Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
304
Note:
Private cabana rentals (tucked away amidst the foliage for additional privacy) are
available for an additional fee.
One other option is Discovery Cove's
Trainer for a Day Ticket,
which, for $489,
allows guests 6 and older to also have a dolphin-training encounter, participate in guided
snorkeling tours, feed fish, and interact with other critters, including rays. A paying adult
must accompany guests ages 6 to 12. The ticket also includes a 14-consecutive-day
admission to either SeaWorld or Busch Gardens.
You can drive to Discovery Cove by following the earlier directions to SeaWorld, and
then following the signs to the park. Unlike other parks, Discovery Cove doesn't have a
parking charge. For up-to-the-minute information, call
&
877/434-7268,
or on the
Internet go to
www.discoverycove.com
.
If you're headed for this adventure, I recommend making a reservation far, far in
advance. With the limited number of guests admitted and the number of people who
want a chance to swim with the fishes (okay . . . mammals), this park gets booked very
quickly.
Note:
There is an ever-so-small chance of getting in as a walk-up customer. The
park reserves a small number of tickets daily for folks whose earlier dolphin sessions were
canceled due to bad weather. The best chance for last-minute guests comes during any
extended period of good weather.
AQUATICA: SEAWORLD'S WATERPARK
Touted as a whimsical one-of-a-kind water park,
Aquatica,
5800 Water Play Way (off
International Dr., near the entrance to the Beachline Expwy.;
&
888/800-5447;
www.
aquaticabyseaworld.com), is an innovative family-oriented addition to the World of
Discovery family of parks that combines the up-close encounters and eco-edutainment
of SeaWorld and Discovery Cove (though on a much smaller scale) with water rides
ranging from serene to extreme. Across Aquatica's 56 tropically landscaped acres (a sig-
nature of SeaWorld's parks), amidst a colorful South Seas-inspired setting, are 36 slides
and rides (each very unique), six winding rivers, hidden grottos and lagoons, and
stretches of white sandy beaches that seem like they go on for miles. Setting this park
apart, aside from its innovative experiences, are its animal inhabitants—calling Aquatica
park home are Commerson's dolphins (found in the exhibit near the Dolphin Plunge
near the park's entrance), giant anteaters, brilliantly colored birds (among other critters)
that travel throughout the park (expect to see them only sporadically throughout the
day), and thousands of exotic fish (swimming about in the Fish Grotto).
GETTING TO AQUATICA BY CAR
By car, from I-4, take exit 75A/Hwy. 435 S., and
follow the signs to the parking lot. Parking is $12 for cars, light trucks, and vans; pre-
ferred parking (spots closest to the entrance) is $20.
TICKET PRICES
Admission is $44.95 for adults, $38.95 for kids 3 to 9. You can rent
single strollers ($10), double strollers ($15), wheelchairs ($10), ECVs ($38), lockers
($8-$10), and beach towels ($4, with a $2 refundable deposit); life vests are available at
no charge throughout the park. Private cabanas run $99 for up to four people, $30 for
each additional person up to a maximum of 7.
In addition to the admission prices above, Aquatica is part of the multiday
FlexTicket
that includes admission to SeaWorld, Universal Orlando, and Busch Gardens in Tampa
(see p. 264 for more information). Combination tickets including admission to both
Aquatica and SeaWorld are also available ($99.95 for adults, $89.95 for kids ages 3-9).
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