EPCOT Is Celebrating 40 Years of The Living Seas This Month
As a new year dawns on Walt Disney World, The Happiest Place on Earth is getting ready for another exciting celebration.
Throughout the month of January, EPCOT will be celebrating 40 years of The Seas with Nemo & Friends!
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Here is a look back at the pavilion’s storied history.
Early Plans
Although The Living Seas would not open until 1986, plans for the pavilion date back to at least 1977.
Photo: Disney
Over the next five years, the pavilion would continue to grow and evolve. At one time, Poseidon would have sent guests off on an adventure to face the power and majesty of the ocean.
When EPCOT Center opened on October 1, 1982, however, The Seas was nowhere to be found.
Photo: Disney
Instead, guests were greeted by an empty expansion plot and a sign telling guests that the pavilion would open in 1984.
The Living Seas
Despite this promise, The Living Seas would not open until 1986. Sponsored by United Technologies, the pavilion was initially composed of a series of smaller, interconnected attractions, culminating in guests’ arrival at Sea Base Alpha.
Photo: Disney
After opening, The Seas quickly became beloved for its 7-minute preshow film, Hydrolators, and Caribbean Coral Reef Ride, which took guests through the pavilion’s 5,700,000-gallon tank.
At the time, The Seas boasted of the largest aquarium in the world.
A New Era
While The Living Seas has seen numerous changes over the past four decades, including the introduction of Nemo and friends, the heart of the pavilion has remained unchanged.
The Seas with Nemo and Friends
To this day, guests continue to be awed by the majesty of the pavilion’s aquarium, inspired by the exhibits in Sea Base, and entertained by its attractions.
Photo: Disney
Here’s hoping that The Seas continues on for another 40 years!
Photo: MickeyBlog
