The Seas with Nemo and Friends

Go under the sea—without getting wet—on this attraction based on Disney and Pixar’s Finding Nemo which finds Nemo lost again

“In the big blue world, we’re ready to go!”

The Seas with Nemo & Friends (The Seas) is a massive pavilion containing the second-largest aquarium in the United States – the first being the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta – and could easily take up at least an hour of guests’ times by all the creatures that they can just sit and watch. Others will make a beeline for Turtle Talk with Crush or the exit after a short visit. 

The name is slightly confusing as it is a title for the pavilion but is also the name of the dark ride that provides the entry to the rest of the experience. Guests board Omnimover vehicles called “Clamshells” which is the design of each vehicle itself. They travel through serene seascapes before one particular fish heads off on his own journey (guess which one) along with his forgetful friend (again, guess who?) and snippets of scenes from Finding Nemo appear, along with new bits that add to the fun. Creepy encounters ensue in the form of a bloom of jellyfish threatening the duo before they run into real trouble with the terrifying anglerfish. (This might be the one part of the ride that will frighten young guests, but it’s benign and quick, so there’s a good chance they’ll forget about it.) After reuniting with the other fish and singing the theme song, “In the Big Blue World,” guests are unloaded and sent into Sea Base Alpha where the real-life sea dwellers can be viewed through thick plexiglass walls throughout the two-floor observation decks.

Wandering those decks is the heart and soul of The Seas and guests can view everything from small coral reefs and their residents to sharks making their rounds, bottlenose dolphins playing and coming right up to the window, to a separate tank containing manatees swimming and rolling as they slowly consume heads of lettuce when their stomachs demand it. This tank alone can suck up a good portion of your time if you’re not in a hurry or keeping track.

Behind the Schemes:

On the ground floor of Sea Base Alpha, you can find the Lockout Chamber – a cylindrical tube that occasionally has divers swim down from above while giving information about scuba diving and experiencing the lives of creatures under the sea. This feature is not consistent and seems to be active during the busier times of the year, though even then, it’s not guaranteed.

The Living Seas pavilion was originally sponsored by United Technologies, a company whose portfolio contained advancements in everything from elevators to HVAC systems and aircraft engines. The preshow area featured a short film about the creation of the oceans (“And it rained, and rained, and rained…the deluge.”) before guests boarded their Omnimover “Seacab” vehicles to be whisked off to “Hydrolators,” which were merely fake elevators that made it seem like guests were being submerged under water to Sea Base Alpha. The effect was usually convincing to first timers, but the jig was up after guests “rose” back to the service again and could often catch the doors flashing a tell-tale glimpse into the reality of the situation before closing. United Technologies’ sponsorship ended in 1998, which led to many adjustments within the pavilion including the removal of one of the preshow theaters. This section was gutted and replaced with the new Nemo overlay, though the track is pretty much the same and the “Hydrolators” are long gone.

When The Living Seas first opened, its 5.6-million-gallon saltwater aquarium was the largest in the world – a record held until 2005.

Reality Check:

There are several different tours that guests can take of the pavilion, and all can be arranged by Disney via their different links and apps.

The short film in the original Living Seas preshow was titled The Seas, and though the narrator sounded suspiciously like Kathleen Turner at times, the voice was that of actress Hope Alexander-Willis who appeared as Lady Caroline in the Disney films The Princess Diaries and The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement.

The Seas pavilion is also home to the scenic Coral Reef restaurant which allows diners to view the aquarium full of ocean life as they feast on their own plates of seafood. Reservations for the eatery can be made through the normal Disney channels and apps.