If you have kids and are looking to have one great vacation...

[DiamondDave]

I got back from vacation just this weekend. We ended up doing the non-typical Orlando vacation. No freakin' Disney. I took my kids to this place run by Sea World called Discovery Cove. It costs an arm and a leg, but damn if it is not worth it for swimming with Dolphins, Sting Rays, all kids of wild wish, etc.

And as you'll see in the pic I'll attach, those dolphins are pretty damn swift. About all I saw during this ride was a wall of water in front of my face. But what a freakin' rush.

[Rufio181]

I was watching that on the Travel Channel. You get up and close with all sorts of creatures and from what I heard, its really competitive to get a spot.

[General]

The guy in the water looks like Kevin Costner.


Are you Kevin Costner, Dave?

[DiamondDave]

I had to book about a month and a half ahead of time... they only let in 1000 people maximum per day...

And they have 2 packages.. one is the basic, which is still expensive, that has a Dolphin swim, allows you to walk around and do snorkling etc, with lots of free time... one is the "Trainer for a Day" (which I did with the kids)... you get 2 sessions with the Dolphins, a lot of behind the scenes stuff, feeding sharks, and a whole bunch of educational and closer interactive stuff. But not as much free wandering time.... IMHO paying the extra was well worth it

[DiamondDave]

The guy in the water looks like Kevin Costner.


Are you Kevin Costner, Dave?

I like baseball, and have about the same amount of grey hairs probably... but that is about where the similarities end...

[brewersfan19]

Where is discovery cove? I have never heard of it? Sounds like a place me and the wife would like to take our boy...

[Lynch]

Dave, when you say expensive, can I ask what sort of numbers you are talking about? The reason I ask is because I really want to take the kids to Orlando within the next year (or two at most hopefully) for a vacation. Yeah, we'll do the Disney stuff of course, but the biggest reason I want to go is Sea World. I've been down there a couple of times, and Sea World is the best ****ing thing in FL (other than the view(s) on Daytona Beach during spring break )

Anyway, I'm curious for the sake of this sounds/looks cool. I heard about it from some other forum/website but it didn't go into much detail other than "this place rocks".

If you want, you can PM it to me. I just checked out some of the videos on the site. THis place looks absolutely cool as hell!

[brewersfan19]

I love Sea World too. I also would like to go to Universal.... My wife is a huge Disney fan and I like it too, but I would love to go to those 2 parks and I am assuming that Discovery Cove is in Orlando also...

[DiamondDave]

brew

Yep... it is Orlando... right across the street from Sea World

We also did Universal and Universal's Islands of Adventure... pretty worthwhile.. but at Islands of Adventure, kids about 8 and under (54" or shorter) cannot get on the best 2 rides

[MarinersFan87]

Been there a while ago, pretty cool.

Where'd you stay?

[DiamondDave]

Timeshare in Kissimee

[777rak]

I had to book about a month and a half ahead of time... they only let in 1000 people maximum per day...

And they have 2 packages.. one is the basic, which is still expensive, that has a Dolphin swim, allows you to walk around and do snorkling etc, with lots of free time... one is the "Trainer for a Day" (which I did with the kids)... you get 2 sessions with the Dolphins, a lot of behind the scenes stuff, feeding sharks, and a whole bunch of educational and closer interactive stuff. But not as much free wandering time.... IMHO paying the extra was well worth it

My mom got me that for my birthday this year. Ridding on a dolphin was an awesome expierence!!

[brewersfan19]

Thanks for the information Diamond Dave, I appreciate it!!!!!!!!!