Everyone's favorite little clown fish didn't always have a home in Epcot. The pavilion that we all know and love as The Seas with Nemo and Friends originally opened in January 1986 as The Living Seas - a pavilion dedicated to man's ongoing relationship with the sea.
In its original form, The Living Seas housed what was the world's largest saltwater tank - a 5.7 million gallon aquarium. (The Georgia Aquarium now holds the title of world's largest saltwater tank, but we have Nemo and his friends. Way cooler.). Visitors to The Living Seas were actually visiting Sea Base Alpha, a model research facility, where they boarded a SeaCab which took them around the Caribbean Coral Reef Ride. After the SeaCab ride, guests had a chance to view the other displays and watch divers interact with marine life.
Changes were made over the years to the pavilion, notably including the removal of the SeaCabs in 2001.
And then there was Nemo.
In 2003, Disney started reimagining The Living Seas into what is now The Seas with Nemo and Friends. The first major change was the opening of Turtle Talk with Crush in 2004, followed by a completely new attraction and updated pavilion in 2007.
Today, guests entering the pavilion first encounter three seagulls squawking "Mine! Mine! Mine!" and then after walking in find themselves in the queue of the ride. It's a bit dark and cool, making it a refreshing place to visit on those hot Florida days. After a short walk through the queue (assuming there's not much of a wait), guests will board their "clamobile" for their journey to help Marlin and Dory find Nemo.
The first part of the attraction includes scenes from Finding Nemo, and then suddenly your clamobile takes a ride on the EAC (Eastern Australian Current) and you're gliding next to the 5.7 million gallon Caribbean Coral Reef Aquarium filled with sea creatures. Look for dolphins, rays, sharks, sea turtles, and some of your favorite ocean friends from Finding Nemo as they make an appearance near the end of the ride (my personal favorite is Peach the starfish). And then try to get the closing song "Big Blue World" out of your head. It'll be stuck there for a few hours at least.
After the ride, guests have a chance to visit the other exhibits in the attraction including catching the fish feedings at the Caribbean Coral Reef Aquarium, getting a photo taken with everyone's favorite shark Bruce at Bruce's Shark World, or stopping in for a totally cool chat at Turtle Talk with Crush. Another great spot to visit is the manatee rehabilitation center where guests can learn about these gentle giants.
You can really spend a couple of hours exploring this pavilion - from your ride on the clamobile to watching the dolphins to having a talk with Crush - it's a great place for adults and kids to take a trip under the sea. And no attraction would be complete without a few Hidden Mickeys! So, when you're checking out the marine life in the aquarium, be sure to look for the hidden Mickey on the formed by rocks at the bottom of the tank.
Thanks so much to Traci C. for this great guest post taking us down to the seas. It's worth mentioning that if you're a foodie fan of the big blue you can have dinner next to the massive aquarium at the Coral Reef Restaurant! Visit our friends over at the Disney Food Blog for more information about dining in this most unique venue. Are you a fan of The Seas with Nemo and Friends? Leave us an comment and share your favorite part of the attraction.
JeffC wrote on Fri, 05/10/2013 - 03:31:
We wandered in here a few visits ago in an attempt to get out of the heat...and spent more time than planned! It was a fun change of pace and checking out the marine life.
I didn't know about the hidden Mickey at the bottom so now I have something to look for - thanks!
And I think the entrance to this one gave me some of my favorite and most colorful pictures from our last trip :)
Thanks Traci!
Kristen K. wrote on Fri, 05/10/2013 - 17:04:
I must admit, my favorite part is the seagulls "Mine, Mine, Mine"
JoAnn C wrote on Sun, 05/12/2013 - 12:15:
This has been my first ride on my three previous trips.
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