Good diving within an hour of Disney?

[DustyC]

My family is planning a trip to Disney in about a year. I'm not doing Disney again. I'd rather gouge my eyes out with a feather.

Cavern interests me a lot. When (if?) I arrive, I'll have 1kish dives, and SSI XR will be my highest cert. But I'll mostly have to dive during the times when my family members are playing tourist. Mid day wreck charters? Day time cavern courses available? Other ideas?

 

[diversteve]

There's always Epcot Seas Adventures – DiveQuest

once...

 

[kgilb]

Do the Epcot DiveQuest. It's worth it.

 

[diversteve]

Melbourne is an 1:15 from Orlando and there's some diving there - I don't know what as we've never stayed in that area.Google lists several shops.

American Divers is in Meritt Island which is slightly closer but one of their local dives is Epcot.

Cave Country (High Springs) would be more like 2+ hours NW.

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

2 hours and you will be in Jupiter FL area, the best ocean diving Florida coast has to offer (arguably.)

 

[sportxlh]

I'd suggest Jupiter too. Without traffic you can do it in 2 hours, a little longer with traffic and depending on exactly where your staying in Orlando. I like Jupiter Dive Ctr but there are a few others like Captain Sl8er and Stuart Scuba. Disney's Epcot Dive Quest is fun enough too, so worth doing if you don't want to drive

 

[DMDavid]

Contact me when you're about to head down and I'll let you know which springs/caverns we are headed to that would be about an hours drive from the Orlando area.
Some of my favorite dives in North-central Florida are Paradise Springs in Ocala, Blue Grotto in Williston and Ginnie Springs in High Springs. Disregard Ginnie Springs if you're coming during the summer months.
If you're on Facebook check out FloridaScubaDiver for listed group dives or DivebuddyDOTcom for other divers seeking buddies in or around the area you would like to dive.

 

[DustyC]

Contact me when you're about to head down and I'll let you know which springs/caverns we are headed to that would be about an hours drive from the Orlando area.
Some of my favorite dives in North-central Florida are Paradise Springs in Ocala, Blue Grotto in Williston and Ginnie Springs in High Springs. Disregard Ginnie Springs if you're coming during the summer months.
If you're on Facebook check out FloridaScubaDiver for listed group dives or DivebuddyDOTcom for other divers seeking buddies in or around the area you would like to dive.

Sounds good, I appreciate it. It'll be after thanksgiving of next year.

 

[DustyC]

Do the Epcot DiveQuest. It's worth it.

Think I'll skip that. Paying almost $200 to dive in someone else's gear, with things I've been diving with in the wild, with new to me ship wrecks close by, I'll pass.

 

[packrat12]

There is no diving in Merritt Island - that is worth it. You must go 15 - 25 miles off shore and it is not very good and no scheduled dive boats make the run. This is home to me so that part sucks. First real good diving in the ocean is in Jupiter and then anything south. As others have said, you also have Cave country to the north with places like Devil's Den and Blue Grotto. Keeping close, I would go to Jupiter. Jupiter has some nice wrecks and lots of big fish. I like Stuart Scuba and Sl8r for that area. If you are into shark feeding and big apex sharks, Emerald Charters out of Jupiter is also good. There are a bunch of wrecks further south in Pompano Beach. I consider this the wreck capital of Florida. There I use South Florida Diving Headquarters and Pompano Dive Center

Enjoy it!