Page 313 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - USA

ORLANDO & THE SP A CE C O AST  311

Discovery Cove®
eels, barracuda, pufferfish, and VISITORS’ CHECKLIST
sharks, as they walk through a Just across the road from
glass tunnel inside the aquarium. SeaWorld®, Discovery Cove® is Practical Information
There are plenty of activities a quiet revolution in Florida’s 7007 SeaWorld Drive, near the
to entertain the kids too. theme parks. With a capacity of intersection of I-4 & Beachline
Shamu’s Happy Harbour is a only 1,300 guests a day (the car Expressway. Tel (407) 351-3600.
play area for smaller children, park is limited to only 500 cars), Open 9am–8:30pm daily (until
and Dolphin Nursery offers it offers some unique 11pm in summer). & 7 = 0
∑ seaworld.com
children the chance to experiences, such
see calves play with as the oppor- Transport
their mothers. tunity to @ from Orlando.
Wild Arctic is a swim with
thrilling, hi-tech ride Atlantic bottle-
that simulates a heli - Logo of SeaWorld® nose dolphins.
copter flight through Discovery Cove® other’s photographs. Do not
blizzards and avalan ches. Visitors has been conceived as a bring any sunscreen, as the park
arrive at Base Station Wild Arctic, private island. Its five main has its own “fish friendly” one,
created around an old expedition areas are set within beautifully the only brand permitted. The
ship, and see polar bears, harbor landscaped grounds with package price (no child reduc-
seals, walruses, and beluga whales. waterfalls, pools, and niches tions) includes the dolphin
SeaWorld®’s Journey to connected by beaches. Grand experience (children under six
Atlantis®, a water coaster with a Reef abounds with grottoes cannot participate), all equipment,
mythological twist, and Kraken, and a shipwreck, and offers the a free snorkel, a meal, and 14 days’
a winner of the annual Orlando opportunity to swim alongside admission to SeaWorld® or
roller-coaster competition, are threateningly large sharks, Busch Gardens, Tampa Bay.
hot tickets, and usually entail a separated from visitors by a For an additional charge, visit
queue. Manta® is a roller coaster transparent plexi-glass wall. Sea Venture, an under water
that simulates the water and At the Explorer’s Aviary, walking tour of the Grand Reef.
air borne journey of a giant manta guests can feed birds, while the Despite the price, the park is very
ray. The latest addition to warm waters of Wind-Away popular, so book well ahead.
SeaWorld® is Mako®, a 200-ft- River are inviting to swimmers
(61-m-) tall super coaster with and snorkelers who can float Aquatica, SeaWorld®’s
4760 ft (1451 m) of steel track, and lazily past lagoons, a waterfall,
makes for a thrilling ride. Guests and thick rainforest. There is Waterpark™
can experience speeds of up to also an underwater cave. The SeaWorld®’s separate waterpark,
73 mph (117 km/h) on what is Dolphin Lagoon has a Aquatica, successfully captures
described as Orlando’s tallest, 15-minute orientation session, the essence of an aquatic
longest, and fastest roller coaster. followed by 30 minutes of wading paradise – with more than a
and swimming with these dozen attractions from thrill
Tours at SeaWorld® highly intelligent mammals; rides to wave pools. Ihu’s
Breakaway Falls, a more than
you will usually be with eight
The Hubbs–SeaWorld Research other people. The “Trainer for a 80-ft (24-m) tall multi-drop
Institute runs a number of non- Day” session includes more tower ride plummets riders
profit research, rescue, and in-depth interaction and a through a trapdoor into one
rehabilitation projects. It has behind-the-scenes tour. of four high-speed tube slides.
helped thousands of manatees, It’s a good idea to split your There are also wave pools and
dolphins, and whales in difficulty party into two for the dolphin relaxing rivers for those looking
– nursing them back to health. experience, to be able to take each for a more restorative ride.
Those that recover fully are
released into the wild. Several
tours offer a glimpse of this
work. If interested, inquire at
Guest Services.
Exclusive Park Experiences
are also on offer, including the
Behind the Scenes Tour; Marine
Mall Keeper Experience; and a
Family Fun Tour, which combines
animal feed ings, show tickets,
and a meal.
The SEA Garden is a self-
led tour that provides
further facts about countless
SeaWorld® animals. Divers exploring the underwater world at Discovery Cove®

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