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| Location | Orlando, Florida, United States |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 28°24′19.50″N81°27′42″W / 28.4054167°N 81.46167°W |
| Opened | July 1, 2000 |
| Owner | United Parks & Resorts |
| Operated by | United Parks & Resorts |
| Website | www |
Discovery Cove is a theme park owned and operated by United Parks & Resorts, and located in Orlando, Florida. It is the sister park of SeaWorld Orlando and Aquatica Orlando. Visitors to the park can interact with a range of marine animals including bottlenose dolphins.
The main experience at Discovery Cove is swimming with a dolphin, where visitors can "talk, touch, play and swim" with bottlenose dolphins. [1]
The park contains a free-flight aviary, which contains over 250 tropical birds including parrots, toucans, and over 30 other species of exotic birds. [1] The heated Tropical River runs through the aviary and circles the park, allowing guests to float past an assortment of the Discovery Cove's beaches, waterfalls, and rainforest landscape. The Tropical River runs into the park's freshwater resort pool. [2]
In June 2011, the park expanded with the opening of The Grand Reef. This reef was needed due to the original reef having a persistent salt water leak, which affected the ground water, and replaced the original reef with Freshwater Oasis. [3] The Grand Reef features a white-sand beach, palm-lined island and underwater grottos filled with moray eels, reef sharks and scores of other tropical fish. Activities range from snorkeling with eagle rays to crossing a rope bridge over a shark-filled lagoon. [3]
In summer 2012, the park introduced the Freshwater Oasis. The area features water filled trails covered by a rainforest canopy that contains a viewing glass window featuring an exhibit for Asian small-clawed otters and an island in the center of the pool known as Primate Island containing White-headed marmosets. [4] [5]
Three different admission options are offered by the park, including the dolphin-swim, non-dolphin-swim and "Trainer for a Day" packages. The park also sells multi-park tickets that include admission to SeaWorld Orlando, Aquatica Orlando, and Busch Gardens Tampa. [6] Reservations for Discovery Cove are required and a maximum of 1300 guests can be present in the park at any one time. [2] Discounts are often available for Florida Residents. [7]
In 2008, a bottlenose dolphin named Sharky (a.k.a. Natasha) at Discovery Cove died after colliding with another dolphin during aerial movement signaled by park staff. [8] The cause of death was listed as traumatic cervical vertebral fracture. [9] A park representative said it was an "unfortunate, random incident," and that the other dolphin survived and was being watched by veterinarians. [8] In response, animal rights group PETA released a statement saying it is not uncommon for captive dolphins to die decades short of natural life expectancy as Sharky did, and that tragedies are "inevitable when these animals are required to perform tricks that are as unnatural to them as they are inhumane." [10]
In 2009, a 59-year-old tourist suffered fatal injuries at Discovery Cove when he cut his toe on some coral as he was swimming with fish. The victim was a hemophiliac who was diagnosed with organ failure and septic shock after the initial injury. Doctors amputated both of the man's legs in an attempt to prevent blood-borne infections. Despite these efforts, the man perished from group B streptococcal septicaemia, which caused multi-organ failure. [11]
In 2024, a 13-year-old park guest died after being found unresponsive in a pool and transported to a hospital in critical condition. The medical examiner listed the cause of death as accidental drowning. The police said the investigation is active and ongoing. [12] [13] Less than two months later, a second park guest was found unresponsive in a pool shortly before 10:00 a.m. and was taken to Dr. P. Phillips Hospital. The victim was a 51-year-old-man who was pronounced deceased later that same day. [11]
The National Aquarium – also known as National Aquarium in Baltimore and formerly known as Baltimore Aquarium – is a non-profit public aquarium located at 501 East Pratt Street on Pier 3 in the Inner Harbor area of downtown Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. Constructed during a period of urban renewal in Baltimore, the aquarium opened on August 8, 1981. The aquarium has an annual attendance of 1.5 million visitors and is the largest tourism attraction in the State of Maryland. The aquarium holds more than 2,200,000 US gallons (8,300,000 L) of water, and has more than 17,000 specimens representing over 750 species. The National Aquarium's mission is to inspire conservation of the world's aquatic treasures. The aquarium's stated vision is to confront pressing issues facing global aquatic habitats through pioneering science, conservation, and educational programming.
Georgia Aquarium is a public aquarium in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. The aquarium exhibits hundreds of species and thousands of animals across its seven major galleries, all of which reside in more than 11 million US gallons (42,000 m3) of water. It was the largest aquarium in the world from its opening in 2005 until 2012 when it was surpassed by the S.E.A. Aquarium in Singapore and the Chimelong Ocean Kingdom in China; the Georgia Aquarium remains the largest aquarium in the United States and the sixth largest in the world.
A dolphinarium is an aquarium for dolphins. The dolphins are usually kept in a pool, though occasionally they may be kept in pens in the open sea, either for research or public performances. Some dolphinariums consist of one pool where dolphins perform for the public, others are part of larger parks, such as marine mammal parks, zoos or theme parks, with other animals and attractions as well.
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SeaWorld Orlando is an animal theme park located in Orlando, Florida. Although separately gated, it is often promoted with neighboring parks Discovery Cove and Aquatica as well as Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, all of which are owned and operated by United Parks & Resorts. In 2022, SeaWorld Orlando hosted an estimated 4.45 million guests, ranking it the 10th most visited amusement park in the United States.
SeaWorld San Antonio is a 416-acre (168 ha) marine mammal park, oceanarium and animal theme park in the Westover Hills District of San Antonio, Texas, on the city's west side. It is the largest of the three parks in the SeaWorld chain owned and operated by United Parks & Resorts. As North America's largest marine-life theme park, and one of the world's largest marine-life theme parks, it is focused on conservation, education and animal rescue. It is a member of the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums (AMMPA) and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
SeaWorld San Diego is a theme park located in Mission Bay Park in San Diego, California. It is a marine mammal park, oceanarium, public aquarium, and marine animal rehabilitation center. SeaWorld, the theme park's proprietor, is owned and operated by United Parks & Resorts.
A marine mammal park is a commercial theme park or aquarium where marine mammals such as dolphins, beluga whales and sea lions are kept within water tanks and displayed to the public in special shows. A marine mammal park is more elaborate than a dolphinarium, because it also features other marine mammals and offers additional entertainment attractions. It is thus seen as a combination of a public aquarium and an amusement park. Marine mammal parks are different from marine parks, which include natural reserves and marine wildlife sanctuaries such as coral reefs, particularly in Australia.
This is a summary of notable incidents that have taken place at various United Parks & Resorts-owned amusement parks, water parks or theme parks. This list is not intended to be a comprehensive list of every such event, but only those that have a significant impact on the parks or park operations, or are otherwise significantly newsworthy.
Bahia Honda is an island in the lower Florida Keys.
The Marineland of Antibes is a theme park founded in 1970 by Count Roland de La Poype in Antibes (Alpes-Maritimes), in the French Riviera. Covering 26 hectares, it includes a marine zoological park with dolphinarium, a water park (Aquasplash), a children's play park, mini golf and a hotel. It is the property of the Spanish multinational company Parques Reunidos, whose main shareholder are the investment funds EQT Partners and Elliott Management. Since 2017, the director is Pascal Picot.
The Texas State Aquarium is a nonprofit aquarium located in Corpus Christi, Texas, United States. The aquarium aims to promote environmental conservation and rehabilitation of the wildlife of the Gulf of Mexico and has been accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) since 1995. Currently the largest aquarium in Texas and also one of the largest aquaria in the United States.
Dolphin Cove is a SeaWorld attraction, which can be found at SeaWorld Orlando and SeaWorld San Diego. The habitat holds about 700,000 US gallons (2,650,000 L) of water and is one of the largest dolphin pools in existence.
Selwo Marina is a small marine park located in Benalmádena, Spain. It is the only park of its kind in Andalusia.
The Marine Life Park is a part of Resorts World Sentosa, Sentosa, situated in southern Singapore. The 8-hectare (20-acre) park is home to two primary attractions—the S.E.A. Aquarium and Adventure Cove Waterpark. Upon its opening in 2012, the S.E.A. Aquarium had the distinction of being the world’s largest oceanarium and public aquarium, a title it held through 2014, until it was surpassed by Chimelong Ocean Kingdom.
Clearwater Marine Aquarium is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and aquarium in Clearwater, Florida. It is dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and release of sick and injured marine animals, public education, conservation, and research.
Turtle Trek was a 3D dome film projection theater located at SeaWorld Orlando in the United States. It was designed by Falcon's Treehouse and PGAV Destinations.
Aquatica is a chain of water parks owned and operated by United Parks & Resorts. Aquatica parks are operating in Orlando, Florida and San Antonio, Texas.
Gulf World Marine Park is a dolphinarium located in Panama City Beach, Florida. It has been open since 1970, and is one of only a few institutes in the United States to house rough-toothed dolphins.
