Marineland Dolphin Adventure

What Marineland Dolphin Adventure does

Marineland Dolphin Adventure is a single-site marine mammal facility and educational attraction operating in St. Augustine, Florida, recognized as the world's first oceanarium since its establishment in 1938. The company is operated by Marineland Waves of the Future, Corp, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 41-2503082), and offers a tiered portfolio of hands-on dolphin and marine animal interaction programs alongside general admission and annual pass access. Core offerings include eight distinct animal interaction products ranging from a $69.99 Tortoise Time encounter to a $400 Trainer for a Day premium experience, with intermediate dolphin programs (Meet & Greet $85, Dolphin Design $130, Dolphin Encounter $175, Swim Adventure $210, Immersion $245) forming the pricing spine. The underlying technology is a marine mammal care facility housing 12+ named bottlenose dolphins, a loggerhead sea turtle, red-footed tortoises, nurse sharks, cownose rays, and moray eels, supported by an in-house research function led by Dr. Jason Bruck focused on cetacean communication, cognition, conservation, and welfare.

Name

Marineland Dolphin Adventure

Legal name

Marineland Waves of the Future, Corp

Website

https://marineland.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1938

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Marineland Dolphin Adventure is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit marine mammal facility and educational attraction in St. Augustine, Florida, operating as the world's first oceanarium since 1938 and offering tiered dolphin interaction programs, general admission, and educational field trips and summer camps for families, school groups, and marine conservation supporters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Park and Aquarium Services

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (4872)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Guided Diving & Snorkeling Excursions (boat/shore trips) (THAAAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Marine Wildlife & Birding Cruises (dolphins, seals, seabirds) (THAAAIAD), Marine Conservation & Citizen-Science Experiences (reef monitoring, turtle walks) (THAAAIAH), Dive & Snorkel Equipment Rental, Retail & Boat Services (compressors, gear hire) (THAAAIAL)

Keywords

• Marine park experiences
• Dolphin interaction programs
• Ocean education services
• Aquarium admission tickets
• Marine conservation education

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Augustine

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. General Admission Tickets: Visitors purchase general admission tickets for $20 per person (children 4 and under free) to access the facility and view animals including dolphins, sea turtles, sharks, rays, and tortoises.
2. Annual Passes: Annual passes sold for $65 providing complimentary admission on every operating day plus 20% off all animal interactions. Supports the nonprofit Marineland Waves of the Future 501c3.
3. Dolphin Encounter Program: Shallow-water dolphin interaction program priced at $175 + tax per person, includes admission.
4. Swim Adventure Program: Full water dolphin swim adventure with belly ride priced at $210 + tax per person, includes admission.
5. Dolphin Immersion Program: Premium dolphin experience with shallow-water interaction, underwater observation with snorkel mask, and belly ride priced at $245 + tax per person.
6. Meet & Greet Program: Out-of-water dolphin interaction program priced at $85 + tax per person, includes admission and photos.
7. Trainer for a Day Program: Full-day immersive trainer experience priced at $400 + tax per person, includes multiple dolphin programs.
8. Field Trip Programs: Educational field trip programs for school groups ranging from $12-$30 per attendee depending on program type, aligned with Florida State Science Standards.
9. Summer Camps: S.E.A. Camp summer program for children priced at $390 + tax, includes marine science education, beach combing, and dolphin encounter.
10. Donations: Accepts tax-deductible donations as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 41-2503082). Donations support critical research and ocean literacy programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Marineland Dolphin Adventure operates a marine park and oceanarium at a single facility in St. Augustine, Florida, selling general admission tickets and eight distinct paid dolphin and animal interaction experiences ranging from dockside Meet & Greet to premium Immersion and full-day Trainer for a Day programs. The facility also sells annual passes, summer marine science camps, Florida-standards-aligned school field trips, and outreach education, and accepts tax-deductible donations as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit supporting cetacean research and ocean literacy.

Product overview

Marineland Dolphin Adventure is the world's first oceanarium (established 1938) operating as a marine mammal facility offering a portfolio of interactive animal experiences centered around dolphin programs, complemented by educational offerings for youth and groups. The core experience portfolio includes eight distinct animal interaction programs: Immersion ($245), Swim Adventure ($210), Dolphin Encounter ($175), Meet and Greet ($85), Dolphin Design ($130), Stingray Splash ($75), Trainer for a Day ($400), and Tortoise Time ($69.99). General Admission ($20) and Annual Passes ($65) provide park access. Educational programs include S.E.A. Camp and T.E.E.N. Camp summer programs, five Field Trip tiers ($12-$30/attendee), and Wild Lessons outreach programming. Add-on services include Special Occasion dolphin message deliveries ($50) and Program Photographs. The facility also houses a non-profit donation program supporting marine research and ocean literacy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• General Admission Park access ticket providing viewing of dolphins, sea turtle, tortoises, sharks, and rays plus access to daily presentations and tours. Priced at $20 per person (children 4 and under free) with operating hours 8:30am-5pm and last ticket sold at 4pm; group rate $12/person for 25+ attendees.
• Annual Passes

Quantifiable outcome

• Supporting marine education, wildlife protection, research, and rescue/rehabilitation of marine mammals and sea turtles
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Dolphin Cay (Atlantis Paradise Island): Bahamas resort-based dolphin interaction habitat with shallow-water and deep-water swim programs. Direct comparable for premium dolphin encounter SKUs though anchored to resort tourism rather than standalone visitation.
• Clearwater Marine Aquarium: Florida-based marine mammal rescue and education facility focused on dolphins, sea turtles, and sharks. Closest peer in terms of scale, mission emphasis on research/rehab, and Florida coastal tourism catchment.
• Mystic Aquarium: Connecticut-based nonprofit aquarium with beluga and seal interactions and a strong research/education focus. Comparable nonprofit operational model, animal encounter program set, and educational outreach footprint.
• Discovery Cove (SeaWorld): Orlando-based reservation-only marine park owned by SeaWorld, offering premium dolphin swim/encounter programs as its signature product. Directly comparable to Marineland's high-priced dolphin interaction SKUs and $400+ Trainer-for-a-Day positioning.
• Theater of the Sea (Islamorada, FL): Small, family-owned Florida Keys marine mammal park offering dolphin, sea lion, and ray encounters. Closest scale and operating model analog; both emphasize intimate animal interactions over theme-park volume.
• Miami Seaquarium: Long-standing Florida marine mammal park offering dolphin encounters, sea lion shows, and aquarium exhibits. Similar product mix (interactions + viewing + education) and same Florida tourist market.

Broad incumbents

• Georgia Aquarium: One of the largest U.S. aquariums with beluga and dolphin exhibits, structured programs, and educational offerings. Comparable in mission framing (research, conservation, education) but at materially larger scale.
• Shedd Aquarium: Major urban nonprofit aquarium with marine mammal exhibits, structured programs, and educational outreach. Similar nonprofit/governance model and educational mission, but with significantly larger donor base and geographic reach.
• SeaWorld Orlando/San Diego/San Antonio: Large-scale marine theme park operator with dolphin interaction programs, animal exhibits, and educational programming. Scales dramatically larger but competes directly for Florida dolphin-experience tourist dollars.

Regional players

• Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (Ecotourism Operators): Regional boat-based dolphin/whale watching and snorkel tour operators across Florida. Comparable demand-side tourist and pricing dynamics for marine wildlife experiences, even though delivery is mobile rather than fixed-location.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/marinelandfl
• Instagraminstagram.com/wild_lessons_staug

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Marineland Dolphin Adventure