Epcot Seas Aqua Tour

[emgilmartin]

Is a park ticket required in addition to the cost of this tour?

 

[mousehouse23]

I've been told not. We're doing this next Friday.

 

[georgiesgirl]

They will meet you outside the gates and take you into EPCOT, if you do not have park tickets they will escort you back to the front gates. If you do have tickets they will scan your magic band and let you into the park from the tour location.

 

[emgilmartin]

I've been told not. We're doing this next Friday.

When you get the chance please give the details of this experience and how you like it! I'm very interested in doing it with my sister in law.

 

[mousehouse23]

When you get the chance please give the details of this experience and how you like it! I'm very interested in doing it with my sister in law.

My daughter and I signed in for the tour at 12:15 at the guest relations booth to the right of the park entrance. There were 13 of us in total. Our excellent tour guide, Stacy, took us behind the Seas building, where we could see the huge filtration tanks the aquarium water is constantly being cycled through. From there, we went inside the Seas building and stopped briefly at the kitchen, where there was a big board listing what food each of the bigger marine animals got on that day.

After that, we stopped by the manatee tank, which was awesome! Those two manatees were so sweet, and they obviously loved one another. Stacy told us a little about their back stories and how they got there. She also invited, and answered, questions.

Then it was time to go into the public viewing area we're all familiar with, where Stacy showed us where we'd be swimming. We went through a private door and into a room where we were told how to use our oxygen tanks and snorkeling mouthpieces. We also signed waivers. Then it was time to go get our swimsuits and wet suits on (our belongings were placed in locked lockers) and travel up to the aquarium entranceway, where we got our life jackets with the oxygen tanks, flippers and goggles. The tanks had a pressure gauge so we could see if we were getting low on oxygen (you can change out your tank if there's still >5 minutes of diving time left). Stacy took a photo of my daughter and me, then it was into the water!

It was a wonderful swim. At two different points, I had a giant sea turtle swim up beneath me (once with a school of fish on his back). You're not allowed to touch the animals, but it was amazing to see them that close. The sharks never got near us, as they keep near the bottom. The rays were a little closer, though (they have their stingers filed down, so no worries). I've snorkeled before, but doing it with the tanks was better, since you don't have to worry about water getting in the breathing spout. I was a little anxious about the amount of oxygen left, but I had enough to last me the swim. My daughter barely did.

We had 40 minutes to swim around. I waved to the people peering in at us, which was fun, since a lot of kids were excited to see us. I also saw people dining at Coral Reef, which was pretty neat. You can't see people that clearly, but you can make out their outlines.

After getting out, we went back to the changing rooms and took hot showers (they offer body wash, shampoo and conditioner) and got dressed. They have hair dryers for your hair, and swimsuit dryers, too. When we were done, Stacy gave us our printed photos and a souvenir bag. Because my daughter and I had already visited Epcot that day, she then let us out into the public Seas building. It was about 3:00. If you don't visit Epcot beforehand, she'll let you out where everyone first met, at the front of the park.

It was a fun tour. My daughter really loved it. My only disappointment was that I was hoping to get more of a background tour before the dive. I don't feel like I learned a whole lot about the animals themselves, and how they took care of them and their habitat. I was really craving more of an educational approach to the experience, I guess. But it's mostly centered around the snorkeling. Which was definitely great! Don't get me wrong. I'm just not sure I, personally, would have paid that kind of money for only that.

Still, it's pretty cool to know that whenever I visit the Seas building from now on, I'll feel a deeper connection to the place and those amazing animals.

Hope this helped make up your mind!

 

[emgilmartin]

Oh Wow! Thank you for sharing all those details. I think this might be perfect for my departure day if everyone else is up to it. I'm glad you and your daughter had a blast!

 

[emgilmartin]

Oh wow! Thanks for all the details. I really appreciate it! I'd love to do this and it would make a perfect departure day activity. Glad you and your daughter had a blast!

 

[mousehouse23]

Oh wow! Thanks for all the details. I really appreciate it! I'd love to do this and it would make a perfect departure day activity. Glad you and your daughter had a blast!

You're welcome! Hope you have a great trip and tour!

 

[lifetimedisneyfan]

Hope this helped make up your mind![/QUOTE]

That sounds amazing and definitely like something I'll do. I've done tours before snd I've left with a commemorative pin (which I love) but it was just handed to us. I'm curious what was in your goodie bag.

 

[georgiesgirl]

When we went there was nothing in the bag, it was a thin gray bag you can wear like a backpack with Aqua Tour and Presented by: NAUI Worldwide printed on it with a outline of a stingray.

 

[lifetimedisneyfan]

When we went there was nothing in the bag, it was a thin gray bag you can wear like a backpack with Aqua Tour and Presented by: NAUI Worldwide printed on it with a outline of a stingray.

Thanks. Did you also get a pin?

 

[georgiesgirl]

Thanks. Did you also get a pin?

No we did not get a pin, we were surprised because we have gotten one for every other tour we have done.