HELP-I'm visiting DC with a small toddler

[sculptess]

Please help. I've tried to get info from so many places - even emailed them with a direct question a couple of times but no-one will answer me straight!!
I am booking a swim with the dolphins at Discovery Cove in June, with my husband, 2 children and 18mth-old baby. Trouble is I don't know what happens during the dolphin swim and therefore whether it would be really awkward with the baby.
All info I'm getting is children must be 6 and over, but is that purely in the water with the dolphin or in the lagoon itself, meaning she can't even watch?
We don't really want to be separated for such a one-off experience, so if we decide to just book the kids in for a swim so we can stay with the babe, will we be close by to share in their experience?
If we decided to book us all for a swim, I suppose we'd have to split in 2 pairs so one would mind baby while other went in water, but - same question - would we still be near to each other to share each others' experience?

PLEASE HELP :confused:

[american idol]

it depends where abouts you are in the bay- i suppose you could request to be near the beach- i also don't know whether they'll let kids do it by themselves- your best bet is to give them a call - or someone from the board may have done this so had first hand experience

[Wendy L]

Hi

We had the same problem in December, we went with friends who had a baby who was 4 months old. What we did was split up my DH and I went in first whilst the others watched, they were able to stand on the beach in the cove or on the rocks and see what was happening, they even managed to film us and take a few photos. When it came to their turn we looked after the baby whilst mum, dad and the two girls went in, DH was able to film the whole experience whilst I watched.

So you will have to be split up, you go in groups of about 6 or 7 but you each get to have some special time with the dolphin, kiss, hug and being towed back to shore. They do not go too fast with the little ones either which was a great relief for girls (they were 7 and 9). I suppose the only downside for you is that you won't be able to all go as a family and be in the same video that they film for you (expensive but worth every penny), as for photos, they take indivdual ones and family ones with the dolphin, so if you did buy them you would have to probably spend a little more. (We bought the video and 6 photos I think it came to about $150 but it was well worth the money)

Remember when you book in on the day to ask for seperate swims (2 and 2) and make sure they don't book you straight after the other one, as you go back into the cabana afterwards to look at your photos.

We found this worked well and you will have a fantastic time.

Any other questions then please PM me and I will help if I can.

Wendy

[sculptess]

:wave: :clap: Many thanx for your replies. Bit wiser now! Only other question:

Do children have to be accompanied in the water? They are age 10 & 7. (Just in case we decide to book for them and we can just watch them and mind baby!)

[Wendy L]

We had 5 children in our group and they weren't accompanied, their parents watched from the beach and the trainers were brilliant. I have sent you a PM with some more info.


Wendy