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Discovery Cove

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Discovery Cove
File:Discoverycovelogo.png
LocationOrlando, Florida, USA
Coordinates28°24′19.50″N 81°27′42″W / 28.4054167°N 81.46167°W / 28.4054167; -81.46167
OwnerBusch Entertainment Corporation (SeaWorld Orlando)
Websitehttp://www.discoverycove.com


Discovery Cove is a theme park near Orlando, Florida where guests can interact with a variety of marine animals, most notably bottlenose dolphins. The park, which is operated by the Busch Entertainment Corporation (the theme park division of Anheuser-Busch) is adjacent to SeaWorld Orlando. In addition to swimming with dolphins, Discovery Cove guests can interact with exotic birds, tropical fishes, rays, and land mammals.

Dolphin swim

Discovery Cove offers the opportunity to schedule a reservation to “talk, touch, play and swim” with bottlenose dolphins.[1] With the help of trained dolphin adventure guides, guests receive a safety orientation and information session to learn about the dolphins before moving to the dolphin pool. Guests are shown how to use hand signals and positive reinforcement to encourage the dolphins to perform tricks before participating in a one-on-one swim.[2] The “Trainer for a Day Package” includes the regular 30-minute dolphin session, adding deep-water dolphin interaction, private photo sessions, increased time with the dolphin trainers, and a behind the scenes tour.[3]

Attractions

Discovery Cove contains a coral reef, where guests can use their park-provided snorkeling equipment to observe and interact with thousands of tropical fish, including an underwater shark and barracuda tank located behind protective glass.[2] Guests can also swim in the Ray Lagoon, which features dozens of rays (up to 4-feet wide) that park visitors can interact with after an orientation with Discovery Cove adventure guides.[1]

The park contains a free-flight aviary, which contains over 250 tropical birds to interact with and feed, including parrots, toucans, ostriches, and over 30 other species of exotic birds.[1] The heated Tropical River runs directly through the aviary and circles the park, allowing guests to float past an assortment of the Discovery Cove’s beaches, waterfalls, and rainforest landscape. The Tropical River runs adjacent to the park’s heated freshwater resort pool.[4]

Conservation initiatives

In order to become more environmentally-sustainable, Busch Entertainment and Discovery Cove have made many efforts to become “green” by eliminating polystyrene foam and petrochemical-based plastic tableware and experimenting with biodegradable food wares.[5] Discovery Cove plans to construct their food-service containers and tableware from materials that are organic and biodegradable, including bamboo, vegetable-based starches, corn, and sugar-cane fiber.[5]

Admission

All-inclusive Discovery Cove admission is all-inclusive, including food, drinks, equipment rentals, and a ticket to either SeaWorld Orlando or Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. Three different admission options are offered by the park, including the dolphin-swim, non-dolphin-swim, and “Trainer for a Day” packages. Reservations for Discovery Cove are required, and a maximum of 1000 guests can be present in the park at any one time.[2] Admission to the park includes all you can eat or drink at the restaurants and snack bars, including alcoholic beverages. The park recently launched a program called "Twilight Discovery" that also includes a gourmet dinner and drinks. Entrée selections include salmon, mahi mahi, jambalaya, hamburgers, chicken fingers, pasta and roasted chicken, along with an assortment of sandwiches, salads, and desserts.[1] All guests that enter Discovery Cove receive snorkeling equipment, which includes use of a mask and either a wetsuit or vest, as well as a snorkel that they get to keep.[1] Lockers, towels, sunscreen, and beach chairs are also included in admission to the park.[1] Private cabanas located throughout the park are also available for rent.[4]

Animal inventory

Atlantic & Pacific Bottlenose Dolphins Akai (M), Aries (M), Astra (F), CJ (M), Capricorn (M), Catalina (F), Cindy/Goofy (F), Clipper (F), Copper (F), Coral (F), Dexter (M), Diego (M), Dixie (F), Dot (F), Haley (F), Hutch (M), Igy (M), Jenny (F), Kaylee (F), Latoya (F), Lester (M), Liko (M), Luna (F), Marea (F), Maui (F), Naia (F), Natalie (F), Nate (M), Penny (F), Rascal (M), Rose (F), Roxy (F), Sasha (F), Scarlet (F), Schooner (M), Sharkey/Natasha (F), Stella (F), Thelma (F), Tyler (M), Yar (F), Yoko (F), Yoshe (M).


References

  1. ^ a b c d e f http://www.baltimoresun.com/topic/go2-ver3-dcexperience,0,1260236.story
  2. ^ a b c http://www.newsday.com/travel/destinations/florida/ny-orl-discoverycove,0,4239764.story
  3. ^ [1]
  4. ^ a b http://www.discoverycove.com/
  5. ^ a b [2]
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