Discovery Cove ... drinks package changed

[JanetteP]

I've messaged them too - I don't drink, but think it's a bit unfair that they've removed them. My family will have a beer or a cocktail, and considering we've spent over $2,000 for 10 tickets - I'm a bit miffed that they now want an extra $30 for something which was originally included. We booked on Blue Friday.

[Ryles]

I also booked on Blue Friday. I wonder if just one person can buy the upgrade? What’s to stop them just getting the drinks? I wonder if they monitor it? If not then I’ll just do that.

[Animagus]

We are not going until 2020 and we’ve never been to DC before. I’m really saddened to hear it isn’t the experience it once was. We have 3 milestone birthdays next year and DC with dolphin swim has been booked especially for our dd (it’s a surprise).

I’m not as much of a water baby as DH and DD so was really looking forward to a cocktail or two.

I’d consider buying the upgrade for one of us but wouldn’t mind betting they will close that loophole before next year. Mind you, as others have said, not sure how they’d stop you from getting drinks for others or enforce it.

Hoping the food isn’t as bad as I’ve been hearing.

[cornishfrogboy]

Originally Posted by Animagus

We are not going until 2020 and we’ve never been to DC before. I’m really saddened to hear it isn’t the experience it once was. We have 3 milestone birthdays next year and DC with dolphin swim has been booked especially for our dd (it’s a surprise).

I’m not as much of a water baby as DH and DD so was really looking forward to a cocktail or two.

I’d consider buying the upgrade for one of us but wouldn’t mind betting they will close that loophole before next year. Mind you, as others have said, not sure how they’d stop you from getting drinks for others or enforce it.

Hoping the food isn’t as bad as I’ve been hearing.

See more...

If you haven’t been before, then you have nothing to compare it with. Those who have been a lot in the past (such as myself) are merely saying that what was once an absolutely awesome day is now merely a brilliant one.
You still get..

The great swim with dolphins. (Unchanged).

A better ray pool than it used to be (around 3 times as big as before).

The Otter pool. (Was once the old ray pool).

The Animal interactions (owls, sloths and stuff)

The undersea sea venture walk (new and at extra cost).

All your food from around 0730 to 1530 (albeit arguably not as good).

All draught beer, wine and sodas free (but not bottles or cocktails).

Free parking throughout the SW BG AQ franchise for 14 days (that never used to happen).

For what it is worth and despite it being my 8th visit to DC, I have no doubt that it will be one of the very best days of the Orlando part of our vacation. Our non swim tickets for August were £165 and I know that others did even better on a blue Monday sale. Those tickets represent absolutely great value and are always the ones that we buy before then making our minds up between Universal and Disney (invariably Universal these days).

Enjoy a really great day!

[Animagus]

Originally Posted by cornishfrogboy

If you haven’t been before, then you have nothing to compare it with. Those who have been a lot in the past (such as myself) are merely saying that what was once an absolutely awesome day is now merely a brilliant one.
You still get..

The great swim with dolphins. (Unchanged).

A better ray pool than it used to be (around 3 times as big as before).

The Otter pool. (Was once the old ray pool).

The Animal interactions (owls, sloths and stuff)

The undersea sea venture walk (new and at extra cost).

All your food from around 0730 to 1530 (albeit arguably not as good).

All draught beer, wine and sodas free (but not bottles or cocktails).

Free parking throughout the SW BG AQ franchise for 14 days (that never used to happen).

For what it is worth and despite it being my 8th visit to DC, I have no doubt that it will be one of the very best days of the Orlando part of our vacation. Our non swim tickets for August were £165 and I know that others did even better on a blue Monday sale. Those tickets represent absolutely great value and are always the ones that we buy before then making our minds up between Universal and Disney (invariably Universal these days).

Enjoy a really great day!

See more...

Thank you for posting this. As you rightly say, we have no point of comparison, so won’t know any different!
We are very much looking forward to having this experience and know our dd will be thrilled.
We are going Disney free next year (and we love Universal anyway) so the ultimate swim package gives great value in allowing 14 days access to SW, Busch and Aquatica. We’ve only done one day at SW in the past, so lots to look forward too.

Thank you for providing some perspective. I find you always give really informed opinions and good advice

[cornishfrogboy]

Originally Posted by Animagus

Thank you for posting this. As you rightly say, we have no point of comparison, so won’t know any different!
We are very much looking forward to having this experience and know our dd will be thrilled.
We are going Disney free next year (and we love Universal anyway) so the ultimate swim package gives great value in allowing 14 days access to SW, Busch and Aquatica. We’ve only done one day at SW in the past, so lots to look forward too.

Thank you for providing some perspective. I find you always give really informed opinions and good advice

See more...

You are very welcome. Re BG.. have a look at the Giraffe feed (it gets you far, far closer to the animals) and also at the ‘eat all day’ deal. Also try and get there for rope drop (we often either stay over before or, the following night as the park gets much quieter late on). You can absolutely hammer the rides in midweek!

If it is your daughters birthday, then tell them. She will get a different coloured identification lanyard and ‘favoured ‘ treatment. When it was our sons birthday, we bought the package where a Dolphin delivers a buoy with a message on it, a great photo package , a frame etc etc etc. (Discovery Cove celebration package).. It is imho a bargain if it is a special day. Dan still has the buoy on his wall to this day.

[sandshal]

Originally Posted by Animagus

Thank you for posting this. As you rightly say, we have no point of comparison, so won’t know any different!
We are very much looking forward to having this experience and know our dd will be thrilled.
We are going Disney free next year (and we love Universal anyway) so the ultimate swim package gives great value in allowing 14 days access to SW, Busch and Aquatica. We’ve only done one day at SW in the past, so lots to look forward too.

Thank you for providing some perspective. I find you always give really informed opinions and good advice

See more...

As above, this is, and always will be for us, the best day of the holiday.

Excellent value for money, on reflection with OR without the $30 upgrade. To be fair to SW parking alone is nearly $30 a day so the ultimate ticket really is a no brainer.

[mummyroo1]

I messaged them and they have come back and said that only the frozen cocktails have been removed from the normal package and they have decided to honour the frozen cocktails for people who booked months ago. He said just to mention it to the bar tender. I'd rather he just added premium for us so we don't need to explain to bar tender but to be honest I am likely to just have 1 or 2 anyway so hardly worth worrying about. Unclear if bud bottles are still included which will be abit naff too. Fingers crossed.

[mickey house]

Hopefully they still have bottled water included.

We have been a couple of times and never rated the food years ago, so not good if it's even worse now.

[dogken]

Suppose it's not a big deal but I booked 7 adult tickets back in January for this year so I think they should honour the deal that I booked for 😠