DixieDolphin
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2008
So, I meant to post this earlier but between a slammed week at work and insanity in preparation for my apartment move next week, I hadn't had the opportunity.
Last Sunday, I did the Discovery Cove thing again. I hadn't been since I quit working there in around 2004, so I'd really been jonesing to go back.
This is, I believe, my seventh trip as a guest (not counting all the days I spent there working) to Discovery Cove and my fourth time doing their dolphin swim. So, naturally I knew what to expect. Thus, most of my observations revolved around the /differences/ between this trip and my last one in 2004.
I pulled up at about 7:45am and the line to check in was minimal, with only perhaps four people ahead of me. The check-in process is more or less exactly as it was years ago, with no hassle at all. One thing I did notice and was very happy to see was that they now have a small plastic card with a map of the park on it attached to your ID lanyard. It's an /excellent/ idea and I'm glad they finally did something like that! A minor detail, but they also changed the lanyards from the simple black whistle-cords to a nicer nylon ribbon with the DC logo on it.
Entering the park, the entrance walk experience was notably different. In years past, they had the swim gear folks out here to hand out the snorkel bags along the walkway. They also had the photog folks earlier along the trail to take your complimentary picture, too. Then you would stop at the wooden bridge and wait for your guide to do the backwards walking thing.
This time, however, there was nobody along the trail till the bridge. They took the comp photo after the bridge, then grouped up for the guide. The swim gear folks were nowhere to be found, which gave me pause at first. But, it turns out that now the swim gear folks are set up at each individual locker station to distribute gear bags & wetsuits. Ahh, good idea DC!
Interestingly, the gear bags no longer contained a towel (not a problem, since all the bathrooms are fully stocked with warm, fresh ones). Not so nice, however, was the low-quality snorkel and mask in the bag. While the cheap snorkel is not a big deal (after all, they're giving them away every day!), the cheap mask was disappointing. I can only imagine that they had to switch from the high-quality masks (like one would find in a dive shop) to the cheap toy-like masks (like one finds at wal-mart) due to people stealing them. When I was last there, the masks were nice quality ScubaPro models with neoprene strap covers to prevent hair tangling in the silicon straps. Now, they're the cheap crap you can pick up for ten bucks at walmart. Booo!
But, as I said, I imagine that has a LOT to do with people stealing the masks. Contrary to something I saw posted here earlier, guests are NOT supposed to take home any of the equipment except the snorkel. Not the mask, not the mesh bag, not the towels, and not the wetsuits. Just the snorkel.
For me, though, I brought my own mask & snorkel anyway. So, eh.
At any rate, one thing that definitely remained the same, however, was the AWESOME service. Everyone was extremely friendly and all the staff were top notch as always. Big kudos to DC there!
I noticed a sign near the blue bridge which advertised a Horticultural Tour and a Let's Talk Training Tour. Unfortunately, I didn't have the time to take either tour and didn't get the chance to inquire whether they were free or not. But this is definitely something I would recommend someone asking about!
On to the rest, though..
Free continental breakfast was a great addition to the park! I indulged myself with a couple of pastries, some yoghurt, and a banana. They also offered cereal and some other goodies & fruit. Nice basic selection.
Started off the day after that with some snorkeling in the Tropical Reef. I noticed they removed the "Tide Pool" area, which had some live corals and more delicate reef fish. I imagine it was removed to keep kids from playing in it (and the birds from eating the smaller fish). I also noticed that there were far fewer of the Atlantic Spadefish, which I guess might be because they are aggressive biters.
The eagle rays are huge now, though! Seriously, HUGE! Apparently their largest is now over 180lbs, wow.
I had an early dolphin swim at Sand Dollar. My interaction was with Natalie, who has a 9 month old calf named Iggie. The calf is still mostly untrained and dependent upon his mother, so he spent a good portion of the time hanging out near her. On multiple occasions, he came up and nudged me with his rostrum. However, we were not to reinforce that behavior, so I ignored him. (Although, it was still cute!) Natalie was a real sweetheart of a dolphin, too. She was very attentive to her calf, keeping an eye on him whenever he strayed off any distance. It was pretty neat to watch their interaction so close-up.
(That's Iggie in front!)
Had lunch #1 after the swim. It's worth noting that the menu listed online and commonly referenced here ( http://www.wdisneyw.co.uk/dcmenu2.html ) is completely out of date. No more fajitas, no more tropical stir fry. =( For round one, I tried their Pasta Primavera. It was very basic & vegetarian. Penne pasta with a scoop of pesto and a pile of their mixed veggies. The mixed veggies were very tasty (especially the little cocktail onions, which were very flavorful!), but the dish itself was nothing special. I had a slice of key lime pie with it, which was (in the opinion of a self-described key lime pie connoisseur) extremely sub-par. It was more like key-lime cheesecake, with a strange texture and no bite at all. I decided to come back later and try something else (because the change to ALL free food is AWESOME!)
Got back into the water and spent a couple of nice, lazy laps around the river. I just LOVE that river. The theming is so beautiful and I LOVE all the underwater scenery. I wish Aquatica had put this much beauty into their lazy rivers! Spent some time in the aviary, fed some birds took some photos (which I haven't had time to download just yet). Maybe it's because I spent about 80% of my time in the aviary when I worked there, but it doesn't thrill me all that much. So I really didn't spend much time at all in there, comparatively.
I did spend a whole lot of time in the Reef and Ray Pool, though. It was just a total blast as always!
Went back at 2:30pm for Lunch #2 (as Laguna Grill closes at 3PM). This time, I had the roasted chicken. This was MUCH better than the pasta. It was a big chunk of herbed & roasted chicken, plopped on a bed of red-skinned mashed potatoes, with a spoonful of some sort of savory sauce and a big helping of the mixed veggies (the same ones they put on the pasta). I also asked them for a scoop of their roasted potatoes (herbed and tasty!) on the side. This was a great selection, which I heartily enjoyed. I tried their red velvet cake for desert, but was still unimpressed. It was MUCH better than the key lime pie, but really still rather lacking. I have noticed that Sea World just doesn't do a great job when it comes to deserts. They're usually generic, bland, and the same in every restaurant.
Back out to enjoy another round or two in the water, with a quick stop at one of the snack bars to grab a cup of frozen lemonade (again, this free food deal is MUCH nicer than the old way!)
At about 4:30pm, the daily rainstorm started building on the horizon. So I called it a day and scurried over to get photos & such taken care of before the massive rush started at 5pm.
Ahh, the photo operation. My old job! Let me tell you, this operation is SO much better than it was when I worked there! YES, they finally combined dolphin photo & stingray/aviary! YES, they finally tossed Freeze Frame out!
The photo building is now where Stingray/Aviary Photo was (the old Dolphin Photo booth is now Guest Services, where they sell $20 mask / snorkel combos. =P ). The entire building has been revamped and expanded from when I worked there. There are about four times as many employees now, too. The entire operation is well run and smoothly functioning, unlike the mass chaos it was before. Big KUDOS! to them for getting their act together on this. From start to finish, it only took about ten minutes to select, order, pay, and receive my photos. And that's including canceling & re-ringing up my order to include my SW annual passholder discount (YES! We get a discount on photos!) It was QUICK, QUICK, QUICK! Plus, rather than wait in line at Reception for your comp photo, you get it at this location. Just be sure to ask for it, as my attendant needed reminding.
The prices listed online somewhere (they've been posted often) are accurate and DO include any photos from the aviary, stingray pool, or waterfall area. Apparently they ALSO give you a 4x6 print and two wallets complimentary (possibly because I bought a package?), although their reason was not explained to me. But I saw several folks also getting them.
Then it was off for a quick shower and change, then to buy a nice hat for myself (I've wanted one of those white canvas panama jack DC hats they have there for years). I walked out of the park at about 5:30 or so. And the rain hit just as I exited Reception. Good timing, if I do say so myself!
Anyway, so there it is. Another AWESOME day at Discovery Cove. Man, how I love that place! Hopefully there won't be such a huge gap between now and the next time I visit as. =D
More photos here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jadewolf/sets/72157605633763393/
Last Sunday, I did the Discovery Cove thing again. I hadn't been since I quit working there in around 2004, so I'd really been jonesing to go back.
This is, I believe, my seventh trip as a guest (not counting all the days I spent there working) to Discovery Cove and my fourth time doing their dolphin swim. So, naturally I knew what to expect. Thus, most of my observations revolved around the /differences/ between this trip and my last one in 2004.
I pulled up at about 7:45am and the line to check in was minimal, with only perhaps four people ahead of me. The check-in process is more or less exactly as it was years ago, with no hassle at all. One thing I did notice and was very happy to see was that they now have a small plastic card with a map of the park on it attached to your ID lanyard. It's an /excellent/ idea and I'm glad they finally did something like that! A minor detail, but they also changed the lanyards from the simple black whistle-cords to a nicer nylon ribbon with the DC logo on it.
Entering the park, the entrance walk experience was notably different. In years past, they had the swim gear folks out here to hand out the snorkel bags along the walkway. They also had the photog folks earlier along the trail to take your complimentary picture, too. Then you would stop at the wooden bridge and wait for your guide to do the backwards walking thing.
This time, however, there was nobody along the trail till the bridge. They took the comp photo after the bridge, then grouped up for the guide. The swim gear folks were nowhere to be found, which gave me pause at first. But, it turns out that now the swim gear folks are set up at each individual locker station to distribute gear bags & wetsuits. Ahh, good idea DC!
Interestingly, the gear bags no longer contained a towel (not a problem, since all the bathrooms are fully stocked with warm, fresh ones). Not so nice, however, was the low-quality snorkel and mask in the bag. While the cheap snorkel is not a big deal (after all, they're giving them away every day!), the cheap mask was disappointing. I can only imagine that they had to switch from the high-quality masks (like one would find in a dive shop) to the cheap toy-like masks (like one finds at wal-mart) due to people stealing them. When I was last there, the masks were nice quality ScubaPro models with neoprene strap covers to prevent hair tangling in the silicon straps. Now, they're the cheap crap you can pick up for ten bucks at walmart. Booo!
But, as I said, I imagine that has a LOT to do with people stealing the masks. Contrary to something I saw posted here earlier, guests are NOT supposed to take home any of the equipment except the snorkel. Not the mask, not the mesh bag, not the towels, and not the wetsuits. Just the snorkel.
For me, though, I brought my own mask & snorkel anyway. So, eh.
At any rate, one thing that definitely remained the same, however, was the AWESOME service. Everyone was extremely friendly and all the staff were top notch as always. Big kudos to DC there!
I noticed a sign near the blue bridge which advertised a Horticultural Tour and a Let's Talk Training Tour. Unfortunately, I didn't have the time to take either tour and didn't get the chance to inquire whether they were free or not. But this is definitely something I would recommend someone asking about!
On to the rest, though..
Free continental breakfast was a great addition to the park! I indulged myself with a couple of pastries, some yoghurt, and a banana. They also offered cereal and some other goodies & fruit. Nice basic selection.
Started off the day after that with some snorkeling in the Tropical Reef. I noticed they removed the "Tide Pool" area, which had some live corals and more delicate reef fish. I imagine it was removed to keep kids from playing in it (and the birds from eating the smaller fish). I also noticed that there were far fewer of the Atlantic Spadefish, which I guess might be because they are aggressive biters.
The eagle rays are huge now, though! Seriously, HUGE! Apparently their largest is now over 180lbs, wow.
I had an early dolphin swim at Sand Dollar. My interaction was with Natalie, who has a 9 month old calf named Iggie. The calf is still mostly untrained and dependent upon his mother, so he spent a good portion of the time hanging out near her. On multiple occasions, he came up and nudged me with his rostrum. However, we were not to reinforce that behavior, so I ignored him. (Although, it was still cute!) Natalie was a real sweetheart of a dolphin, too. She was very attentive to her calf, keeping an eye on him whenever he strayed off any distance. It was pretty neat to watch their interaction so close-up.
(That's Iggie in front!)
Had lunch #1 after the swim. It's worth noting that the menu listed online and commonly referenced here ( http://www.wdisneyw.co.uk/dcmenu2.html ) is completely out of date. No more fajitas, no more tropical stir fry. =( For round one, I tried their Pasta Primavera. It was very basic & vegetarian. Penne pasta with a scoop of pesto and a pile of their mixed veggies. The mixed veggies were very tasty (especially the little cocktail onions, which were very flavorful!), but the dish itself was nothing special. I had a slice of key lime pie with it, which was (in the opinion of a self-described key lime pie connoisseur) extremely sub-par. It was more like key-lime cheesecake, with a strange texture and no bite at all. I decided to come back later and try something else (because the change to ALL free food is AWESOME!)
Got back into the water and spent a couple of nice, lazy laps around the river. I just LOVE that river. The theming is so beautiful and I LOVE all the underwater scenery. I wish Aquatica had put this much beauty into their lazy rivers! Spent some time in the aviary, fed some birds took some photos (which I haven't had time to download just yet). Maybe it's because I spent about 80% of my time in the aviary when I worked there, but it doesn't thrill me all that much. So I really didn't spend much time at all in there, comparatively.
I did spend a whole lot of time in the Reef and Ray Pool, though. It was just a total blast as always!
Went back at 2:30pm for Lunch #2 (as Laguna Grill closes at 3PM). This time, I had the roasted chicken. This was MUCH better than the pasta. It was a big chunk of herbed & roasted chicken, plopped on a bed of red-skinned mashed potatoes, with a spoonful of some sort of savory sauce and a big helping of the mixed veggies (the same ones they put on the pasta). I also asked them for a scoop of their roasted potatoes (herbed and tasty!) on the side. This was a great selection, which I heartily enjoyed. I tried their red velvet cake for desert, but was still unimpressed. It was MUCH better than the key lime pie, but really still rather lacking. I have noticed that Sea World just doesn't do a great job when it comes to deserts. They're usually generic, bland, and the same in every restaurant.
Back out to enjoy another round or two in the water, with a quick stop at one of the snack bars to grab a cup of frozen lemonade (again, this free food deal is MUCH nicer than the old way!)
At about 4:30pm, the daily rainstorm started building on the horizon. So I called it a day and scurried over to get photos & such taken care of before the massive rush started at 5pm.
Ahh, the photo operation. My old job! Let me tell you, this operation is SO much better than it was when I worked there! YES, they finally combined dolphin photo & stingray/aviary! YES, they finally tossed Freeze Frame out!
The photo building is now where Stingray/Aviary Photo was (the old Dolphin Photo booth is now Guest Services, where they sell $20 mask / snorkel combos. =P ). The entire building has been revamped and expanded from when I worked there. There are about four times as many employees now, too. The entire operation is well run and smoothly functioning, unlike the mass chaos it was before. Big KUDOS! to them for getting their act together on this. From start to finish, it only took about ten minutes to select, order, pay, and receive my photos. And that's including canceling & re-ringing up my order to include my SW annual passholder discount (YES! We get a discount on photos!) It was QUICK, QUICK, QUICK! Plus, rather than wait in line at Reception for your comp photo, you get it at this location. Just be sure to ask for it, as my attendant needed reminding.
The prices listed online somewhere (they've been posted often) are accurate and DO include any photos from the aviary, stingray pool, or waterfall area. Apparently they ALSO give you a 4x6 print and two wallets complimentary (possibly because I bought a package?), although their reason was not explained to me. But I saw several folks also getting them.
Then it was off for a quick shower and change, then to buy a nice hat for myself (I've wanted one of those white canvas panama jack DC hats they have there for years). I walked out of the park at about 5:30 or so. And the rain hit just as I exited Reception. Good timing, if I do say so myself!
Anyway, so there it is. Another AWESOME day at Discovery Cove. Man, how I love that place! Hopefully there won't be such a huge gap between now and the next time I visit as. =D
More photos here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jadewolf/sets/72157605633763393/
Wow that sounded like agreat trip.We have been wanting togo there so bad.Times are tight wright now,its gonna have to wate.But love the TR..
Animals bite, that's what they do. Besides, I've been bit and kicked by enough horses not to let it faze me. 
My 17 y.o. nephew is even doing the Trainer for A Day.
Maybe we can go next year though as she'll be 7 y.o. 
