Discovery Cove is an all inclusive day resort (seriously, everything is included) that limits the number of guests per day to 1300 so there are never large crowds or long lines! Plus babies and toddlers under two get in free, so we spent a whole day at discovery cove with a baby and had a blast.
When visiting Orlando your mind first goes to the many AMAZING theme parks. The most forgotten theme park though may just be the best one there is! I had never heard of Discovery Cove until I was planning my husband and I’s 5th anniversary experience and I was looking for places where we could swim with dolphins.
I found Discovery Cove and knew we had to visit!
We debated whether or not to bring our 8 month old, Roman, with us but in the end we decided we wanted to share the experience with our water loving kiddo. Here’s how it went, what we learned and tips for your visit to Discovery Cove with a baby or toddler.
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What to Bring to Discovery Cove:
One of the best parts about Discovery Cove is that it is truly all inclusive. There are only a few items you’ll need to bring from home to supplement what they provide. I brought a few of our baby travel essentials to cover what isn’t provided for infants.
- ID and Confirmation Number: You’ll need these to check into the resort for the day.
- Swimsuit and Cover-up
- Shoes and water shoes if you want them.
- A Change of Clothes for the drive home.
- Phone
- GoPro or Underwater Camera if you have one.
- Sunglasses which can only be worn in animal free waterways.
- Hairbrush
- Money for Souvenirs if you want them
- Swim Diapers
- Baby Food and Formula if you need it for your kiddo.
What is included at Discovery Cove?
So that your mind is put at ease and you know you aren’t forgetting things, here is what is included at discovery cove.
- Food and Beverages (including alcohol)
- Sunscreen
- Towels
- Wetsuits or Vests
- Snorkeling gear
- Lockers
- Showers including shampoo & conditioner
- Hair dryers
- Strollers (and wheelchairs) with large sand wheels
- Parking
What NOT to Bring to Discovery Cove:
And finally a few things you’re better off leaving at home.
- Outside food and drink. Seriously it’s all included, there are even allergy friendly options.The only thing you may need to bring in is baby specific food like infant snacks and formula
- Sunscreen, they provide animal and reef safe sunscreen and ask that you do not use your own.
- Infant Flotation Devices, infant life jackets are provided and no separate flotation devices are allowed in the Grand Reef area.
- Jewelry is better left at home. You will be asked to remove all jewelry and keep it in your locker. Keep it safe and skip this step by leaving all your jewelry at home or in your hotel room.
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- What to Bring into Universal Studio’s Orlando
- Peach and Sunflower Picking at Southern Hill Farms Outside Orlando
Free Things to do at Discovery Cove
Everything that is included in Discovery Cove general admission listed below is open to all ages with no restrictions!
Eat: All food, snacks and drinks are included in your visit to discovery cove. Make sure you arrive at opening in the morning to take advantage of breakfast before the waterways open. Then stop at one of several snack stations throughout the park anytime you get hungry to snag some chips, pretzels, cookies, slushies and more. Lunch times are assigned during check in and there are SO. MANY. Options. To choose from.
The Grand Reef is included in every admission and this is where you get to swim with fish and sting rays. This was our favorite spot to swim because it was just so cool to be snorkeling with schools of fish and turn to see a giant ray glide past. The water is a little chilly, especially when you first get in, at 76 degrees all year round. But once you start swimming you warm up quickly.
Explorer’s Aviary is a set of three habitats where you can feed birds from your hand. The birds will often hop on your hand or shoulder to eat the food you offer them. The earlier you go in the day the more hungry they will be so they’ll be more likely to come up to you.
The Wind Away River is a lazy river and they provide floats to hold onto as you float around and relax. The depth changes throughout with a max depth of 8 feet.
Serenity Bay is warmer than the grand reef and has no animals in it. It connects to the lazy river in most areas which makes it easy to go between the two. This is a great place to relax in the water since it is warmer. There is a cave you can swim through and it has zero entry so it is perfect for young kids.
Beaches are free and although they are fake beaches the sand is soft and fun to play in. There are even sand toys available upon request. If you want to relax and read a book or take a nap in the sun there are plenty of lounge chairs and umbrellas available for everyone to use.
Kid and Baby Friendly Features at Discovery Cove
Zero Entry
All the water areas are zero entry which is perfect for young kids that like playing in the water. My eight month old loves the water and sat playing in the shallow end while I sat next to him the entire 30 minutes my husband was doing the dolphin experience.
The best part is that several fish and rays swim in the shallow area of the Grand Reef so being in the shallows doesn’t mean you’re missing anything.
Animal ID Cards
In each of the animal enclosures there are ID cards that the kids (and adults) can use to learn the names and facts about different fish and birds. This is a great learning experience for the kids. It is really fun to see how many different species you can spot too!
Inclusive Sizes
Discovery Cove provides everyone with wetsuits and life vests to wear for the day including infants! The smallest size of wetsuit vest fit my eight month old nearly perfectly and he’s on the small side for his age. Then at each life vest station you can ask an employee for an infant life vest
Discovery Cove Add-ons and Age Restrictions
The most popular add on is the dolphin swim. Kids have to be six and older to swim with the dolphins. However that doesn’t mean that if you come with younger kids or babies that you cannot participate. Discovery Cove can split your group into two and put you in back to back groups for the dolphin swim. Then everyone gets to be with the dolphins but the baby is cared for the whole time.
My husband went first while I took pictures from land and watched Roman. Then I went in the group right after. We both enjoyed the dolphin experience a lot.
Another add on that requires kids to be six or older is the animal trek. Here you get to meet several birds and animals in a 30 minute tour. Or you can join the flamingo mingle and feed flamingos first thing in the morning.
If you have kids that are 10 and older then you can look at additional add ons like swimming with sharks or SeaVenture where you wear a dive helmet and walk along the “ocean floor”.
There are even more fun attractions and upgrades that you can look into and consider, just check out the Discovery Cove website for full details!
Sun Protection
If you’re bringing a baby to the beach a big concern is sun protection and that should be no different for the man made beaches of discovery cove.
Find Shade
There are lots of trees and large plants in many areas but to be honest they do not provide a lot of shade. However, Discovery Cove does have many umbrellas that can be used to protect your baby’s delicate skin from the sun. All the eating areas are shaded and there are umbrellas spread out around many of the loungers on the beach.
Wear the Right Gear
Your next best protection from the sun is actually the swimwear you dress your kiddo in. I recommend rash guard swimsuits that cover the majority of their body and hats to protect their heads and faces. Hats cannot be worn in the water areas with animals but they can be worn throughout the rest of the park.
Sunscreen
Finally, don’t forget the sunscreen. Discovery Cove provides sunscreen specifically that is safe for the animals and requests that you do not use your own. Sunscreen should be applied liberally and frequently to avoid any damage to the skin from the sun.
Good Things to Know Before You Visit
Is food included at discovery cove?
Yes! Breakfast and lunch are included and provided buffet style at the laguna grill. Thanks to assigned lunch times and multiple lines there is never a long wait. Plus you can eat all you want! I loved the pulled pork sandwich for lunch.
There are also snack kiosks with slushies, pretzels, chips and more located throughout the park that are open all day long!
Do I need to make any reservations for discovery cove?
Yes, when you book your ticket online you will pick a day that you will be visiting. This is your reservation and at the same time you should include any add ons or upgrades that you want for the day like a cabana or the dolphin experience.
How much does Discovery Cove cost?
The cost for Discovery Cove varies depending on the day you visit and the upgrades that you choose. The base rate starts at $174 for a day pass or $200 for the dolphin package. Then prices go up from there based on what you add on. However, you can find cheaper prices when they run specials or by being flexible on the day you visit.
Plus, all Florida residents save 20% when you book! You just have to provide proof of Florida residency at check in.
Is parking free at discovery cove?
Yes! Parking is included in the all inclusive price at Discovery Cove.
Can babies go to discovery cove?
Absolutely! Hopefully this post has shown you that visiting Discovery Cove with a baby is doable and still very enjoyable.
It may require a little bit of adjustment but Discovery Cove is very accommodating for all ages of guests and help make visiting with a baby fun and even somehow still relaxing.
Does Discovery Cove allow strollers?
Yup, strollers are allowed in Discovery Cove. We brought ours in with no issues, it is hard to push them through the sand though. I later learned that you can ask for a beach stroller with big wheels that go over sand better when you’re checking in.
It is another amazing free service included with your admission. So you can leave your stroller in the car or at home and use theirs all day. A huge plus is this means no sand in your trunk!
What marine life is at Discovery Cove? Are there sharks?
There are several thousand tropical fish and rays that live at Discovery Cove. All the sting rays have their barbs clipped so you cannot get stung and they are perfectly safe to swim with.
There are also dolphins and sharks that you can interact with during special guided packages. There are no sharks in the free swim areas.
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Can you touch fish and sting rays?
You can touch the rays softly on the back as they swim by. However you should not touch the fish as this could injure them. There are employees in the water that are there to make sure guests are following the rules for the protection of the animals.
They can also offer questions you may have and are very knowledgeable about the species that live in the Grand Reef.
Is the water at Discovery Cove cold?
The water in the Grand Reef and the dolphin enclosures is 76 degrees. This feels a little chilly when you first get in. If you’ve ever been to a Florida spring it is the same temperature as those.
However, once you are in and start moving around it really feels comfortable to be in. It is a little chilly especially for babies though. He didn’t mind being in the water but we did not keep our son in for very long. We were careful to dry Roman off completely when we were done in the grand reef and changed him into dry clothes for lunch.
Serenity Bay and the lazy river on the other hand are heated and kept at a much warmer temperature. They felt good to get in and we never got cold. I was comfortable letting Roman stay in the water longer here. As soon as we were done in the water though we quickly changed him into dry clothes again to make sure he didn’t get cold.
Do you have to wear the wetsuit and use the snorkel?
All guests must wear a wetsuit or wet vest while swimming in the park. Any time you are walking around or eating you do not have to be wearing them. However for simplicity’s sake we wore ours all day long.
You do not have to use a snorkel if you don’t want to. They are provided for free and all the goggles are thoroughly sanitized between each use. In fact the snorkels are never reused so you are free to take them home with you if you’d like.
Can you bring an underwater camera?
Yes, feel free to bring your GoPros or other underwater cameras to capture the beauty of the wildlife in the Grand Reef. No cameras are allowed in the dolphin experience however.
Are there lifeguards?
Yes! There are lifeguards at each water feature.
Can you have a floaty?
In the grand reef no floaties are allowed but there are provided life jackets that anyone can use. In serenity bay and the lazy river there are floaties provided that are similar to pool noodles. You don’t need to bring in your own floaties.
Is Discovery Cove crowded?
No! One of the best parts about Discovery Cove is that the number of visitors per day is limited to 1300, even before COVID. This basically guarantees no large crowds or long lines. There was never a time that we couldn’t find a chair when we needed one or felt crowded.
Baby Specific Tips for Discovery Cove
- infant life jackets are available upon request, just ask an employee.
- Sand toys are also available upon request.
- The salt water areas like the grand reef and dolphin areas are a little chilly, the lazy river and serenity bay are warmer and easier for babies to swim in longer.
- Upon checking in you can request a sand stroller with large wheels that is much easier to deal with on the sand.
- If your baby is of food eating age, while they don’t specifically provide baby food there is lots of fruit that they can enjoy.
- For nap time we changed Roman into dry clothes and let him sleep in the stroller. His naps were not as good as at home but they held him over for the day.
Practical Information for Orlando, FL
Find accommodation, sign up for a local tour, or buy your Orlando Travel Guide.
A Day at Discovery Cove with a Baby
We loved every second of our day at Discovery Cove and were especially happy to share those memories with our young son. Visiting Discovery Cove with a baby was low stress and enjoyable. Although our visit looked a little different than it would have been pre-baby, the family time was invaluable.
I do think it would have been fun to visit with another set of adults, maybe grandparents, aunts and uncles or friends so that my husband and I could have enjoyed the dolphin swim and snorkeling together. Next time we may try that!
Let me know if you have any other questions or concerns that I can address.
