Here’s something many Epcot visitors don’t know about- Epcot’s DiveQuest. Heard of it? I hadn’t either, until now. Imagine getting to swim with the fish you see at the Seas with Nemo and Friends pavilion!
Epcot’s DiveQuest is a program which allows SCUBA certified divers to go into Epcot’s large Seas with Nemo and Friends pavilion’s 6.7-million-gallon Caribbean Coral Reef aquarium tank and swim with the marine life in guided tours for about 40 minutes, along with a 3-hour tour of the area. The aquarium was the largest saltwater tank in the world until 2005. The tank stays 77 degrees and is 27 feet deep. It contains about 60 species of marine life and over 6,000 sea creatures, such as rays, sharks, angelfish, and more. The animals (some over 20 years old) are fed twice a day, so they are used to divers in the tanks.
Divers are prohibited from bringing their own equipment to prevent contamination of the closed system. However, you must bring a swimsuit and you can bring a mask. There is one guide for every 4 divers and everyone stays together. Divers must be at least 10 years of age, and those under 15 are required to be accompanied by a SCUBA certified adult. The tour includes a view of the infrastructure used to maintain and filter the massive aquarium. It has clear waters and no currents, making it easy to swim in.
There are also tours for those that are not SCUBA certified- Epcot offers the Dolphins in Depth or Seas Aqua tours.