MUM's BIG SURPRISE! DIVEQUEST - Diving the Living Seas At Disney's EPCOT


By Alison Boler

We have been visiting DisneyWorld in Florida for over 20 years, more frequently when the girls were a bit younger, and it had been 5 years since our last visit. Lucy and Daisy are both mid teens now and sadly - in some ways - past the stage where the magic of meeting Mickey and the other Disney Characters made a trip to the parks such an incredible experience.

Clearly mum was going to have to pull something pretty special out of the bag in 2006 for our holiday to match up to previous Disney time! No problem! Nothing is beyond Mum and the Mouse combined with a little bit of help from SSI and so our Big Surprise was planned and booked. Not even Dad was in on it.

We had two weeks in Orlando staying in a condominium at Marriott Grande Vista on International Drive. I can highly recommend this property which is a marvellous base for a family holiday. We had a two bedroomed apartment which actually sleeps 8 and it was incredibly spacious and well appointed. The resort itself is large with about 7 different swimming pools, a Nick Faldo golf course, paddle boats, activities, restaurants etc - plenty to keep you amused and yet also somewhere peaceful and welcoming to come back to or spend the day in. This is very important if you are visiting Orlando in the heat of the summer - you really need to have a day off from the parks every 2 or 3 days, otherwise you face total burnout.

We bought Disney Ultimate Tickets which are only available to UK guests and give you unlimited access to all the parks, water parks, and other Disney attractions including DisneyQuest and Pleasure Island clubs for either two or three weeks. It's a very cost effective ticket. Also, because you can go in and out as you choose, it takes the pressure off. You don't have to get there in the morning and think "right, I've got to do Epcot today to get value for money for my 5 day ticket or whatever". If you've had enough by lunchtime, you can leave and come back in the evening or the next day. We bought our tickets from a UK agency (there are lots but these people werer both efficient and very reasonable) Tickets and we paid £156 each for a two week ticket.

This isn't the report to write at length about a holiday in Orlando - please contact me if you want more details - but suffice it to say that we had a brilliant time, enjoyed the parks, the many restaurants and all the other activities in this resort which must be Holiday Central in terms of offering everything for a family vacation.

Now back to my Big Surprise.

Within the Epcot theme park in Walt Disney World, is the Living Seas Aquarium. The Living Seas at Epcot contains the "world’s sixth-largest ocean" and the biggest facility ever dedicated to man’s relationship with the underwater world. The Living Seas was designed with the guidance of an advisory board of outstanding experts in oceanography and related fields and its centerpiece is the world’s largest saltwater aquarium tank containing all manner of undersea creatures. The main coral reef environment is 203 feet in diameter and 27 feet deep, holding 5.6 million gallons of sea water plus another million gallons in its backup system. Within the underwater world is a complete coral reef inhabited by more than 8,000 sea creatures, including sharks, tropical fish, rays and dolphins, all exotic and colourful forms of life that normally colonise such a reef in the Caribbean area.

Most visitors to Disney World view the Living Seas through the 56 large glass windows which surround the tank. However, I knew that it is possible to arrange to dive in the tank itself. Disney run several dive/snorkel "Adventures" but the one that appealed most is called DiveQuest and allows qualified divers to spend around 45 minutes diving inside the Living Seas Aquarium. It costs USD 140 which includes a 3 hour programme built around the actual dive, all dive equipment, a special certificate and a t shirt to mark the experience. SSI and NAUI divers get a 10% reduction on this price. Divers must be 10 years old to dive in the tank and divers under the age of 14 must be diving with their parent or legal guardian. You must be open water certified.

It's not cheap - is it worth the money? Read on.....

A simple telephone call to WDW secured the booking. They run two dives a day - one at 4:30 and one at 5:30 pm and there can be up to about 16 divers per dive but generally there are nowhere near this number of participants. Many Disney adventures need to be booked months if not a year in advance. However, because of the more exclusive nature of this one, it is often possible to book at very short notice indeed. Still, it is always best to book ahead, to avoid disappointment.

You meet just outside the ticket barrier (theme park ticket is not required) and must bring your qualification card. You may bring your own mask but not any other equipment and no cameras. If you have non diving family or friends with you, they are escorted to a special viewing area within the aquarium so that they can get pictures of and with you.

So, we set off for a day in Epcot, Bob, Lucy and Daisy completely unaware of what was ahead. I had secreted the qualification cards in my bag together with Bob and my own prescription masks. I then spent an anxious day constantly moving the bag around so that they wouldn't spot the equipment! Daisy made my heart stop at lunchtime when she remarked that although she was enjoying the parks, she "really missed diving and wished she could have a dive!" Little did she know...

I couldn't really decide how to manoevre them to the meeting point, but in the end announced that I thought we'd had enough Disney and should go back to the hotel for a rest, then when we were back out through the ticket barrier, I pretended I had a query at the Guest Relations window which was next to the meeting point and got them to sit and wait while I watched covertly for the Dive Master to arrive.

To say they were flabbergasted when he turned up in a Dive Quest t shirt and asked them if they were ready to come diving would be the understatement of the year! I think Daisy was near to tears and Lucy - my oh-so-sophisticated-and-too-cool-for-school - 16 year old forgot all about that and reverted to 10 year old mad enthusiasm. Even Bob, the old salty dog, was stunned and just kept mouthing "thank you so very much" to me". Stage one - surprise, had obviously been a major success!

In a group of around 12, we were led "backstage" at the Living Seas and shown around the marine biology areas and given a very interesting tour. The Disney Corporation are extremely conscious of marine conservation and all proceeds from the DiveQuest tour go to various projects running around the world. No money goes to Disney at all. There are marine biologists working in the various labs and a lot goes into ensuring the fish and sea mammals are at the peak of health. They also work with other marine parks and zoos throughout the USA to house and rehabilitate wounded creatures that have been rescued. You are taken to see the dolphins and manatees up close from the feeding area - another unique experience.

The scale of the aquarium is quite amazing. Everyone who goes to Epcot is amazed by Planet Earth, the huge silver ball, that stands at the entrance to the park. It is incredible to realise that the ball would fit easily within the aquarium and still have water around it.


After the tour, the party is given a briefing which covers normal dive safe practices and additional instructions for the tank. Firstly you are not allowed to touch any of the fish and it is your responsibilitiy to get out of the way of the larger ones. There are a number of huge sand tiger sharks in the tank and although they are harmless, it's a bit like a meeting between a dinghy and an oil tanker - the dinghy has to move or risk being mown down. You are also instructed to keep at least 10 feet away from the gated area which divides off the sea mammal tank from the main aquarium. This is to avoid disturbing the dolphins whose "territory" is on the other side.

We then went off to the changing rooms where we found towels, lockers, shorty wet suits and booties all waiting for us. Upon changing we came back together for a final briefing. We were reminded that once through the doors, we were effectively Disney Cast Members and visibile to the crowds of visitors thronging the windows and eating in the restaurants built around the aquarium. The guide told us that half of the fun of diving in the tank was playing with the spectators through the windows and seeing their reaction to a diver. We were told to have as much fun as we liked! Nuff said then...

We were all pretty excited by now - and very very ready to get underwater. We were taken up in a special elevator and emerged into the public area of the Living Seas where a cordoned off pathway through the crowds of visitors led us to the backstage entrance. It was a bit embarrassing to parade through the visitors but they clearly loved it - and I have to admit we did get a buzz off the excitement too. Once inside, you sit down on the edge of the tank (there is a standing platform giving you around 3 foot of water) and get your gear on - it is all put together for you and very efficiently done as you would imagine. The water is about 26C and of course salty!!

When the group is kitted up you slip into the water. The guide leads you to an underwater habitat in one corner of the aquarium in which you can pop up, remove your mask and have a photo taken (there is a videographer throughout the dive) and you are also shown the viewing window where your friends and family are. After that, you can just do your own thing and enjoy yourself.

There are a large number of "coral" structures within the tank and as has been mentioned thousands of fish, including turtles, barracuda, large grouper, tarpon, eagle and stingrays and eleven sharks. The sharks are sand tigers, brown sharks and white tips.

It was absolutely amazing to explore the environment and to see these beautiful creatures in such ideal conditions and at such a close range - they have no fear of the divers and you can approach very closely (but no touching!!!!) If you want to see some big fish - guaranteed - up close and personal, this is the way to do it. To lay on the sand and let one of the 12 foot sand tigers go right over you was an incredible thrill. They are harmless but look very ferocious due to their exposed long snaggle tooths. On our first encounter, Daisy showed the way things would go in the wild, by firmly pushing mum in front of her and keeping her there! I now know exactly what would happen if and when we ever encounter a shark that close whilst on a dive in the sea! Mum will be shark bait....

As predicted, we did have an enormous amount of fun playing with the tourists and the diners through the windows. A lot of waving went on and we also did litttle stunts like sliding down the tank wall and appearing upside down at the top of the window, or popping up and down from the bottom, blowing water "kisses" towards the glass etc etc It was absolutely great! Not only were you getting a bit of an exhibitionist kick out of the whole thing, but clearly you were making some fun and - dare I say it - magic for some people. It was hilarious to make people "jump" by suddenly appearing out of nowhere and on a different level, to see the faces on some of the little kids when you came up to the glass and waved, or put your hand there for them to "touch" was quite touching.

Forty five minutes was up too soon and after lovely warm showers we met up again, watched the video (USD30, proceeds to conservation charities), and had our logbooks stamped, got our t shirts and certificates.

Everyone - and I do mean everyone - was absolutely raving about the experience and just wanted to get back in and do it all over again. It probably sounds a bit cheesey, and it could be, but honestly, it was one of the best dives I've ever had, Bob's ever had and certainly the girls have ever had. I don't know how many times they each thanked me for organising it - but I was in no doubt that it was the highlight of their entire holiday. In fact, Daisy begged to be allowed to go back and do it again and so she and Bob returned to DiveQuest the next week for a second visit. They enjoyed it just as much again. Lucy and I took pictures this time and felt very jealous! I challenge even the most hardened British wreckdiver not to enjoy this dive, it really is completely unique.

So, if you are a diver visiting Epcot, I would highly recommend that you book up to dive DiveQuest. No matter what your age and experience, it really is very much worth the money and Disney are to be commended for the way they run the whole "adventure" which is both very slick, unique and guaranteed enormous fun. It was a day that our family will never forget and an experience which I feel very glad to have been part of.



Links:
WDW DiveQuest Overview
EPCOT DiveQuest Main Site

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