ORLANDO FLORIDA | DISCOVERY COVE | DONNE TEMPO | KUBIN
One Perfect Day at Discovery Cove (cont.)
While your dolphin encounter is truly fabulous, it is only a brief part of your very full day at Discovery Cove.Contrasting to the strength and power of the dolphins is the sublime underwater flight of the rays at Ray Lagoon. Here, in easy to wade waters Cownose and Southern rays swim around the legs of visitors, often brushing their soft bodies against people and, when feeding times comes around, clustering around in search of a treat.
The Ray Lagoon sits next to the Resort Pool, a shallow water environment that connects to the Tropical River. The Tropical River waterway runs around the greater part of Discovery Cove past beaches, remarkable foliage and rocky lagoons. Ducking under a fast moving waterfall takes swimmers into the Aviary, a free-flight environment that houses more than 250 exotic birds from thirty different species.
Within the Aviary the birds will come down to perch on shoulders and eat from your palm allowing for incredible interactions and memories. The staff is on hand, to ensure that the birds are not harmed and to answer the many questions, from young and older alike, that come up.
A true highlight of Discovery Cove is the ability to snorkel in the man-made Coral Reef where swimmers can watch schools of tropical fish and rays. Safely housed behind clear acrylic partitions within the sides of a “sunken ship,” those that kick down and venture under the water can come within inches of barracuda and sharks
For parents, one of Discovery Cove’s greatest gifts may be the gift to relax. The environment has numerous helpful employees and lifeguards are stationed frequently around all water features. The park is only open to paid guests and as children cannot walk out, non-paying guests cannot walk in.
This gives parents, and the children, a bit more freedom to run about, swim or find a chair under a cabaña for a bit of afternoon relaxation.
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Rays at Discovery Cove
The Ray Pool at Discovery Cove is a wonder.
Among the many amazing experience life offers
is to be able to wade into this shallow,
slightly cold environment and have rays, some
with wingspans that seem at least five-feet
wide, is incredible.
The longer you patiently stand, or slowly wade, the rays seem to become more trustworthy, they seem to be able to tell who will offer a pleasant back itch, or allow them to brush up next the legs.
If you have food, you become everyone’s favorite as they jockey for position in the food line. The awesomeness of having a ray slurp the cut fish from between your fingers soon overcomes the revulsion of the smelly cut fish.
The rays, Southern and Cownose are most prevalent in the Ray Pool, may be one of the most misunderstood of all sea mammals. They truly are gentle giants whom spend their lives in graceful underwater flight. They have no malice, or bones in their bodies.
They are related to skates and sharks and they are all part of the Dasyatidae family and eat small fishes and invertebrates, like crabs, snails and sea worms that live in the sand on the ocean floor. They have no interest in eating, or harming humans. Their biggest defense is to swim quickly away.
In the wild they can be hard to see as the burrow under the sand. For this reason when wading in water that may have rays lazing about, it is important to shuffle ones feet so as not to step on burrowing ray. The sound of the shuffling will scare them away.
The rays’ biggest predator, other than man, is the shark. When snorkeling or diving, it is important to keep eyes open and aware if there are rays known to be in the area. If you swim over one, they may shoot up their barbed tail before swimming quickly away.
Other rays found at Discovery Cove are the Spotted Eagle Ray, Roughtail Stingray and the Bluntnosed Stingray that can be seen in the Snorkeling Reef.
The longer you patiently stand, or slowly wade, the rays seem to become more trustworthy, they seem to be able to tell who will offer a pleasant back itch, or allow them to brush up next the legs.
If you have food, you become everyone’s favorite as they jockey for position in the food line. The awesomeness of having a ray slurp the cut fish from between your fingers soon overcomes the revulsion of the smelly cut fish.
The rays, Southern and Cownose are most prevalent in the Ray Pool, may be one of the most misunderstood of all sea mammals. They truly are gentle giants whom spend their lives in graceful underwater flight. They have no malice, or bones in their bodies.
They are related to skates and sharks and they are all part of the Dasyatidae family and eat small fishes and invertebrates, like crabs, snails and sea worms that live in the sand on the ocean floor. They have no interest in eating, or harming humans. Their biggest defense is to swim quickly away.
In the wild they can be hard to see as the burrow under the sand. For this reason when wading in water that may have rays lazing about, it is important to shuffle ones feet so as not to step on burrowing ray. The sound of the shuffling will scare them away.
The rays’ biggest predator, other than man, is the shark. When snorkeling or diving, it is important to keep eyes open and aware if there are rays known to be in the area. If you swim over one, they may shoot up their barbed tail before swimming quickly away.
Other rays found at Discovery Cove are the Spotted Eagle Ray, Roughtail Stingray and the Bluntnosed Stingray that can be seen in the Snorkeling Reef.
Visiting Discovery Cove
Discovery Cove
6000 Discovery Cove Way
Orlando, Fl. 32821
(877)-557-7404
(407)-370-1280.
United Kingdom, call Toll-Free: 00800 33 44 1818
http://www.discoverycove.com
Discovery Cove offers all-inclusive packages for a day experience or you can by multiple park tickets offered in a variety of options.
6000 Discovery Cove Way
Orlando, Fl. 32821
(877)-557-7404
(407)-370-1280.
United Kingdom, call Toll-Free: 00800 33 44 1818
http://www.discoverycove.com
Discovery Cove offers all-inclusive packages for a day experience or you can by multiple park tickets offered in a variety of options.