The Living Seas Rehab Extended

[tjkraz]

Disney's official site now lists The Living Seas as closed at least through November 30th. This extends the rehab period by over a week. It was originally scheduled to re-open on November 22nd.

No official announcements have yet been made regarding the extent of this rehab. It is widely accepted that the current closure is being used to further integrate Finding Nemo theming throughout the attraction.

The rumor mill further speculates that the old Sea Cabs may be transformed into a "Dark Ride" with the the ride track even being extended into space currently occupied by the queue and pre-show areas. If true, do not expect this addition to the pavilion to be ready when it re-opens later this year.

[cobbler]

I had just read this somewhere which bums me out as our one and only Epcot day is the 28th. :(

Anywho I also read that it would only be open for the holidays and then shut back down again for almost a year. Or I heard this while we were down the first week in October.

Bummer because I was really looking forward to doing Turtle Talk.

Oh well at least I know I will be down again on 06.

[DSNY FN]

I sure hope they re do the sea cabs I miss those we love the living seas it is one of our favourite pavillions at Epcot.

[UsedtobeSmith]

I sure hope it is open for our Mid December trip. Crush was one of our favorite attractions at Epcot and I am researching some questions to stump the turtle. LOL

[dianeschlicht]

I hope it's open for our New Year's trip and early JAnuary, because I still haven't seen Turtle Talk. Last time we were there the whole building was looking pretty tired.

[PoohsPal]

I hope it's open for ...snip..early JAnuary, because I still haven't seen Turtle Talk.
Ditto.

[DSNY FN]

In May we couldn't even get close to Turtle talk at the Living Seas the kids were bummed to but I think mom and dad were even more bummed to be honest.

[tjkraz]

Update: The official Disney site still shows The Living Seas as being down until 11/30, but most other independent Disney news sites are showing it will return to operation on 11/23.

Those at WDW the last weekend of November are encouraged to check the park schedules for operating status updates.

[bavaria]

While it's nice to see it opening soon, a longer rehab may have indicated more significant changes.

I've always like the Living Seas (and often go and watch the film!) but since United Technologies withdrew several years ago it's been sad to watch it go downhill.

The recent Nemo themed additions are great, and we spent a lot of time here with two 3 year olds - couldn't drag them away!

If anyone hasn't seen it, the fish feeding is incredible, and I highly recommend watching.

[tjkraz]

While it's nice to see it opening soon, a longer rehab may have indicated more significant changes.


Little is known about the full extent of the rebah. However, all signs point to work continuing in "offstage" areas of the attraction even while it reopens. Numerous sources have indicated the Sea Cabs will be returning in some form, perhaps even with an extended track and additional in-tank effects. This area will not open at least until the spring.

For now, we can expect to find that the hydrolators have been removed, guests will now enter from the old attraction exit, and there will be more Nemo theming throughout. I've also heard mention of a new gift shop (go figure. ;) )

As for future enhancements, maybe we'll start hearing more once some of the pavilion re-opens.

[bavaria]

Little is known about the full extent of the rebah. However, all signs point to work continuing in "offstage" areas of the attraction even while it reopens. Numerous sources have indicated the Sea Cabs will be returning in some form, perhaps even with an extended track and additional in-tank effects. This area will not open at least until the spring.

For now, we can expect to find that the hydrolators have been removed, guests will now enter from the old attraction exit, and there will be more Nemo theming throughout. I've also heard mention of a new gift shop (go figure. ;) )

As for future enhancements, maybe we'll start hearing more once some of the pavilion re-opens.

I was asked to complete a lengthy survey after watching Turtle Talk in January (took about 20 minutes). The CM was very interested in having 'free form' conversation, and even back then the popoularity of Turtle Talk appeared to be driving planned changes.

I love the idea of a Nemo dark ride in future.... here's hoping!

[nono]

I still remember my first (and only) ride of the Sea Cabs. By the time we got situated and comfortable, we were being asked to exit the ride. I was more than a little :veryconfu .

Worse was the later years where the ride (and I use that term loosely) sat there collecting dust. It just seemed so sad and wrong. Seems like there's so much that can be done here from a ride perspective without even a lot of creative effort...

This could be very exciting!!! A spruced up Living Seas!!!!

Nono in NJ

[KNWVIKING]

Isn't anyone else more then a little concerned about the intrussion of movie charactors moving into EPCOT ? EPCOT was never to be about plush charactors, that's what the MK was for. EPCOT is slowly losing its identity.

People should want to go to the LS pavilion because Imagineering - with the right budget - has kept it an up to date, innovative, educational as well as fun exhibit. Not because a cartoon fish and turtle are there.

If Pixar's Cars is a big hit, does Test Track get a makeover ?

[pouncingpluto]

Here's what I know about Living Seas. The VIP lounge was originally going to be our reception location for our wedding. Then, about three weeks before the wedding (so mid-October), we were told that the construction was running behind schedule and that they were going to be doing it around the clock because their number one priority was to get it open for Thanksgiving.

There had apparently been an event or two ruined by jackhammering noise, which is why we were given the "option" of finding a new venue.

So all I'm saying is... there has been some major construction going on in there, and for the stress they put us through (we ended up replanning everything and changing the wedding one day earlier three weeks before the wedding, in order to get a reception venue we were happy with), the Living Seas better be awesome when it reopens!

[Colorado Belle]

kerry, I can't believe Disney did that to you...and I can't believe you took it with the grace that you did. A wedding....I thought DIsney was supposed to make those magical?

Where did you end up having it after all? I love the photo on the boardwalk, but I'm afraid I don't recognize the building in the middle photo????

Tell us please!!!!

I am cancelling my DiveQuest because I don't think the aquarium will be open for my friend to laugh and point and take pictures and otherwise embarrass me. She only has one day at Epcot, so I want to make it more fun for her. I'm rescheduling for May and hope it has it kinks worked out by then!!!

Now, a confession: I always used to sneak in the back door (the elevators) so as to miss the 'ride'. I kinda felt a wee bit guilty, but once I started I couldn't seem to stop myself!!! I always wondered if people realized that the 'deep sea pressurizers' didn't move~

[pouncingpluto]

We ended up at Great Movie Ride. :) :) :) And, as it was our first choice, I wish that were what we had planned in the first place, to avoid the stress. The issue is that it's a lot more expensive, which is why we had decided on the Living Seas, our second choice. And then when the Living Seas construction issues came up, GMR wasn't available on our wedding date (keeping in mind this was THREE WEEKS before the wedding), and we were just really not happy with any other choices. It had always been one or the other for us when we were first picking locations... GMR or LS.

So, we moved the whole wedding one day earlier to get GMR... but if we had planned to have GMR all along we would have cut back some spending in other areas... that's my only regret with the situation.

But anyway... not going to dwell on that now because the wedding was lovely... absolutely a blast.

The building you don't recognize is our ceremony site... it's Sea Breeze Point, the large gazebo on the boardwalk if you're walking from Boardwalk Inn to Epcot. It is *amazing* out there.

You should definitely do DiveQuest sometime. We did the AquaSeas tour in May and had a blast!

[jnrrt]

I'm really surprised they didn't give it to you for the same price - it was their problem, not yours.

[pouncingpluto]

Yes, that would have been nice. :) Since I don't want to turn this into a ***** session, that's all I'm going to say on that.

[tjkraz]

Isn't anyone else more then a little concerned about the intrussion of movie charactors moving into EPCOT ? EPCOT was never to be about plush charactors, that's what the MK was for. EPCOT is slowly losing its identity.

People should want to go to the LS pavilion because Imagineering - with the right budget - has kept it an up to date, innovative, educational as well as fun exhibit. Not because a cartoon fish and turtle are there.

If Pixar's Cars is a big hit, does Test Track get a makeover ?

I think, to a certain extent, we just have to accept some of this as the natural evolution of things. I'm not an educator, but it seems more and more these days that educational experiences are being presented in a fun manner that will enhance its appeal to the audience. I don't know if that's happening because studies show that kids learn more when entertained as well, or if we're throwing in the towel and just admitting that kids don't have the attention span they used to.

Regardless, I think the important fact here is that TLS is still an educational venue. I've seen (experienced?) Turtle Talk myself, and found it to be both entertaining AND informative. And the initial phase of the Nemo theming throughout the pavilion was clearly designed to educate...not just to say "hey, look, we have real clownfish!!!"

As for other moves at Epcot...that's a tough topic for me to address since I'm such a big fan of Test Track, Mission: Space and Soarin. I know some people have a fondness for Food Rocks or Horizons and cringe at the mere thought of this new generation of thrill rides. I think one thing to consider is that just because they are thrill rides doesn't necessarily mean they are devoid of educational opportunities.

I jumped at the chance to take my 4yo son to the moon replica outside M:S and explain the significance of all of the markers on its surface. I can't wait until he's ready to experience the attraction himself so that I can use the props and ride itself to show him that there's more to space travel than Star Wars.

I don't think it would be fair to arbitrarily conclude that an attraction with a presentation as dry as Spaceship Earth has more educational value than Mission: Space. (No offense intended to SE, of course.) I see where you're coming from regarding the use of characters. But if the focus on education remains and kids respond to it, it's hard to argue with the end result.

[KNWVIKING]

I also am not an educator and really don't know the best to educate children ( the threat of "do I need to contact your father" always seemed to work for me ) but I don't like the idea of "dumbing" things down so they'll stay interested.

That said, from what I've read about Turtle Talk it sounds like a true Disney type attraction with one exception: Why the need to use a charactor from Nemo ? It smacks of cashing in, taking the easy way out. As if they don't have the confidence they can't create another Figment.

Honestly, because my Disney roots didn't start until '95, I don't believe I'm one of those types that are stuck "in the good ole days" who hate change of any kind. I think TT and M:S are great, educational attractions. Even the movie tie-in at M:S doesn't bother me because the attraction wasn't built with the purpose of selling "Mission to Mars" DVDs.

IMO, Walt built DL so there was a place for each thing & each thing was in its place. Theming was vital to The Show. You went to each Land in the park to experience a very specific enviroment. You wanted charactors ? You went to Fantasyland, not Adventureland.

I'm not sure how to express this, but I'm not really against charactors in EPCOT - The Circle of Life at the Land pavilion is a great example IMO of how to co-mingle a Disney classic with what EPCOT was built to be. Depending on how far they take the Nemo theme at LS and how successfull the refurb is, I'm just afraid this will embolden Disney to take the easy way out on other attractions.

[crisi]

I think it has more to do with corporate sponsors being less interested - so Disney has to be their own corporate sponsor at Epcot. It isn't just Disney, either, corporations seem a lot less interested in big bucks for naming rights to sports arenas, putting up money for cultural events, etc. i.e. a Return on Investment analysis doesn't have a lot more people buying GM cars cause they saw Test Track (and Test Track may be the exception, GM has been able to put a consumer showroom right at the end of it). Personally, I'd rather have an infusion of plush at Epcot than have every Future World pavillion end in a chance to switch my cell phone to Verizon, my internet to Comcast, buy a GM car, or whatever else they want to sell me.

[tjkraz]

Doesn't The Living Seas have a sponsor, or did they just fail to remove the
signage? I know there was a corporate name listed on the attraction signage when we visited in May, but couldn't for the life of me remember the name...

Incidentally, TLS has re-opened. Allears has some coverage here:

http://www.allearsnet.com/tp/wander/wander5.htm

Reports seem to indicate minimal changes immediately evident to the pavilion, while CMs are unofficially confirming that the Sea Cabs will eventually return with an extended track. Also, movement of the pavilion entrance to the former exit site may just be temporary while the "dark ride" is still under construction.

[KNWVIKING]

LS lost its sponsor in 'Jan of 98. It's logo - I believe it was United Technologies - was still on the enterance marquee ( that crashing waves on the rocks thingy ) until sometime in '99. I don't know of any other UT signage that remained until recently.

[tjkraz]

LS lost its sponsor in 'Jan of 98. It's logo - I believe it was United Technologies - was still on the enterance marquee ( that crashing waves on the rocks thingy ) until sometime in '99. I don't know of any other UT signage that remained until recently.

That entrance marquee is the very place where I swear I saw something back in May. They had a sand sculptor (?) right outside TLS for the press events on 5/5/05 crafting a mock-up of the Soarin' sign. We snapped a few photos of the sculpture, but didn't get any of the sign.

[KNWVIKING]

We were there in May also and all I remember of the area was that the new Nemo make over. Everybody was waiting for their turn to be photographed with a plastic fish.

[CRSNDSNY]

We were there in May also and all I remember of the area was that the new Nemo make over. Everybody was waiting for their turn to be photographed with a plastic fish.
LOL -- I've seen people get nasty in front of that thing. Nobody likes to wait their turn!!!

[pouncingpluto]

A little birdie tells me there will be more major construction going on inside Living Seas next summer. I don't know the exact dates, only that at least July will be affected.

[disneyfreak62]

...CMs are unofficially confirming that the Sea Cabs will eventually return with an extended track.

Wow, I hope so! Loved that part of TLS. There are parts of the aquarium you can only see from the Sea Cabs.