Discovery Cove

NEW Florida Resident Staycation Offer at SeaWorld Orlando

12 March 2020 by Chris Ryan Leave a Comment

EDITED TO ADD: SeaWorld and all area theme parks are closed for the remainder of March due to Coronavirus concerns, so this ticket offer is no longer available. Stay tuned for further updates about local area theme parks.

SeaWorld Orlando announced today that their Florida residents can take advantage of a very special offer this weekend!

Starting today, March 12, SeaWorld Orlando Parks are offering Florida Residents a staycation promotion! Florida Residents can save up to 60% on SeaWorld tickets as low as $49.99, Aquatica tickets as low as $34.99, and a SeaWorld/Aquatica 2 park ticket for only $59.99.

The promotion starts today, March 12th, and ends March 16th – better act fast to score those deals! The promotion comes just in time for the Seven Seas Food Festival, ongoing at the park through March and April.

The nearby Discovery Cove will be participating in the offer as well, offering Florida Residents a 40% discount if they book their reservation by March 16 and visit by May 20, 2020.

For more info and to take advantage of this deal, click here. Or to score even more, and visit Discovery Cove too, click here for more information on that deal.

Central Florida Theme Park News – March 3, 2014

3 February 2014 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

I decided I’d try something new here in addition to opinion and review posts: a news update with all of the things that have happened in the past week or so, to have everything all in one place. So if you missed anything in Central Florida & Theme Park and Resort News, here you go!

Disney Parks let us in on a well-kept secret – that there will be another Disney 24 hour day in both the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World and Disneyland, on May 23 from 6am – May 24 at 6am. They also want you to come dressed up as your favorite character as they celebrate Heroes and Villains and hope guests will “Rock their Disney Side.” And, they are also giving away a coast-to-coast trip to the 24 Hour Day:

To enter, just tweet how you plan to “Rock” your Disney Side all season long, tagged with #DisneySideSweepsEntry. If you win, get ready to enjoy a coast-to-coast, 7-day/6-night Disney Parks vacation for 4—with back-to-back stays at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida followed by the Disneyland Resort in California, where you can enjoy the Rock Your Disney Side: 24-Hours event… live and in person! You can find out more, plus the official rules at DisneyParks.com.

140 character hashtag — 140 Character Hashtag – Make sure you look for Mike Wazowski, blocked again! Photo ©Disney

In a galaxy far far away, we got some Star Wars Weekends news:

In order to convince more guests to join the Rebellion, a 5th weekend is now being added to Star WarsWeekends 2014. The new event dates are every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from May 16-June 15, 2014. The theme for this year’s event is, appropriately, “Join the Rebellion.” Official Star Wars Weekends dates are as follows:

Weekend I: May 16 – 18, 2014
Weekend II: May 23 – 25, 2014
Weekend III: May 30 – June 1, 2014
Weekend IV: June 6 – 8, 2014
Weekend V: June 13 – 15, 2014

There will also now be a nightly fireworks display rather than the Hyperspace Hoopla. More info on Star Wars Weekends here.

An all-new runDisney event, the Avengers Half Marathon was announced for Disneyland, November 14-16, 2014. Registration will begin at noon on March 25, so suit up!

Major changes were announced for the Magic Kingdom’s hub at Walt Disney World. While I was initially very worried about how this would look (and I’m still not really happy about the former Swan Boat landing looking inaccessible now?) it does look as though this new plan will fit into the existing layout and offer benefits as well. According to the Disney Parks Blog:

We’re adding several new elements to the area, including sculpted gardens, additional pathways, expanded restaurant seating and even a special viewing area for fireworks and other performances.

Here’s a flyover video of the changes to come:

…Busch Gardens Tampa Bay was excited to announce the Official Opening Date for Falcon’s Fury: May 1, 2014. Not sure what Falcon’s Fury will look like? Here’s a sneak peek:

GULP. In other Busch Gardens news – Guests can take advantage of an unprecedented offer and receive an Adventure Island Fun Card FREE with the purchase of a Busch Gardens Tampa Fun Card. This new, limited-time offer let’s guests enjoy unlimited thrills at Busch Gardens and the water-soaked fun of Adventure Island for $92 for adults and $87 for children (ages 3-9) with no blackout dates.

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SeaWorld is offering Residents within a 50-mile radius of Discovery Cove a chance to win a lawn makeover from the Discovery Cove landscape team. Qualifying residents can enter through the Discovery Cove Facebook page by submitting a photo of their front lawn and a short description sharing why they should win the lawn makeover.

The contest runs in three phases and you can find out more at the Discover Cove Facebook link above.

Ihu's Breakaway Falls Dropping May 9 at Aquatica Orlando

In other SeaWorld news: their Ihu’s Breakaway Falls – the tallest, steepest and only multi-drop tower slide of its kind in the southern United States – opens at Aquatica, SeaWorld’s Waterpark May 9.

At nearly 80 feet tall, Ihu’s Breakaway Falls is where thrill seekers face their fears and each other. After stepping into one of three clear “breakaway boxes,” they’ll watch each other fall one-by-one as the floor underneath them disappears. They’ll never know who’s going to breakaway first – and the anticipation of who drops next is part of the wild ride!

Fun Facts:

At nearly 80 feet tall, Ihu’s Breakaway Falls has the tallest and steepest 360-degree spirals in the southern United States.

Those who dare to brave Ihu’s Breakaway Falls will experience an almost vertical drop for nearly 40 feet, the steepest in the southern United States.

Ihu’s Breakaway Falls is the longest water thrill slide of its kind featuring three “breakaway boxes” and four completely different slide paths. Once the floor disappears, riders will drop 20-24 feet per second.

Both SeaWorld and Busch Gardens are now offering a special $50 Weekday Ticket, on sale for only 50 days, good for a single weekday admission to either park, now through May 5, 2014, including spring break.

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Finally, in local resort news, the Hyatt Grand Cypress wants you to party like it’s 1984 with this special offer:

30th Anniversary Celebration Offer

Now through Dec. 21, 2014 (reservations are subject to availability and must be made in advance) Rate & Offer: $198.40 per night, plus $30 food and beverage credit

Special offer code: RTRO

Note: The food and beverage credit is for use during your to stay to enjoy the resort’s award-winning restaurants including Cascade American Bistro, Hemingway’s, or the On the Rocks pool bar.

I recently got a chance to stay at the Hyatt Grand Cypress and was really impressed with how much their was to do and how lovely the accommodations were. I’ll have a full write-up soon!

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That’s it for the past week – stories to watch for this week are: the premier of the new Festival of Fantasy Parade, which we’ll be covering on March 9th when it travels down the parade route at the Magic Kingdom for the first time. Some Legoland Florida news that fans of the old Cypress Gardens park will enjoy. And of course, more news, photos and food reviews as the 21st Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival officially opens on March 5! Thanks for reading and for your support of Zannaland.com

10 Reasons You MUST Visit SeaWorld’s Discovery Cove

23 July 2012 by Suzannah Otis 3 Comments

I first visited Discovery Cove when they were building their Grand Reef area over a year ago. Before that, I must admit, I thought it was just a place to swim with dolphins and that was it. BOY, was I mistaken. Even before the Grand Reef expansion, there was so much to do at Discovery Cove, it really is a hidden oasis tucked into lush, tropical landscaping where you can escape the hustle and bustle of the local area theme parks and do something we all could do more – relax!

I was shocked to learn some of the details of Discovery Cove back then, and of course, since that time, the Grand Reef is now open and offers amazing salt water snorkeling experiences, and the new Freshwater Oasis is open, where you can swim next to otters and marmosets. I figured if I was so in the dark about exactly what Discovery Cove has to offer, some of you might be too.

I’ve put together a list of 10 reasons why you need to put this on your must-do list and make it a part of your next Orlando vacation:

10. Swim With Dolphins – When I thought Discovery Cove, I thought dolphin interaction – but what exactly does that mean? Here guests can swim with an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin during a 30-minute interactive adventure. Accompanied by a trainer, groups of six to eight guests wade into shallow water and become acquainted with their dolphin through hugs, kisses and rubdowns. Then, taking the adventure one step further, guests interact with their dolphin in deeper water for an exciting dorsal fin tow ride back to shore. Guests must be at least 6 years old for the dolphin swim experience.

Dolphin Interaction at Discovery Cove — Dolphin interaction ©SeaWorld

9. Swim Among Rays and Tropical Fish – Such detail was put into the planning and creation of the Grand Reef, and it recreates some of the most famous tropical canyons around the world. I stepped in for the first time recently, and was amazed to see gigantic (like, almost Fiat-sized) rays floating right by my feet. Other tropical fish are also swimming about and you can check them all out with your snorkel and mask. There is an area to see Lion Fish behind glass and more to explore within the reef.

8. SeaVenture Underwater Walking Tour – is an underwater walking tour where guests, wearing dive helmets, find up-close encounters with sharks (safely behind massive panoramic windows), one-on-one touches with unique animals and schools of fish and gentle rays.

7.Wind Away River – I also explored this for the first time last week and was pleasantly surprised at the experience. You hear “lazy river” and you think floating around passively in an inner tube for a spell. Wind Away River is so much more. You float or swim through caves, under waterfalls, through areas with a huge water depth, see fallen artifacts under the clear water, float through an aviary and more. It is truly an adventure and I loved it.

6. Freshwater Oasis – This newly opened area is an alternative to the chilly salt water in the Grand Reef. Here the clear waters contain no fish, you can float around or snorkel just to explore the various rocky structures in the Oasis. There is a fun area in the center called Monkey Island, where marmosets make their home and you can watch them eat and play in their natural habitat. The other section is a cave area where Asian small-clawed river otters play behind glass. You can view them as they dive under water, eat clams, or even sleep. Another area provides a shallow place to sit in a floating chair and just soak in the wonderful tropical atmosphere around you. Check out my video below:

5. White Sand Beaches – Each of the water-filled adventure areas are surrounded by beautiful white sand beaches. You can relax in a lounge chair, and watch the water around you. Guests can claim their own spot among the tall shady umbrellas, lazy hammocks, sunning lounges and beach chairs. Buckets and sand toys are sprinkled along the beach for kids to enjoy. (All amenities are included with admission.)

4. Aviary and Animal Appearances – I loved the aviary when we visited. The sheer number and type of birds is overwhelming. You can feel them right out of your hand, or just walk through and gaze at the colorful birds around you. Also throughout Discovery Cove are SeaWorld animal care experts with various animals for you to meet and even pet. We saw a tortoise, sloth, marmoset and kinkajou just in the couple of hours we were there.

3. Attendance is Limited to 1000 Guests – I love this aspect of Discovery Cove. You leave the crowds behind and feel truly at ease and stress-free when you enter Discovery Cove. The area is big enough that you will never feel cramped for space or fighting for a good spot. It’s heavenly!

2. Food is Included – Yes – you read that right. Your admission for the day includes meals and snacks! You are given an ID badge when you check in and you simply need to show it at the snack areas or restaurant to enjoy unlimited access to a fantastic selection of food and drink all day long. A full, hot breakfast is served at Laguna Grill until 10:30 a.m., followed by lunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. From familiar fare to chef specials, all dishes are prepared with fresh ingredients and incorporate healthy elements, with daily seafood selections, salad options, and vegetarian dishes available. Snack stations throughout the park provide all-day service, and offer everything from yogurt and soft pretzels to fruit smoothies and gourmet coffees. Ice-cold beverages, including bottled water, juices, sodas, wine and beer are also offered all day. Talk about stress-free!

1. Your Ticket Includes 14 Days at SeaWorld or Aquatica – The biggest concern with Discovery Cove is admission cost. But as you can see above, your ticket includes SO much value. In addition, you are given passes to come back to SeaWorld or Aquatica – the water park next door, for 14 consecutive days – before or after your visit to Discovery Cove! Also included in your Discovery Cove day is: All swim gear (mask, snorkel, and swim vest or wetsuit), towel, locker, sunscreen and other amenities, all day self-parking, a complimentary photo portrait of guest and their party upon entry t0 park.

Have I convinced you yet?? I know I cannot wait to bring my whole family back to enjoy a full day of memory-making adventures. Due to the exclusive nature and 1000-guest limit at Discovery Cove, advance reservations are required.

Reservations and information are available by visiting DiscoveryCove.com or by calling 1-877-434- 7268. *Prices vary seasonally.

I was provided complimentary entry for myself to experience the new Freshwater Oasis, but all my opinions and excitement are my own.

Meet Otters And Swim Trails at Freshwater Oasis Now Open at Discovery Cove

29 June 2012 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

Remember the huge expansion Discovery Cove unveiled last year across from Sea World Orlando? They are now adding another new area – Freshwater Oasis.

Now open at Discovery Cove in Orlando is Freshwater Oasis, an all-new attraction featuring wading adventures and face-to-face encounters with playful otters and curious marmosets.

Designed with a rainforest canopy above and sparkling-clear springs below, Freshwater Oasis is a natural fit within Discovery Cove’s tropical atmosphere. Guests can relax, explore and swim in the water-filled trails. No matter where they turn, guests will find endless discoveries.

Freshwater Oasis is included with admission to Discovery Cove, an all-inclusive tropical day resort where guests can swim with dolphins, snorkel with colorful fish and rays, hand-feed exotic birds and relax on pristine beaches, plus enjoy unlimited admission for 14 days to sister parks SeaWorld and Aquatica in Orlando.

Limited to approximately 1,000 guests per day, Discovery Cove requires advance reservations which can be made at DiscoveryCove.com or by calling 1-877-434-7268. Seasonal rates for Discovery Cove’s Dolphin Swim Day Resort Package start at $229 (rates for Day Resort Package without dolphin swim experience and guests ages 3-5 start at $149).

To learn more about Freshwater Oasis, visit DiscoveryCove.com.

SeaWorld Just For Kids Weekends, Valentines Packages and More!

21 January 2012 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

SeaWorld knows how to keep little ones entertained and with the recent announcement of the PreSchool Pass getting kids under 5 in for free, along with the Just for Kids concerts below, there is no reason not to check out the park’s offerings.

We were recently invited to check out the Lazytown concert, which I loved because my two older kids grew up watching Lazytown. The show itself was a fun little overview of what Lazytown is all about – getting kids to eat healthy; “sports candy” or fruit and veggies vs. junk food, and exercise vs. sitting around. The show was preceded by an amazing troupe of Chinese hula hoop acrobats, a juggler and a visit from an alpaca named Bob. The kids in the audience loved the show and were very enthusiastic about the performances.

Concerts are included with park admission, with show times at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. at SeaWorld’s Nautilus Theater. Guests will need to pick up concert tickets across from Nautilus Theater in order to attend the shows. Tickets will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis starting at 9 a.m. each event day.

In addition to the concerts, SeaWorld offers kids dance parties over by the Spice Mill restaurant waterfront at Shamu’s Party Zone. There kids can show their moves with SeaWorld characters, pose for photos, and partake in paid activities like face-painting and sand art, all while bubbles flow overhead. The best part about “Just for Kids” days is the concerts and dance party are included for FREE with park admission. No extra ticket price or add-ons! On event days, parents can rent strollers at half-price, and the following items are free for kids with each paid adult: all-day dining deal and free Penguins Up-close, Dolphins Up-close or Behind-the-Scenes tours.

The concert lineup includes:

Saturday, January 21 Max & Ruby’s Musical Playdate

Celebrate the universal nature of sibling relationships in Max & Ruby’s Musical Playdate. Max & Ruby never quite want the same thing and their plans always collide – with hilarious results. Featuring upbeat and original songs, this playdate is sure to have the whole audience singing and hopping along!

Saturday, January 28 Doodlebops’ Musical Playdate

Get movin’ and groovin’ with the Doodlebops, a real favorite of all kids. Rock stars DeeDee, Rooney and Moe sing their favorite songs, tell their wackiest jokes and show off their funkiest dance moves.

Saturday, February 4 Choo-Choo Soul with Genevieve

Starring Genevieve Goings, Choo-Choo Soul allows parents to enjoy the same music their kids do. Featuring soulful and current renditions of the ABC’s, 1-2-3’s, and learning how to be polite, Choo-Choo Soul is a diverse and incredibly hip duo, teaching children through music on an animated train.

And, “Just For Kids” has even more fun in store!

Elmo and Abby’s Treasure Hunt
Sesame Street’s Abby Cadabby and her friends Elmo, Cookie Monster, Rosita and Grover are off on a treasure hunt—and all kids are invited to come along! This 25-minute show will get everyone laughing and cheering along at SeaPort Theater.

Breakfast with Elmo and Friends
Elmo and his Sesame Street friends will perform a short song and dance number and then visit every table for an up-close meeting at this amazing breakfast buffet. Cost is $29.99 for adults and $24.99 for children ages 3-9. Times are 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. at SeaFire Inn at The Waterfront. This fun-filled breakfast also includes reserved seats at the concert of the day – attending the 8:30 a.m. breakfast includes reserved seats at the 11 a.m. concert, and the 10:30 a.m. breakfast includes reserved seats at the 2 p.m. concert.

And for parents or couples getaways, SeaWorld’s Discovery Cove has just announced some Valentine’s packages for experiencing paradise in Orlando.

Celebration Package $129 – includes a personalized buoy, gift bag, 6×8 photo, photo frame or plush toy, T-shirt, and 25% off the Ultimate photo package
Premium Package $229 – includes everything in Celebration Package plus a private cabana including table and chairs, chaise lounges, rolled towels, stocked refrigerator, and personal locker
Elite Package $449 – includes everything in Premium Package plus a private meet-and-greet with an animal at your cabana, champagne, souvenir toasting flutes, a dozen roses, and chocolate truffles

For more information on how Discovery Cove can create an unforgettable memory for you and your Valentine, visit DiscoveryCove.com or check out SeaWorld’s blog post.

While you’re there, be sure to watch SeaWorld’s first webisode covering Turtle Trek, the amazing 3-D, 360 degree experience coming this Spring to SeaWorld. There is so much to see and do at SeaWorld and Discovery Cove, it’s quickly becoming one of our family’s favorite places in Orlando.

Fun Cards are available at the front gate, online at SeaWorldOrlando.com or by calling 1-888-800-5447. “Just for Kids” event dates, times and artists are subject to change. Performances are included with any daily admission or annual pass. Concert seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Concert dates and artists are subject to change.