Discovery Cove Park, the entertainment company Sea World, has become the first “resort” and water park designated as a Certified Autism Center, as announced today by its managers in the city of Orlando, Florida.
The certification was awarded by the International Standards Accreditation Board for Continuing Education (IBCCES), after Discovery Cove employees received training that will allow them to develop awareness of the spectrum of autism.
Also on how they can help their visitors to have a better stay.
The Discovery Cove offers the opportunity to swim with dolphins, dive among fish and interact closely with these animals in a tropical beach environment.
With this new certification, the park wants to offer an even more relaxed environment, which reduces the sensory recharge of visitors suffering from autism.
“Autism certification is a natural step for us as we continue to create meaningful and safe experiences for our visitors,” Kyle Miller, president of Discovery Cove, told Efe in a statement.
Miller also said that the park is striving to provide inclusive activities for families with children with autism and special needs.
“For a long time, Discovery Cove has been recognized for its atmosphere full of adventure and at the same time relaxed, for its clear spaces that make our services more accessible,” added Miller.
Going forward, this water park should ensure that its employees have their daily training, skills, temperament and experience to deal with all families with special children.
These trainings take place every two years and include awareness in the areas of environment, sensory alert, social skills and emotional development programs.
The park will have an area with adjustable lights and comfortable armchairs so that visitors can take breaks. It will also provide visit planning tools on its website.
On the web, it will show visitors the activities that are offered, including a selection of available foods.
“Prior planning is essential for the autistic community,” said Myron Pincomb, director of the board of directors of IBCCES.
“Avoiding the element of surprise is vital,” Pincomb said.
The Discovery Cove is part of the theme park chain of Sea World Orlando, an entertainment company that reported a systematic decline in visitors after the presentation in 2013 of a controversial documentary.
“Blackfish” tells the story of the captive orca Tilikum, notorious for killing, among other people, her trainer, Dawn Brancheau, in 2010.
The company, however, expects to continue with the good run experienced during the first three months of 2018, when it reported 3 million 200,000 visitors to its parks, an increase of more than 15% compared to the previous year. (FL), (EFEUSA) .-
