Some 192 children were chosen to go on the annual Dreamflight holiday to Florida.
On Sunday they got the chance to swim with dolphins at Discovery Cove in Orlando.
Here are some of their thoughts:
– Rachel Al Ahmad, 15, from Bradford, West Yorkshire
“It was amazing, I loved it so much, I’ve been excited for it all week.
“We got to touch the dolphin a lot and feel it and kiss it. I gave it a kiss on the cheek as well.
“It was unreal, I never thought I’d be swimming with dolphins ever.
“On this holiday we’ve done rollercoasters, waterparks, a lot of things, discos. I haven’t been bored once because it’s been full of activities, you’re always distracted.
“The dolphins were my favourite part because it’s not something you do every day. You can go to a theme park again but I don’t think I’ll be able to swim with dolphins again.”
– Skye Walker, 15, from Rotherham, South Yorkshire
“I’ve really looked forward to swimming with the dolphins, it’s unbelievable now I’ve done it.
“We held onto it and it swam with us, we saw it do some tricks as well, which was really good, and it was amazing to be so close to them.
“I’ve really enjoyed the parks and SeaWorld, but today was definitely the best – it was a once-in-a-lifetime sort of thing.”
– Anya Ness, 14, from Gorebridge in Midlothian
“It was really good. It’s hard to describe what the dolphins felt like but they were a bit like hard-boiled eggs.
“It was really cool, one of them did a big dive and splashed us all, it was so good.
“We also got to touch the dolphins and feed them some fish.
“The holiday has been so good, we’ve been to a lot of parks, but the dolphins were the best, I love marine life.
“This was the one thing I was looking forward to the most.”
– Ava Douglas, 11, from Edinburgh
“That was so good, I would never, ever get to do that. We got to touch the dolphin and it swam around us!
“When I found out I was coming on Dreamflight I was buzzing that we were going to see dolphins.
“They’re so fun and cute, it’s the first thing I’m going to tell everyone at home about.
“We’ve also been on loads of rides, we’ve been to so many places.”
– David Green, 14, from Denny, near Falkirk
“Today has been really good, it’s been really cool. We went over and got to meet three of them and swim with them.
“They were showing us some tricks and jumps and we gave them commands which they responded to. It was good – something you don’t get to do at home.
“We’ve been to a few different parks in Orlando and the rollercoasters were really good, they were the best.”
– Jessica Ewing, 14, from Saltcoats, North Ayrshire
“It was unbelievable to see the dolphins, so cool.
“I was a bit nervous at first but I got over that and gave one a cuddle.
“There’s been a lot of rollercoasters – going on the Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit at Universal Studios was the best. It goes up and then it goes down. I went on it at the front so many times.”
– Eoin Devlin, 13, from Belfast
“Swimming with dolphins is probably the best thing I’ve done all week. We got to pet them quite a lot and then got to ride on them.
“It did a couple of tricks as well, it was surreal.
“This has been the best day, I’ve always loved dolphins and just seeing them that close up has been amazing.”
– Emma Huey, 14, from Ballymoney in Co Antrim
“It was really great. We got to pet the dolphin and we got to swim with him across the water, and seeing them doing tricks was good.
“The holiday has been really great, they’re the best days of my life, probably. Everything has been great.
“Going on rollercoasters was quite scary but I did go on them, and I’ve made new friends as well.”
– Junior Brown, 13, from Redditch in north-east Worcestershire, who was celebrating his birthday on Sunday
“My birthday has been very good. Swimming with the dolphins was extraordinary and something different.
“At first we were getting to know them and doing hand signals to make them do tricks and then we got to touch its tail.
“We also had the chance to swim with it, which was really cool, and watch it jump about. It’s not what I thought, it was really different.
“This has been the best holiday of my life, there’s been rollercoasters and water slides and a lot of walking, I’ve had a really good time.
“Overcoming my fear of rollercoasters has been the best part of it.”
– Brody Bentley, 10, from Leicester
“Swimming with the dolphins was fun, I got to hold it as it swam, I was so excited.
“The dolphin had some food and we got to watch it flip as well.
“The holiday has been really good. There’s been lots of water stuff, there were slides and some of them were fast and scary.”
– Harry Gibbins, 11, from Hartlepool
“The dolphin was really good. It was fun, we cuddled it and did hand gestures to make it do things like tricks.
“It was so cool because of how big it was. It felt like rubber as it swam by us.
“The holiday has been good, it’s been hot. There’s been rides, water slides and fun activities.
“Swimming with dolphins was the best, though, I love dolphins, they are cute.”
– Ryan Sinclair, 14, from Newcastle
“That was a dream come true. We got a photo of us with the dolphin, it gave us a kiss and then I swam with it.
“We’ve been to so many places, I really liked the waterparks.”
– Robson Mair, 12, from Carlisle
“It’s honestly a dream come true, I liked it so much. It gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek! It was so cool.
“Yesterday we went to an arcade, which was the best day because we also had a pool party, which was so fun.”
– Identical twins Diana and Isabella Conteh, 12, from Reading
“That was amazing. It was literally the cutest thing we have ever seen, it was an amazing experience.
“She showed us some tricks and we got to swim with her. She was really friendly. We went over and learned about it.
“At first we were both a bit scared but after getting to know the dolphin we were fine. She was really smooth and comfortable.
“The holiday has been amazing, we’ve been on so many rides and rollercoasters, the best were the water rides. It’s just really exciting in general.
“The whole experience has been amazing. You think everything will be scary but once you finish it you want to do it again – we did most of the rollercoasters about three times.”
– Lily Vincent, 13, from Bridport in Dorset, who was also celebrating her birthday
“It’s pretty good to spend my birthday in Orlando, I’ve made a lot of friends.
“Today has been really fun. When we were gliding along the water it was kind of cold and it was really weird being so close to (the dolphins) but also kind of cool.
“The holiday has been so fun, my mum is very jealous! Everything has been great, I wish I could stay a bit longer to tan more!”
– Ashton Owen, 12, from Trefechan, South Wales
“That was fab, it was so good. The dolphin was really fun and riding them was so cool.
“It’s something I’ve never seen before, I’ve never seen a real-life dolphin and to see it is amazing.
“The holiday has been fab, it’s like nothing I’ve ever been on. I have to say day one was the best, at Hollywood Studios, it was so cool.
“I’m going to tell everyone that I’ve been to Florida. I think it’s mad just saying that, it’s just so cool.”
– Safa Thagia, 14, from Bolton, Greater Manchester
“That was the most amazing experience and one of the best things I’ve ever done in my life. I was quite scared before but also really excited to do it.
“I wanted to do it, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We got to do hand signals that the dolphins recognise and then we got to touch them.
“I’ve done everything I could possibly do – I’ve been on all of the big rollercoasters, I did a high ropes course yesterday. It’s been the best trip and I’m really going to miss it.
“It’s very difficult to pick the best thing but my entire trip has been the best experience.”
– Daniel White, 14, from Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
“That was amazing, I never ever thought I would do it.
“The dolphin did some tricks and then we got to pet it, then we had a little ride with it. It was amazing.
“The whole thing was amazing, they’re incredible creatures, it was the highlight of the trip.
“It’s something I can’t do back at home.
“The rollercoasters are also great, so I’ve really enjoyed the holiday. Some were quite scary at first but I have gotten used to them.”
– Jamie Sandiford, 13, from Isleworth, south-west London
“That was amazing, it’s the best thing I’ve done. I was actually a bit scared, I’m a big rollercoaster person but that’s the best thing so far.
“I went in there, the dolphins came over, gave us a wave and then we slowly went over and they took us along the water.
“We got some photos with them and it gave us all a kiss on the cheek. It was so fun and probably one of the best things I’ve ever done, it was really good.
“The holiday has been amazing, I’m really big on rollercoasters and we’ve done so many, it’s the best holiday I’ve ever been on.
“I wish I could stay for longer, I wish I could live here!”
– Justin Fodor, 11, from Harrow, north-west London
“That was really good. They gave us a kiss on the cheek, it was all quite strange.
“We’ve been on a lot of rides, I went on a really scary rollercoaster, and it made the trip really good.
“I’ve made a lot of friends.”
