RESERVATION POLICIES

Dolphin Research Center accepts reservations up to six months in advance. All reservations must be made by phone to the reservation number (305) 289–0002. This line is open 7 days a week from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. eastern time. ALL RESERVATIONS ARE MADE THROUGH THIS NUMBER. NO OTHER PHONE NUMBERS AT DRC CAN TAKE RESERVATIONS. Absolutely no reservations will be accepted by mail, fax or electronic mail.

Payments must be made at the time of making your reservation using a VISA, MasterCard or Discover card. Paid reservations are not refundable, not transferable and cannot be changed to another time or day.

All persons participating in Trainer for a Day, Researcher for a Day or Deep Water Dolphin Encounter must have a good command of the English language. If an individual is not able to understand commands given in English, they will not be allowed to swim and no refund will be given. A good command of the English language is not needed for Shallow Water Dolphin Encounter or Dolphin Dip.

A Trainer for a Day, Researcher for a Day, Dolphin Encounter or Dolphin Dip reservation requires advance notice of at least 72 hours for individuals with special needs to ensure their personal safety and to accommodate their special need.

During busy vacation times, such as the Holidays or Spring Break, the reservation line will be extremely busy. Thousands of other people are also trying to make a reservation for a limited number of spaces available. The number of Dolphin Encounters and Dolphin Dips is so limited because DRC strives to ensure the dolphins’ enjoyment of these sessions. Not all of the dolphins who live at DRC participate in the programs. Only those dolphins who choose to and like to participate do so. Our number one priority is the happiness and well being of the animals who call DRC home.

NOTE: DRC is closed on New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

What to expect during your Dolphin Encounter

The Deep Water and Shallow Water Dolphin Encounters are exciting educational and interactive programs that could have you on the grounds for a few hours. The experience begins when you arrive and check-in at our Environmental Gift Shop. The friendly and helpful staff will provide you with the educational materials for your workshop and have waivers for you to complete. Your workshop leader will guide you to the workshop area and direct your activities for the remainder of the program. Please arrive with your bathing suit on under your clothes. You will need to bring a towel and anything else needed to contribute to a comfortable experience. Also, please remove all jewelry.

Our interactive programs take place in the natural saltwater lagoons of the Gulf of Mexico. Most lagoons are quite deep, however, life vests are available if desired. The temperature of the lagoons is not controlled and can be cool in the winter months. When water temperatures drop below 66 degrees Fahrenheit (19 degrees Celsius) we strongly recommend that participants wear wetsuits. These can be rented at local dive shops and resorts, as DRC does not provide wetsuits. An outdoor, freshwater rinse-off area is available after your program.

During your educational workshop, you will learn about wild marine mammals and what you can do to save the environment we all share. You will learn about the importance of choosing the responsible and only legal way to interact with dolphins. You will also have the opportunity to watch a video that prepares you for your own experience at DRC. Your workshop leader will teach you the signals and behaviors you will do in the water with the dolphins.

After your workshop is completed, you will find out what time and which dolphins will be joining you for your experience. We have found that smaller interactive groups work to the benefit of both the dolphins and the people, so group size may range from two to six people at a dock per session. Please keep in mind if you have made a reservation for a large group, we will do our best to accommodate your group, however, we cannot guarantee that everyone in your party will do the program at the same time or at the same dock.

Once your trainer has escorted the group to the lagoon, they will make sure that the dolphins are ready and everything is in place before asking you to step down onto the dock and into the water. You will then have the opportunity to use the knowledge you learned in your workshop, participating in a variety of structured behaviors with the dolphins. Structured programs are very important because it allows you to know what to expect before getting into the water, and the dolphins also know what to expect when they have people in their environment. The dolphins seem to enjoy the interactive programs because they are with someone they know and trust, the trainer, and have the opportunity to see new faces and try new things with our guests. Your in-water time may last anywhere from 20-25 minutes, but the memories will last a lifetime! You will also receive a certificate to commemorate your Encounter with our dolphin family.

The program also includes a full day's admission to the facility. Throughout your visit you will have the opportunity to watch as many narrated dolphin and sea lion activities as you like. Each session demonstrates a different facet of the dolphin's day, such as research, new training, medical and husbandry behaviors, and visits with our baby and senior citizen dolphins.