Dolphins In Depth

[RigelTx]

My girlfriend and I are going to WDW in October and we would like to take the Dolphins in Depth tour. Melinda has cerebral palsy, but says that she's a fish in the water. I talked to a CM at Guest Services who said it would be possible with advanced notice. Has anyone done this?

 

[tink2dw]

my Dh did it!! you don't get to "swim with the Dolphins though. You have a class on the Dolphin and conservstion. Where you learn how you can give signals to the Dolphin and they do Natural behavors. You don't touch the Dolphins. They video tape you giving signals and the behavors, then you get a tape,and a shirt.

If you want to swim with the Dolphins then you want to check out
Sea Worlds Discovery Cove check out the site below
http://www.discoverycove.com/default2.aspx

I think you will more happy with Discovery Cove than the disney Dolphin program.

 

[Eeyore1954]

At Dolphins in Depth you will learn a lot about dolphins and you do have about 1/2 hour interaction with them in the water. You do not actually swim with them, though.

Each experience is limited to 8 people max, so it's a good idea to make your reservation as soon as possible.

You will be required to put on a wetsuit and water shoes to go into the water. You stand on a ledge at the top of Living Seas with 2 of the trainers. They bring the dolphins over ... but it is always up to the dolphins to choose whether or not to interact. (The best days to go are early in the week.)

You do get the opportunity to give both dolphins a "massage" of sorts -- a rub-down on their sides. The trainers divide you into 2 groups of 4. First, you have your picture taken with your arm around either Calvin or Rainier. Then after doing some tricks, you stand in a line and rub their sides lightly for a few minutes. The trainers instruct you on how to do this -- no grabbing, poking, kneading, etc -- just a light left to right rub with your open palm. Then the groups switch dolphins and you repeat the process with the other one! (They feel like wet rubber.)

The tour costs $140 per person, and that money goes to the Disney Conservation Fund. The tour is fantastic and you will both have a great time.

 

[SueM in MN]

We did see them doing what looked like a training seesion with the dolphins to acclimate them to wheelchairs about a year ago. DH and I were in the Living Seas and could see a wheelchair at the ledge of the top of the living seas. One person with a wetsuit and water shoes was in the wheelchair. I'm quite certain he was not disabled because every once in a while he would get out of the wheelchair, pick it up and move it someplace else. There were only 2 people in the water and the other person never helped move or hold the wheelchair. The 2 people were trying to encourage the dolphins to come over to the wheelchair. That went on for over 1/2 hour. So, all we could figure out was that it was a training session for the dolphins to get them used to wheelchairs.

 

[RigelTx]

Thank you for all the replies. From what we had read, we weren't really expecting to swim with the dolphins. I realize I probably should have said more about Melinda's CP. I can transfer her from her wheelchair and she can walk a little with support. I'm not sure that she can learn the signals unless they are based on large hand/arm movements, but she really wants to touch one.

The CM had said that they had water wheelchairs and that sounds just like what we need. We're going for it.

Thanks again,

Greg

 

[Eeyore1954]

Greg, Don't worry about the "signals." Most are large movements. For example, to get the dolphins to do their "hula" dance, everyone in the group turns around in place. To get them to do a series of breaches (leaping from the water), you hold your arms together at the wrist then raise them over your head. They are fairly easy to do and I think in most cases Calvin and Rainier are watching the real trainers more than us trainer-wannbes!!

As for touching -- you will definitely get to do that -- for BOTH dolphins. Rainier seems to really enjoy this part of the interaction; Calvin seems to allow it, but he doesn't relax like Rainier does (Rainier gets so relaxed, he closes his eyes and the trainer has to keep him from floating away!).

The rub-down is done in groups of 4, so you and your GF can stand together. As for the picture, that requires that you kneel down into the water, hold the dolphin's pectoral fin with one hand and put your other arm around their "back." If two people are in 1 pic, they usually position you on either side of the dolphin. However, they may make an exception if you need to support your GF for the picture.

You should have a wonderful time. The behind-the-scenes tour is really great -- you get to see parts of Living Seas most people never see.

 

[Absimilliard]

I went to Discovery Cove and if you are expecting to swim with a dolphin, you will be dissapointed.

You will touch, pet, caress, do signals to the dolphin. The only part where you will "swim" is when you swim yourself 15-20 feet from the shore and he/she (dolphin) will take you back to shore by pulling you. That's all.

The food was really average and you quickly ran out of things to do. They should give a course on how to use the tuba to get to the bottom of the fish reef.