Dolphin Feeding - please explain

[duckyfordonald]

This will be our first trip to Sea World. I have been reading that we should begin our day with the dolphin feeding. Can someone please explain how this works? Does each person have to pay $7 to enter the feeding area or is it $7 for a tray of fish. Can DS5 and DS11 share a tray of fish? Do we need to pay with cash or do they take a CC? Are there other must -do "experiences" (aside from programs or tours) that cost additional $? Just want to be prepared! We don't usually carry much cash with us on vacation, and I don't want to miss out on any great activities! Thanks so much!

 

[KBF]

This will be our first trip to Sea World. I have been reading that we should begin our day with the dolphin feeding. Can someone please explain how this works? Does each person have to pay $7 to enter the feeding area or is it $7 for a tray of fish. Can DS5 and DS11 share a tray of fish? Do we need to pay with cash or do they take a CC? Are there other must -do "experiences" (aside from programs or tours) that cost additional $? Just want to be prepared! We don't usually carry much cash with us on vacation, and I don't want to miss out on any great activities! Thanks so much!

Hi! I would be happy to answer your questions. The Dolphin cove area of Seaworld is divided into two areas. There is a side for non feeders and feeders. Yes, in order to feed the dolphins, each person must pay $7 for a tray of fish. Last I heard, sharing wasnt allowed. Im not exactly sure how you pay. I would take cash just incase. Like I said, there is another area that you can pet the dolphins. This area is free. However, the dolphins tend to hang out where they are being fed so you may have to wait awhile for a dolphin to come your way if you choose the non feeding area.

Like I said, you should bring some extra cash with you on your visit. You can also pay to feed the Sting Rays, Sharks, and Sealions. There is not a feeding or non feeding section for these activities. And the only ones you can pet are the Sting rays. You may also want to ride the sky tower. Its a giant 400 foot tower that you ride to the top for a scenic view of Seaworld and most of Orlando. This is an additional I believe $3 per person.

As far as extra experiences that cost money that doesnt include tours, I believe thats it. The sky tower isnt a "Must Do" but any chance to feed an animal, I believe is a must do.

 

[duckyfordonald]

Thank you so much for all of the helpful info.!

 

[eeyorefanuk]

Hi we have just come back from our holiday.

Originally we had the feeding the dolphins included in our VIP Tour - it was briliant. As the dolphin know where the food is, they come up so close to the wall, you can see them so close, take some great photos, and when you pay the $7 per tray (everyone has to pay) (and try is a bit extreme - about 5 fish), when they come up to you touch them uinder the chin first then feed them the fish.

The second time we went back we paid again to do this as it was really great - I loved how close you were to them.

You can also pay to feed the stingrays, and seals/sea lions

My favourite was the dolphins.

 

[Mommytwotwins]

We just did this on Tuesday and it was great!!! We paid cash so I am not sure if they tke a cc for it and all 4 of us had to pay becuase they give everyone in the feeding area a tray of fish. It was wonderful and even though it was $28 for the 4 of us I feel it was worth it for us.

 

[MinnieGi]

I usually always skip those "extra fee" attractions at parks, but this one my then 8yo DD pleaded with me to do. I'm sooooo glad I did!!! DD, DS and myself had such a neat experience. The kids loved how close they were to the dolphins and that they got to feed them. I loved it too!! It is one of the first things they remember from their trip to Sea World. I'm so glad DD talked me into it!!!

 

[wwessing]

When we visited last (granted. . that was 2 years ago) you had to have cash for the fish. . . credit/debit cards not accepted. . . .and you could purchase as many trays of fish as you wanted. . .and I believe they were $7 each. Our first day we purchased 5 which is one for each member of our family. The next day when we returned, we purchased 10 trays. I believe they may have changed that so you can only have one tray per person. Once the trays of fish are gone they are gone. So perhaps they wanted more people to be able to go through and feed the dolphins rather than the first to get there buy up all the fish.

I know we got some beautiful pictures while feeding and are some of the most memorable moments of our entire vacation, so the price is truly very inexpensive for the experience of being so close to those wonderous and beautiful creatures. They smile at you

My advice is to be at the park early, wait for the park proper to open and go directly to the dolphin feeding area immediately as they let you in. Many folks will run for the "big rides", but many are heading to the dolphin area as well. Just look at the map and know where to go.

Oh. . btw. . .both my youngest daughters have decided they are going to move to Florida and become dolphin trainers as a result of our visits to SW.

 

[eeyorefanuk]

My niece and nephew were practising swimming across the pool underwater, as it is one of the things you have to do if want to work with the animals in the water.

Forgot to say on our second feed the dolphins, just inside the pool on the dolphin side is a ledge, one of the dolphins made us laugh, he just came right up. laid on the ledge and wanted to be tickled.

On the first occassion. one of the fish trays had got into the pool from someone, as a dolphin swam up to us, opened his mouth which was full of the card, and looked at us as to say "get this out of my mouth and now"

I loved dolphins before but now soooooooooooooooooo love them, though they do come equal to the belugas

 

[GlendaO]

Hi! I would be happy to answer your questions. The Dolphin cove area of Seaworld is divided into two areas. There is a side for non feeders and feeders. Yes, in order to feed the dolphins, each person must pay $7 for a tray of fish. Last I heard, sharing wasnt allowed. Im not exactly sure how you pay. I would take cash just incase. Like I said, there is another area that you can pet the dolphins. This area is free. However, the dolphins tend to hang out where they are being fed so you may have to wait awhile for a dolphin to come your way if you choose the non feeding area.

Like I said, you should bring some extra cash with you on your visit. You can also pay to feed the Sting Rays, Sharks, and Sealions. There is not a feeding or non feeding section for these activities. And the only ones you can pet are the Sting rays. You may also want to ride the sky tower. Its a giant 400 foot tower that you ride to the top for a scenic view of Seaworld and most of Orlando. This is an additional I believe $3 per person.

As far as extra experiences that cost money that doesnt include tours, I believe thats it. The sky tower isnt a "Must Do" but any chance to feed an animal, I believe is a must do.

Help please! I knew about the dolphin feeding but have heard nothing about shark feeding.

Any info you can share would be greatly appreciated! DD would definitely want to do this!

 

[Tinks1984]

Help please! I knew about the dolphin feeding but have heard nothing about shark feeding.

Any info you can share would be greatly appreciated! DD would definitely want to do this!

Shark feeding is done within the Shark Encounter. It's a large outdoor (caged off) pool area in which there are various types of sharks and fish.

Again, as with the dolphins, you can pay for a tray of fish pieces which can then be dropped into the shark tank.

It's advisable to go earlier in the day, as the sharks and fish are more hungry at that time and will tend to eat all the fish which is dropped. We saw many people dropping food in there later in the day, but by that time the sharks weren't as interested as they'd had their fair share throughout the day no doubt!

Again, I think it was around $7 for a tray of fish. Although in this area, more than one person can feed and be around the tank, as it's not roped off as with the dolphins

 

[KBF]

Help please! I knew about the dolphin feeding but have heard nothing about shark feeding.

Any info you can share would be greatly appreciated! DD would definitely want to do this!

The poster above me is correct.
Also, there was a special deal last year that you could pick 3 of the 4 available animals to feed for a special price.
So for example you could feed the Dolphins, Sting Rays and Sharks for a discounted price but then pay to feed the Sealions at regular price. You could pick any 3 out of the possible 4 animals to feed. Im not sure if this still exists. It may be something to look into when you arrive.

 

[GlendaO]

Shark feeding is done within the Shark Encounter. It's a large outdoor (caged off) pool area in which there are various types of sharks and fish.

Again, as with the dolphins, you can pay for a tray of fish pieces which can then be dropped into the shark tank.

It's advisable to go earlier in the day, as the sharks and fish are more hungry at that time and will tend to eat all the fish which is dropped. We saw many people dropping food in there later in the day, but by that time the sharks weren't as interested as they'd had their fair share throughout the day no doubt!

Again, I think it was around $7 for a tray of fish. Although in this area, more than one person can feed and be around the tank, as it's not roped off as with the dolphins

Thanks very much for the info! We'll definitely being doing this!

 

[GlendaO]

The poster above me is correct.
Also, there was a special deal last year that you could pick 3 of the 4 available animals to feed for a special price.
So for example you could feed the Dolphins, Sting Rays and Sharks for a discounted price but then pay to feed the Sealions at regular price. You could pick any 3 out of the possible 4 animals to feed. Im not sure if this still exists. It may be something to look into when you arrive.

I'll check at Guest Services when we get there. It would be great if there's a discount at all. Oldest DD must feed sharks and youngest DD just wants to feed dolphins. We've already signed up for a tour that finishes off with a small shark, so a discount anywhere would be good!

 

[chiamarie]

The poster above me is correct.
Also, there was a special deal last year that you could pick 3 of the 4 available animals to feed for a special price.
So for example you could feed the Dolphins, Sting Rays and Sharks for a discounted price but then pay to feed the Sealions at regular price. You could pick any 3 out of the possible 4 animals to feed. Im not sure if this still exists. It may be something to look into when you arrive.

As a regular, I know that right now, that deal is not being offered. I don't know if it has to do with the time of year and they were just trying to increase sales, so since it's still considered summer until tomorrow (Labor Day), I don't know if they will bring that option back or not. But as of now, it isn't being offered.the

Also it was not a pick three of the four to feed. You could purchase the card at any of the feeding locations. It was 10 dollars to feed stingrays, sharks and sealions. The dolphins were NOT included in this deal, even though you could purchase the card at the dolphin location.

 

[sanapp]

Can anyone tell me what time the first dolphin feeding time usually is? We were hoping to do Atlantis at rope drop and then still make it to the first feeding time. Is this possible?

 

[chiamarie]

Typically, the first feed seems to begin around 9:30