Discovery Cove

Discovery Cove is a unique theme park in Orlando where guests have the opportunity to get up and close with dolphins! Not only that, but you can also take a snorkel in the 2.5 acre reef with rays, sharks and tropical fish! If that's too active for you, you can have a float along the lazy river or feed tropical birds in the Aviary. There's no doubt that this all-inclusive park is an experience like no-other! With guests limited to 1,300 per day, it's a welcomed oasis of calm away from the hustle and bustle of DisneyWorld and other theme parks in Orlando!

Check in for the park starts at 7.15am, so we got there at about 7.30 where we got our passes and booked our swimming time. It's definitely worth getting there early as the queue for registration was relatively small but can get quite long and you don't want to waste any time, that you could be spending in the park.

The package includes breakfast, so after checking in, saving ourselves some sun loungers and getting some wetsuits, snorkels and masks we went over to the cafe where we had a buffet breakfast of bacon, eggs, sausages and cereal. It definitely worth doing all this first, but keep reading for all my handy tips!

Next we went for our dolphin swim which was AMAZING! After watching a safety demonstration we made our way to the pool. The trainers were really interactive and told us lots about the animals and how to keep them protected. Everyone had their turn swimming with and petting the dolphins. It was EPIC!

But the fun didn't end there! The park also has an "Explorer's Aviary" where you can feed tropical birds, a "Fresh Water Oasis" where you can float along a smooth running river alongside sea otters. Not only that, but you can also swim amongst Sting Rays and Sharks in "The Grand Reef".

If that wasn't enough, the park has all the drinks and snacks you could possibly want, AND you get to keep the snorkel!

So, what are my top tips for visiting Discovery Cove I hear you ask?

1. Get up and get to the park early - I know, I know, getting up early whilst on holiday is HORRIBLE. But it's soooo worth it when you can turn up and get through registration and security before the queue gets really long! Plus you can always have a snooze in the sun when you get there!

2. Once you're through the gates, as tempting as it is to follow the bacon smell to the breakfast buffet, take your stuff and find a locker and lounger that's in a convenient location, these fill up fast and I did see some people sitting on towels on the grass.

3. Next get yourself a wetsuit, snorkel and mask. It's important you get there early so you can find a wetsuit that's the right size. If you wear glasses, they have a limited number of prescription snorkelling masks available but again you want to get those as soon as possible so they don't run out!

4. When you register in the morning they'll offer you a time slot for your dolphin swim (assuming you've booked one - you can also book a package without a dolphin swim if you don't fancy it). It's worth booking your slot early in the morning as you really don't want to miss it and this way you can enjoy the rest of your day without having to clock watch!

5. Now the whole dolphin swim photo thing can get a little complicated...There's no doubt you'll want some amazing photos from your experience to take away with you. They have professional photographers to take some shots of your dolphin swim. If you have members of your party that don't want to swim, or young children who aren't allowed to take part, you can book a "baby swap" so everyone can have a go, but there's still someone to look after the kids! They let you all get together at the end to take a group photo anyway. We were advised to pick a "baby swap" so that half of us could take pictures of the other half and vice versa but this turned out to be a bad idea as our photos were rubbish due to the lighting and we ended up paying double for the professional photos in the end as we had to buy two sets...so my advice would be just to splash out and pay for the professional photographs which you can receive both on a disk and as online downloads. It's definitely a day you want to remember!

6. It's worth visiting the Aviary in the morning. In the afternoon, the birds get really full up and are less likely to land on your hand.

7. They don't let you wear your own suncream in the park as some of the chemicals in the cream can be harmful for the dolphins, so don't put any cream on before you get there. They have special sun cream stations throughout the park so you can stay safe in the sun when you get there.

8. Although the park will tell you they close at 5pm, this is only the pools and restaurants. You can still have a shop and a shower after 5pm, so use the time before to make the most of your time in the park! Having said that, it's worth getting to the showers just before 5 because the queues get really big!

Most important of all though: ENJOY IT. The park has a really relaxing, calm atmosphere which makes a great break from the stress behind theme park holidays in Orlando. Make the most of your time in the park and relax!