Dolphin encounter - The DIS Discussion Forums

jtink60 · 10-29-2012, 11:11 AM

We are booked on the Dream for a 4 night cruise. We are looking into doing a dolphin encounter. Which is better-Blue Lagoon or Atlantis? Will we have enough time to shop at the straw market too? Thanks

Janie

angelinaxox · 10-29-2012, 12:10 PM

I did the dolphin encounter at the Atlantis in August 2010 while staying at the Atlantis and I just did the dolphin swim at the Blue Lagoon just this past August when I was on the Disney Magic. Not sure if either of the tours you are looking at are the swim or both are just the encounters, but I enjoyed both. At the Atlantis, we had to wear wetsuits and we were in shallow water in which we kneeled. We were taught hand gestures to get the dolphins to do tricks. Prior to going into the water we had a lesson in a room. I was extremely hot sitting in the wetsuit. We were then divided into smaller groups of about 10 and assigned a dolphin that we would go into the water with. At the Blue Lagoon, we did the later tour which was around 12:45 pm, so we had no time after our tour to explore the area as we had to go immediately back to the ship when we were done (We took a boat to go to this excursion and back to the ship. It did make a stop along the way to get to the Blue Lagoon. I am not sure exactly how long of a ride it was, but it felt long.) Once we were there, we got ready to go in the water. The water was deep and we wore life jackets to keep us afloat and we did not wear wetsuits. We were in a group of ten with our dolphin. We were all in a line in the water and called forth two at a time to interact with the dolphin. We didn't have use to hand gestures for the tricks. After this interaction in the water, we all went out on the pier by the water and were given directions for our swim. One at a time, we entered the water for our dolphin swim, which was a push by the dolphin's snout on our feet. That was quite an experience.

TheHungerJames · 10-29-2012, 12:56 PM

I haven't been to Atlantis but we've done 2 excursions to Blue Lagoon and loved it.
Last October my wife and I did the afternoon sea lion encounter. I actually really liked the 30 minute boat ride to the island, I did take a little longer coming back because we had to make an extra stop.
Then in February my wife and daughter did the morning dolphin encounter. They were back on the ship around 2:00 so there definitely would have been time to shop afterwards. If you do a morning excursion you also have the option of staying there on the beach and taking the later boat back.

nhgirl · 10-29-2012, 02:23 PM

We did the Blue Lagoon. We loved it!! Afterwards we went over the the beach for a while. Nice ride to and from the island. Atlantis looks beautiful and I am sure their Dolphin Encounter is a wonderful experience there as well. Atlantis is closer than the Blue Lagoon. You would have more time for shopping going to Atlantis. We still had time to do a little shopping when we got back to Nassau from the Blue Lagoon.

Malaguti Ball Clan · 10-29-2012, 02:42 PM

We loved Blue Lagoon, the dolphin swim and PUSH were amazing! Once we were done we spent the afternoon on BL beach and still had time for shopping. BL is awesome!!! Have FUN!!!

BeardedDragons · 10-29-2012, 07:57 PM

In 2010 we stayed at Atlantis. We did both the Atlantis Encounter and Blue Lagoon Swim. Blue Lagoon was a way better experience for us. May have been because DS wasn't old enough for the Dolphin Swim at Atlantis (which is why I took him to Blue Lagoon). Angelinaxox has given a good review of each. The Straw Market is right at the Port so hopefully, depending on the excursion you choose and the timing, you can manage to visit it.

10-29-2012, 11:11 AM	#1
jtink60 Mouseketeer Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 125	Dolphin encounter We are booked on the Dream for a 4 night cruise. We are looking into doing a dolphin encounter. Which is better-Blue Lagoon or Atlantis? Will we have enough time to shop at the straw market too? Thanks Janie

10-29-2012, 02:42 PM	#5
Malaguti Ball Clan aka the MALABALL an unstoppable family of fun Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Fredericksburg, Virginia Posts: 577	We loved Blue Lagoon, the dolphin swim and PUSH were amazing! Once we were done we spent the afternoon on BL beach and still had time for shopping. BL is awesome!!! Have FUN!!! __________________ Alex (me) Sherrie DW DS25 DD19 DD19 DS17 All equals SSR/OKW/SOG 14 days June 2009 DCL/AKL Jambo 12 days Sep/Oct 2010

10-29-2012, 07:57 PM	#6
BeardedDragons Earning My Ears Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 59	In 2010 we stayed at Atlantis. We did both the Atlantis Encounter and Blue Lagoon Swim. Blue Lagoon was a way better experience for us. May have been because DS wasn't old enough for the Dolphin Swim at Atlantis (which is why I took him to Blue Lagoon). Angelinaxox has given a good review of each. The Straw Market is right at the Port so hopefully, depending on the excursion you choose and the timing, you can manage to visit it. __________________ Tammy Mom of Brayden - keeper of Steven, the bearded dragon. --- Magic ~ Jan 2012 \| WDW, Off-site ~ Dec 2011 \| WDW, ASMovies ~ Jun 2011 \| Wonder ~ Dec 2010 \| WDW, ASSports ~ Dec 2010 \| Altantis ~ May 2010 \| WDW, ASMovies ~ Dec 2009 \| WDW, ASMovies ~ May 2008 \| WDW, ASMovies ~ May 2007 \| WDW, Off-site ~ Feb 1987

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes	Rate This Thread
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode	Rate This Thread:

Sponsored Links
The DIS Register to remove Join Date: 1997 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 1,000,000

10-29-2012, 12:10 PM	#2
angelinaxox Mouseketeer Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 75	I did the dolphin encounter at the Atlantis in August 2010 while staying at the Atlantis and I just did the dolphin swim at the Blue Lagoon just this past August when I was on the Disney Magic. Not sure if either of the tours you are looking at are the swim or both are just the encounters, but I enjoyed both. At the Atlantis, we had to wear wetsuits and we were in shallow water in which we kneeled. We were taught hand gestures to get the dolphins to do tricks. Prior to going into the water we had a lesson in a room. I was extremely hot sitting in the wetsuit. We were then divided into smaller groups of about 10 and assigned a dolphin that we would go into the water with. At the Blue Lagoon, we did the later tour which was around 12:45 pm, so we had no time after our tour to explore the area as we had to go immediately back to the ship when we were done (We took a boat to go to this excursion and back to the ship. It did make a stop along the way to get to the Blue Lagoon. I am not sure exactly how long of a ride it was, but it felt long.) Once we were there, we got ready to go in the water. The water was deep and we wore life jackets to keep us afloat and we did not wear wetsuits. We were in a group of ten with our dolphin. We were all in a line in the water and called forth two at a time to interact with the dolphin. We didn't have use to hand gestures for the tricks. After this interaction in the water, we all went out on the pier by the water and were given directions for our swim. One at a time, we entered the water for our dolphin swim, which was a push by the dolphin's snout on our feet. That was quite an experience.

10-29-2012, 12:56 PM	#3
TheHungerJames Earning My Ears Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 4	I haven't been to Atlantis but we've done 2 excursions to Blue Lagoon and loved it. Last October my wife and I did the afternoon sea lion encounter. I actually really liked the 30 minute boat ride to the island, I did take a little longer coming back because we had to make an extra stop. Then in February my wife and daughter did the morning dolphin encounter. They were back on the ship around 2:00 so there definitely would have been time to shop afterwards. If you do a morning excursion you also have the option of staying there on the beach and taking the later boat back.

10-29-2012, 02:23 PM	#4
nhgirl Mouseketeer Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 94	We did the Blue Lagoon. We loved it!! Afterwards we went over the the beach for a while. Nice ride to and from the island. Atlantis looks beautiful and I am sure their Dolphin Encounter is a wonderful experience there as well. Atlantis is closer than the Blue Lagoon. You would have more time for shopping going to Atlantis. We still had time to do a little shopping when we got back to Nassau from the Blue Lagoon.