Orlando without the mouse: Coasters, dolphins, Harry and more!
- Thread starter anierodzik
- Start date
anierodzik
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2009
(Sorry it has been so long for this final installment- sometimes life gets in the way. 
It's Discovery Cove Day! This was our last day of our vacation, and it was a great one. Following the theme of our trip, we didn't tell the kids where we were going, but we did tell them to start out in their swimsuits, so they assumed we were heading to Aquatica. When we pulled into Discovery Cove, they were SO excited. Our hotel had been running ad spots all week in the breakfast area, so the kids knew what it was. It had told them it was too expensive, so they weren't expecting it. (We used our Super Grover passes to get the Passholder special, so our day cost $179 a person, I think. Save for it. It's worth it!)
We headed for checkin, which was done very well and was very organized. They took our pictures for the ids, then we went to find out where our cabana was. (We had booked the Celebration Package with a Cabana). They suggested we eat our breakfast first, so we headed out for some yummy food.
After a week or so of the same breakfast at the hotel, we welcomed the variety.
We headed back to the front where the concierge led us to our cabana. On the way we stopped and picked up our wetsuits/ vests. Because we were going to a cabana, they took us to a station that was not open to the general public yet, and it was a smooth and quick process. We headed over to the cabana which was on the Grand Reef. There was a locker, refridge, table and chairs, and loungers. It was literally on the beach.
Here is my daughter standing on the edge of the cabana "patio".
Anyway, after we put on our gear, we headed out into the Grand Reef to snorkel. My husband has been, but none of the rest of us have. The water was SO clear, and it was amazing!
We used our new underwater camera. I say "we", but actually Bug took all the pictures. He is our family photographer, and he loved the experience- he's pretty good for a 9 year old. The water was clear and warm, and we all loved it here, swimming through the fish, over the shark tanks, and around the rays.
Next we headed over to walk through the aviary. If it is important to you to feed the birds, get there first. They were already well fed by the time we got there, so they weren't interested in eating, but they were absolutely amazing! The variety of the birds was great.
There was a male peacock who decided we did not need to pass. We all waited patiently while he strutted his stuff, blocking the path.
It was getting close to our dolphin swim time, so we headed over to our "training" cabana where they gave us the rundown. T ran back to the cabana to leave our camera in the locker. You cannot take cameras in the dolphin pool.
Our family of 5 was put with a family of 4, and we headed out to the dolphin area. It was an incredible experience. Our dolphin's name was Dixie, and she was the dominant female in the pool, so she had to leave from time to time to make sure everything was okay in her world. We kissed Dixie,
and we all went for a ride
Then they took our family over to the side, and from across the pool here comes Dixie, carrying a buoy to celebrate our vacation. I arranged the surprise as part of the Celebration package, and it was so worth it! The buoy now hangs on the wall over a large print of us standing with Dixie.
Because I had booked the premium cabana package, in addition to the cabana and special delivery of the buoy (and cabana attendant who made sure we had everything we needed), we also got a Tshirt, a backpack (which I take with us to the water parks), a nice picture frame, and 25% off the most expensive picture package, which I did take save for and take advantage of. It included the poster I mentioned before, prints, a DVD of our interaction, keychains, and a photo CD. Would I buy this package again? Probably not. Am I glad I got it this time? Absolutely!
After our dolphin swim, we no longer had to watch the clock. That is an advantage of the early morning dolphin swim, I guess. Ours was later (11:00), I think to schedule for the buoy delivery. It was nice to no longer watch the clock. Our next stop was lunch, which was great! They had a steel drum band playing, which my musical children thoroughly enjoyed. The food was really good. I had jambalaya, but I'm afraid I don't remember what everyone else had. After lunch we headed to the lazy river. Make sure you pick up some swim noodles off the beach before you go. The river is deep and very very lazy (slow). We took our underwater camera,
but we did not take our snorkel gear. As our cabana attendant put it "no fish, just feet." Since we had already gone through the aviary, we did not exit to see the birds again (there were several places you could do that).
There were many places for photoops,
Bug really like the waterfalls!
Remember that there are photographers all around the park. They take a picture of your id (try to make sure it is the same person's each time, it makes it easier to get all of your pictures together at the end of the day.) One of our favorite pictures was taken at the waterfall on the lazy river.
After the lazy river we spent the rest of the day in the Grand Reef and in our cabana. On the way back to our little "home away from home" we stopped by the slushy machines. Actually, we stopped by those a lot- the kids really like them! The reef was a bit cloudier, but it was still great. We relaxed
and enjoyed being together and being at Discovery Cove. During this time I walked over to the photo place to pick up our package. I recommend doing this before the end of the day because there were long lines then. But you also need to make sure you have gotten all the photographer pictures that you want taken, so don't go too early either.
We stayed until they closed. The locker rooms/ changing facilities were nice, clean, and well maintained. I think the only crowds we encountered all day were when Lill-E and I went into the women's locker room at the end of the day. (And we were there on Memorial Day weekend.) It was an absolutely amazing end to our vacation, and we would definately do it again.
Thank you for following along on our trip of a lifetime. I'm happy to answer any questions you might have- it was just the best, and I want to pass on what we learned to other people.
It's Discovery Cove Day! This was our last day of our vacation, and it was a great one. Following the theme of our trip, we didn't tell the kids where we were going, but we did tell them to start out in their swimsuits, so they assumed we were heading to Aquatica. When we pulled into Discovery Cove, they were SO excited. Our hotel had been running ad spots all week in the breakfast area, so the kids knew what it was. It had told them it was too expensive, so they weren't expecting it. (We used our Super Grover passes to get the Passholder special, so our day cost $179 a person, I think. Save for it. It's worth it!)
We headed for checkin, which was done very well and was very organized. They took our pictures for the ids, then we went to find out where our cabana was. (We had booked the Celebration Package with a Cabana). They suggested we eat our breakfast first, so we headed out for some yummy food.
After a week or so of the same breakfast at the hotel, we welcomed the variety.
We headed back to the front where the concierge led us to our cabana. On the way we stopped and picked up our wetsuits/ vests. Because we were going to a cabana, they took us to a station that was not open to the general public yet, and it was a smooth and quick process. We headed over to the cabana which was on the Grand Reef. There was a locker, refridge, table and chairs, and loungers. It was literally on the beach.
Here is my daughter standing on the edge of the cabana "patio".
Anyway, after we put on our gear, we headed out into the Grand Reef to snorkel. My husband has been, but none of the rest of us have. The water was SO clear, and it was amazing!
We used our new underwater camera. I say "we", but actually Bug took all the pictures. He is our family photographer, and he loved the experience- he's pretty good for a 9 year old. The water was clear and warm, and we all loved it here, swimming through the fish, over the shark tanks, and around the rays.
Next we headed over to walk through the aviary. If it is important to you to feed the birds, get there first. They were already well fed by the time we got there, so they weren't interested in eating, but they were absolutely amazing! The variety of the birds was great.
There was a male peacock who decided we did not need to pass. We all waited patiently while he strutted his stuff, blocking the path.
It was getting close to our dolphin swim time, so we headed over to our "training" cabana where they gave us the rundown. T ran back to the cabana to leave our camera in the locker. You cannot take cameras in the dolphin pool.
Our family of 5 was put with a family of 4, and we headed out to the dolphin area. It was an incredible experience. Our dolphin's name was Dixie, and she was the dominant female in the pool, so she had to leave from time to time to make sure everything was okay in her world. We kissed Dixie,
and we all went for a ride
Then they took our family over to the side, and from across the pool here comes Dixie, carrying a buoy to celebrate our vacation. I arranged the surprise as part of the Celebration package, and it was so worth it! The buoy now hangs on the wall over a large print of us standing with Dixie.
Because I had booked the premium cabana package, in addition to the cabana and special delivery of the buoy (and cabana attendant who made sure we had everything we needed), we also got a Tshirt, a backpack (which I take with us to the water parks), a nice picture frame, and 25% off the most expensive picture package, which I did take save for and take advantage of. It included the poster I mentioned before, prints, a DVD of our interaction, keychains, and a photo CD. Would I buy this package again? Probably not. Am I glad I got it this time? Absolutely!
After our dolphin swim, we no longer had to watch the clock. That is an advantage of the early morning dolphin swim, I guess. Ours was later (11:00), I think to schedule for the buoy delivery. It was nice to no longer watch the clock. Our next stop was lunch, which was great! They had a steel drum band playing, which my musical children thoroughly enjoyed. The food was really good. I had jambalaya, but I'm afraid I don't remember what everyone else had. After lunch we headed to the lazy river. Make sure you pick up some swim noodles off the beach before you go. The river is deep and very very lazy (slow). We took our underwater camera,
but we did not take our snorkel gear. As our cabana attendant put it "no fish, just feet." Since we had already gone through the aviary, we did not exit to see the birds again (there were several places you could do that).
There were many places for photoops,
Bug really like the waterfalls!
Remember that there are photographers all around the park. They take a picture of your id (try to make sure it is the same person's each time, it makes it easier to get all of your pictures together at the end of the day.) One of our favorite pictures was taken at the waterfall on the lazy river.
After the lazy river we spent the rest of the day in the Grand Reef and in our cabana. On the way back to our little "home away from home" we stopped by the slushy machines. Actually, we stopped by those a lot- the kids really like them! The reef was a bit cloudier, but it was still great. We relaxed
We stayed until they closed. The locker rooms/ changing facilities were nice, clean, and well maintained. I think the only crowds we encountered all day were when Lill-E and I went into the women's locker room at the end of the day. (And we were there on Memorial Day weekend.) It was an absolutely amazing end to our vacation, and we would definately do it again.
Thank you for following along on our trip of a lifetime. I'm happy to answer any questions you might have- it was just the best, and I want to pass on what we learned to other people.
anierodzik
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2009
What a wonderful day at DC!! Your whole vacation sounds fun and relaxing!! Thanks for letting us in on all the other things we can do in and around Orlando. Perfectly planned to go to the the front of the line!!
Thank you for following along! We were just remembering our trip, and everyone agrees it was one of the best family vacations we have taken.
anierodzik
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2009
Yippee! Just booked 2 nights at PBH for our anniversary. Hubby and I will be headed down later this month for a quick Universal only trip. We upgraded our Universal tickets to Annual Passes in may, and I used an APH discount, so it should cost a bit less...
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