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Discovery Cove

Located right next door to SeaWorld Adventure Park, Discovery Cove is not your ordinary Orlando theme park. There are no tickets, no rides of which to speak, and no larger-than-life characters signing autographs and posing for photos.

What Discovery Cove does offer is the once in a lifetime experience to swim amongst dolphins, snorkel through a colorful lagoon filled with thousands of tropical fish, and relax among hundreds of free-flying tropical birds.

Instead of using tickets, Discovery Cove works on a reservation system. Just call the toll-free number and tell them how many people are in your party and what day you want to come. The park only admits up to 1000 guests per day, making it easy to maintain the laid back atmosphere at the center of the park's philosophy.

The experience begins with a brief orientation session that introduces guests to the dolphin-swim experience. Next, guests, along with their adventure guide, enter a shallow area to familiarize themselves with the dolphins. Then guests are allowed to swim and play freely among the majestic dolphins, an amazing experience for anyone. Please note that guests must be at least 6 years old to participate in the dolphin swim.

In addition to swimming with the dolphins, guests are invited to enjoy many other unique activities, including the Coral Reef, where they can snorkel through an underwater shipwreck surrounded by hoards of tropical fish. Guests can also relax in the aviary as they enjoy the beauty of the many tropical birds that call Discovery Cove home. There is also a Tropical River, which allows guests to float leisurely past rocky outcroppings and sandy beaches.

Discovery Cove in Orlando is not so much a theme park as it is a tropical paradise. The combination of lush environments and incredible animal encounters is enough to make anyone believe that they've been magically transported to a remote island for the day.