There’s no two ways about it - a day at a theme park is an expensive experience. Disney and Universal recently raised the price of their 1-day ticket to $71 plus tax. SeaWorld, at $64.95 plus tax, is a slightly less expensive option, though certainly no bargain. But in terms of price alone, there is one park that tops the scales - Discovery Cove.

However, a ticket to Discovery Cove, which is part of the SeaWorld family of parks, grants you much more than simply admission to the park. This unique park is part theme park, part water park and part secluded beach. With lush greenery and sandy beaches one could easily forget they’re in Orlando. While Discovery Cove has many unique attractions - a lazy river, waterfall, private cabanas on the beach, snorkeling with thousands of tropical fish, a free-flight aviary, wading with stingrays, meet-and-greet opportunities with a variety of other animals such as fawn, anteaters, turtles and more - no doubt the park’s signature experience is swimming with dolphins. The standard dolphin swim experience includes approximately 30 minutes in the water with these beautiful creatures. Your time is spent learning about them, touching them, giving them a little peck on the rostrum (you know, the pointy part at the front of their “face”), watching them jump and flip, and, to cap off the experience, you get to “swim” with a dolphin, holding onto his or her dorsal fin as he/she pulls you through the water with immense power and grace. It truly is a unique experience which, added to the other amenities provided at Discovery Cove, provides for a full-day interactive animal adventure.

The catch here is the price. This is not an experience that frugal vacationers can embark upon lightly. For those who can afford it, however, there is rarely a visitor to this park that doesn’t declare that it was well worth the money spent. Now through mid-November you can book a day at Discovery Cove for $279 (knock $100 off the price if you wish to forgo the dolphin experience and simply enjoy the park’s other features), and after that the winter price is $259. Steep, yes, but Discovery Cove is an all-inclusive park, meaning that while at other theme parks you have to pay extra for things such as food, drinks and parking, at Discovery Cove this is all included in the entry price. In addition to the continental breakfast, numerous great lunch options, and all snacks and beverages (including beer) throughout the day, you get free access to snorkel gear (some of which you can take home with you), rental of a swim vest or wet suit, towels, lockers, sunscreen, beach chairs and (this one is the biggie - especially for out-of-town visitors) free admission to either SeaWorld Orlando or Busch Gardens Tampa Bay for seven consecutive days (or you can upgrade to a combination pass with admission to both parks for 14 consecutive days for $30 more).

If you’re looking to lower the price a little, you can get 10% off by booking at least 60 days out (for select dates), and if you happen to be a Florida resident you can get as much as $80 off during the fall and winter months. In general, it pays off to book in advance. Since admission is limited to 1,000 people a day (another perk that gives the park that secluded getaway feeling) reservations are required. Visit DiscoveryCove.com or call 1-877-4-DISCOVERY for more information.

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