The Seas pavilion at EPCOT will celebrate its 40th anniversary this month. Currently known as The Seas with Nemo & Friends, the original pavilion opened as The Living Seas in 1986.
The Seas 40th Anniversary
Dr. Mark Penning, VP of Disney’s Animals, Science, and Environment, teased a 40th anniversary celebration on Instagram, writing, “Since 1986, this EPCOT pavilion has inspired guests and deepened appreciation for the importance of our oceans. Follow along all month as we continue to celebrate this milestone!”
The Living Seas was planned for EPCOT years before the park’s 1982 opening. It was at one point scheduled to open in 1984. After delays, it ultimately opened on January 15, 1986. It was sponsored by United Technologies until 1998.
Upon opening, The Living Seas had a movie about the oceans called The Sea, followed by an “elevator” to the ocean floor called the Hydrolator and the Caribbean Coral Reef Ride. The experience concluded in the SeaBase Alpha aquarium.
The Finding Nemo re-theme began in 2003, soon after the film’s release. Turtle Talk with Crush opened in November 2004 to overwhelming popularity. The pavilion closed in August 2005 and began to reopen in November 2005. Turtle Talk was moved to a larger area and the entire pavilion received new Finding Nemo decorations.
The Caribbean Coral Reef Ride actually closed in late 2001 amid declining park attendance. It was updated and reimagined into The Seas with Nemo & Friends, which opened in early 2007.
Over the past few years, Disney has made a few design updates to The Seas. New signs were installed for the SeaBase aquarium and Coral Reef Restaurant. The façade was updated with a new color scheme and lighting in late 2023.
Last year, the aquarium switched from a long-term care residence to a short-term rehabilitation center. The diver lock-out chamber demonstration also returned after five years.
Watch our 4K multi-cam POV video of The Seas with Nemo & Friends below.
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