swimming with the manatees HELP!!!

[eblondie]

Ive been looking into swimming with the manatees...but have come up with problems!
We wont have a car when we're in Orlando so we're looking for a swim with the manatees tour that includes transport. I found swimdolphins.com however their tours are very large (up to 57 persons) and I wanted a small tour. All the other sites that Ive looked at you have to make your own way there. Ive looked into hiring a car or a taxi but found that this would put the cost of the tour up too much.
Does anyone know of a tour that has small groups and includes transport

 

[Lisa AF]

I read a post not long ago about swimming with the Dolphins at Epcot. I can't find the post now. Maybe if you contacted Disney they could inform you about this.

 

[LKS]

Sorry, no. We drove to Crystal River to do a swim with manatees a few years ago. It's not cheap, and you are right, you want a small group, and you want to go first thing in the morning before the crowds. This is also best done in the middle of winter when the manatees congregate near the warm springs. We had a great time, though it took several hours to recover from spending 2 hours in the water on a sub-freezing morning. Brrrrrrrrr....

 

[abbyndrewmom]

How about renting a car, you could rent one just for the day. There is an Alamo car rental site at the Car care center at Disney World you can rent one for 24 hrs drop off and pick it up at the site.

 

[eblondie]

Sorry Lisa...but we wanted to swim with manatees...not dolphins!!! We have already booked to swim with dolphins.
We have already looked into the cost of hiring a car for the day...its way too expensive when you include all the insurance you need...also because its an early start we would have to book the car for more than a day

 

[spiceycat]

maybe a Mears shuttle or towncar?

I don't know of any in the immediate area - Crystal River is about an hour possible 2 from Orlando -

you might try Seaworld - they don't allow swimming - this might be your best bid
http://www.seaworld.org/education-programs/swf/tour/index.htm


good luck!

 

[eblondie]

I searched the Internet and made contact with a company called - www.nativevacations.com.
Traci is more than happy to transport us from our hotel at Disney and even better it will be a private tour...for just two people. We can stay as long as we want to with the manatees and then she will return us.
I'll write a report about the swim when i get back to let you know what it was like.
Thanks for all your help x

 

[msr709]

Eblondie, I tried the link and got a computer website??

 

[eblondie]

Sorry!!!! Dont know what happened
Hopefully this link will be the right one

http://www.paradisefoundisland.com/outdoors/tour/traci.htm

 

[TracyK]

Eblondie,
I'm really glad you posted this question as I had also planned a swim with the manatee for myself and my DS, but I had the same problem with getting there. The website looks really interesting. How much is she charging for 2 of you and the transport?
Thanks
Tracy