Summary
Disneyjust announced that itsFinding Nemoattraction, The Seas with Nemo and Friends,will no longer contain dolphins and a few other aquatic animals in the aquarium portion after the ride. The Seas with Nemo and Friendswas a renovation to The Living Seas, a mix of an aquarium and ride that opened in Epcot back in 1986. Since its opening inDisney World, this section of Epcot has included an expansive look at aquatic animals, one of the most popular being the dolphins. These can be seen during the end of The Seas with Nemo and Friends before disembarking from the ride and walking around the aquarium.
Epcot has always been one of the more educational parks, and The Living Seas opened with the intent of educating guests about sea life.Disney has made many recent updatesto the parks, but one of its older renovations was changing The Living Seas to The Seas with Nemo and Friends. After exploring the underwater world with Nemo, guests can visit a 5.7-million-gallon saltwater aquarium with informative opportunities for guests of all ages to learn about sea creatures. The aquarium is a unique experience, and many visitors grew fond of the dolphins that make appearances in the aquarium.
In early September, Disney sent out a morningcast member communication obtained by Entertainment Weeklythat mentioned the removal of a few marine mammals from the aquarium. The three male dolphins that have been a part of The Seas with Nemo and Friends will be relocated to Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park after a recent evaluation. Much like howthe removal of the trolleys in Disneylandwas for the future of the parks, Disney promised that this was for the best of the animals as infrastructure work continues at the attraction.
Changes to the Animals at The Seas With Nemo and Friends
All the dolphins will be leaving, and guests will have to say goodbye to another animal as well. Lou, a manatee that was being rehabilitiated at The Seas with Nemo and Friends, will also be leaving. Lou will be moved to a new rehabilitation center, and a different manatee will take its place in the aquarium. Guests who appreciated the ride still have time for one last visit to see the dolphins before they are relocated in October, much like guests gathered for a last ride ofSplash Mountain prior to its transformation.
Disneyhas always promoted the quality care of its animals, especially when it comes to conservation efforts. While the dolphins may have been a popular part of the attraction, it’s good to see the company putting the health and care of the animals first. Even though the dolphins are leaving the aquarium soon, there is still plenty to see at The Seas with Nemo and Friends, making it a fun attraction for kids and adults to take a look at. If guests still want to see the dolphins, their new home at Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park is in Florida, so it’ll be possible for guests to reconnect with the sea creatures. There are always rumors about howDisney parks may changeand what franchises they’ll use, so it’ll be interesting to see what the future of The Seas with Nemo and Friends will be like.
