Swim with Dolphins

During this program, you'll enter the deep water lagoon with the dolphins where our caregivers will coach you through a series of interactive behaviors with the dolphins designed to create meaningful connections between you and your newfound friend.  You'll experience first hand the power and speed of our dolphins as they propel you through the water during a foot push, pick you up for a dorsal tow or belly ride, or show off impressive aerial skills. Your program will also include opportunities to appreciate the gentle nature of dolphins as they swim past for a back or belly rub, stop for a handshake or hug, or engage in a friendly splash fight. 

Due to the personalized nature of this program, the unique guided style of each trainer, and the individual personalities of each of our dolphins, no two Connect to Protect programs will ever be exactly the same. To maximize your experience and the dolphin's choice in participating in the program, this session is not timed but rather based on completing a set number of behaviors at the dolphins' pace.

At-A-Glance

• Offered Daily at 10:00AM & 1:00 PM 
• Must be 7 Years Old to Participate with Adult, 10 Years Old to Participate without an Adult 
• $225 Per Person 
• Participants must be comfortable with swimming/treading in deep water while interacting with large animals. 
• Program includes general admission and required education & safety briefing.
• This program is not based on time, but rather on completing a pre-set number of behaviors. In-water time varies based on guests' and dolphins' needs. Participants should allow 1.5 - 2 hours from arrival to departure (including check-in, safety briefing, in-water program, and visiting the facility).

During our Private Connect to Protect program, you will experience the same breathtaking moments that make up the “Connect to Protect” swim but with the privacy of having the entire facility to yourself. This small group experience is available for family and friend groups of up to 6 people and includes a private educational briefing before entering the dolphin habitat for a custom-tailored interaction program.

The completely private nature of this program is great for those seeking a COVID-friendly activity, celebrating a birthday, engagement, or anniversary, or for the dolphin fanatic longing to make a unique connection with these magnificent animals.

At-A-Glance

• Program available for 1 or 2 participants with a minimum price of $975.00. 
• Offered daily at 9:00AM.
• Must be 7 Years Old to Participate with Adult, 10 Years Old to Participate without an Adult 
• $325 Per Person, minimum 3 participants or $975.00 to secure a private session.
• Participants must be comfortable with swimming/treading in deep water while interacting with large animals. 
• Program includes general admission and required education & safety briefing.
• This program is not based on time, but rather on completing a pre-set number of behaviors. In-water time varies based on guests' and dolphins' needs. Participants should allow 1- 1.5 hours from arrival to departure (including check-in, safety briefing, in-water program, and visiting the facility).

Your experience will include an introduction to the dolphins while comfortably standing on a submerged platform. From here, our caregivers will guide you and the dolphins through a series of behaviors where you can touch the dolphin, deliver hand signals to the dolphins, and even pose for an instagram-worthy photo! Once acquainted with the dolphins,  you will have the option to step off the platform and join your new friends in the deep water for high-energy behaviors like a dorsal tow, belly ride, or foot push or to remain on the platform to finish out your program. 

This program is perfect for families with children of varying ages, as well as those guests that prefer to ease into a deep-water experience. Like our other programs, this program is based on a fixed number of behaviors rather than timed so as to allow our guests and dolphins to enjoy the interaction at a comfortable pace. 

At-A-Glance

• Offered Daily at 3:00 PM
• Must be 5 Years Old to Participate with Adult, 10 Years Old to Participate without an Adult (Please note that the deep water option is only available for guests ages 7 years old and up)
• Guests will wade on a platform submerged approximately 3 feet under the surface of the water. All guests 36" tall or less must have a paying adult capable of holding the guest on their hip. 
• $215 Per Person 
• Program includes general admission and required education & safety briefing.
• This program is not based on time, but rather on completing a pre-set number of behaviors.  Participants should allow 1.5 - 2 hours from arrival to departure (including check-in, safety briefing, in-water program, and visiting the facility).

During the Splash & Wade, you'll stand in about 3 feet of water on a submerged platform where the dolphins will approach you. One of our caregivers will introduce you to your new dolphin friend through a series of behaviors that might include rubbing the dolphins belly or back, giving the dolphin a handshake, holding the dolphin in your arms, or asking the dolphin to showcase their athletic abilities. 

This program is a great option for guests who are not strong swimmers, but still wish to get up-close and build a connection with this incredible species. Like our other programs, the Splash & Wade program is not timed and is instead based on completing a set number of behaviors at the dolphin's pace. 

At-A-Glance

• Offered Daily at 9:45AM, 12:45PM, & 2:45 PM
• Must be 3 Years Old to Participate with Adult, 10 Years Old to Participate without an Adult
• Guests will wade on a platform submerged approximately 3 feet under the surface of the water. All guests 36" tall or less must have a paying adult capable of holding the guest on their hip. 
• $175 Per Person 
• Program includes general admission and required education and safety briefing.
• This program is not based on time, but rather on completing a pre-set number of behaviors.  Participants should allow 1 to 1.5 hours from arrival to departure (Including check-in, safety briefing, in-water program, and visiting the facility).

Your full-day experience will blend interactions with the dolphins with a behind-the-scenes look at all aspects of caring for dolphins. 

During this experience, you will be paired with one of our passionate dolphin trainers for the day, starting with a private tour of our headquarters and animal care facilities. Following your tour, you'll spend the day assisting with training sessions, observing routine veterinary procedures, helping clean dishes and equipment, learning about dolphins and training methods, and of course interacting directly with our resident dolphins. No trainer experience would be complete without playing with the dolphins during a private enrichment session. 

This program is our most-immersive experience. Due to the variability built into each day's schedule, no two Trainer Experiences will be the same. 

At-A-Glance

• Offered Daily from 9:30AM - 3:15 PM with 1 Hour Lunch Break 
• Must be 7 Years Old to Participate with Adult (Please note, children under 10 Years Old will need a paid accompanying adult for the Connect to Protect portion of the program). 
• $750 Per Person  
• Program includes General Admission, Splash & Wade Program, Connect to Protect Program, Private Enrichment in Action Program, Dolphin Painting, T-Shirt & Book
• This Program is available for $350 Per Person without participation in Connect to Protect & Splash & Wade programs.

This experience blends a behind-the-scenes look at caring for dolphins with an exciting Connect to Protect program. Similarly to the full-day experience, you'll meet up with your designated dolphin trainer for a private tour of the facility before joining an educational briefing prior to your swim with our dolphin family. After meeting a dolphin in the deep water, you'll assist the team with cleaning dishes and writing animal records before returning lagoon-side to assist with a training session or observe a routine healthcare procedure. Before the fun ends, your program will culminate in a private play-session with the dolphins. 

At-A-Glance

• Offered Daily from 9:30AM - 12:00 PM OR 12:45 PM - 3:15 PM
• Must be 7 Years Old to Participate with Adult (Please note, children under 10 Years Old will need an accompanying adult for the Connect to Protect portion of the program) 
• $399 Per Person 
• Program includes General Admission,  Connect to Protect Program, Private Enrichment in Action Session, T-Shirt & Book
• This program is available for $175 Per Person without Connect to Protect Program

During Discover Dolphins Dockside, you'll meet one of our experienced caregivers and enjoy a meet-and-greet from the comfort of one of our floating platforms. While kneeling lagoon-side, you'll have the opportunity to feel what a dolphin feels like, give some hand signals to the dolphins, and even pose for a photograph of your experience.  Photographers are on hand to capture each magical moment and all participants will take home a complimentary photo of their interaction. 

The Discover Dolphins Dockside program is not timed, but rather is based on completing a set number of behaviors with the dolphins at the dolphin's pace. This program offers a great alternative experience for those who want to meet a dolphin without entering the water, families with small children, or guests looking for a budget-friendly dolphin experience. 

At-A-Glance

• Offered Daily at 9:45AM, 12:45PM, & 2:45 PM
• Must be 6-Months Old to Participate with an Adult, 5 Years Old to Participate without an Adult (Note: For children age 4 or under, an accompanying adult is required to pay in order to assist the child on the platform).
• $65 Per Person
• Program includes general admission and required education and safety briefing.
• Please note, this program is a brief meet-and-greet. Participants seeking a more in depth experience should consider our Deluxe Discover Dolphins Dockside or swim-with-dolphins programs. This program is not based on time, but rather on completing a pre-set number of behaviors. Participants should allow 30 minutes for check-in, safety briefing, dockside experience, and visiting the facility.

During our Deluxe Discover Dolphins Dockside (or as we like to call it the "4D" experience) , you'll meet one of our experienced caregivers and enjoy a full-length dolphin interaction from the comfort of one of our floating platforms. Our 4D Program features a variety of behaviors beyond the traditional Discover Dolphins Dockside - including unique photo poses, opportunities to touch the dolphins, and a personalized "gift" from one of our dolphins.  Photographers are on hand to capture each magical moment and photos are available for purchase after your program. 

The Deluxe Discover Dolphins Dockside program is not timed, but rather is based on completing a set number of behaviors with the dolphins at the dolphin's pace. This program offers a great alternative experience for those who want to experience the fun of our other dolphin interaction programs but don't want to enter the water. 

At-A-Glance

• Offered Daily at 3:00 PM
• Must be 4 Years Old to Participate,  5 Years Old to Participate without an Adult 
• $125 Per Person
• Program includes general admission and required education and safety briefing.
•  This program is not based on time, but rather on completing a pre-set number of behaviors. Participants should allow 45 - 60 minutes for check-in, safety briefing, dockside experience, and visiting the facility.

Our Enrichment in Action program allows our guests to enrich the lives of our animals with an unstructured interaction. After learning about all of the fun ways we can provide enrichment to the dolphins, guests will help select an enrichment activity before getting the opportunity to join their trainer for a dolphin playtime experience. 

Participants may be able to give the dolphins their favorite toy, spray a water hose in the pool for the dolphins to interact with, blow bubbles for the dolphins, or participate in one of many other fun activities. By providing daily enrichment, we can provide the best welfare to our resident animals, and in an effort to promote their participation in enrichment, we vary the activity each day! This means no two Enrichment in Action programs will ever be the same. 

Please Note: Dolphins are able to choose to participate in enrichment or not, and therefore direct interaction with the dolphins is not guaranteed for this program. Because of the unstructured nature of this program, the program is not timed but rather the dolphins determine the duration. 

At-A-Glance

• Offered Daily at 2:30PM
• Must be 5 Years Old to Participate with a Paying Adult, 10 Years Old to Participate without an Adult 
• $59 Per Person

Nothing quite compares to the feeling of rescuing a sick or injured dolphin, but it's a feeling our marine mammal responders live for. Now - thanks to our Backlot Rescue Tour - you too can experience the excitement and joy of responding to a "stranded" dolphin.

Your tour guide will take you behind the scenes of what a working rehabilitation hospital is like, showcasing the many different elements of our stranding program. During this 45-minute walking experience, you'll visit an animal necropsy lab to learn about the research we conduct when an animal strands, tour our marine mammal ambulance, and see the facilities required to provide long-term rehabilitation to sick and/or injured whales & dolphins. During your experience, you'll learn first-hand what to do if you ever encounter a marine mammal that needs help as you work with your tour guide to "rescue" a model dolphin calf.

To culminate this exhilarating experience, you'll see our resident bottlenose dolphins up close and learn about how your participation in the tour is helping us rescue real whales & dolphins in need.

At-A-Glance:

• Offered Daily at 9:00, 11:15, & 4:15 
• Price $25, Includes Full Day General Admission to DPMMR 

Join one of our dedicated Animal Care Specialists for a behind-the-scenes look at our Animal Care facilities. During this 30-minute walking tour, you'll visit our diet preparation area, veterinary lab, dolphin "toy-box", and more as your guide shares with you how we care for our resident animals. You'll have the opportunity to see and touch the fish that we feed the dolphins, to learn how we teach the animals to participate in their own healthcare, to choose what enrichment opportunities we offer the dolphins for the day, and of course observe the resident animals. Before the end of your tour, you will learn how we care for our dolphins and have the opportunity to ask your guide about any other questions you may have. If you've ever wondered how we care for our dolphins or are just looking for a fun way to support animal welfare, this tour is a great option while visiting DPMMR. 

At-A-Glance: 

• Offered Daily at 11:15 & 4:15 
• Price $20, Includes Full Day General Admission to DPMMR