Feeding the Dolphins - best time to go?

[Jenny]

i have always done the dolphins last in the day & it seems crowded to me. is this the case all day long or is it less crowded at another time? i usually do Journey & Kraken w/ child swap then go straight over to the C & S show at 10 a.m. This time, if it's less crowded to feed the dolphins in the a.m., then i'd like to try that & rearrange my schedule.

has anyone fed the dolphins first thing in the a.m.? what time is their first feeding? thanks.

 

[flatline]

i have always done the dolphins last in the day & it seems crowded to me. is this the case all day long or is it less crowded at another time? i usually do Journey & Kraken w/ child swap then go straight over to the C & S show at 10 a.m. This time, if it's less crowded to feed the dolphins in the a.m., then i'd like to try that & rearrange my schedule.

has anyone fed the dolphins first thing in the a.m.? what time is their first feeding? thanks.

the first one is 9:15, and it's the best time for crowds and interaction. you'll still be out in plenty of time for minimal waits on JTA and kraken. the 3rd feeding is usually at 11:45, and it's packed for the rest of the day.

 

[robvia]

10am is a good time to visit the Key West area. See my report from last year. The trainers come out with buckets of fish, and make the Dolphins do tricks.
http://www.nogodforme.com/IOA072905.htm

They also come out at 3pm and do the same thing. They don't have these times written down or anything, you just have to be there when they come out and get lucky.

If you arrive the parking lot at say 08:30am, you can be near the front of the crowd when the park opens. Head to JTA and Kracken first, get your rides on them, then head over to the Key West area at 10am.

 

[poohmomof3]

We were there last week one day early, and the other mid afternoon. The dolphins were very active both times. They don't often just come up to be pet, but will come right up to be fed close. It costs $5 for 3 fish.

Have fun!!

 

[coachyo]

Do they only see so many fish? How long does it take to do the feeding? My DD's are so excited about it! Me too
I think it's gonna be fun. Is the same area as the Sting Rays?

Thanks, YO

 

[robvia]

Yes, it happens near the stingray tank in the Key West area.
They only sell a certain amount of fish for each feeding, then the window closes for a couple hours, then they do it again. I'd say the window is open for about 20 minutes before they run out. A long line forms, but it moves quickly. The fish go fast, and the dolphins only come up to those with fish in their hands. Many people stand near those who have the goodies, and pet the dolphins when they swim by. There will be a huge crowd near the wall. You'll have to wait for others to leave, then have someone save a spot on the wall while someone goes for fish. The dolphin will only come up to the person with the fish, smile, let you pet them, then you toss the fish in their mouth. If you don't toss a fish, they'll splash you. Buy at least 3 cups, each one is $5. Annual passport members get a buck off. When the feeding is over, the dolphins don't come up anymore, they go play. That's a good time to watch them in the underground viewing area.

 

[coachyo]

robvia, what is the crowd near the wall from? Should we just head in and get a spot for the early feeding and then get in line to buy fish while the family watches the dolphins? Looking to make a plan of attack.
How many fish do you get for the $5? How many cups can one person carry without getting slimed or anything?

Thanks, YO

 

[flatline]

the crowds along the wall are people gathered around trying to pet the dolphins. it can get very crowded, and a large number of them aren't buying fish, they're crowding you as you're feeding them, trying to pet them as the dolphin approaches you. it can get frustrating at times, especially at the later feeding.

having someone grab a spot along the wall while you get the fish is a good idea. you get 4 herring for $5.00 and they come in a paper dish that you can stack easily. I've carried 6 trays with no problems.

 

[HalfDozen]

and just because you have a paper deli tray of fish, doesn't mean you'll get a chance to feed them!

We went to the first feeding of the day - the crowds were MASSIVE in October, absolute insanity (week day, too, mind you). People were pushing and shoving to get to the half wall, just to get a peek at the dolphins. It was really not cool, especially with little ones who were nervous enough holding a dead fish.

I did manage to feed them the two trays we bought, but no one would even let my little kids up there so my husband had to stand way in the back with them while the oldest and I fed them.

However, it was very cool to feed a dolphin, I must say. I hope to someday soon swim with them.

 

[FlaNative]

10am is a good time to visit the Key West area. See my report from last year. The trainers come out with buckets of fish, and make the Dolphins do tricks.
http://www.nogodforme.com/IOA072905.htm

My guidebook mentions the dolphins are more active first thing in the morning. When you walk in the park at opening time(you DO get to the parking lot at 8:40, right? Last time I parked right in front of the main entrance. Arrive at 9:30 and you will park closer to Epcot than to SW. Enjoy the walk. . .), swing thru Key West and notice the first feeding times for sting rays and the dolphins, then go do something else and come back 15 min. before feeding to get in the food line. A few weeks ago the sting ray food was all gone by about 1 PM, so you cannot always plan to wait till late afternoon to feed. The crowds may be thinner, but the food may be gone.

Another reason to buy an annual passport: Silver and above annuals: show your card and get $1 off ray and dolphin food. It really helps those like me who love to feed the rays to afford our habit. The free parking @ $10 and the $1 off ray/dolphin/sealion food pays back the $20 cost over a fun card for a silver Real Fast.

Do not worry about getting slimed from carrying the dolphin food. Chances are a dolphin will splash you enough to wash off the slime. Some fins seem to have a hobby of splashing Humans for fun.

On the side of the dolphin pool opposite the feeding wall, over between the beach and the underwater viewing chamber, is a semi secluded area that you might not notice exists. Around 10 AM the trainers go there with buckets of fish and see which ones will do tricks for the humans for food. You can't get a good view of this activity from the other side of the pool at the main visitor wall. I think they try to identify which dolphins like to do tricks, who might someday be moved over to the dolphin show for the Big Time entertaining the humans. Find a place on the walkway above them for a good view. It is a very nice tree shaded walkway in the morning.

 

[edinburghlass]

We just did the Behind the Scenes Tour of the Dolphin Nursery and it was well worth the $40.

The maximum people on the tour is 10 and the first half hour is spent with a guide telling you about dolphins and answering any questions etc. The second half hour is spent on the private half of the dolphin nursery pool where you are right up at the pool edge where the other half which is open to the public there is a barrier between the pool and the viewing public.

We ended up being 9 people and we were split into 3 groups and there were 4 trainers who all had buckets of fish. We moved between 3 of the trainers, one had the two "babies", one had a pregnant mum and the other had two mums. With the babies you had to throw the fish in front of them rather that "down their throat", with the pregnant mum the trainer got her to roll over on to her back and we could rub her tum etc.

Best fun was had with the two adults as the trainers had us doing tricks with them for their fish, sending them off, bringing them up between your arms so they pushed against your hand with their nose and rolling over and clapping for you. There was a SW photographer on the other side of the pool, never actually was aware of them but they took some really good photograghs of the different groups, we were just myself and daughter.

The guide who took us through the first part also took my camera for me and took loads of photographs which came out really well. We did DC last year and I have to say that for time spent with the dolphins the SW experience surpassed the DC experience, the only thing you didn't do was the swim.

Well worth the money and to be recommended

 

[coachyo]

edinburghlass,
Sounds fantastic! I signed us up for the adventure express tour and am hoping it is as nice as your tour sounded. We are gonna do the tour on a monday and then come back on tues and do things we want that we didn't hit on the tour. So if we don't get to feed the dolphins that day or they want to do it again, tell me if I have a good plan.

#1 Arrive early and check signs for dolphin feeding times.
#2 Got to feeding area about 20-30 minutes before and stake out a place on
the wall.
#3 Now I go get in line and then look to make my way back to family after
buying fish
#4 Be prepared to move my way through crowd to my family, I figure if I just
use the fish to slime people who won't let me back to my family I'll get
through.

How's gonna work?


Thanks, YO

 

[gw_lit]

#4 Be prepared to move my way through crowd to my family, I figure if I just
use the fish to slime people who won't let me back to my family I'll get
through.

How's gonna work?


Thanks, YO

A well-placed herring down the back of the shirt should do the trick!