View Full Version : Dolphin swim at Discover cove
SOMEONE TOLD ME THIS about The dolphin swim at Discoverycove:
((The swim with the dolphin part of the package is ok but if you aren't dying to touch a dolphin, you might forgo the dolphin swim part and save money (or at least some in your group might choose not to do the dolphin swim part.) the encounter lasts about 30 min. - 10 - 15 min. of a film and some verbal instruction, then you get in the water with the trainers and other groups of people. THey talk some more and bring the dolphins over - you can touch them. they take photos (get a photo but decline the video - expensive and not useful - mostly it's a commercial for Discovery Cove, but the photo is a treasure). Then one by one they take you our to a little deeper water where you get a 10 second 'swim to shore with the dolphin by holding it's fin' experience. And then it's over.)))))
Is this true? I was hoping for a little more time with the swimming part for the price we pay. Thanks for any info.
Nostromo
21-01-2005, 11:26
It depends on how you feel about animals in general and dolphins in particular. There is no question that swimming with the Dolphin is the highlight of the day's visit, but if you are particularly sqeamish about it or have other reasons to stay away from the animal, then there is the cheaper swimless alternative that still allows you to experience the park's other high lights like the Tropical River, Ray Lagoon, Coral Reef etc.
CERICROWLEY
21-01-2005, 12:32
Hi Tracey.
We did the dolphin swim the summer and I personally was very disappointed. BUT each to there own, friend we took out with us, thoroughly enjoyed, having never been with dolphins before.
My children and hubby went to a dolphin swim in Cancun a couple of years previously, asI watched on with my youngest too young to go with them. That was out of this world. Full interaction. Held a pole for the dolphin to jump over your head. two dolphins then picked you up by your feet and pushed you in to shore, and a couple of other tricks. And then they had a full quarter of an hour uninterrupted play with the dolphins.
This was I admit more expensive than Discovery Cove, but I feel well worth the money.
If you can go to Cancun and swim I would suggest this one is far better.
CarolAnn
23-01-2005, 18:44
I am still keen to go to Discovery Cove. I suspected the Dolphin Swim would be a little over priced to be honest, but as I think it is a once in a lifetime experience, I am not put off at the thought of it for my daughter to have a go! Hubby isn't bothered, and i am happy to watch, assume you can do that as the parent?
christhear
23-01-2005, 18:59
When we went last year, my son and I swum and hubby didn't. This meant he could video us and take some pictures. However they seem to position you in a way so that the only people that can video you or get decent pictures are their own people in the water. They are always in the way of any shots taken from land.
We did it in December 2003 and it would have to be a lot warmer for me to spend such money again.
Ray&Sarah
24-01-2005, 00:55
Our son swam with the dolphins at a place in Key Largo, it was a great experience and we took loads of pictures, it will be something he will remember & treasure for the rest of his life.[msnsmile2]
I just came home fron Florida and we did the Dolphin interaction on April 13th. WOW what a great experience. I will definitely do it again. My kids were so excited and it was a great day. I did buy the package for the video and all the pictures. It cost me over 300 dollars. But well worth it( i think).
One tip though , reapply sunscreen alot. We did it two times and our backs and backs of legs got burned. We were snorkelling all day so the whole backs of our bodies were burned. Not severely but good enough to apply sunscreen more than a few times. My nephew got blistery burns on his ears. he had to wear a floppy hat the rest of the trip( and we put lots of sunscreen on his ears. So I dont know how all that happened. LOL. But I had alot of fun. I would recommend doing the dolphin interaction at discoverycove
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Ray&Sarah
Our son swam with the dolphins at a place in Key Largo, it was a great experience and we took loads of pictures, it will be something he will remember & treasure for the rest of his life.[msnsmile2]
[/quote]
I think this is where we are going when we are in Key Largo in August, would you suggest I book now or will we be able to book when we arrive in the Keys [?]
Where staying at the HJ resort Hotel approx 2 mins drive away.
Done Discovery Cove and throughly enjoyed the experience. A Great day out.[clap][clap]
[beer]
Sorry, I have got another question on this topic.
Are you allocated a place on the beach and are there sunbeds etc or do you just pitch up wherever you fancy. I am assuming that once you get settled you can leave your things in the same place all day? I think I have read there are lockers that you can use (for the valuables!)
You can pick your own spot on the beach and yes there are sunbeds:) There are also lockers for anything you wish to keep safe.
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Ruth
You can pick your own spot on the beach and yes there are sunbeds:) There are also lockers for anything you wish to keep safe.
[/quote]
Thanks Ruth :D
At discovery cove , do they give you the flippers as well as the snorkel etc??
nicklangdon
03-06-2005, 23:15
We did Discovery Cove a couple of weeks ago and it was the highlight of our holiday!What a fantastic day we had but its not just about the dolphin swim its all of the day!
When you get there you're given a wetsuit - jacket or full to the knee (kids and i had the full as the water is set at around 74 in the dolphin and coral reef area / snorkel around the park area is set around 84)We were only given a snorkel and mask (no flippers)and dolphin friendly sunscreen.After locking everything away we found a couple of sunbeds but did't use them as we were in the water for most of the day.We kept our wetsuits on to avoid sizzling in the sun as you are in the direct sun.You choose dinner from a selection it was lovely but couldn't eat all of it!There are loads of staff at hand who are really friendly and helpful and you have a time slot for your dolphin swim;we watched a video and then went out into the water to meet our dolphin.We got to touch him and the trainer talked all about them - how they breath etc/did quite a few tricks and then swam out so the dolphin could bring you back in.I found timewise that it was long enough for us (it was what i expected)and learned quite a bit from the experience.The showers were great -shampoo/conditioner /soap and towels available to use.Its a day we certainly will never forget and yes i would do it again cost and all because it is a truly magical day!
Ali
dolphinv
21-06-2005, 19:59
Don't forget as well as all Ali said above, don't you also get entry to a choice of Busch Gardens or Seaworld within 7 days?
or you can use your voucher to go to these parks 7 days prior to Dolphin Cove T&C's
Ray&Sarah
21-06-2005, 20:23
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by becbecs
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Ray&Sarah
Our son swam with the dolphins at a place in Key Largo, it was a great experience and we took loads of pictures, it will be something he will remember & treasure for the rest of his life.[msnsmile2]
[/quote]
I think this is where we are going when we are in Key Largo in August, would you suggest I book now or will we be able to book when we arrive in the Keys [?]
Where staying at the HJ resort Hotel approx 2 mins drive away.
Done Discovery Cove and throughly enjoyed the experience. A Great day out.[clap][clap]
[beer]
[/quote]
Sorry just discovered your post, we stayed at the HoJo, which was just down the road from the Dolphin place, we booked when we got there for a few days later but not sure if it might be busier in August, we were there in October.[msnsmile]
karenhaworth
21-06-2005, 21:23
Whilst using your 7 Day Pass at Sea World you can also see even more Dolphins.
Sometimes they have young Dolphins in the Nursery Pool and we enjoyed seeing them playing with floats etc.
There is also the Key West Area in Sea World with regular feeding times for you to get up close and personal:D
Hi,
I'm just back from Florida. I've been to Discovery Cove twice now and I'm probably going back next year. I love Discovery Cove to pieces. It's a great day out as your not walking around a theme park trying to get on different rides.
You have the choice to swim around the coral reef, or just relax on one of the many sunbeds which is around the area. This year I saw 2 people getting engaged which I thought was very romantic. I've also to say that the food there is brill.
The interaction with the dolphins is fantastic, ok its only for 30 mins but you get to touch the dolphin, kiss it, swim with it and ask the trainers many questions as u want.
For anyone heading to Florida I would recommend going to Discovery Cove - its a great day.
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by karenhaworth
Whilst using your 7 Day Pass at Sea World you can also see even more Dolphins.
Sometimes they have young Dolphins in the Nursery Pool and we enjoyed seeing them playing with floats etc.
There is also the Key West Area in Sea World with regular feeding times for you to get up close and personal:D
[/quote]
Just to let u know that a baby dolphin (soz don't know the name of a baby dolphin) was born at Sea World in the Dolphin Nursery a couple of weeks ago.
Lesley
We have just had the latest newsletter from Lidl supermarkets and they have got lots of diving equipment on offer at the moment including an underwater camera for £3.99 does anyone know if Discovery cove allow you to take this sort of cameras into the water with you?
rainyday
28-06-2005, 03:32
You can take underwater cameras into the coral reef and ray lagoon but not into the dolphin pool during your 30 minute interaction - you can't take anything loose in as the dolphins will put anything into their mouths and could choke.
orlando novice
18-07-2005, 23:03
thanks for this info will go and buy my underwater cameras now, have just booked up for October and can't wait
We went to D C in 2003 - out of our party of 8 2 didn't swin with dophins - including me. I was quite happy to take photos of those swimming and they all enjoyed it very much. The snorkelling was fantastic - I am not a confident swimmer but still gave it a go - there are 2 pools one with hundreds of fish etc. The meal was pleasant and the whole day very relaxing.
It is an expensive day out - but a great treat.
Debbie
Helena Jane
12-12-2005, 21:33
Hi there,
we are hoping to go to Discovery Cove with our two children aged 12 and 9 years. Our youngest has learning difficulties and is deaf, she uses hearing aids, and speaks, she does not sign. We would like the girls to swim with the dolphins, but wondered if they will be ok on their own in the dolphin swim enclosure, we would just like to watch. When our deaf kid is in the water she cant hear anything as she has to take out her aids.
Could anyone tell me if we will be able to supervise her, without having to pay for the dolphin interaction ourselves, how near can the non dolphin swim guest get? I have asked the team at Discovery cove and they were happy to get staff who could sign, but this is no good for our daughter. Any tips about the set up etc that could help me decide if they would be ok, would be much appreciated. Thanks Helena
Hi Helena
Both of my children have a disability ( i will dm you some details regards to needs as i do not discuss the children openly on the forum)
hope some of the following helps you decide what to do
we contacted DC in advance of our visit and they where very helpful i would recommend you give them as much information as possible when you book
to be honest if i where you i would go in with the child and assist your daughter to help her enjoy the interaction with the dolphin to the full
we got about 40 minutes in the water with our dolphin earlier this year and the staff where fantastic with the children
you do not get a reduced rate to accompany your children and you will not be allowed in the water to assist if you stay at the shore you will find that your children have their backs to you so you will probably feel useless to help
also you need to think about any momentoes you may want of the actual swim you go in the water in groups of 6-8 people if you want to buy the dvd of your childrens swim your gonna get footage of 6 strangers and your children much better to pay that little bit extra and have a family experience that you will all treasure
when we went my husband moaned like hell at the cost (£560 for four of us) now we are planning our second florida holiday and DC is top of his list
hope this helps Mizzy
pt cruiser
13-12-2005, 03:56
As Mizzy said Helena i would contact discovery cove, our son has special needs, we emailed them before we went and we told them when we arrived for the swim. They were absolutly brilliant with him they even gave him a little extra time with the dolphin. They made him feel at ease as he was very nervous going in, but he really enjoyed it,(so did we!!!) we have a lovely photo of him stroking the dolphin and smiling. I would go in with your daughter you'll have a great time! I dosnt matter if you can't swim, hubby is terrified of water and he loved it they didn't make you do anything you wern't happy with.
Teresa
Hi
My son has special needs and I was quite concerned about swimming out with him. However, my husband swam out to the deeper water for the dolphin swim and he wasn't out in the deeper water for a great length of time.
They were very helpful and even allowed my niece to swim with the dolphin in the shallow end as she was a none swimmer and extremely nervous.
Going swimming with dolphins was our reason for going to Florida as my son has quite complex difficulties and I think it was one of the most beneficial things we've ever done.
Everybody had a great time[msnsmile]
sharondl
05-06-2006, 01:13
been to discovery cove 2 weeks ago booked online and description doesnt tell you how long interaction with dolphin was, unfortunatly laptop of getting fixed when booked on friends pc so couldnt access this site
experience was great £156.00 for dvd and photos but as hadnt done usual shopping mall or outlet trips where always buy more than need thought what the hell need some reminder and even under husbands protest of cost I got them. Photo are excellent dvd/video footage good but us and another family took part in same interaction and was told there bits, apart from group moments would be edited, but they werent
if just us our family would have been better 30 mins not long enough for 2 families
someone on plane coming back to depressing old england said that if you go for being a trainer for day you get more time with dolphins anyone tried this?
Only 49 weeks till go again.
sharon
cad-properties
05-06-2006, 01:35
Thanks for sharing this with us Sharon.
Both of my children are having swimming lessons at the moment (Ages 3 and 5) and I have promised them that when they can both swim we will take them to DC to swim with the Dolphins.
I have read your post out to my husband, so now thanks to you, he will not be shocked when I tell him the cost of the pictures/DVD, which I will no doubt want !!
How competent at swimming will the children need to be to enjoy this experience. Are you in the water swimming for all 30 minutes ??
Clair.
http://www.onlinefloridavillas.com/villas/495.aspx
I think they have a minimum age requirement of 6yrs for swimming with the dolphins. The Twilight experience is open to everyone, that's just shallow wading, no swimming involved.
Clair
you dont have to be able to swim at all, the park provide float vests for both children and adults[clap]
but as Liesel as mentioned there is a min age
Mizzy
sharondl
05-06-2006, 02:40
Husband and eldest 14 no probs, my youngest 9 we swam out into deeper water which only took couple mins but you have to be able to tread water at 10-12 feet for few mins, he obvisously went back first. Interaction is more about touching them, kissing them and having a nice time you move your hands a certain way and they dance, talk and jump.
It isnt exactly swim with dolphins more a case of hold on to them and they take you back to shore but if never done before as we hadnt was well worth it.
It was an experience I would repeat, I have been on almost every roller coaster in Florida but 30 mins with a dolphin is worth 1 million roller coasters
have tried to add photo's but couldnt attach files will keep trying so you can se what £156 gets you can pick individual photos or just dvd if want but I wanted all of them just love florida any thing that reminds me of that i want. would love to live there
Even the reef was great i'm not a lover of sea and sand that gets everywere but I think that anyone would love snorkelling with the fish and rays as it was brilliant
not sure if any age or height restriction may need 2 check it out
sharon
robin395
05-06-2006, 03:07
Twilight or daytime - the minimum age you can participate in the dolphin swim is 6
Sara
ShirleyD
05-06-2006, 04:15
http://www.villasflorida.com/vacation_guide/discovery-cove-review.aspx
We had a wonderful day there. See the link for the details
Does anyone know if you have to use the sea world tickets the week before or can you use them earlier?
I have booked a swim for the 22nd August our wedding anniversary (Husband and children don't know) but we are in Florida from the 2nd August so hoped to use the sea world tickets early on. I know they will only allow 7 consecative days, but hope that is not connected to the swim day.
we could use our seaworld tickets both before and after the days visit to discovery cove
Mizzy
I want to use mind about 2 weeks before the date of the swim though and i don't know if this is possible
ShirleyD
09-07-2006, 23:42
Just take your DC confirmation to the special Discovery Cove office at Sea World to the left of the main entrance. You even have your own entrance gate to Sea World!
If you are going several times, ring and book valet parking at DC (I assume you can still do this), as this also gives you premium parking at SW. It could even save you money if you go loads of times. Someone here can probably tell you the daily rate for the ordinary parking. I booked it after I had booked DC and had no proof on my first trip, but just showed the parking man the DC confirmation and told them I had booked the parking and they gave us a windscreen decal and everyone kept waving us through to the first rows of the car park. Great for a quick visit too!
Hi Shirley
Thanks for the info. Sounds good to have a separate gate but on the other hand it might just blow my suprise earlier than originally plan, but hey thats life.