Discovery Cove Celebrates 15 Years!
I have had the opportunity to visit Discovery Cove one time. I was there for the grand opening of the Grand Reef in 2011. I wrote all about it on a travel blog that unfortunately, no longer exists. I dream of going back again, next time with my husband and being able to enjoy all that Discovery Cove has to offer. I want to swim with the dolphins! Don’t you?
About Discovery Cove
When the park first opened on July 1, 2000, it was an anomaly in the world of Orlando theme parks: a reservation-only experience limited to approximately 1,000 guests per day. At 15 acres, Discovery Cove opened with three signature experiences: guests could swim with dolphins, snorkel with rays and tropical fish, and hand feed exotic birds. During the last 15 years, the park has flourished in size, earned prestige worldwide for guest service and proved its commitment to conservation and animal care.
Grand Reef photo courtesy of Discovery Cove
Some of Discovery Cove’s Milestones
- Rated the “#1 Amusement Park in the World” in the TripAdvisor® Travelers’ Choice™ awards 2013 & 2014
- Grew to more than 22 acres
- Expanded to include five signature experiences
- Opened The Grand Reef®, which contains more than 10,000 tropical fish and dozens of rays
- Added SeaVenture®, where guests can experience an underwater guided walking tour
- Opened Freshwater Oasis® with playful Asian otters and curious marmoset monkeys
- Witnessed hundreds of significant animal births and hatchings, from dolphins to birds to sharks
- Pioneered the first C-section on a shark
- Hosted thousands of marriage proposals, birthdays, military homecomings, bucket-list wishes, and more
- Participated in conservation initiatives such as Rising Tide, which helps protect reef ecosystems
- According to guest research, more than 90 percent of visitors have a greater commitment to conservation following a day at Discovery Cove
- To learn more about the milestones visit the Discovery Cove 15 years of Discovery page.
Discovery Cove is a one-of-a kind experience where you can swim with bottlenose dolphins, feed tropical birds, play inches from a family of otters, and even walk on the ocean floor—all in one day. To reserve your all-inclusive day at Discovery Cove visit the Discovery Cove website.
