Swimming with dolphins or manatees......

[Minnie_me]

As I mentioned in another post, I am taking my teen daughters to Universal and Disney next summer. My older DD will be heading to college that fall. One thing she has always dreamed of doing is swimming with dolphins (or manatees....). Because we live in New York, and I'm a single mom/schoolteacher, this has been an unfulfilled dream due mostly to lack of funds.

But I've been super frugal and have saved money for this trip, and I'm confident that I could splurge and surprise her with this experience.

Have any of you done this? Are there places near Disney that offer this? I'd appreciate any insight and advice!!

 

[3happydancers]

I don't know details, but I do know that Discovery Cove offers swimming with the Dolphins. Disney also offers more of an educational offer which includes being in the water with their Dolphins but I don't think it's "swimming" with them. I sure someone on the boards would know more.

 

[havaneselover]

I did this in Cozumel and it was amazing.

I'd love to take my children to Discovery Cove some day. It's expensive, but you get what you pay for.

 

[Colleen27]

Summer is not the time to do manatee swims. They come inland during the winter to take advantage of the warm, spring-fed rivers along the Florida coasts but during the summer when the ocean and gulf are warm they are out at sea. There are a few fun places for it near Disney and it isn't particularly expensive (we paid ~$90 for three people) but the season is roughly Nov to Mar.

I'm not sure about dolphins, though. My daughter is specifically obsessed with manatees. We opted for kayaking on our March trip because we were there during a crazy cold snap (temps in the upper 30s when we launched) and it was too cold to get in the water, but we're going back to do the swim as well as another kayak trip this winter.

 

[Teresa Pitman]

I wonder if you might think about a different option rather than swimming with captive dolphins? There are places where you can swim with dolphins out in their natural habitat. My son and I were going to do this in New Zealand but when our boat found the pod of dolphins, there were two new babies, and you are not allowed to swim when there are babies. We enjoyed watching the whole pod though!

Dolphins are intelligent, social animals and their life in captivity is pretty unpleasant for them. I try not to support that kind of thing.

TP

 

[Pembo]

At the beach this summer a manatee swam by only 5 feet off the shore. It was very cool.

 

[Minnie_me]

I wonder if you might think about a different option rather than swimming with captive dolphins? There are places where you can swim with dolphins out in their natural habitat. My son and I were going to do this in New Zealand but when our boat found the pod of dolphins, there were two new babies, and you are not allowed to swim when there are babies. We enjoyed watching the whole pod though!

Dolphins are intelligent, social animals and their life in captivity is pretty unpleasant for them. I try not to support that kind of thing.

Do you know of any places in Florida where we could swim with dolphins in their natural habitat????

 

[pinkxray]

We have been to Discovery Cove a few times and it is amazing!

There is a separate area on the Dis for Discovery Cove/ Seaworld with reviews and helpful info.

The actual dolphin part is only 30 minutes but it is very easy to spend the day there and everything including food was included in the price.

 

[Teresa Pitman]

A quick google search found this at Panama City:

http://www.waterplanetusa.com/frequently-asked-questions/

And this one from Palm Beach:

http://www.dolphindreamteam.com/


I believe there are also some in Key West and Miami

Teresa

 

[tina.tina]

Swimming with manatees is much cheaper than dolphins. Here's a trip report with an August experience at Discovery Cove.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3303855

 

[hsmamato2]

few years back we visited a place called Blue Springs state Park-in winter- it's a natural manatee state park area- we rented a rustic cabin,and had a great time canoeing- it was no more than an hour-hour and a half away from orlando- we rented a car for that- the cabin was inexpensive,and it was so cool- and way cheaper than a theme park

 

[smokeyblue]

I wouldn't personally swim with a manatee. I saw one poop before at a viewing station near Bradenton, FL. OMG yuck. They poop a huge log. Not something i would want to swim with!

 

[havaneselover]

I wouldn't personally swim with a manatee. I saw one poop before at a viewing station near Bradenton, FL. OMG yuck. They poop a huge log. Not something i would want to swim with!

Manatees are very big!!! I swam with one in Cozumel and I was scared to death. My kids wouldn't get in the water.

 

[livndisney]

I wonder if you might think about a different option rather than swimming with captive dolphins? There are places where you can swim with dolphins out in their natural habitat. My son and I were going to do this in New Zealand but when our boat found the pod of dolphins, there were two new babies, and you are not allowed to swim when there are babies. We enjoyed watching the whole pod though!

Dolphins are intelligent, social animals and their life in captivity is pretty unpleasant for them. I try not to support that kind of thing.

TP

So you don't support Disney?

 

[DREAMS161]

I totally understand the desire to be up close & to swim with DOLPHINS. They are such amazing beings! Once I heard Richard O' Barry who formerly trained Flipper describe the suffering of dolphins in captivity I put that above my entertainment value. Once you know about their suffering due to lack of social structure,ability to swim miles in open waters which they would in the Wild,emotional distress due to life of confinement&performance you cannot dismiss it. I too like your daughter love DOLPHINS and would to love to swim with them but knowing what I do about captivity and how dolphins are caught in the Wild in Taiji, I hope all swim with programs will be a thing of the past."When we know better we do better."
This perspective may not be popular,might be difficult to hear I mean no offense whatsoever. A good read is Richard O'Barry's BEHIND THE DOLPHIN SMILE. Mr OBarry's Dolphin Project does amazing work.
I do believe Disney has limited its Dolphin program and did a way with the show performance aspect. Perhaps they will follow the lead of the Natonal Aquarium in Baltimore who will is breaking new ground and creating a sanctuary based on the cruelty of dolphin captivity.There are wonderful alternatives to Sea World.I hope people seek them out.

 

[Teresa Pitman]

So you don't support Disney?

The dolphins in Disney's Living Seas are rescue dolphins, brought there because they have been injured or for some reason can't be in the wild. They are treated and cared for and (when possible, some are not able to ever go back to the wild because of their injuries) released back into the wild when ready. The same is true of the manatees in the Living Seas.


TP

 

[livndisney]

The dolphins in Disney's Living Seas are rescue dolphins, brought there because they have been injured or for some reason can't be in the wild. They are treated and cared for and (when possible, some are not able to ever go back to the wild because of their injuries) released back into the wild when ready. The same is true of the manatees in the Living Seas.


TP

You might want to do a little more research on that.

What of Animal Kindgom?

 

[Teresa Pitman]

I wrote an article on the animals at WDW for up!, the Westjet inflight magazine. As part of my research for that article, I met with the people who look after the dolphins, manatees and fish in the Living Seas and spent time backstage with them and the mammals. This is what they told me, and I have seen some of the tracking they have done of the marine mammals once released.

The animals at AK are not captured from the wild but come from other zoos. I was able to tour the Safari area with the man who designed it and talk with him about how it was designed to meet the needs of the animals. Yes, I do think it would be better if the animals were living in the the wild. However, they do get good care at AK, and because the original ones were born in zoos they would not be able to survive in the wild. Their lives in AK are much better than they would be in any zoo. And they don't have to do tricks or be in contact with humans, which is very stressful for most wild animals. The safari area is designed so that the animals can be out of sight of the vehicles (and people) if they choose.

They do have breeding programs with the goal of repopulating areas where animals are endangered and conservation programs that help animals in other countries. They have taken rhinos born in WDW to Africa and they have a facility for orphaned gorillas as well. They are also breeding some other animals with the goal of increasing wild populations - some of these are never seen onstage.

I think this is very different from capturing wild dolphins and forcing them to do tricks and swim with people.

TP

 

[livndisney]

I wrote an article on the animals at WDW for up!, the Westjet inflight magazine. As part of my research for that article, I met with the people who look after the dolphins, manatees and fish in the Living Seas and spent time backstage with them and the mammals. This is what they told me, and I have seen some of the tracking they have done of the marine mammals once released.

The animals at AK are not captured from the wild but come from other zoos. I was able to tour the Safari area with the man who designed it and talk with him about how it was designed to meet the needs of the animals. Yes, I do think it would be better if the animals were living in the the wild. However, they do get good care at AK, and because the original ones were born in zoos they would not be able to survive in the wild. Their lives in AK are much better than they would be in any zoo. And they don't have to do tricks or be in contact with humans, which is very stressful for most wild animals. The safari area is designed so that the animals can be out of sight of the vehicles (and people) if they choose.

They do have breeding programs with the goal of repopulating areas where animals are endangered and conservation programs that help animals in other countries. They have taken rhinos born in WDW to Africa and they have a facility for orphaned gorillas as well. They are also breeding some other animals with the goal of increasing wild populations - some of these are never seen onstage.

I think this is very different from capturing wild dolphins and forcing them to do tricks and swim with people.

TP

You wrote a travel article for a tourist location. I am sure you did your own independent research? A simple google search brings up articles dating back to the 90's....

In your original statement you said "Dolphins are intelligent, social animals and their life in captivity is pretty unpleasant for them. I try not to support that kind of thing. ". How are you "not supporting this kind of thing" by writing an article about the dolphins at Epcot?

Can you share your data on the recent wild caught dolphins being forced to do tricks and swim with people?

 

[livndisney]

As I mentioned in another post, I am taking my teen daughters to Universal and Disney next summer. My older DD will be heading to college that fall. One thing she has always dreamed of doing is swimming with dolphins (or manatees....). Because we live in New York, and I'm a single mom/schoolteacher, this has been an unfulfilled dream due mostly to lack of funds.

But I've been super frugal and have saved money for this trip, and I'm confident that I could splurge and surprise her with this experience.

Have any of you done this? Are there places near Disney that offer this? I'd appreciate any insight and advice!!

What level of interaction are you looking for with either dolphins or manatees?