Adventure behind-the-scenes of the dolphin theater where you’ll to get to meet our dolphins face to face. You’ll be able to touch and feed these friendly creatures while you participate first-hand in a training session that shows how we care for our dolphins and keep them healthy and happy.
Experience
Dolphin Encounter
Get Up Close & Personal
Program Age Requirements
Please ensure that your party adheres to the age requirements before booking this Animal Interactive Program.
- Must be 7+ to participate.
- Each guest 15 years of age and under must come with a participating adult (one adult per family required).
- Guests 17 and under must have a program liability waiver signed and dated by a parent or court appointed legal guardian.
- All participants must be ticketed for the Interaction.
If requirements are not met, your program will be cancelled.
You'll Get To...
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Dolphin Interaction
You will spend 8 minutes next to the water interacting with a dolphin in a variety of different and fun ways.
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Meet Our Trainers
Learn what it takes to become a dolphin trainer by spending time with our talented marine mammal trainers.
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Get a Good Splash
Prepare to get a little wet as you play with these beautiful marine mammals.
See a Dolphin Encounter in Action
When we left, Drew just looked at me and said, "Mom, that was the most AWESOME thing EVER!!"
Michelle Marietta, GA
Unique Gifts from Georgia Aquarium
Bring the memories home with you! Stop by our gift shop for all your dolphin gifts or shop online here.
Penguin Encounter
Go behind the scenes of our Cold Water Quest gallery for an up-close-and-personal penguin encounter.
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Sea Otter Encounter
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Harbor Seal Encounter
With our unique Harbor Seal Encounter, you’ll go behind the scenes of our Cold Water Quest gallery and enjoy some time with our...
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Sea Lion Encounter
With our unique Seal Lion Encounter, you’ll go behind the scenes and enjoy 30 minutes with our seal lions in their Aquarium home.
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Beluga Encounter
Adventure behind-the-scenes of the Cold Water Quest gallery, where you’ll to get to meet our beluga whales face to face.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What if I didn’t fill out my waiver for my animal interaction or encounter?
You can complete the waiver using this link prior to your arrival for your encounter: Animal Interactive Waiver
- Do participants have to wear a mask?
Please Note:
- Georgia Aquarium does not require that all guests wear masks during their programs; however, these animals can be susceptible to respiratory illnesses, and any participant managing respiratory issues (coughing, sneezing, runny nose) are asked to wear a mask covering their nose and mouth during the encounter.
- Guests clearly symptomatic will be required to wear a mask through the duration of the program or be excused from the program. This is to ensure the safest environment for the animals, our staff, and fellow guests.
- My picture was taken by the professional photographers at Georgia Aquarium, how can I find it?
Showtime Pictures snaps photos as you enter the aquarium and during animal encounters. As you leave the aquarium, you will see our custom photo kiosks in the gift shop where you can view and print your pictures immediately. To order, or view them online please follow this link: https://mygeorgiaaquarium.com/mygallery/
- What is the cancellation and date change policy for the Dolphin Encounter?
Cancellation and Date Change Policy: The program fee is non-refundable; however, the program will be rescheduled whenever possible based upon program availability. The Aquarium will reschedule your encounter free of charge if the change is made at least 14 days in advance of the original date of visit. If the change is made less than 14 days prior to the original date of your visit, a $20 change fee per reservation will be charged. No changes can be made less than 48 hours prior to the date of your original visit, and the guest will be charged the full program cost.
Cancellations and no-shows will not be refunded or rescheduled. To change your reservation, please contact the Georgia Aquarium Call Center at 404.581.4000.
Guests must check in at the Animal Interaction desk, located next to the Ocean Voyager Built by The Home Depot gallery, 15 minutes prior to the start of their program. Guests arriving late will not be permitted to participate in the program and will not be refunded or rescheduled. We encourage guests to arrive at the Aquarium with plenty of time to park, enter, and check into the program. Please plan accordingly.
Due to the nature of caring for animals, Georgia Aquarium reserves the right to modify, cancel and/or reschedule programs without notice. Reasonable accommodations will be made to reschedule guests as effectively as possible.
- Are guests welcome to watch? Do they have to buy a ticket?
Guests will not be able to watch you interact with the dolphins. Any guests that you would like to be a part of this poolside experience will also have to purchase a ticket.
- Where do I go when I arrive?
Please go to the Animal Interactions desk, on the second floor near the Ray Touch Pool, to check in at least 15 minutes prior to your Dolphin Encounter.
- What are the age requirements?
Minimum age is 7 years. All guests ages 16 and under must be accompanied during the program by a participating adult. All participants must be ticketed for the encounter. There is a maximum of 3 children per participating adult. Guests under the age of 18 must have the program liability waiver and animal interactive program guidelines signed and dated by their parent or court appointed legal guardian.
- Do I need to make a reservation?
Reservations are not required. However, we strongly encourage reservations to guarantee your experience as spaces are limited. Space is currently limited to only 4 participants per dolphin per program. While up to 8 participants may be able to participate per program time:
Parties larger than 4 participants will be divided between different animals due to the space limitation. Parties of 2 or 3 participants may be divided between different animals due to the space limitation.
For the safety of our animals, guests and team members, all program participants must wear a facial covering over their mouth and nose at all times for the duration of the program. Additionally, all guests must consent to a contactless temperature check upon entry.
- What should I bring with me?
A photo I.D., appropriate footwear, attire that can be splashed and your sense of adventure! Guests may not bring personal cameras into dolphin program areas.
- How long is the program and what will I see?
The Dolphin Encounter program lasts 15-minutes and includes approximately 8 minutes of interaction with a dolphin. During this fast-paced program you will go backstage at our dolphin theater to meet, touch and feed one of the dolphin stars of our spectacular Dolphin Celebration presentation. See up-close many of the ways we care for our dolphins and participate in a training session during this hands-on poolside encounter.