Florida Guide > Disney Parks
Epcot Seas Aqua Tour
This tour that my daughter and I did last year is available to persons aged 8 and above although a participating adult must accompany people under 18.
The tour takes place each day and takes two and a half hours and includes 30 minutes in the Living Seas aquarium. The admission charge is $100 and includes a wet suit, a T-Shirt and group photo. However do not forget to bring a swimsuit. Park admission is not required.
We started the tour at the outside guest relation’s booth in front of Epcot.
Our cast member guide took our sizes for the shirts and booties, and sized us for wet suits. We were then taken backstage. We first saw the enormous water filtration tanks they use to keep the water recirculated and clean. None of us could believe how big they are.
We were then taken inside and shown about Disney's Environmental Conservation Missions to save endangered species, which is where all the money spent on the tour is donated. We got a special visit with the manatees and saw the food preparation area. We then went to a tropical lounge where we saw a short film about our equipment and the different species we would see in the tank.
We were then shown all our equipment and how it works. The cast member showed us how to suit up and answered our questions. My daughter was given a new hair band that was safe for the fish to swallow. We had to remove all jewellery including wedding rings.
We were given locker eyes and taken to the locker rooms. Inside the locker room was a bag with our names on with our booties and shorts wetsuit in side each bag.
Then we had to walk through the crowds in our wet suits through the Sea Base, I must admit I felt self-conscious. We were led through the observation tunnel to the door that had a circular staircase. At the top of the staircase was a grate that we would enter the seas from. Yes, it smelled like fish up there and it was massive! You just can't appreciate the size of the tank until you are above it. We were going to be allowed to swim in 3/4 of the tank with one quarter sectioned off for the playful dolphins.
Here we met our dive guide who would be leading the swim portion of the tour. We put on our vests and tanks, our flippers, and our masks. The water was a warm 75 degrees. The guide took a photo of each of us in our gear and we were off.
There were also various types of rays, fish and sharks, one of which is over 8 feet long and swims with his mouth open. An enormous ugly grouper scared me. I loved the rays and turtles and the little yellow and white fishes. We swam past the VIP room with the glass piano and by the windows to the Coral Reef restaurant.
While the floatation devices kept us at the surface, we felt deeper. The bubbles when you blow out really tickle your face. The sharks stayed close to the bottom but came much closer a few times! The rays and turtles got quite close and were obviously used to having divers in the tank. It was amazing to swim over the "coral" formations and around the huge tank. When we came out we had been were in the water about 35 minutes.
Our first guide was there with towels for each of us. We took off our masks, flippers, and equipment, and then we went back down the staircase. Then it was back through Sea Base dripping in our wet suits. He showed us a few onstage exhibits like the clams, and then it was back to the locker room for a hot shower.
Our pictures, T- shirts and pin, were waiting for us and were all offered a cold soda.
This was really a wonderful two and a half hours experience.
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