Epcot

[murph]

Next time your taking the family & kids to Disney World, take a couple of hours out of your day and dive Epcot. They say it's the largest aquarium in the world. It's a great place to swim with the sharks, where you know they won't be hungry, and the sea turtles expect you to move out of the way! Highly recommended. It's a little expensive for a 45 min dive ($140) but well worth it. They provide everything for you (and won't let you take in your own stuff, except a mask).

The best part of it is seeing the little kids through the glass... They seem a little scared that someone is in there waving at them, but then it turns to thirll -"Hey! There's someone waving at me!"

[nauifins73]

Did you have to make a reservation for the dive? If so very far in advance?

We thought about it when we were in Orlando for DEMA. But made the mistake to go to Sea World instead - won't go there again.

[DeepDiverBob]

We have a winner!!!!!

Someone more expensive than Bonne Terre

[MgicTwnger]

Sounds like a swell idea to me!

[murph]

Yes, resis are required, but not much in advance. I called the day before and got in. They do 2 dives a day at 4 and 6 and take upto 10 per dive I think. When I went, I got in at 4, and there were only 5 of us. They said they didn't have anyone going at 6 that day. 10's of thousands have viewed the aquarium, but only 100's of people have been in it! You show up an hour ahead of time, get a quick tour behind the scenes, get the "rules" (don't mess with the dolphins, they don't play nicely, smile for the fans checking you out, etc.) then change into a shorty they provide and get wet! They have excellent shower facilites after the dive - very 1st class operation.

[nauifins73]

Does Epcot provides all the dive equipment except your mask?

[DeepDiverBob]

Next time your taking the family & kids to Disney World, take a couple of hours out of your day and dive Epcot. They say it's the largest aquarium in the world. It's a great place to swim with the sharks, where you know they won't be hungry, and the sea turtles expect you to move out of the way! Highly recommended. It's a little expensive for a 45 min dive ($140) but well worth it. They provide everything for you (and won't let you take in your own stuff, except a mask).


I think so. :p

[nauifins73]

:o :o :o

Guess I will reread the posts before I ask a question - can't believe I missed that.

[murph]

They provide the mask too - everything you need. I left the park, went to the meeting place, with some swimming shorts, and was ready! They provide everything else. The mask was worn out, and didn't seal well. I'd recommend taking your own mask if you can plan ahead. My reservation was a spur of the moment, on the drive down, hey I wonder if I can get in kinda thing - so I didn't have my mask with me.

You'll get a free t-shirt, and they record your dive - so you can buy the movie of your dive for $20.

[DeepDiverBob]

:o :o :o

Guess I will reread the posts before I ask a question - can't believe I missed that.

Wouldnt be a complete day unless I gave you a hard time about something, huh? :D

[scububa]

I am making a guess here, but I would imagine that with an aquarium eviron they need to minimize introducing foreign life forms. I think the possibility of dragging something in on gear would be high. Do they have you shower or take any other measures before hand?

They are missing the boat (pardon the obvious :-). They could be doing an Aquarium Speciality! But, on second thought some might find that to be too Mickey Mouse.

Sorry for that last part, I'm bored...

Jim

[nauifins73]

At Sea World they have an exhibt where you can feed Sting Rays. The Kansas City Zoo tried the same thing. No one was washing their hands and the KC Zoo lost more than 1/2 of the Sting Rays the 1st weekend. I am sure the same thing happened at Sea World. And yes that throughly pissed me off. They had the ability to wash - no one was enforcing it and no one was smart enough to do it on their own

I am sorry we didn't do the Epcot Aquarium Dive - maybe next year since DEMA is in Orlando again.

[crpntr133]

Not totally sure on this one but I think if you tell them that you are PADI certified then they give you a discount. I know there is a discount in there someplace. I read this on "the other board". :D

Thought about doing it last month when I was in the area but it was either the Oriskany or Epcot. Needless to say that Mickey lost out.

[murph]

I'm PADI certified, but no discount at Epcot. :( They make you show your c-card as verification.

[regul8r]

I read a great review on Epoct here a while back...
here it is:

Disney's Dive Quest Report....
What a true Disney experience in all aspects!

Rod and I arrived at Epcot for the 4:30 Dive Quest on December 10. We were greeted at Guest Services and soon the divemaster came out to greet us. They take your bootie, BC, wetsuit, and tshirt size. You give them your c-card, and off you go to thru a "cast only" door.

Once thru the Cast Only door, you are behind The Living Seas. They show you the filtration system and give you the stats on how many millions of gallons are filtered in "x" amount of time. They tell you that the max depth will be 25 feet for 40 minutes. They explain that, though it's hard to do, if anyone is to get bent.... (pointing over to a green box-like thing)... "that's" the recompression chamber and it's guaranteed to get all bubbles out! LOL.... it was a trash compactor! LOL They also said that if we get too close to the "grate" that is part of the filter, we may get "sucked" up against it.... no worries though... they say they have a 5 foot long spatula to pry us off so we can continue our experience! LOL

Then you'll go thru the back door into the exhibit itself.... right where the patrons view the exhibit. The DM explains that even though the "coral" looks like it's inches from the acrylic panels, it's actually 5-10 feet away, and that the divers can actually "pop up or down" from "nowhere".... and "awe" the guests. He explains that the kids typically love seeing the divers... but inevitably, there will be a couple that get scared. He said, at that point, the kid will back up and start to cry... but then the "Dad response" kicks in... and Dad will grab the kid and hold him/her right up to the glass and say, "Look at the cool diver!" All the while the kid is screaming! LOL The DM says at this point, we can continue to torture the kid, or can swim off... he says, it's the parents that have to pay for the therapy! LOL They also explain that there's an area that's about 10 feet out from the acrylic, and under the grate (which is on the lower level at that point) that has a "holographic" Nemo deal. They ask for divers to stay out of that area cause it's not a good Disney experience (for little kids) when Nemo swims into your mouth and out your ear or butt!! LOL (No lack of good humor!)

We then went thru another door and into a classroom. Here, they show a quick little film of what we will be doing/seeing. They explain that it is a NO TOUCH environment, and that we are not allowed to decend "into" the coral. LOL But, he did say that the "coral" is all made from dental plaster.... and if anyone breaks any, they'll make more, so no worries. Then we decend down a stairway and thru another door.

We are given a key to a locker and shown to the locker room. Once inside it was amazingly clean and everyone had a bag hanging on a hook with their name. In the bag was our wetsuit and booties. We had personal changing areas. They instruct the females (and males if you have long hair) to remove all hair ties, and they will provide "krill" hair ties when we gear up.... safer for the fish if it falls out or breaks.

After this, we are all lead back up the stairs, thru the exhibit in our wetsuits.... lots of heads turn as you now look like an "important employee". LOL We go thru another door and up a spiral staircase that has a nice air conditioner blowing... feels good once you're hot in the wetsuit! We emerged in the center atop the exhibit. All our BCs (weight integrated) were already on the tanks, regs attached, and fins leaned up against them. No depth guages... only the air guage. No octo. Fins were atomic splits. All equiptment was Scubapro and Atomic... very nice! They call your name and you sit in order (they have the tanks and such in order) and get geared up. They explain a few more things, introduce other staff, and off you drift toward the float ball where you'll decend.

Once down on the bottom, you'll get about a 10 minute tour where everyone goes into the bell, removes mask/reg, and give a good wave, you'll do a swim thru of a "coral" structure, and a swim around the resteraunt and viewing areas.... Then the DMs tell you to buddy up and you're on your own from there. At the end of the 40 minutes, they bang 2 rocks together and everyone heads back to the main area to surface. You are supposed to stay with your buddy, but when everyone looks exactly alike... that's kinda hard to do!

Fish life-- Well... there were 9 sharks! Two sand tigers 8-9 feet long, and then there were brown sharks, black nose sharks, a silkie, and I think a grey shark too. The smallest was the silkie at about 4 feet long, maybe. The Loggerhead turtle was enormous! Nice rays... including a big spotted eagle ray. Lots and lots of fish.... and I'm not a good fish IDer.... but there were thousands! One of the sand tigers swam right up beside me... what an awesome feeling, and when I turned around, there were 3 more sharks behind me! Cool!

I knelt on the bottom by the resteraunt and posed for many photos! One guy kept trying to hand me his wine... I kept trying to grab for it, but the acrylic was just to tough to get thru! I'd take out my reg and smile at them.... what fun! I did scare some little 2 year old (roughly)... not intentionally, but it was kinda funny! (I know... that sounds mean!). I removed my reg and smiled and he DID NOT like that! LOL

After the dive, we de-geared and went down that same spiral ladder. Remember that air-conditioner I mentioned.... It's freakin' cold when you're wet!! LOL We trapsed back thru the exhibit all soggy and wet... and back to the locker room where we had nice warm showers with shampoo, conditioner, and body wash provided. There were plenty of towels. Hair dryers were also provided. Then we went upstairs where our "Dive Quest Certificates of Completion", T-shirts, Logbook sticker, and they'll have refreshments and drinks. You'll view your video that they take underwater, and have the option to buy it for $35. I bought it! You fill out a little survey, and then you are let free into the gift shop where you can (technically) roam the park.... as they don't escort you out! How nice!

I highly recommend the experience if you're ever around Epcot. It's a must do... at least once! I'm sure that Rod and I will definitely do it again, given the opportunity.

I was there when I got back from Nassa and GT the first part of Dec. Was going to dive it.. but by the time we spent two days walking around the parks I was just beat... But you can bet the next time I go down there I'll make a point of doing it. Planning on being there end of Sept next year for sure. Hopefully I'll be able to make it before then. Also want to go swim with the Manatees early this year.