Dolphin Connection — Attraction in Key Largo

TLDR: ABSOLUTELY AWESOME!

WOW! What else can I say!

Long review for a good reason...

My wife and I went here to celebrate our 36th anniversary together as it was always something we wanted to do. We picked a time after school had started in the US so we would have fewer families competing for our time and attention during our visit. We looked at several other dolphin encounters and decided on Dolphin Connection at Hawk's Cay after visiting the 3 closest venues. So why Dolphin Connection? It came down to a few things... First, the site itself was gorgeous, located on the ocean side of the Keys, with beautiful blue waters inside a very upscale resort. Secondly, on our exploratory visit, the staff we met was fantastic, with Michele taking time to explain the various options, discuss the dolphins and trainers, and let us know about the various programs. Finally, the dolphin lagoon offered deeper water and an expanded environment for the dolphins that looked more fun and inviting for both us and the dolphins. During our visit we were the only couple attending the Royal Swim and we were simply blown away by the experience. Our Trainer Emily was cordial, professional, knowledgeable, fun, entertaining and a true professional and marine conservator. We learned so VERY much during.our encounter about these amazing mammals! We shared a bunch of behaviors and interactions with our dolphin guests Maya and Indie (the dolphins) and the hour passed so quickly. As we were leaving I noticed my face hurt from smiling so much, ha! The other thing we loved was that we had a dedicated photographer with us to capture our encounter and the photos were included with the cost of our swim. Shelly (our photographer) gave us some tremendous tips before we got in the water that not only made our shots better, but made the encounter one we'll never forget -thank you, Shelley! If you want to swim with the dolphins and really get to know them, go to Dolphin Connection. Please also visit some of the other dolphin conservation sites to support their efforts, but if you want to get in the water, this is THE ONE. It should be noted that this is not a strenuous activity, but one that is paced to match your ability and enthusiasm. There was a family next to us in a separate lagoon doing a platform encounter with 2 year old and 4 old year old children. (We are in our 60's and enjoy snorkeling and water time). The facility is secure and a call to the staff the day before or morning of your visit will give you an idea of the water conditions, recommended gear, etc. You'll want a pair of flops or aqua shoes for the dock, but will take them off for the in-water experience. Buoyancy vests are provided - a tip: get a very snug fit so they don't ride up on you in the water! We're already planning a trip back for next year - don't miss this one if you're in the...

We visit The Florida Keys every year and Thursday was my third time at Dolphin Connection.

Unfortunately, this year did not come close to my experiences in the years prior. Prior to going and getting in the water with the dolphins, they do a 10-15 minute overview of the dolphins, what/what not to do, etc- which is true to years prior but this year seemed incredibly chaotic and we were waiting for 20-30 minutes as the lady kept going over the same information.

I was INCREDIBLY disturbed by the way the manager was speaking to other customers and their children that were in our group as well as other employees. At one point a little girl from our group was going back out to get something from her mom and the manager was so rude I was very caught off guard. Prior to this she was rude to the parents as well. These are paying customers- I don’t think she should be acting so inconvenienced by such small requests. (And to do it in front of other paying and excited customers- so tacky!) she also wasn’t speaking to the other trainers and photographers in a very nice tone she was hollering and just acting super bothered or frazzled! Definitely set the wrong tone for my experience. My friend and I did this experience and my mom watched from the viewing area and she mentioned seeing the same behavior as well.

As for the experience itself in the water with the dolphin, it was okay compared to prior years. My friend and I did the $250 experience each and were paired with 6 other individuals (8 of us total plus the one trainer which felt cluttered for the price paid). I’m not sure if they put more people in our group last minute or what, I had never been with that many people in the past. With this being said, we were supposed to interact with dolphins by getting a picture of it kissing our cheeks, hugging it, etc. While we got to do some of the activities, as the trainer was about to close I had to remind her that we had not yet gotten to have it kiss our cheek. We also didn’t get to hug the dolphin, or do another activity they told us we were going to do. (I think this is because there was too many people to all be together). Not to mention, the other people in our group had not paid to do the more interactive activities as we had. The trainer that was in the water was so kind, I am in no way saying that this was her fault but they grouped her with so many people I can totally understand how it was easy to miss it. She was so patient and spoke to the young girl (that the manager was rude to earlier) in a much nicer manner!

Like I said, I have done this 3 times- worth it for the first two but most likely won’t be back due to...

Here’s a humorous rephrasing in English:

Disappointing Experience at Dolphin Connection

Our visit to Dolphin Connection was, to put it mildly, a splash of disappointment. We’re a big family of six, and we snagged tickets on Groupon (a small mercy since their official website prices are outrageously high for the service provided). We bought three tickets for the Dolphin Deck and three for the Dolphin Encounter, both promising interaction with the dolphins and six free photos per package. Sounds great, right? Wrong.

We visited on January 13th and called ahead, as we were driving two hours from Miami. The administrator, in her infinite wisdom, asked us to email our vouchers, which we did. We even called back to confirm our ETA at 12:40 PM. She assured us we’d make it, neglecting to mention that the scheduled time was actually 2:15 PM. So, there we were, waiting an hour and a half at the venue—a hotel property with nowhere to really spend that time comfortably.

To add to the “fun,” the administrator was downright rude and unhelpful. When it was finally time for our session, we discovered we weren’t the only ones “interacting” with the dolphins—each group had 6-8 people, making any personal connection with the animals about as close as you’d get in a crowded theme park line.

The only saving grace? The dolphins themselves—absolute sweethearts. Without them, this review would be a hard 2 stars.

Our experience was delayed by 15 minutes, and then we were ushered into a small covered area where we spent 30 minutes being told about dolphins—quickly and without any actual introduction to the animals we were supposed to meet. Two minutes of instructions later, we moved on to the main event: standing waist-deep in water while dolphins performed a couple of tricks and we were photographed. The promised 30-minute session? It was over in about 15-20 minutes.

And the photos? Oh, the photos! We were asked how we’d like to receive them and opted for email. Fast forward to January 19th: still no photos. Calls go unanswered, voicemails ignored.

In summary, we spent hours driving, waited even longer, and walked away with a sour taste—and no photos to show for it. The kids were heartbroken, and the entire experience felt like a massive waste of time and money. Do yourself a favor: save your cash, avoid the drive, and don’t let this disappointing experience...