Summary
- Disney will remove dolphins from The Seas with Nemo and Friends in Epcot for animal welfare reasons.
- The educational focus of the attraction remains with diverse sea life exhibits for guests to experience.
- Guests will be able to visit the relocated dolphins at Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park in Florida.
Disney just announced that its Finding Nemo attraction, 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 Friends was a renovation to The Living Seas, a mix of an aquarium and ride that opened in Epcot back in 1986. Since its opening in Disney 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 updates to 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.
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In early September, Disney sent out a morning cast member communication obtained by Entertainment Weekly that 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 how the removal of the trolleys in Disneyland was 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 of Splash Mountain prior to its transformation.
Disney has 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 how Disney parks may change and 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.