Epcot

When we visit Florida and stay in our Disney villa rental, we always spend a day at Epcot - it is easily my favourite Disney Park and has so much to offer for all the family.

One of my favourite attractions at Epcot is “The Seas with Nemo and Friends” which now offers several different experiences to enable you to dive in to the aquarium and join the fish. How cool is that ?

I am an experienced diver and I am keen to try the "Epcot DiveQuest" experience which is a unique scuba diving encounter inside the 5.7 million gallon saltwater tank - the second largest salt water aquarium in the world.  You can swim with over 6,000 sea creatures including sea turtles, angelfish, dolphins, eagle rays and sharks.

You must be SCUBA-certified and at least 10 years of age to participate. Guests ages 10 to 12 must be accompanied by a paying, participating parent or guardian. The cost of the experience is $175.00, all diving equipment is provided but you can take your own dive mask and dive computer along if you wish.

The experience lasts 3 hours, and you spend approximately 40 minutes underwater in the massive Caribbean Coral Reef aquarium - which until 2005 was the largest saltwater tank in the world. The tour also allows you to see the massive backstage infrastructure required to filter and maintain a vast manmade ocean flourishing with life.

With its clear water and lack of currents and waves, Epcot DiveQuest is an experience that both diving enthusiasts and Disney fans are sure to find thrilling. Where else in the world can you swim with sharks and sea turtles while simultaneously waving to people enjoying a sit-down meal?

For children or those who are not scuba certified, like me, but wish to get a closer look at the remarkable aquatic life in The Seas with Nemo & Friends Pavilion “The Seas Aqua Tour” allows Guests to swim on the surface of the tank by an air snorkel system. The minimum age for this experience is 8 and those aged between 8 and 12 must be accompanied by a paying, participating adult. The cost of this experience is $140. The experience lasts 2.5 hours, and you will spend approximately 30 minutes swimming in the aquarium. All snorkelling equipment is provided.

If you wish to learn about, and get up close with, Disney's dolphins you can also take the “Dolphins in Depth Tour” which allows you to get close to these remarkable aquatic mammals.

Dolphins are some of the smartest, most playful and most majestic animals in the ocean. The Dolphins in Depth program will allow you to learn more about these fascinating creatures and their unique undersea behaviour. You can talk to the expert trainers and researchers who work with dolphins every day. The tour concludes with a very special opportunity for an up-close interaction with a dolphin—perfect for pictures and memories that will last forever.

You do not need to be able to swim to take part in the Dolphin in Depth Tour but you will need to be at least 13 years of age. All participants under the age of 18 years must have a parent or guardian along with them on the tour. The cost of this experience is $194

Whichever experience you choose I am sure that it will be an unforgettable encounter with this amazing aquatic world.