As you guys all know, I was away for a little while enjoying some R & R with my family. One of our stops was Discovery Cove in Orlando Florida. I never intended to post anything about this, because it has absolutely nothing to do with writing, but I really feel like I need to. And I’m even including a few videos to show how amazing our experience was.
This was without a doubt, the most expensive day of may vacation. It was also the best day of my vacation. This is an amazing park.
Now, I must admit that this place is right up my alley. I am a snorkeling junkie. Can’t get enough. Unfortunately, though, snorkeling will never be the same for me. I don’t think anything will be able to top this place.
In an overall review, you pay one price, and you are served a gourmet breakfast, gourmet lunch, unlimited drinks, snack and adult beverages. The drinks were strong, and the food was awesome. No one had any complaints there.
We upgraded and got a dolphin swim experience, but you can go to the park just for the snorkeling, Lazy River, and aviary and you will easily fill up your day.
The Aviary: AWESOME. Birds are friendly and beautiful.
The “not so Lazy River”: This is what my husband called it. There is hardly any current, so you have to swim it, and it’s very long. It is made to look like the Amazon river or something. You cannot tell you are in a man-made river. You go through the aviary for about ten minutes, and the birds are flying around, and animals are walking by you. In some places the river is ten feet deep or so, and it can take over an hour to get around the entire thing. Beautiful.
Dolphin Swim: Very cool being up close and personal with a dolphin. My only gripe was that when you grabbed the fin, and the dolphin took you for a ride, is was only for about ten seconds. I wish it was longer.
The big tamale: The Snorkeling.
You cannot imagine how good this was. I am an avid snorkeler. I can stare and swim with fish for hours. Luckily for me, my son has inherited this love, and we hung out together all day while the little ones sat on the beach digging in the sand.
Here are a few pics of the snorkeling.
The first one, we had no idea what we were stepping in to. I didn’t even have my snorkel on, and my oldest son (The Monomaniacal Middle Grade Reviewer) started screaming. I see what he is screaming about from above the water, since is was shallow in the walk-in point. I just shoved my camera under the water and pressed record. This is what I got. This stingray is about ten feet across.
You can hear me saying “Oh my God” from above the water.
Later, I caught up with one sleeping, and I put my foot down in front of it to give you some perspective of how dern big these things are.
Two Giant Black spotted Stingrays swam right beneath me. Awe-inspiring
Here is a view of the wonderful (not) weather we had. The fish didn’t mind. Also, a wave hello from myself and the MMGR from under water. You can see the rain from underwater, which is kind of cool. It’s another world down there.
Oh, also… it’s hard to tell, but most of these fish are a foot long or larger.
This was an incredible experience. If you ever have the opportunity, I would highly recommend it. This was an experience my family will never forget. Unfortunately, snorkeling anywhere else will pale in comparison.
Jennifer M Eaton 
My family and I just got back from visiting and I found your post. We had the best time! Great experience for the price but unfortunately only some of us from our family went because of the cost. I’d do it again!!! (and because of your post, I can show the experience to my family without it being glorified with fancy equipment)
The title of your blog, however, was what made me read your post. I was concerned with what you had to say considering we loved it so much. Glad to know it didn’t “ruin” your love for snorkeling!!!
Ha! No… But going out into the ocean will pale in comparison to that. Glad you had fun!
Scuba diving is truly magical. So, so magical…
I love being under the water. It’s another world.
Looks fantastic… My son is addicted to diving now. He swims with sharks most days. Not sure it’s my cup of tea, but hmm..
http://sharkviews.blogspot.com.au/2012/05/one-minute-in-is-as-close-as-you-ever.html
If you are ever in this part of the world, I am sure he would introduce you to his sharks. They are Grey Nurse Sharks, not dangerous, but endangered.
Great blog Jennifer, Thanks for having me as a guest.
Tomorrow, 30th June. Exiled Autumn’s Peril is FREE on Amazon for one day to celebrate an EOYFS. If anyone enjoys Sci fi Fantasy, please grab a copy. Again, Thanks Jennifer.
http://www.amazon.com/Exiled-Autumns-Chronicles-Caleath-ebook/dp/B005JU9840/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1314862370&sr=1-1
I would LOVE to go scuba diving in your neck of the woods. That would be awesome!
Hi Jennifer,
Hey, if you ever get the chance, we’ll arrange it.
Ps… Don’t know what happened with the link to my book. Feel free to delete the comment. I can’t find an edit button to delete it myself. Sorry. What a mess.
Wow! This was one thing I really wanted to do on our Florida vacation last year, but time wasn’t on our side. I think we need to go back just for Discovery Cove. We’re lucky we live in an area where snorkeling is fabulous year-round, but we don’t see ten foot stingrays. Or swim with dolphins. Sea lions, yes, dolphins, nope. Now, to convince the guys we need to go to Florida…
Thanks for the cool videos. The rain one is fun. I suppose it doesn’t matter if it’s raining since you’re already wet. 🙂
The rain wasn’t a problem. The cold was, though. We were freezing… and the water was cold too. It wouldn’t have been bad if you could get out and warm up.
Welcome back! Thanks for the videos — I enjoyed watching…
Thanks!
Beautiful! … thanks for the videos.
Thanks so much. The video doesn’t do it justice.
Completely awesome! Thank you so much for sharing with us. And about posting…I don’t think writers should only post about writing. Sometimes other writers AND readers might just want to know some personal things about you. Or maybe something funny you saw. I think blogs are for sharing in lots of ways, and I LOVED this one.
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it
I agree with emaginette above — the “non” writing posts are nice to see, too. It sounds like a great vacation and a great source of writing ideas and prompts. 🙂
Omigosh… it makes you want to create an undersea world, I swear!
This may not have been about writing, but I am SO glad you shared these videos and experience with us! I’ve never been snorkeling (this is when you go just under the surface of the water, right?) because I have a fear of both drowning AND suffocating…although I have always envied those who were able to experience swimming with beautiful underwater creatures.
Thanks so much for posting these. 🙂
You can actually see a lot just by standing int he water. The first video with the big one I was hardly up to my hips in water.
To me writing is about reaction and that is what you shared. Your reaction to excellent event. Thanks for sharing. I really enjoyed it. 🙂
Discovery Cove has been on my bucket list for a long time. I’ll have to save my money and go. Amazing. Thanks for sharing!
Skip the dolphis swim. You can watch other people do it from the shore. To me, that part was not worth the extra expense (times five people)
disney used to have something like this, but it did not last long. the water was always freezing because it seems that’s the temp that those particular fish lived in. also, it seems that all the sunblock and other things that were on peoples’ skin were contaminating the water, and the environment was not good for the sea life.
The water WAS freezing. Well, 74 degrees sure felt cold. They gave us scuba suits when we got there. They helped a little. Also, they provided sunscreen that was animal friendly so there wasn’t any contamination of the water. They said the sunscreen was a sample, but just one did my entire family for that day, and all the rest of our vacation. I have four of the “samples” left over.
Wow… I live maybe two hours away from Disney and I’ve never been to Discovery Cove. I think I need to go there now. Thank you.
It is worth the drive.
Wow! That looks so incredible. It is a snorkeling paradise. Glad you had fun. Thanks for sharing the great footage.
Thank you!