Honest Opinion about DC - DH is not a strong swimmer

[wen8jr]

I really would like to go to DC during our upcoming June trip, but DH is not a strong swimmer and I think he is worried. He won't admit it really and is willing to go if DS and I want to but we don't want to do it if he will be uncomfortable once we get there. I want him to enjoy it.

So...tell me your honest opinion if you've been...do the vests keep you afloat in the lazy river and in the coral reefs or do you think someone who is not a strong swimmer will feel overwhelmed or uncomfortable at any point? Do you have to really swim the entire time you in the water or can you relax?

Can we expect a lot of other people next to us in the water all the time as we do activites or is everyone pretty spread out and if so how spread out if the park is full? I think DH would be comfortable with less people if he is nervous.

Any thoughts are appreciated and will help me decide.

 

[cswtmom]

We are going to Discovery Cove on Aprill 22. And I am NOT a swimmer at all, I have called DC and ask them about the life jackets and they told me that many people do wear them. And they have the life jackets there. Also my dd (8) thinks she a great swimmer but she is far from it . We went to Aquatica last year. I at first didn't wear a life jacket in the rapids ( lazy river) but then I saw someone wearing one and I tried it with the life jacket on and I had so much more fun in the rapids. They really help you. I hope this helps you. I will write a report on are trip when we get back.

 

[connorsgram]

I'm not a strong swimmer, so I wore the life jacket in the lazy river and the snorkling pool. Lots of people had them on. In fact my DD and SIL are strong swimmers and they put on life jackets after a while, so they could just rest in the water. The lazy river changes from shallow to deep in several places. During the swim with the dolphin, I just had on the vest that you wear the whole time you're there and I didn't have any trouble. You don't have to tread water for very long at all and the vest seems to help. I guess you could wear the life jacket there too, but no one in our group had one on, so I'm not sure. It's a beautiful park and a completely different experience. We loved it. We went in Oct. and it wasn't sold out, but it wasn't too busy.

 

[Echie]

Oh my goodness, you HAVE to go!!!!

My DH isn't a strong swimmer either and he absolutely loved it! He said it was his favorite day of our whole trip! The life vests work really well!
And there's tons to do, not even swimming - the sting ray lagoon is all standing depth, and there's the aviary (so fun), plus of course all the food! Trust me, your DH won't feel overwhelmed or out of place at all!

We went on a day during spring break last year when it was totally at capacity, but it never ever felt crowded at all! We were surprised by how calm and relaxed everything felt! The people spread out so it definitely doesn't feel busy!

 

[jpeppers]

Definitely go!!!! With the wet suit on I could literally float. My 7 yr old daughter is not a strong swimmer but with the snorkel and the wet suit she was like a fish.The only time she wore a vest was for the dolphin swim. I swam along side her with a noodle at times just in case she had troubles but by the end of the day it wasn't necessary plus they have life guards everywhere. The river is deep in some spots but the deep spots wouldn't last for very long and I could stand in most of the river (I'm 6'0). Some places it said 8' but I could stand on my tip toes........very few places I couldn't stand. It is the most awesome experience you could imagine.........the pictures they take are incredible. We loved being in the water so much that the only time we sat the whole day was at lunch and during the dolphin experience at the pre show. We picked out great lounge chairs on the beach and never once sat in them. Go and have fun!!!

 

[Megan07]

Everyone has to have on a wet suit or a vest when swimming with the dolphins or snorkling. They make you float. I can't recall needing it in the lazy river-which isn't really a lazy river. Hope this helps!

 

[seashell724]

GO GO GO! My hubby isn't a strong swimmer either. Here's my advice:

1. Wear a lifevest if needed.
2. Lifeguards everywhere. I mean, everywhere. They swarmed the whole place.
3. My hubby isn't a strong swimmer either and didn't do the encounter but mostly floated with me around the pools.
4. If you are going to do the encounter the trainers are very helpful. A couple people held onto them when we were in deeper water until it was ther turn-the weaker swimmers got to go first. They could just tell who was fine swimming and who wasn't.
5. If you snorkel in the lagoon it is salt water and you get flippers. My hubby can do this for longer than I b/c you just float around and barely have to swim at all.

Any more questions, feel free to Private Message me!

 

[wen8jr]

Thanks All! You have convinced us and eased my worries.

He says he definatley won't do the dolphin swim (so I'll do it with DS). But otherwise it is a go. Just have to buy tickets now.