Did anyone here ever do the SCUBA tour at Epcot?

[LovinWDW]

I am thinking about doing the SCUBA tour at Epcot when we visit this year and wanted to get some feedback from anyone who has tried this in the past, pros, cons, I want to hear it all. I'm a new diver and this sounds like it would be a thrill for me. Your help is appreciated! graemlins/thumbsup.gif

[Disdude]

I haven't done it but there was a group on the tour last week when we were at the Living Seas. There was a woman with her daughter walking along the glass watching her husband do the tour and it seems like he was having a blast.

I'm looking at going back in December and I'm thinking about trying to get certified this summer to be able to do it. Hopefully someone here at Intercot has done it and can give a first hand perspective.

[ March 22, 2005, 09:19 PM: Message edited by: Disdude ]

[DisnIse]

My cousin did it with her two daughters last spring, and they all (ages 45, 18, and mid-teens, I forget exactly!) said it was the best day of their lives.
It sounded positively amazing.

Someday!

[Tick-Tock]

We've done it twice. A great experience.

At first they do a little group tour of the tank -- kind of take you around, show you some of the items in the tank, let you swim through the hole in the "coral reef", etc. Then you have free time to swim around with your buddy. The best part is interacting with the visitors at the viewing window and in the Coral Reef Restaurant! Second best is the variety of inhabitants of the tank (how my DBF managed to miss seeing the big old sea turtle still is a mystery to me).

It's a nice dive for a beginner, especially, because it's only about 30 feet deep, and you can practice breathing and maintaining buoyancy without getting stressed by open water factors like strong currents.

Disney puts together a videotape of your dive (added to stock footage) that you can buy after the dive (though they might have upgraded to a DVD by now, I suppose).

The cost is a little steep, but a portion of that goes to Disney's Wildlife Conservation Fund, so I didn't feel too bad about spending the money.

[WDW crazy]

My son-in-law did it three times. Twice during one trip! He loves it! He gets so much attention and my granddaughter follows him around at the windows. He says it is well worth it.

[CLJ in VA]

I've done Dive Quest 7 times now. It's one of my favorite things to do at WDW and every time I go to Orlando, even if I'm not at WDW I make a point of going. It's a great opportunity to become a CM for a little bit. And where else are you going to get perfect vis, no current, perfect temperatures and a gazillion fish to boot!

It's so much fun to interact with the visitors on the other side of the tank glass. Kids are the most fun. Babies like to play peek-a-boo and the older kids get into pantomime. I've even come up from the bottom, sneaking up the wall, and surprised kids that were not paying attention. :D (OK, that was WAY too much fun!) Folks eating dinner can be fun to watch...or are they watching the divers? :confused:

I highly recommend it. Can't wait to do it again.

[Natazu]

It's worth doing if for no reason other than being able to say you've done it. The aquarium is big enough to fit the Spaceship Earth ride in, that's something special. I'd recommend it to any diver. Since you're a new diver, I'd say it's a DNM (do not miss).

[Disnamic Duo]

What's the difference between the Seas Aqua tour and Epcot Divequest? Does anyone know? I notice for the Divequest you need to be SCUBA certified, but not for the Seas Aqua...other than that????

[disneymom2000]

Okay - I've looked all over Info Central to find out where to get information about the Dive Tour at the Living Seas and can't find anything. Where do I go to find out? I have already got the info for the Richard Petty Driving for DH but I would like to set him up for the scuba stuff too.

[Tick-Tock]

In Info Central, look under Park Hours/Events/ Info. for "Special Tours". They describe all the various tours, with booking info at the end.

Just make sure he has his SCUBA certification card, 'cause they do check!

[Beast_fanatic]

Tours Info (http://www.intercot.com/infocentral/park/tours.asp)