Aquarium Diving

[txapacheguy]

Quoted from memory, and talking with one of the divers there, he gave us a pamphlet. We were doing the "Disney" tour at the time. We almost did it. The "4 hours" was from park entrance to exit, the recommended time allowance.

How about the experience before diving? Locker room, backstage tour, etc?

When I next go to the Orlando area I'm considering doing the Epcot Aquarium instead of a boat ride on the ocean.

Fair enough... That makes sense...

I think the price did go up to $175+tax per person. We did indeed enter from outside the park. Admission was not required, although we had been in Epcot all day before the dive. We just walked out when it was time to link up for the dive.

The backstage tour was pretty standard. They met up with us right outside the gate at Epcot, over by guest relations on the right side of the entry gates. We entered the park through the "backstage" area right by the aquarium and took a quick peek at the extra areas they have for quarantine of other animals, and the life support/filtration systems for the aquarium water supply. We were able to see the injured manatees they have there for their "rehabilitation program", and we walked around the observation deck of the aquarium that everyone in the park is able to see after they get out of the Nemo ride. The locker rooms were set up pretty well. They had our wetsuits, towels, boots, and our "complimentary" drawstring bag waiting for us in a locker with our name on it. Everyone had their own area to change and shower, so we really did not need to bring anything besides what we wished to wear under the wetsuit.

FYI, they put a Disney videographer in the water with you on this dive, and shoot video while you are diving. By the time we got out of our gear, and showered, and filled out a NAUI survey about the experience, they already had DVDs made up to sell to us. I went ahead and bought one ($35 IIRC). It was probably not worth it, but it was the only way I was going to get any video of the dive since they do not allow personal cameras in the water or backstage.

I would recommend the dive to you if you have not been on one before. It is probably the coolest thing you can do inside any of the Disney parks.

 

[silentscope12]

You mean for "civilians" or for trained volunteers?

Civilians, I am really too new for a "trained volunteer" position.

 

[buddhasummer]

Ive dove in the Perth Australia aquarium kind of expensive but they did let you swim around and from memory it was around 25mins. Own gear not allowed. I also dove in the shark tank in Auckland NZ dive was very expensive around 10minutes I felt ripped off, werent allowed to swim around and again own gear not allowed. As far as Im aware no one lets you use your own gear for health/hygene resons, for the aquatic life that is. Wouldnt do an aquarium dive again unless it was in with the whale sharks at Osaka aquarium but cant imagine the Japanese ever allowing that to happen.

 

[silentscope12]

Ive dove in the Perth Australia aquarium kind of expensive but they did let you swim around and from memory it was around 25mins. Own gear not allowed. I also dove in the shark tank in Auckland NZ dive was very expensive around 10minutes I felt ripped off, werent allowed to swim around and again own gear not allowed. As far as Im aware no one lets you use your own gear for health/hygene resons, for the aquatic life that is. Wouldnt do an aquarium dive again unless it was in with the whale sharks at Osaka aquarium but cant imagine the Japanese ever allowing that to happen.

If you want to dive with Whale Sharks check this out

Georgia Aquarium | Explore the Aquarium | Animal Interactions

 

[Searcaigh]

I dived in the aquarium in Dubai Mall yesterday as a prize for a photo competition.

30 minute dive time, no personal gear, although I did use my own mask and regulator as well as attaching my GoPro camera to my head.

 

[Thalassamania]

so let's see the film.

 

[Mark Derail]

In Dubai !?! Fricking awesome. :worship:

 

[Searcaigh]

so let's see the film.

Have not had time to edit any of it, and I am afraid to say most of it looks cr@p due to the position of the camera on my head, as it was more pointing above what I was looking at and not what I was looking at. This was my first use of the camera underwater, and therefore an experiment as I was not allowed to bring in my underwater housing. One negative point I have noted is the exhaust bubbles mess up with the vision.

I still have two more dives where I can bring in my housed SLR so I hope to have some interesting shots during these dives one of which is feeding the sharks.

 

[Thalassamania]

Great, we wait with baited breath, as it were.

 

[Randy g]

OP the Virginia Aquarium has a volunteer dive program. I don't know where you are in NC but if you are in the southern parts it may work out for you, once you have some experience. You have to be AOW inorder to join the volunteer dive team. We just did 2 45 min dives yesterday, in 2 different tanks.:cool2: