Drinks and other random questions for the frugal

[GusGus77]

We decided while in Florida around Labor Day we would splurge and do Discovery Cove plus the park add ons since we have never been. We are on a semi-tight budget for this trip, so I was dismayed when Sea World says no outside food. We often bring in snacks and food in order to avoid buying food in theme parks. Can we bring in water bottles at least? We are concerned with the heat and needing beverages. We primarily drink water as a family and bottled water in the park adds up fast for a family of 4. (One child has a food dye allergy, so no sodas, slushees, etc.)

I did consider getting the food plan so we just didn’t have to worry about it since we would probably eat one meal in the park due to the no outside food rule, but the park is only open from 10-6. (And will we want to eat much with it being hot?) I just can’t see us eating enough food in that short of time to make it worth it and I assume most food places close before the park. (Please feel free to try and convince me otherwise.) I am also concerned with waiting in long food lines and missing out on limited park time. Oh, and if we are carrying water bottles, what can we do with them while on the rides? It looks like, unlike Disney, you can’t have anything with you (bags, etc.) on the rides. So do we serious,t need to throw our drinks away or spend money on a locker for water Bottles? How does this work?

It looks like we can bring in “individual” sized servings of food into Aquatica. So if I put chips from a big bag into small baggies will that be ok? Or an individual sandwich in a baggie?

And not food related, if we do the dolphin swim at Discovery Cove, is there anyway to get pictures without spending a fortune? I really just want a picture of each of my kids with a dolphin just as a remembrance/proof that they did it. I don’t need a fancy picture and money is definitely an issue as we are pushing the wallet going as it is. (DH wasn’t going to do it so he could have taken pictures but now he is going to do it, so that went out the window.)

Thanks!

 

[lyshia04]

We decided while in Florida around Labor Day we would splurge and do Discovery Cove plus the park add ons since we have never been. We are on a semi-tight budget for this trip, so I was dismayed when Sea World says no outside food. We often bring in snacks and food in order to avoid buying food in theme parks. Can we bring in water bottles at least? We are concerned with the heat and needing beverages. We primarily drink water as a family and bottled water in the park adds up fast for a family of 4. (One child has a food dye allergy, so no sodas, slushees, etc.)

I did consider getting the food plan so we just didn’t have to worry about it since we would probably eat one meal in the park due to the no outside food rule, but the park is only open from 10-6. (And will we want to eat much with it being hot?) I just can’t see us eating enough food in that short of time to make it worth it and I assume most food places close before the park. (Please feel free to try and convince me otherwise.) I am also concerned with waiting in long food lines and missing out on limited park time. Oh, and if we are carrying water bottles, what can we do with them while on the rides? It looks like, unlike Disney, you can’t have anything with you (bags, etc.) on the rides. So do we serious,t need to throw our drinks away or spend money on a locker for water Bottles? How does this work?

It looks like we can bring in “individual” sized servings of food into Aquatica. So if I put chips from a big bag into small baggies will that be ok? Or an individual sandwich in a baggie?

And not food related, if we do the dolphin swim at Discovery Cove, is there anyway to get pictures without spending a fortune? I really just want a picture of each of my kids with a dolphin just as a remembrance/proof that they did it. I don’t need a fancy picture and money is definitely an issue as we are pushing the wallet going as it is. (DH wasn’t going to do it so he could have taken pictures but now he is going to do it, so that went out the window.)

Thanks!

If your doing discovery cove it includes your food and beverages. They serve breakfast and lunch. They have two bar areas to get drinks and snacks like chips and goldfish. They had icees sodas, wine, beer all included. It’s a great experience.

 

[GusGus77]

If your doing discovery cove it includes your food and beverages. They serve breakfast and lunch. They have two bar areas to get drinks and snacks like chips and goldfish. They had icees sodas, wine, beer all included. It’s a great experience.

Yes, we know Discovery Cove does, which is one of the things that makes it attractive. But we will be going to SeaWorld as well and that is the one I am concerned about.

 

[nj disney family]

You can definitely bring in water bottles. We left them with the stroller when on rides. They do sell a refillable drink cup for $16 you can refill all day.

 

[GusGus77]

You can definitely bring in water bottles. We left them with the stroller when on rides. They do sell a refillable drink cup for $16 you can refill all day.

Is there something to put the bottle in when you are on the ride vs having to rent a locker for it?

 

[nj disney family]

Unfortunately, I don't know. If everyone was doing something we left everything with the stroller.

 

[CAPSLOCK]

If you are okay splitting your dolphin swim into 2 groups (or one solo and "the rest"), you can take your own photos from the beach. Ask where to stand for the best shots (it will be "behind" the photographer in the water assigned to your group, since they pose the shots toward the photographer). With a decent camera - preferably a zoom lens - you can get great free photos from the beaches or rocks surrounding the lagoon. You just have to ask at check-in for separate dolphin swim times.

 

[GusGus77]

If you are okay splitting your dolphin swim into 2 groups (or one solo and "the rest"), you can take your own photos from the beach. Ask where to stand for the best shots (it will be "behind" the photographer in the water assigned to your group, since they pose the shots toward the photographer). With a decent camera - preferably a zoom lens - you can get great free photos from the beaches or rocks surrounding the lagoon. You just have to ask at check-in for separate dolphin swim times.

We will only have our cell phones for photos. (They aren’t ancient but both about two years old.) So we probably won’t get decent pictures or it is risky?

 

[CAPSLOCK]

They'll be photos from a greater distance. Depends on your phone camera, and what your plan is with the photos. (Print out and frame? Post on facebook?) You can always try, and buy the expensive photo package as a backup if your photos are unsatisfactory. I believe you would buy all your photos with one package, since they also have photographers in the aviary, but you'd want to confirm that.

 

[GusGus77]

They'll be photos from a greater distance. Depends on your phone camera, and what your plan is with the photos. (Print out and frame? Post on facebook?) You can always try, and buy the expensive photo package as a backup if your photos are unsatisfactory. I believe you would buy all your photos with one package, since they also have photographers in the aviary, but you'd want to confirm that.

Thank you for your help!!! I am guessing looking at the picture posting that there are cheaper photo packages available than the $230 and we can buy the package when we get there vs having to order ahead with our tickets.

 

[Capt_BJ]

at SW on July 4, the 'hot rides' we went on had baskets at each seating row for you to leave stuff (suggested not valuable) ... bring a coasie for your water bottle if not 'unique' for identification.

I wore cargo shorts and could stuff pretty much everything in my pockets.

as I recall both AQ and SW have some picnic tables just outside the gate .. you can exit and eat lunch you kept in the car cooler .... and then re-enter . . .

 

[CAPSLOCK]

You can definitely buy while there. I doubt it is even discounted to buy ahead.

 

[bobbie68]

We decided while in Florida around Labor Day we would splurge and do Discovery Cove plus the park add ons since we have never been. We are on a semi-tight budget for this trip, so I was dismayed when Sea World says no outside food. We often bring in snacks and food in order to avoid buying food in theme parks. Can we bring in water bottles at least? We are concerned with the heat and needing beverages. We primarily drink water as a family and bottled water in the park adds up fast for a family of 4. (One child has a food dye allergy, so no sodas, slushees, etc.)

I did consider getting the food plan so we just didn’t have to worry about it since we would probably eat one meal in the park due to the no outside food rule, but the Hi park is only open from 10-6. (And will we want to eat much with it being hot?) I just can’t see us eating enough food in that short of time to make it worth it and I assume most food places close before the park. (Please feel free to try and convince me otherwise.) I am also concerned with waiting in long food lines and missing out on limited park time. Oh, and if we are carrying water bottles, what can we do with them while on the rides? It looks like, unlike Disney, you can’t have anything with you (bags, etc.) on the rides. So do we serious,t need to throw our drinks away or spend money on a locker for water Bottles? How does this work?

It looks like we can bring in “individual” sized servings of food into Aquatica. So if I put chips from a big bag into small baggies will that be ok? Or an individual sandwich in a baggie?

And not food related, if we do the dolphin swim at Discovery Cove, is there anyway to get pictures without spending a fortune? I really just want a picture of each of my kids with a dolphin just as a remembrance/proof that they did it. I don’t need a fancy picture and money is definitely an issue as we are pushing the wallet going as it is. (DH wasn’t going to do it so he could have taken pictures but now he is going to do it, so that went out the window.)

Thanks!

Hi I agree that you can bring a water bottle to fill at the water fountains. We did Discovery Cove a couple of weeks ago and used the 14 day tickets to the other parks. We thought about doing the all-day dining at Sea World but when we got there it was kind of crowded and hot. We decided to leave earlier and have dinner out of the park. We saw the lines for the restaurants an didn't want to waste to much time in those lines and not see the park. We did buy one meal in the park, and we had bought refillable cups at Aquatica a few days before. I can't help you with the water bottles. All of us went on 1 ride and used a locker. The other ride I stayed off, then we just did the shows.

I was going to bring snack size bags into Aquatica but I decided it was not worth trying to weigh out 3 0z each baggie for 4 people. We ate a big breakfast had one meal in the park then left around dinner time and ate off-site. I will tell you I was so glad I didn't have the dining plan there, I would have spent the day in food lines.

We just did the dolphin swim also. I opted to do the photo package for a gift for my DD. I agree with above post that you will have to split up into groups and at different times to get pics. There are no cameras allowed by the beach so the pics will be far away and may not be that clear. This is due to the dolphin's safety.

The food and snacks at DC are great!!!!

You will enjoy it !!! Have a great time.

 

[CAPSLOCK]

There are no cameras allowed by the beach so the pics will be far away and may not be that clear. This is due to the dolphin's safety.

This is not correct, unless they changed things. You cannot have a camera / phone when you're in the water for the dolphin swim, but on the beach and the rocks around the beach you can. You can be up pretty close to the water, it's just that the people and dolphins in the water aren't all that close to the shore for photos.

 

[bobbie68]

This is not correct, unless they changed things. You cannot have a camera / phone when you're in the water for the dolphin swim, but on the beach and the rocks around the beach you can. You can be up pretty close to the water, it's just that the people and dolphins in the water aren't all that close to the shore for photos.

When we were there a couple of weeks ago there was a single woman and her significant other was near our group on the beach and they asked her to step further away from us and the water. Yes, they could be on the beach but they will not get the same kind of pics as the photographer who is up close. There is also a good chance they will be blocked by other people in the group.