By Carol Timblin
The day I met Scarlett was the highlight of my trip to Worlds of Discovery in Florida. She posed with me for pictures. She let me hug and kiss her, rub her back and tickle her belly. She did acrobatic flips and other tricks for me. And finally, she let me latch on to her dorsal fin for an exciting ride across Dolphin Lagoon in Discovery Cove.
Tips for Traveling with Children:
1. Have your child help you with the planning of the trip. Give him or her a map and to mark your route.
2. Plan plenty of stops along the way. A 10-minute runaround at a rest area or park every couple of hours will allow children to let off some steam and give adults a break before the next leg of the journey.
3. Pack plenty of snacks such as individual snack packages of raisins, snacks, or cookies.
4. If your child likes electronic hand-held games, buy him or her a new game as a surprise. It will keep them occupied for hours.
5. Get a portable DVD player unit for the car and take along your children's favorite movies.
6. Books on tape/CD are also a good choice. Many selections for children are available for check out at your local library and for purchase at bookstores and online.
7. Download some new songs for your child to enjoy - you can add them to an MP3 player or make a CD.
8. Encourage children to read.
9. Take along comfort items, such as head pillows, blankets, cup holders and perhaps a lap desk for coloring or writing. Some lap desks hook up directly to car seats.
10. Take along some surprises such as new toys, books or games.
11. Try visiting a fast-food restaurant that has a play area - indoor or outdoors. Even if your children are too old to play in the play area - just getting out of the car is a nice break from the drive.
12. AAA travel offices sell a variety of children's activities. Some items available for purchase include: AAA Activity Book: Here There and Everywhere, Disney Magic Pen Painting Book and Road Signs Game.
13. When a child is old enough to read a map, have them hold the map and give you directions or read off exit numbers, and names of roads and towns. |
Scarlett is a beautiful bottlenose dolphin that was born at SeaWorld San Diego and came to live at Discovery Cove when it opened in 2000. Now 28 years old, she is the mother of two calves. She lives in the cove with several other dolphins, rays, barracudas, sharks, thousands of tropical fish and some 250 exotic birds.
Though nothing could top the meeting with Scarlett, the other animal encounters I experienced during a recent trip were also memorable. At Aquatic, a new water park featuring transparent tubes that tunnel through the dolphin habitat, oceanic-like wave pools, rapids, geysers, waterfalls and high water slides that create an adrenalin high, I met a kookaburra (just like the one in the Australian song) and a nonpoisonous albino snake. Shamu and company put on a stellar performance at SeaWorld’s “Believe” show, and dining at Sharks Underwater Grill with hundreds of denizens of the deep was a special treat. At Busch Gardens Africa Tampa Bay, I saw orangutans, Malayan flying foxes, white-cheeked gibbons and gharial (crocodiles). I also got up close and personal with Bengal tigers via the pop-up observation dome in the middle of their habitat. And of course, the handsome, muscular Clydesdales seemed to enjoy their photo sessions with guests as much as ever.
All these experiences represent Busch Entertainment Corporation’s efforts to bring park guests closer to the world of animals through new venues. Jungala is a new addition to Busch Gardens Africa that includes a three-story play land for all ages featuring climbing nets, mazes, tunnels and zip lines that speed through the forest. Jambo Junction is a special area in the park where guests can feed the animals and take lessons in husbandry and behavior training. There are special habitats for the Bengal tigers, orangutans and white rhinos and a multi-habitat for gibbons, flying foxes and gharials. More than 2,000 animals representing 250 species make their home in the park. The Marrakeesh Theater serves as the venue for a new show called “Rock A Doo Wop,” with singers and dancers performing hits from the 1950s and 1960s.
More Encounters
Additional animal encounters via guided tours and special programs are available at Busch Gardens Africa for extra fees. You can ride in an open truck through the Serengeti Plain and feed giraffes, antelopes and birds by hand. Another option is a behind-the-scenes tour which combines an open truck experience with a walking safari. You can also sign up to be a zoo keeper for a day and assist the staff in feeding, training and caring for the animals.
SeaWorld offers a plethora of encounters and tours. You can get very close to belugas and sharks through interactive programs. The park also offers a marine mammal keeper experience, behind-the-scenes tours, and themed tours such as “Saving a Species,” “Predators,” and “Dolphin Spotlight,” which includes information about the park’s successfully breeding program.
At SeaWorld’s Discovery Cove, a 30-acre tropical paradise featuring rocky lagoons, coral reefs, rivers and a swimming pool with waterfalls and white sandy beaches, you can sign up to be for the new “Trainer for a Day” program. Limited to 24 people a day, the program provides opportunities for learning, working and playing with the animal experts as they interact with dolphins, tropical birds, sloths and anteaters behind the scenes. Because Discovery Cove only admits up to 1,000 guests per day, it never feels crowded. The ratio of two guests per one staff person makes for a quality experience and great service. Another great plus is the all-inclusive price, which covers all equipment, meals and snacks.
Admission Fees*
- SeaWorld -- $67.95 for ages 10 and up; $57.95 for ages 3-9.
- SeaWorld’s Discovery Cove – Non-dolphin experience, $169 and up; dolphin-swim experience, $259 and up.
- Aquatica single-day ticket -- $38.95 for ages 10 and up, $32.95 for ages 3-9; SeaWorld and Aquatica combination ticket -- $89.95.
- Busch Gardens Tampa Bay -- $64.95 for 10 and up; $54.95 for ages 3-9.
*Single-ticket prices not including taxes. Combination tickets and special memberships are also available
Throughout 2008, AAA members can experience a world of discovery at Busch Gardens Africa, SeaWorld Orlando and Aquatica that will help them feel like a kid again.
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At the new Aquatic water park you can have unique encounters with Commerson dolphins, macaws, African cichlids, anteaters, kookaburras, sulcata tortoises, and roseate spoonbills. There are 36 slides, six rivers and lagoons, more than 80,000 square feet of white, sandy beaches, some 60,000-plus plants and several souvenir shops. Venues range from Kata’s Kookaburra Cove for children to the Loggerhead Lane lazy river to the exciting Dolphin Plunge or Taumata Racer featuring vertical slides and tunnels. When you get hungry, head for the grab-and-go table, the all-you-can-eat cook-out or the grill that serves sandwiches, salads and desserts. You can rent lockers, strollers, wheelchairs and private cabanas, which can accommodate up to seven. Parking is extra.
When visiting Worlds of Discovery parks in Florida, the most convenient place to stay is the 778-room Renaissance Orlando Resort at SeaWorld, which recently completed a $27 million renovation. Amenities include five dining options, an Olympic-sized resort pool, tennis courts, fitness center and the full-service “Neu Lotus Spa.” The resort is located across from SeaWorld, the convenient departure point for shuttles to Discovery Cove, Aquatica, and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. AAA members receive discounts at the hotel and Worlds of Discovery parks. |
