Dolphin Swim Timing

[RachelEllen]

This is our first year going to DC. It's my understanding you get your dolphin swim time assigned based on check in time. I know that my family will do much better if I don't wake them up super early. (We will be at Magic kingdom late the night before) However, we also have to leave to drive back to Atlanta that night, and I know, based on past experience, people will feel ready to head out by 4.

Is there any way to predict how early we have to get there to get an early or mid afternoon swim time? What's the latest time we are risking?

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

This is our first year going to DC. It's my understanding you get your dolphin swim time assigned based on check in time. I know that my family will do much better if I don't wake them up super early. (We will be at Magic kingdom late the night before) However, we also have to leave to drive back to Atlanta that night, and I know, based on past experience, people will feel ready to head out by 4.

Is there any way to predict how early we have to get there to get an early or mid afternoon swim time? What's the latest time we are risking?

On a sold-out day, dolphin swim times can potentially go quite late. We saw very late afternoon swims on our August 2014 trip.

We arrived just after 7:30 am in August and got a 1:30 pm swim time. Many people arrive very early in the summer months to try and secure an early swim time as thunderstorms are an issue.

What time of year are you visiting?

And you might be surprised.....your group many not feel as ready to leave at 4 pm as you think. DC is an amazing park, and the day will feel short as it is. I know when we go, we open and close the park.....and it STILL doesn't feel like enough time (even after 3 visits).

 

[bas71873]

When we went, we checked in about 8:15 am and got a dolphin time of 12:30. However, while we were in the water, a storm whipped up, we had to go back to the hut and wait it out. All in all, we didn't wrap up our dolphin swim until about 2:30. Thank goodness for the snacks, waters and ice creams or we would have been starving . The park stayed open about an hour past the usual closing time and my DD was one of the last out of the snorkel reef area. We would have stayed longer if we could. Loved our day!

 

[cantwaitvaca09]

We are going on a Saturday in early September. What time to you recommend to get their to check in so that we can the best Dolphin time possible?

 

[bas71873]

We are going on a Saturday in early September. What time to you recommend to get their to check in so that we can the best Dolphin time possible?

Personally, I'd get there at 7:45/8:00 because I want to be there all day until they kick me out. After you get checked in, you can go get breakfast, then get settled with your locker or cabana ( we loved our cabana) and then go get your vest or wetsuit, snorkel gear and go about your day.

 

[cantwaitvaca09]

Personally, I'd get there at 7:45/8:00 because I want to be there all day until they kick me out. After you get checked in, you can go get breakfast, then get settled with your locker or cabana ( we loved our cabana) and then go get your vest or wetsuit, snorkel gear and go about your day.

Thank you, we do have a cabana package. I can not wait!