Discovery Cove vs. SeaWorld Orlando: How to Choose

SeaWorld Orlando and Discovery Cove, the two big animal parks in the Orlando area, are both owned by United Parks & Resorts, but they're built for opposite kinds of day. Pick SeaWorld Orlando for a full park of rides, shows and marine-animal exhibits on one ticket from $59.99; pick Discovery Cove for a slower, all-inclusive day of swimming with dolphins and snorkeling, capped at 1,600 guests and priced from $159. A Discovery Cove ticket already comes bundled with 14 days of SeaWorld and Aquatica admission.

Which one to pick

SeaWorld Orlando opened on December 15, 1973, and now covers 200 acres with 8 roller coasters and 18 attractions in total, plus 5 year-round shows and 6 seasonal ones. Its newest ride, Expedition Odyssey: Fire & Ice, puts you aboard a drone craft on an Arctic research mission that ends with a live encounter with beluga whales and walruses; a second new ride, SEAQuest: Legends of the Deep, a suspended dark ride built around a submersible voyage, is announced as "coming soon" with no opening date yet given. For animals rather than rides, there's the Shark Encounter, one of the world's largest underwater viewing tunnels, and Dolphin Cove, one of the largest interactive dolphin pools anywhere, where you can also watch mothers and calves in an adjoining nursery.

Featured location SeaWorld Orlando Orlando, United States AZAWAZAWAZA-WP SeaWorld Orlando is a zoo in Orlando, Florida, United States.

Discovery Cove opened on July 1, 2000 as a sister park to SeaWorld and Aquatica, and it works differently: instead of moving between rides, you spend the whole day in one place. The Grand Reef, opened in 2011, has you snorkeling among eagle rays and sharks; the Freshwater Oasis, added in 2012, holds Asian small-clawed otters and white-headed marmosets; and the Explorer's Aviary is where you hand-feed exotic birds. The dolphin swim itself has its own rules: a child must be at least 6 years old and 42 inches tall, and anyone swimming aged 6 to 12 needs a paying adult swimming alongside them too. Discovery Cove has also won a Good Housekeeping Family Travel Award for three years running, through 2026, and is a Certified Autism Center.

Featured location Discovery Cove Orlando, United States AZA

If you want the classic theme-park day — coasters, shows, a full roster of exhibits — SeaWorld Orlando is the one ticket that covers it. If you'd rather spend the whole day at your own pace, with meals and gear included and far fewer people around you, Discovery Cove is built for that instead.

Tickets and saving money

As of September 2026, a single-day SeaWorld Orlando ticket starts at $59.99 and includes every show, exhibit, aquarium and ride in the park except Paddle Boats and Skytower. Spreading the visit over more days costs less per day: a two-day, two-park ticket works out to $50 a day, and a three-day, three-park ticket to $45 a day.

Discovery Cove sells its day as one of several packages. The Day Resort Package, without the dolphin swim, is $159 per guest aged 3 and up; adding 14 days of SeaWorld and Aquatica access brings it to $219. The Signature Dolphin Swim Package is $199 per guest aged 6 and up, or $259 with the same 14-day add-on, or $279 with Busch Gardens included as well. Children 2 and under go free alongside a full-paying adult, though they still need a reservation.

Best time to visit

Florida's Atlantic hurricane season runs officially from June 1 to November 30, peaking in a stretch from late August to September centered on September 10 — worth knowing since both parks are largely outdoors. SeaWorld Orlando's hours change through the year, so check its online calendar for your date rather than assuming a fixed schedule. Discovery Cove, which limits each day to 1,600 guests, recommends booking at least two months ahead if you're visiting in summer or around a holiday.

If you have a spare morning and want to see wildlife the parks don't keep, Wekiwa Springs State Park, about 20 minutes north of Orlando off I-4, has wild alligators, black bears, bobcats and deer along its trails and spring run.

Getting there

SeaWorld Orlando is at 7007 Sea World Drive, Orlando, FL 32821. Parking costs $37 for General, $47 for Preferred or $62 for VIP, and the Lynx #50 bus, which runs between Downtown Disney and Downtown Orlando, has a stop nearby.

Discovery Cove is close by at 6000 Discovery Cove Way, Orlando, FL 32821, and self-parking there is free.

With kids and accessibility

At SeaWorld Orlando, every restroom and gift shop is wheelchair accessible, and guests with disabilities can enroll in the Ride Accessibility Program at Guest Services. At Discovery Cove, outdoor wheelchairs built with oversized tires are available, but you need to call ahead to reserve one.

Discovery Cove's dolphin swim has its own kid rules: swimmers must be at least 6 years old and 42 inches tall, and any swimmer aged 6 to 12 needs an adult swimming alongside them who has also paid for the dolphin package.