My party of 3 spent $775 at an all-inclusive resort in Orlando. The tickets were steep, but we got unlimited food and swam with dolphins.

Megan duBoisAug 19, 2023, 19:24 IST

Discovery Cove is a marine-life theme park in Orlando, Florida.Discovery Cove

I went to Discovery Cove for $775 this summer, and the highlight was swimming with dolphins.
The all-inclusive theme park and resort has multiple animal-encounter opportunities.

This summer, I was able to visit Discovery Cove, an all-inclusive resort next to SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida.

The marine-life theme park opened in 2000 and offers a number of attractions, including swimming with dolphins, snorkeling with tropical fish, and a lazy river.

Our signature-dolphin-swim package cost about $260 a person, but prices for the all-inclusive ticket start as low as $180 for Florida residents. You can also get a cheaper day-resort package without the dolphin-swim experience starting at $150 for Florida residents and $190 for everyone else.

Here's what my day was like and why I'd do it again.

The morning started with a brief check-in.

There were fun dolphin statues in the main building.Megan duBois

The check-in host also gave us a brief overview of the park.

Discovery Cove isn't huge, but there was plenty to do.Megan duBois

We ate breakfast at Laguna Grill, which is the main restaurant at Discovery Cove.

We got our breakfast plates at Laguna Grill.Megan duBois

After breakfast, we found lockers for our belongings and lathered up with sunscreen.

We put on sunscreen after we stored our things in the provided lockers.Megan duBois

We couldn't get into the water until a little after 9 a.m.

After about an hour of checking in and getting ready, we hit the water.Megan duBois

The first water feature we enjoyed was the lazy river.

There's a large lazy river at Discovery Cove.Megan duBois

The aviary was a fun place to see different birds.

There were big and small birds all over the aviary.Megan duBois

Guests can even get up close to and feed the birds.

I got to feed some small birds at Discovery Cove.Megan duBois

There are also educational experiences around the park.

There were animal trainers leading discussions throughout the day.Megan duBois

If you want to splurge, the Animal Trek was a great place to spot even more wildlife.

I was able to pet a sloth at Discovery Cove.Megan duBois

All around the park, there are options for snacks throughout the day.

There were warm, soft pretzels at the park.Megan duBois

There were a variety of options for lunch, which pleased everyone in my group.

Lunch was free, and we all found something to eat.Megan duBois

The highlight of the day was the dolphin swim.

I still can't believe I got to swim with a dolphin.Discovery Cove

Before leaving, I attempted to snorkel around the Grand Reef, but it was too crowded.

There were tropical fish in the Grand Reef.Megan duBois

Around dinnertime, we got ready to head out of the park for the day.

There was a beach area at Discovery Cove.Megan duBois

On the way out, I stopped by the main store to check out the merchandise.

There were some colorful T-shirts and sweatshirts.Megan duBois

Overall, I definitely think Discovery Cove was worth the money.

I'd come back to Discovery Cove again.Megan duBois

I'm a travel writer who's visited nearly 20 countries. These 6 'tourist traps' are actually worth visiting — from the Statue of Liberty to the Eiffel Tower.

Cookies on the Business Insider India website