Freshwater Oasis Brings More Life to Orlando

The new park, where visitors can interact with freshwater and rainforest animals, is the latest attraction to be packed into the Florida city.

The most famous animal in the Floridian city of Orlando must surely be Mickey Mouse. His vast Walt Disney World resort stretches over 30,080-acres and, with its four theme parks, two water parks, 31 hotels, camping ground, health spas, fitness centres and performance venues, it could be said to lie at the very heart of the average Briton’s concept of what cheap holidays in Orlando are all about.

There is, of course, much more to Orlando than the admittedly impressive Walt Disney World for the visiting holidaymaker. The Universal Orlando Resort, and SeaWorld Orlando are two other famous theme parks, and the city itself has the second largest number of hotel rooms in the USA after Las Vegas.

Anyone considering cheap holidays in Orlando from next spring will also be able to visit a new attraction – Freshwater Oasis at Discovery Cove. Situated right next to its sister theme parks SeaWorld Orlando and Aquatica, visitors to the Cove are able to go swimming with dolphins, and interact with other marine animals such as rays and tropical fish, plus exotic birds and land animals found near the sea. It also has a bar with seats that offer either sunbathing or bathing, at its In-Water Relaxation Station, and a two-and-a-half acre Grand Reef complex.

The new Freshwater Oasis attraction promises to give visitors a new experience, offering close encounters with freshwater and jungle animals such as otters and marmosets – all roaming in either its rainforest canopy or its network of artificial fresh springs. Parent company SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment has said that the idea is to offer a complement to the “tropical vibe” of the rest of Discovery Cove.

It sometimes seems as if Orlando is a giant playground for holiday families – and with reason, since the city works hard to ensure that this image is justified. But once the Freshwater Oasis opens, maybe Mickey will have some competition from the rest of the animal kingdom.