Discovery Cove v Disney's Dolphins in Depth

[LiquidSunshine]

Hi all,

I was considering booking tickets for Discovery Cove, but now I have discovered that Disney offers Disney's Dolphins in Depth.

It is a 3 hour experience, with groups of up to 8 participants only, which includes meeting the dolphins of The Seas with Nemo & Friends Pavilion at Epcot.

Just wondering if anyone has done the Disney's Dolphins in Depth experience and if they would recommend it?

Thank you!

 

[DLPDreams]

I am sure you have read this but by the sounds of it, the interaction with the dolphins is the same amount of time, 30 mins and does not include swimming with them (although I have read that this is nothing special at DC anyway), it's just interaction whilst standing with dolphin. The WDW 3 hours consists of other bits like learning about them etc.

Not sure if you know that Disney's is only for over 14 years whereas DC is for 6 years plus (as a result we couldn't do the WDW one).

The DC day is around $259 up to $319 depending on time of year. This of course includes Busch Gardens & Aquatica & Seaworld entry, so if you were planning on either of those, then the DC becomes better value. The DC also includes meals/drinks all day (but this isn't such an issue if you are staying at WDW and have a free DP).

The WDW experience is $199.

We have no choice but to go for DC due to children's ages. However, as we want to visit Seaworld too, I think we would have gone for the DC package anyway, albeit, it is expensive! DC looks a great day out .

Would be interesting to hear from anyone who has done the WDW dolphin experience recently.

 

[Elise79]

I have done Dolphins In Depth - it is very much education based.

You only go in with the Dolphins you don't actually swim with them - you go into the water with them and interact. It is also very much upto the Dolphins. On the day we did it we have 20 minute wait before they decided to co-operate.

I will say that the things I learnt on that day have changed my mind on DC and nothing to do with the things in Blackfish. My DD will be 6 in July and thus old enough to swim at DC but I will not be taking her - she is desperate to swim with Dolphins and her Nan was even going to pay but it is still a no go.

I will take her on Dolphins in Depth if they are doing it once she is old enough

 

[SilentK]

I did Dolphins in Depth in 2010, haven't been to Discovery Cove.

There was 8 of us, 4 couples. We were kept together until the interaction when we were split into 2 groups, so it was DH and I and another couple. We really loved it and enjoyed the educational parts too.

 

[chmurf]

At DC you get to do a "dolphin tow"

after the "interaction" includes kissing the dolphin and learning visual cues to have the dolphin do tricks, you go to "deep water" (kids can do a shallow water tow) and grab the dophin's dorsal fin and flipper and you get towed 20 or 25 yards.

quite impressive though.

here's DS (6) with Dexter on a shallow water tow (oct 2013)

 

[LiquidSunshine]

Great pic chmurf!

There are only 2 of us going, so age restriction isn't a problem.

Curious now about DC not being an option for some, it was very appealing before I discovered Disney had their own form of Dolphin interaction.

I think the cost of DC would be wasted on us as we didn't really want to do the rest of the DC complex, just the dolphins.

Liking the sound of Disney's option though, the education part would be interesting!

Thank you all for your replies!

 

[DISWolves]

Lots of other comparisons to check........
Discovery Cove can last up to 9 hours if you get there early.
Unlimited food and drinks all day
Swimming with rays and other marine fish
Lazy river and beach loungers

 

[zavandor]

And interact with birds in the aviary.

BUT if you want pictures of your dolphin interaction you either have someone not swimming taking them from the distance or you pay a VERY VERY VERY expensive photo package. Cool, but VERY expensive. (You cannot bring any camera in the water with the dolphin). I don't know if at Disney you can take pictures at will.

 

[Elise79]

Disney include the photo of you with the dolphin

You get it at the end with a T-shirt (or you did they sometimes change up the things you get with the tours)