Maybe we had been living in the Disney bubble but when you pay a fair bit of money you do expect a certain level of friendliness.
Do I think the day is worth the money?? not particularly as if you are unfortunate to get a bad weather day there is literally nothing to do.
And nearly $300 for some pictures is pretty much daylight robbery!!

Discovery Cove is definitely a place to go if you are coming from abroad, however I do think they're is still feedback that should be given.

But first start with the good stuff, staff are beyond amazing & friendly. Brianna was so helpful and friendly!
Unlimited food and drinks , and they don't hold back on portion size either! Plenty of snacks and drinks throughout the entire day all around the park. Lazy river is unbelievable makes you feel like you are on a tropical island.

Now the feedback.

They need to spray down a lot of their day beds. It was ant invested , we are not talking about 10/15 ants where talking 50+ swarming our beds. Bear in mind we paid $100+ for them. I would expect them to be a little cleaner.

Get rid of the life jackets!!! my partner struggles with his upper spine and he unfortunately could not do the reef swim as they now require you to wear these life jackets that make you float. And if you are not the best are supporting yourself with them you turn on your back. A few people had to get help as they struggled badly. They should only ask quests under a certain age and non strong swimmers to wear them. Was much better when we didn't have to wear them.

This was our 14th visit to Discovery Cove since we “discovered” it in 2006. To keep the experience exclusive numbers we’re limited to something like 1300. In the early days it felt really special. There were so many staff eager to please, the food was excellent, you got a free souvenir photo which encouraged you to buy more and there was barely a stray leaf in the lazy river it was so clean and well-maintained.
Since then there has been a gradual decline in service, maintenance and quality over the years with a substantial increase in guest numbers, not to mention cost. I have always loved the lazy river best of all. I could swim right round it undisturbed many times in the early days (to help work off the food eaten). Now you are constantly stuck behind chains of families with an excess of noodles who are oblivious to other guests around them. When we came in 2023 we were dismayed to find that a large section of the river was closed and we had to get out in the aviary. It was closed all day (no one could tell us why) and on complaining on departure we were given tickets to return another day (we used them in 2024). So we were not impressed when the river was closed again this year! We were told it was due to the lack of lifeguards which was bizarre as they were actually training new lifeguards right there (we counted 30). Surely this could be done after park closure at 5pm rather than adding to the excessive numbers in the water. Thankfully the river opened eventually.
There used to be staff ready as you entered the park to explain how everything works; where to get snorkels and wetsuits and where the lockers and restrooms are. Other guests were asking us where we got our snorkels etc because they weren’t greeted at the start. I wonder how many missed their dolphin swim due to lack of information.
I guess families visiting for the first time will still enjoy the experience, but those of us who know what it used to be like will probably not return again.
If I get a response to this review, I would really like to know what the maximum capacity of the park is now. Although the park promotes the experience as being limited in numbers, it no longer advertises what that number is….

Second visit was a dissapointment. The biggest issue was that one of the pools (freshwater oasis) was closed all day. We were looking forward to swimming up to the marmoset island and otter enclosure but it was closed all day. The staff couldnt say when it would open. Went to customer service desk and the worker didnt even know it was closed until calling someone. He was told a bunch of lifeguards didnt show up for work. At 2:30 we asked again and like every other response, no idea if or when it would open. We finally decided to leave at 3pm as this was all we had left to do. Paid for access to all areas but missed out on one we we looking forward to most. We asked if there was any compensation or partial refund, but were told no as it eventually did open. The park closes at 5 so if it opened, it was only open for a very small portion of our day. Very disappointed.

AVOID!

We booked the swim with dolphin experience. I can’t remember the name of the dolphin we had but he was the one used to drag people along by his dorsal fin. The fin was bent (i asked the trainer why it was bent as i was concerned and was told he was born like it... I have later learned a bent fin means the dolphin is ill/not looked after) and his dorsal fin even started to bleed at the end of our experience, from what was meant to be a lovely day out as a wedding gift turned out to be heartbreaking. I left the experience crying. The dolphins looked sad, and the water was far too shallow for them. I won’t be returning or recommending you to anyone I know.

The cabana was right next to the dolphin area. Amazing. Food was good. Had personal concierge that made sure we were at all the right places at the right time I.e. when the flamingos were out.

Great experience swimming with dolphins. Grand Reef 2nd best spot. Great hospitality and good food.
Will return for sure.

Discovery Cove was amazing. Myself and my wife loved it. We did the Sea Adventure and beingf with the fishes was amazing (Recommend you can ask for the GoPro when you meet your guide to get real good video). The food was great and plentiful, from breakfast and lunch all provided as part of your resort stay. Towels and snorkel masks were also provided. Snorkeling at the reef with allkinds opf fish was amazing! The lazy river was really beautiful with its flora and clear waters. I will definatley be back again

P.S. There have been complaints with the app (and they are right, the app should be fixed). But once you book your ticket and get your confirmation number throuh the provided email, you are set. Getting into Discover Cove is not like getting into a theme park where you need a QR code to scan. Getting into Discovery Cove is like checking in into a resort. Once you get to the front of the line a Guest Rep will meet you and take you to his or her booth, confirm your reservation and ammenities paid for, and check you in. The process is realy quick and painless. You will have a great time, garanteed!

We had the most amazing day at Discovery Cove. The entire park is immaculate and full of lush, beautiful plants that are clearly well maintained. The highlights of the day were snorkeling with gigantic rays and colorful fish, and floating along the lazy river. The otter encounter was my absolute favorite and something I will never forget! I also wanted to thank Discovery Cove employee, Franklin, for going above and beyond to accommodate my family. We had to reschedule due to a hurricane and he was so kind and patient, making multiple calls and going out of his way to make sure we were set up for success. Thank you, Franklin! Someone give this man a raise.

Out of all the things I was going to do in Orlando (SeaWorld, Aquatica, Animal Kingdom, and this) I was possibly the most excited about this one.

I left feeling deflated and like "Was that it?"

The aviary was nice, I love exotic birds and they were nice to feed. The whole park is of course beautiful. Food and drink included, all that.

But what other reviews (and I've read a lot, not just here but on blogs and YouTube as well) call "a quiet, intimate experience" - to me, the park was packed. The river was always full of people, bumping into you.

I thought that the reef would be a chill place to swim with fish in calm and quiet. It was a constant shuffle betwe countless other people, rays swimming between people's feet, and I just thought at least the fish get relief for 16/24 hours, because this is cramped and chaotic.

A large ray swam under me and I touched it, as you're allowed to do, it swam away at its own pace and was gone far away, and I kept swimming slowly in the same direction I was already going in, and then a staff member told me to "don't chase the rays". I always take great care to not stress out animals, so I really didn't like being accused of harassing animals when I wasn't doing anything of the sort. It really made me leave the reef with an ill feeling.

I didn't do the dolphin swim because I looked it up beforehand, and sharing one dolphin with nine people for a staged photo-op is so much less than what you get at other swim-with programs. I've swum with dolphins twice elsewhere, where you get fifteen minutes as two people with one dolphin and ride the dolphin around the pool in multiple different ways, Discovery Cove is nothing like that.

I had planned on coming back with company some day and do the full shark swim, but now I don't think so.

And as with Aquatica, the whole searching your bags before you enter seems excessive.

I did pay through this ticket for free admission to SeaWorld whenever I want which is nice, but I don't know if I'll ever go back here.

We attended to discovery cove last month, we have been in previous years and adored it. However the staff last month were incredibly rude and couldn’t care less about anything. There was a huge queue at check in, due to what I assume was a technical delay, it was chaos with no communication. When we eventually got moving two of the check in staff kept taking families from the left hand lane, although they were checking in from the right and there were equal staff on both sides. After about 15 families who were behind us from the left lane went through I kindly pointed this out, the woman simply rolled her eyes and pulled a face at me. I pointed this out to another member of staff who just replied ‘it happens’.

When we eventually got in we went for breakfast where the staff were absolutely fantastic. We then went to get changed, my husband went to grab our vests and snorkels and was rudely told by the man he wasn’t open yet. Within 30 seconds of this interaction he had opened and a huge queue formed. Wouldn’t it have been easier to ask him just to stand off to the side for a second while he got sorted, rather than usher him off? I then asked for prescription googles and was given a vague description of where to get these.

After 3 attempts I found the right place and was refused to even try them as ‘they wouldn’t make a difference.’ Apparently if I could read the sign I could see in the reef. Even after explaining I couldn’t on our last visit I was still refused.

Off we went to the lazy river. Got into the avery under the waterfall to a jam of people, due to the next part not yet being open. No one informed anyone of this and no loads of people are packed together. We decided to get out and wait for it to fully open, due to the jam of people I banged and hurt my knee on exiting. I asked a lifeguard passing by for help with my knee and was told ‘sorry I can’t help I’m training.’ No offer to get anyone else or where to go.

We had enough and decided to leave, this was my 30th birthday and completely ruined. I submitted and online form to let them know about our experience and got a reply asking if I had spoken to a supervisor on the way out. Considering the amount of other staff I had problems with I didn’t have much faith or even know where to find a supervisor. When we exited through the welcome centre all the staff where grouped together chatting and didn’t even a knowledge us.

I highlighted everything above in my reply email and then had to follow up to make sure they had received said email due to no reply. When the reply came all I received was an apology for the initial attitude in the morning and that staff should have done an injury report. Also offered 50% off a ticket to return. I wasn’t looking for discount or a refund, I wanted to know that this would be addressed with staff and further training provided. This could be extremely dangerous if not correctly addressed. Hopefully posting here will give them food for thought and something will be done.

My hubby arranged this trip for us to celebrate my birthday. Discovery Cove been a bucket list item for us for a while and it did not disappoint. He purchased the ultimate VIP experience so we could take in all of the activities possible and not have to worry about anything for our first time. Totally worth it!

First thing in the morning, we were met by our host for the day, Tyler. He was absolutely amazing! He had our itinerary all set up for us and was just a joy to hang out with all day. He parked our car and we were on our way. Right was he recognized a potential issue/miss on our part - arrangements for the dolphin swim! If getting the VIP package, make sure you clearly understand what is included and what is still extra. No big deal for us, though as Tyler took care of the reservation. We paid what we needed to without any disruption to the flow of our day. It was a completely reasonable cost and our miss. Tyler fixed everything up for us.

We had a photographer follow us around when we visited some critters; fed birds in the aviary; and met some sassy flamingos. We had additional food selections with the VIP experience and were served at our revered table. We had so much food and it was all very good! The VIP experience also includes an upgraded drink package. The cocktails were really good! Our cabana was beautiful and very private, as well - it looked over the dolphin habitats. We even snorkeled with the sharks!

Tyler kept us on schedule all day, even when our first attempt at the dolphin swim didn’t pan out as the pod was not in the mood. The animals are respected and when they don’t want to participate, they don’t and that’s most important. Their safety and happiness is more important than our plans. Tyler rescheduled us for later in the day and we were able to swim with a dolphin. A photographer took a bunch of wonderful pics (digital package is included with VIP package). We were given all of our pics at the end of the day! My hubby also arranged for a special Happy Birthday buoy to be delivered to me by one of the dolphins.

Once all of the timed activities were over, we were free to take in the lazy river and grand reef on our own time until the park closed. Tyler was still available for anything we needed. He kept the mini fridge in the cabana stocked and made sure we were having a good time. We throughly enjoyed our day. We just love the animals and the staff clearly do too. We are lifelong Floridians and have seen most of these animals before. In fact, we are Seaworld passholders, yet we still learned new facts from the DC animal care staff!

All in all an amazing experience. My only complaint is that it had to end! Special thank you to Tyler for making our day the best ever. Thank you to all of the animal care specialists as well for the wealth of knowledge shared with us and taking such good care of all the critters.

If you’re thinking about visiting DC, consider the ultimate VIP experience and if you want the same exceptional customer service, ask for Tyler to be your host!

This is an amazing park. Swimming with the Dolphins was out of this world and would definitely recommend. A little on the expensive side but so worth it, breakfast and lunch are included in the price and food was pretty good with a good variety. Drinks and snacks also included.

following our visit to the park yesterday, my entire family became very ill later that evening—including my 5-year-old grandson. We suspect it may have been due to something we ate that wasn’t properly prepared.

We’ve been loyal visitors since the park opened in 2000, and while we’ve seen many changes over the years, we’ve always enjoyed coming. However, during this recent visit, we noticed a significant decline in both cleanliness and the quality of food offerings. We rented a daybed and it was so dirty and the cushions were uncomfortable that we didn't enjoy it, also there weren't enough noodle floats for everyone and half of them were torn and old.

Additionally, the park felt extremely overcrowded, particularly in the fish swim area, which made it difficult to enjoy the experience safely and comfortably.

It was a wonderful day that more than repays the cost of entry.
Dream location, there are various swimming pools (the river which allows you to let yourself be carried away by the current and relax for about twenty minutes, the swimming pool with dolphins - upon reservation and not included there is the possibility of meeting them and swimming with them - the tropical pool with corals and fish of different types and colors, and many other small areas).
There are many other animals, the aviary with splendid colorful species, manatees and armadillos.
Bath towels, wetsuits, masks and snorkels are available.
Food is also offered (from breakfast to lunch, snacks and drinks throughout the day until closing).
An unforgettable experience!

The resort is terrible as far as informing the guests regarding whi, what and where's. The "restaurant" was chaos.
Most importantly if you buy the dolphin "swim" it is not a swim. You pet the dolphin, you take a poorly taken photo with the dolphin and that's it. No swimming. Then they charge you a fortune for pics taken by an amateur photographer at best. And the entire experience happens in groups of 10+ people.
Pass on this one

Years ago I went to Discovery Cove and had an amazing time... I was really looking forward to taking my family. I purchased tickets during a sale and THOUGHT I was getting a good price. However, the day after booking the tickets the price dropped significantly...same sale, just a different price for the exact same day. When I called to inquire about a price adjustment I was told that because the reservation was within 30 days they would not help me. This means I paid more than $400 more than I should have!!! I understand the concept of dynamic pricing and charging more for peak periods... but to have prices change that much within 24 hours and not provide some type of adjustment is ridiculous. Even airlines allow a 24 hour grace period!

Was absolutely shocked with the dolphin swim was not a swim at all was more just a chat about them and dragged in shallow water for all of 5 seconds the price of the photos is an absolute joke. The price of the shark swim is also a joke for what you get just a snorkel above them
The sea venture was great and the reef swimming area was fantastic
Never really walked around the other areas as my son didn't want to leave the reef as he enjoyed swimming with the sting rays and different fish we went round the lazy river that was ok felt like forever to get round but was ok
Food was ok snacks left out in the sun all day so went warm and soft not nice
Personally I wouldn't waste my money on ever returning if I come back to florida. You better of paying for an encounter at seaworld for the dolphins as you basically get the same just with out getting in the water with them don't waste your money

Discovery Cove is an absolutely beautiful all-inclusive day water park. It does not have water slides like a traditional water park but instead has a large lazy river, man-made beaches, and various animal encounters.
We’ve been there several times and really enjoy it. This time, some changes caused it to be a bit less appealing than before. The food (which is included) was plentiful but of inferior quality compared to our last visit - no more steak! Boo hoo! I was also looking forward to a hot shower after swimming in the chilly water with the rays. Sadly, the showers for everyone were ice cold. My husband reported the same problem on the men’s showers. We also had to wait in line to get our wetsuit which was a first. They used to have several areas to get them. Now the one in the from is for “VIPs” only. I guess paying $200/day didn’t make me a VIP. I had to walk to the back of the park and wait in line. The cookies were also served frozen instead of warm and melty like before. The lazy river and tropical fish area were still amazing. We loved feeding the birds and being surrounded by the lush vegetation. The weather was gorgeous the day we went which certainly helped!

We booked our trip solely to do the dolphin swim with our children one who has a life limiting condition.
On arrival the queue moved very slowly to get in, it was extremely hot and people were struggling with the heat .
Once inside I explained that I had tried to book a cabana via the website but it wouldn’t let me the price had shot up to 500 plus dollars, I wanted to treat my family so I paid it.
We had breakfast and then headed to guest services to be taken to the cabana.
On arrival at the desk another family told me that the dolphin swims had been cancelled .
We decided we didn’t want to stay at the park because we were not getting what we came for.
A manager was called to the cabana services and the other family that told us about no dolphin swims were also making a complaint.
The family ahead of us made their complaint and were offered a few things as compensation such as a free photograph package and were also offered another date to comeback and swim with the dolphins.
When it came to our turn I looked at the manager and told her to breath I wasn’t going to give her a hard time like she had just had, I told her that we just wanted to leave the park but the manager wanted to work with us to make us stay.
The manager offered to discount the tickets to just the entry price of 135.65 per person (we were a party of 4 and paid over 1,400 for the dolphin package) she told me while I was stood there the money would be refunded to our cards within 5-8 days.
We then talked about the cabana , I told her I had tried to book it online but had not been able to so when I arrived at the park had been charged over 500 dollars for one.
The manager said she would give us the cabana for free and the 500 plus dollars would also be refunded in 5-8 days and again she had reversed the charge to my card.
We are now 17 days since the trip and no refunds.
I contacted the park via email and am dealing with Melody who is refusing to honor what the manager offered, she is saying because I can’t remember the managers name we won’t get the promised refunds! I’m disappointed that I was lied to about the refunds of the ticket difference and cabana refund .
Instead Melody is giving me so garbage about giving her more details about the manager !!! All I remember is she was short and female!

Would not recommend as we did not get our dolphin swim due to storm and we were offered a refund of $4 for what cost us £1500 so I would never book with them again and would not recommend this experience to anyone as once they have taken your money they don't care

Had a great day at Discovery Cove. Check in process was smooth, food and drink options excellent and snorkeling was brilliant. We booked on a dolphin swim at 1045 and had an issue with the Dolphin not wanting to participate so Fabian managed to book our party onto other times, that was great and he went above and beyond to help us. Also shout out to Raul and Tony who worked at different bars but kept us refreshed all day.

The lazy river is disgusting! I was in there for a while and about ten ducks got in the water. The ducks do not care about cleanliness and poop in the pool. I used to live on a farm and know what ducks do in a pond. If I wanted to swim in a filthy duck pond I wouldn’t have paid $600 to do it, just go to a farm for free. This is totally gross and should be against health regulations as people are in the water and it becomes a sewer. Don’t go to this “attraction”.

While was eating lunch birds were walking around popping g on the sidewalk. People are walking in Bird feces with their bare feet. This is unacceptable! Plus it’s not very appetizing eating with birds crapping next to your table while you eat.