Questions about Mexican Riviera excursions

[tmcdaniel2003]

We will be on the Disney Wonder in just over a week! It's our first time on a cruise. Just a couple of questions about the excursions. So far, we are signed up for:
PV: Outdoor Adventure
The rest of the family: Paradise Beach

Cabo: on our own the first day
Second day: Two of us are doing the Cabo dolphin swim.

Does anyone know if you can do the Paradise beach resort outside of Disney, just to stay longer and spend the day there? If so, how does it work and cost? Three of us are doing the excursion while the others are on the outdoor adventure. Is it worth the money to go to Paradise resort or is it the same as staying on the boat with swimming and food there. (except you don't get to swim at the beach). What are your ideas.

Also, I heard the dolphin swim pictures are extremely pricey. Does anyone have any experience with the Puerto Vallarta dolphin swim, is it the same amount for pictures there? It's more expensive to swim with dolphins in PV than Cabo but I wasn't sure about the picture prices. Are you able to purchase a DVD of the experience or only pictures?

THanks for any of your help.

 

[lovetoscrap]

Moving to the Cruise Board.

 

[goiu]

I'd like to know too since we are going next month.

 

[DisneyDadHere]

First , two different pics of the dolphins with 2 kids cost me about 55 bucks (dollars) in cabo. Paradise resort is about a 30 min Disney bus ride north of the pier so y should prob think of cab fare if y want to try it on your own. We did paradise resort with disney and it's awesome, much better than staying on the wonder. It has a big pool, two big watersides (big enough for dad !) and was safe easy and fun. I have an 8 and 4 yr old girls and they loved it. I got free drinks and I loved that. Food was pretty good too!

 

[DisneyDadHere]

Oh and about a DVD in dolphin cabo. I saw no employee videotaping the experience, so I dont think a DVD is an option. In cabo dolphin no cameras allowed, you HAVE to buy theirs. But their camera guy is right In the water and he takes some decent pics.

 

[kidclassic]

I wonder if you could prepay for the pictures and then they might let you take your own video/pictures.

 

[DisneyDadHere]

I wonder if you could prepay for the pictures and then they might let you take your own video/pictures.

The observation area is where people who don't pay for an experience watch. Not sure that they would let you near the pool to get a good pic unless you bot an experience. With the markup on the pics, I'm sure thats how they make most of their cash, I didn't see an opp to take your own pic

 

[twindaddy]

Oh and about a DVD in dolphin cabo. I saw no employee videotaping the experience, so I dont think a DVD is an option. In cabo dolphin no cameras allowed, you HAVE to buy theirs. But their camera guy is right In the water and he takes some decent pics.

I assume you can pay cash (american) for the DVD?

 

[twindaddy]

First , two different pics of the dolphins with 2 kids cost me about 55 bucks (dollars) in cabo. Paradise resort is about a 30 min Disney bus ride north of the pier so y should prob think of cab fare if y want to try it on your own. We did paradise resort with disney and it's awesome, much better than staying on the wonder. It has a big pool, two big watersides (big enough for dad !) and was safe easy and fun. I have an 8 and 4 yr old girls and they loved it. I got free drinks and I loved that. Food was pretty good too!

Do you recall how warm the water in the pool was? I have a skinny minny daughter that cant really do a cold pool....Thanks!

 

[DisneyDadHere]

I assume you can pay cash (american) for the DVD?

Yeah they take us dollars and credit cards. But like I said, I'm pretty sure DVD is not an option. There was NO videotaping occurring during my kids sessions

 

[DisneyDadHere]

Do you recall how warm the water in the pool was? I have a skinny minny daughter that cant really do a cold pool....Thanks!

The paradise resort pool was not heated like the disney wonders. It was about 80 degrees F in mid December when we went and the paradise pool was a little cold. But you just gotta dive right in, y get used to it pretty quick,no one there had any issues with the pool being TOO cold, everyone loved it. The beach water, now THAT was pretty cold.

 

[twindaddy]

Yeah they take us dollars and credit cards. But like I said, I'm pretty sure DVD is not an option. There was NO videotaping occurring during my kids sessions

oops, yeah, I meant photo CD. Thanks for the info!

 

[silence]

The dolphin pool was COLD. They provide wetsuits for everyone. However, it was COLD.

 

[bethnmike2002]

We will be on the Disney Wonder in just over a week! It's our first time on a cruise. Just a couple of questions about the excursions. So far, we are signed up for:
PV: Outdoor Adventure
The rest of the family: Paradise Beach

Cabo: on our own the first day
Second day: Two of us are doing the Cabo dolphin swim.

Does anyone know if you can do the Paradise beach resort outside of Disney, just to stay longer and spend the day there? If so, how does it work and cost? Three of us are doing the excursion while the others are on the outdoor adventure. Is it worth the money to go to Paradise resort or is it the same as staying on the boat with swimming and food there. (except you don't get to swim at the beach). What are your ideas.

Also, I heard the dolphin swim pictures are extremely pricey. Does anyone have any experience with the Puerto Vallarta dolphin swim, is it the same amount for pictures there? It's more expensive to swim with dolphins in PV than Cabo but I wasn't sure about the picture prices. Are you able to purchase a DVD of the experience or only pictures?

THanks for any of your help.

Are you going to be on the Jan 15th MR? If so, I'll see you on the Outdoor Adventure in PV! DH and I are doing that one. Also, we have a dis-group here for others going to be on that cruise.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=41750266&mode=linear#post41750266

 

[rainnorsnow]

We will be on the Disney Wonder in just over a week! It's our first time on a cruise. Just a couple of questions about the excursions. So far, we are signed up for:
PV: Outdoor Adventure
The rest of the family: Paradise Beach

Cabo: on our own the first day
Second day: Two of us are doing the Cabo dolphin swim.

Does anyone know if you can do the Paradise beach resort outside of Disney, just to stay longer and spend the day there? If so, how does it work and cost? Three of us are doing the excursion while the others are on the outdoor adventure. Is it worth the money to go to Paradise resort or is it the same as staying on the boat with swimming and food there. (except you don't get to swim at the beach). What are your ideas.

Also, I heard the dolphin swim pictures are extremely pricey. Does anyone have any experience with the Puerto Vallarta dolphin swim, is it the same amount for pictures there? It's more expensive to swim with dolphins in PV than Cabo but I wasn't sure about the picture prices. Are you able to purchase a DVD of the experience or only pictures?

THanks for any of your help.

We did the Paradise Beach excursion through Disney & loved it. I would not want to make the trip there on my own, it was a fairly long bus ride. Our 3 kids did the dolphin swim in Cabo & loved it. We purchased the photo cd. It was $99, which we thought was reasonable compared to the other photo prices plus we had several pictures of all 3 kids that way. The water temp for the dolphin swim isn't an issue because you wear wetsuits. The pools were warm in Feb & the ocean was warm enough for our kids to get out & do some bodysurfing, but we are hardy Midwesterners. I would highly recommend both excursions. Enjoy your trip! You can not take your own pictures at the dolphin swim, if the employees catch you you will be asked to leave, a couple of people tried that while we were there even though you were specifically asked not to ahead of time.