Want a Dolphin Experience...not sure I want to fork out the dough at DC though...

[pokee99]

Discovery Cove looks amazing...will be in Orlando in July and would really like to go, but it's just sooooo expensive for us. I'll be taking my kids plus my niece, so that's 5 tickets at peak season. $319 x 5 = ~$1,600! That's just too much for one day. That's almost half of our entire vacation budget! Can't justify that.

DH and I have done the snorkelling and dolphin experience thing, so we're really interested in just getting an experience for the kids. We'll be in Clearwater, so thinking of the 'wading with the dolphins' at the Clearwater Aquarium, or the dolphin experience at Sea World instead while we're in Orlando. That will cost about 1/8 of the price, so it's sort of a no-brainer! Any advice on a good dolphin experience that doesn't break the bank?

 

[longing4disney]

Not the answer you are looking for, but we did DC with dolphin swim and sea venture 3 weeks ago and we loved it. No regrets. It was money well spent. You get meals and snack and 14 days Seaworld and Aquatica unlimited entry. So if you visit these 2 places too, it may not be so ex after all. We have done previous dolphins experience, feeding wild dolphins, patting dolphin etc but frankly they come no where close to what we experienced at DC. We are 5 too. And although we went during low season, after adding SeaVenture and the photo package and the premium package, we paid close to $1600 too even after we used an Amex discount. So your $1600 calculation is just the basic. SeaVenture and photos could add more cost. Look around for some discounts so that it may help you some what.

 

[Never to old]

Not the answer you are looking for, but we did DC with dolphin swim and sea venture 3 weeks ago and we loved it. No regrets. It was money well spent. You get meals and snack and 14 days Seaworld and Aquatica unlimited entry. So if you visit these 2 places too, it may not be so ex after all. We have done previous dolphins experience, feeding wild dolphins, patting dolphin etc but frankly they come no where close to what we experienced at DC. We are 5 too. And although we went during low season, after adding SeaVenture and the photo package and the premium package, we paid close to $1600 too even after we used an Amex discount. So your $1600 calculation is just the basic. SeaVenture and photos could add more cost. Look around for some discounts so that it may help you some what.

How was the SeaVenture?

 

[longing4disney]

How was the SeaVenture?

We love it! There were only 4 of us that day and we had 3 guides. After a instructional and safety video we don our helmet and went in. The helmet is very heavy and it helps keep u on the ground. It was like walking on the moon. Half floating and light steps. The feeling was great. The guides communicated with us through writing. Showed us various sea creatures and we even touch a sea snail. Schools of fishes swam around us. The place was small and the activity quite short. Wish it were longer. Frankly a once in a lifetime experience since we don't scuba dive. No regrets. We felt it was money well spent.

 

[Disneyqueendenmark]

What about buying an annual pass for SW and get the pass member discount for DC?
I don't know if it works all year long, but we did it on Christmas Eve - and saved some money!
The pass is about $120, but then you save $100 on each DC ticket. We should have paid $259, but paid only $159 per person for the dolphin expirience
Maybe that would be an option?
You don't get the 14 days unlimited access to SW though. But for us it was also cheaper to buy the SW tickets with the pass member discount since you also save $10 on each SW ticket - and get 10% off all the suvinier and food you buy inside SW.

Hope you figure something out! i thought it was sooo amazing!

 

[longing4disney]

What about buying an annual pass for SW and get the pass member discount for DC?
I don't know if it works all year long, but we did it on Christmas Eve - and saved some money!
The pass is about $120, but then you save $100 on each DC ticket. We should have paid $259, but paid only $159 per person for the dolphin expirience
Maybe that would be an option?
You don't get the 14 days unlimited access to SW though. But for us it was also cheaper to buy the SW tickets with the pass member discount since you also save $10 on each SW ticket - and get 10% off all the suvinier and food you buy inside SW.

Hope you figure something out! i thought it was sooo amazing!

I compared the annual pass discount and the Amex discount. Even without the SW and Aquatica pass, the Amex discount at $189 per person was cheaper for us. The Seaworld AP price is $159. That is $30 per person ($150 for 5 of us) cheaper than the Amex discount. But u pay $259 for the AP. so all in Amex discount at $189 is still cheaper for 5 of us, and on top of that u get free SW and Aquatica. Base on my calculation, the AP discount is better than the Amex discount only if you take the package without dolphin swim. But dolphin swim is really something not to be missed if you visit DC.

 

[skmoore07]

Discovery Cove looks amazing...will be in Orlando in July and would really like to go, but it's just sooooo expensive for us. I'll be taking my kids plus my niece, so that's 5 tickets at peak season. $319 x 5 = ~$1,600! That's just too much for one day. That's almost half of our entire vacation budget! Can't justify that.

DH and I have done the snorkelling and dolphin experience thing, so we're really interested in just getting an experience for the kids. We'll be in Clearwater, so thinking of the 'wading with the dolphins' at the Clearwater Aquarium, or the dolphin experience at Sea World instead while we're in Orlando. That will cost about 1/8 of the price, so it's sort of a no-brainer! Any advice on a good dolphin experience that doesn't break the bank?

Not sure of the kids ages, but you could just get the dolphin experience for the kids, unless they are 6-12 so have to be with an adult, under 6 cannot participate. Without the dolphin experience it is only $169 rather than $319.

Keep in mind that your day at discovery cove includes parking,breakfast, lunch, snacks, and drinks as well as up to 14 days at both seaworld and aquatica. you can also add Busch gardens for the entire 14 days for only $20 extra per person.

If you could find a room/house with a kitchen it may help with the cost of food. Or...there are some hotels such as Drury or Homewood suites that include breakfast and sometimes a light dinner on the week days.

 

[wolf29]

Is the Amex discount seasonal or a usual thing at DC? Could you purchase with a friend's Amex card or receive from them as a gift...are you required to produce the card at entry? Looking to go last week of August, shows $259pp now. Worth waiting for in hopes of discount or just go ahead and purchase? Any advise welcome, thanks!

 

[Herbie]

Try looking into marineland just north of daytona for a dolphin experience.