9 Best Sights in SeaWorld Orlando, Florida

This is clearly the premier experience at Discovery Cove, but before you picture yourself frolicking alone with these playful creatures, remember that your "swim" is largely done alongside your fellow guests and is carefully supervised and restricted for the safety of both you and the dolphins. Despite the limitations, however, the attraction offers you the unique chance to touch, feed, play with, and even kiss a bottlenose dolphin, one of the most social and communicative marine animals. Before you can get into the lagoon, you'll attend a 15-minute orientation consisting of a film plus a few words from a dolphin trainer. Following the orientation, you and up to eight other guests will spend roughly 30 minutes interacting with one of a few dozen dolphins. Although you are only knee-deep in the water most of the time, it's surprisingly chilly, so you'll be grateful for the mandatory, Discovery Cove–provided wet suit.

When in the water, trainers teach you hand signals used to communicate with the dolphins and with them you can instruct your dolphin to roll over so you can touch its belly or signal it to leap into the air. Near the end of the session you have a chance to swim out to deeper water, catch hold of the dolphin's fin, and have it pull you back to shore—and you even get a moment to pose for a picture with your newfound friend. Be prepared for the photo finish: after you leave the water and return to the orientation cabana, the skilled trainers quickly transform into a determined souvenir-photo sales team. For people with disabilities: Alert staffers to your hearing, vision, or mobility issues when you're making reservations, and they'll have someone there to offer special assistance—signing or having a modified wheelchair at the ready. Note that the pool here is "zero entry," so there are no steps to contend with. Be mindful of the appointment time on your badge. You don't want to miss the experience of a lifetime.

General admission to Discovery Cove includes meals, wet suit, and diving gear; this tour adds a gift bag, waterproof digital camera for the day, 30-minute dolphin swim, a private photo session with two dolphins, feeding fish in the Grand Reef, a meet-and-greet with tropical birds and small animals, and an almost exclusive (only eight guests in the entire lagoon) interaction that includes a "double-foot push" (two dolphins propel you across the lagoon by the soles of your feet). Ready for more? Shadow a trainer all day: head to the dolphin back area for a private tour and talk to trainers about how they teach and care for these amazing animals. Like other Discovery Cove admissions, this includes unlimited access to SeaWorld and Aquatica for 14 days. Call ahead to arrange a tour.

Lined with swaying palms, tropical foliage, quaint thatched huts, and speckled with shady umbrellas, hammocks, lounges, and beach chairs, this is where you claim your own private spot in the sand. Since the park's biggest selling point is its limited guest capacity, the most seductive aspect is lying in the sun and leaving the real world behind. For the most privacy, head to the far west end of Discovery Cove, where the beach chairs are more plentiful and private cabanas (from $60) are available. For people with disabilities: Modified beach wheelchairs are available. With attendance limited to 1,000 guests, and plenty of sand to share, you should be fine. Just arrive early for the best spot.

There are several entrances to this 12,000-square-foot birdhouse—three of which access the aviary from beneath waterfalls falling beside the Wind-Away River (otherwise, you can walk in from the beach). However you arrive, you will enter a sanctuary populated with more than 250 small exotic birds, including darting hummingbirds, tiny finches, and honeycreepers. In the large-bird sanctuary, you get up close to perched toucans and wandering peacocks, red-legged seriema, and other colorful winged creatures that stand as tall as 4 feet. Look for attendants who have carts filled with complimentary fruit and feed that you can use to attract the birds. It's a beautiful experience—especially when a bird hops onto your shoulder to say hello. Get the camera ready. For people with disabilities: A pathway through the aviary accommodates wheelchairs. Come early in the morning when the birds are most active.

The oasis has a tropical theme and its lush landscaping is akin to a rain forest. Part of the experience is wading through a crystal-clear spring to reach an island populated by some outrageously cute marmosets (which are contained on the island thanks to a convenient moat). Swim a little farther and come nose-to-nose with otters, which frolic behind a nearly invisible wall of acrylic. Beyond the menagerie and beneath a canopy of cooling vegetation, there are watery trails to explore. It truly is a seductive setting and effortlessly evokes that soothing Discovery Cove experience.

If you've always wanted to experience the underwater world but don't have time for scuba lessons, SeaVenture is the solution. You don a dive helmet tethered to an air supply, which allows you to walk on the reef floor (about 15 feet deep), surrounded by schools of fish, sleek rays, and sharks. Even though the sharks are contained on the opposite side of lengthy panoramic panels of glass, you can't tell there's a partition, so the effect is chilling (so chilling, it makes a great souvenir photo). If you feel anxious, don't fret: guides float above you and beside you as you take your underwater stroll. The whole experience, including orientation, lasts about an hour, with about half the time spent on the underwater walk. At the end, you'll be handed a shaker filled with food. When you shake it and release its contents, you'll be instantly surrounded by a cluster of hungry fish. An unforgettable finish. The SeaVenture costs an extra $59. Some health restrictions apply.

A key to Discovery Cove's popularity is that it gives you time to do absolutely nothing. So if doing nothing means something to you, Serenity Bay is your place. This large pool of refreshingly clear, 80-degree water is ready when you are—or not—because maybe you'd prefer to just find a spot on the beach and soak up the sun. Take your pick. It's your vacation, and this is your bay.

You can follow thousands of butterfly fish, angelfish, parrot fish, and a few dozen other species as you snorkel through this authentic-looking coral reef. Stingrays sail slowly and gracefully past and curious fish often come within touching distance—though when you reach out they scatter in nanoseconds. There's even an artificial shipwreck that, through a hole in its hull, reveals a separate pool filled with barracudas and sharks (they're out of reach, thanks to panels of Plexiglas). Even though you're hundreds of miles from the Caribbean, this is a wonderful, accessible substitute. If the sun is shining bright, good for you. The brighter the day, the more brilliant the underwater colors. For people with disabilities: Guests with mobility issues who can readily maneuver themselves with limited assistance can experience the reef. It's easy to monitor crowds; come when they're light. It's suitable for all ages, but teens and adults enjoy it most.

As this river meanders through most of Discovery Cove, swimmers float lazily through different environments—a sunny beach; a dense, tropical rain forest; an Amazon-like river; a tropical fishing village; an underwater cave; and the aviary. The only drawbacks? The rough bottom of the river can annoy bare feet, and the too-often repeated scenery along the way can make it a little tedious. Still, this is a great option when you'd like a respite from the heat and a unique way to get around the park. For people with disabilities: Guests with mobility issues who can maneuver themselves with limited assistance can enjoy a tour of the river. Slip in when it gets hot. All are welcome, but it appeals most to teens and adults.