Discovery Cove in November

[LucyK]

November 9th is my mom 73rd birthday and she wants to swim with the dolphins as her birthday gift. I also have never been to Discovery Cove and I'm thrilled with the idea of seeing a dolphin up and close. I do have a few questions about weather and other minor details.

How is the weather around that time in November?

I read the admission includes breakfast and lunch, plus unlimited snacks/water/soda, but what type of food do they offer you? Is it traditional American fare? I wonder if they have vegetarian options and what type of snacks are there.

Mom's on the plump side, around 200 pounds. Will the wetsuits fit her?

Also, reading the FAQ I discovered we can use the tickets to Seaworld prior to our day at DC. Has anybody else done that and how much of a headache it is?

 

[RMichael21]

I can help you with some of the questions.

The weather I know is a little bit chilly but I've never been in November so you never know. Another thing, the pools/enclosures are actually pretty warm. The only one remotely cold is the Dolphin pool. I would suggest if you're worried about the weather, go as earlier in the season as possible. It will be a little bit warmer and you can still count it as a birthday celebration.

They offer breakfast (small) in the morning. They also have a main building for lunch. They have really good food for a "theme park". I recommend you try the Chocolate Cake. Also, if I remember correctly, there are salads in the lunch place too. There are also a few other mini stands/buildings that offer snacks and drinks. I remember frozen lemonade, ice cream sandwiches and pretzels and some other stuff as well.

I do know that they have many different size wet suits. I don't know the biggest size though. Another option is that you rent a vest for the whole day. A vest is basically a wet suit but a vest as the name describes. But, in order to swim with the dolphins, you have to wear a wetsuit. And also, since you may go in November the wet suit will keep you warmer.

Finally, I think that you just show you Discovery Cove ticket at the entrance of SeaWorld/Aquatica and they will scan it and let you in. I'm not 100% sure though.

Another thing to note though is this. I went in April of 2013. This will be over a year and a half later. Things may change.

Even with all of the statistics aside, you will have the most amazing time. When I went, it was the highlight of my vacation.

P.S. Don't bring your own sunscreen. The regular kind is harmful for the animals. They'll give you a bottle of animal-friendly sunscreen. But apply VERY lightly on the sunscreen. I burn easily, so I slathered it on and it turned out I was allergic so I was breaking out into hives for the rest of the week. . Have fun with your mom!

 

[LucyK]

Thank you for your thoughtful and detailed answer, it was a great read and it did help a lot!

Good tip about choosing the wetsuits over the vests for November, I'll have to remember that!