There’s about to be a sea change on the Residing Seas pavilion at EPCOT, as Walt Disney World is embarking upon infrastructure work and is reevaluating its roster of mammals within the 5.7 million gallon aquarium. This publish covers the animals that’ll be completely relocated, together with the ensuing suspension and finish of sure excursions of the Seas with Nemo & Pals, plus our commentary. (Up to date January 15, 2025.)
Walt Disney World introduced that three dolphins are transferring out of their EPCOT aquarium habitat. That is coming on account of suggestions by aquatic animal organizations, in addition to state and federal companies. Disney signifies the adjustments are because of infrastructure work, but in addition that Walt Disney World is making adjustments that require “cautious thought, prioritizing the wellbeing of those delicate marine mammals.”
With this in thoughts, Walt Disney World is working with consultants and making adjustments really useful by the Manatee Rehabilitation Partnership (MRP) and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Providers (USFWS) that may lead to adjustments at EPCOT. The Residing Seas pavilion’s long-term residents relocated to a different Florida-based rehabilitation middle.
January 15, 2025 Replace: In a change that continues the above adjustments to the Manatee Rehabilitation Partnership, each Lil Joe and Inigo (the latter of whom changed Lou mere months in the past), the 2 manatees who have been residing at EPCOT, have been relocated to a different aquarium. This leaves the Residing Seas pavilion’s manatee exhibit quickly closed to visitors.
As with the opposite relocations made final fall, the manatees reportedly moved to the Gulfarium Marine Journey Park. New manatees are additionally anticipated to reach inside the subsequent few weeks, with plans to reopen the exhibit as soon as the relocation course of is full. As a part of ongoing discussions and suggestions from the MRP and USFWS, the position served by EPCOT will change to certainly one of vital care and rehabilitation for rescued manatees–and it’s unlikely the pavilion can have long-term residents going ahead.
Walt Disney World hasn’t made any public-facing bulletins concerning the ongoing adjustments on the Residing Seas pavilion, and we wouldn’t count on one as soon as the brand new manatees arrive within the coming weeks. It wouldn’t shock us if they’ve one thing to share round World Oceans Day (June 8, 2025), however that’s a whole shot-in-the-dark guess. All of it will depend on whether or not the adjustments are totally rolled out and Disney is happy with the state of its conservation efforts.
Every thing else reported beneath is from the unique information of those adjustments again within the fall of final yr, preserved for posterity…
In accordance with Walt Disney World, Lou will transfer to a brand new house as a part of a statewide manatee initiative really useful by the MRP and USFWS. These are the statewide companies in command of managing the rehabilitation and conservation of manatees all through Florida, and that is a part of statewide adjustments which can be within the works for manatees.
Quickly after Lou’s relocation, one other manatee will come to EPCOT as a companion to Lil Joe, the remaining manatee within the Residing Seas pavilion. “Whereas we are going to enormously miss Lou, we do stay up for aiding this different manatee within the subsequent stage of rehabilitation as we proceed to do our half in addressing the manatee disaster in Florida, which has seen declining manatee populations previously few years,” Walt Disney World mentioned in a press release.
Whereas Disney hasn’t mentioned as a lot, it’s our guess that Lou the manatee is transferring someplace out of public view to dwell the remainder of his life in consolation. It looks like he’s been there endlessly, and I’ve to think about that he’s getting outdated. Not making an attempt to be grim–as we’ve cherished watching each Lou and Lil Joe and that is bittersweet information–however this transfer might be being made with Lou’s greatest pursuits at coronary heart.
The extra important change is that EPCOT’s trio of male dolphins might be relocated to the Gulfarium Marine Journey Park in Fort Walton Seashore, Florida in late October. In contrast to the manatees, there aren’t any substitute dolphins en path to EPCOT.
Dolphins have been a part of the Residing Seas pavilion since its debut in 1986, so it is a huge change. Walt Disney World has additionally indicated that there aren’t any plans to reintroduce dolphins to EPCOT at a later date. In brief, which means dolphins will not dwell at EPCOT.
“This choice got here after a complete analysis as to what’s greatest for these dolphins as infrastructure work progresses at The Seas,” mentioned Walt Disney World in a press release.
The three dolphins might be completely relocated to the Gulfarium Marine Journey Park in Florida which is accredited by the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks & Aquariums and the Worldwide Marine Animals Coach’s Affiliation. Gulfarium opened its multimillion greenback Dolphin Oasis earlier this yr, and gives dolphin encounters and a dwell present.
With this reevaluation of the aquatic life current within the Residing Seas pavilion and infrastructure work of unknown nature occurring to the aquarium, there are of course impacts to the particular excursions supplied of the amenities.
Walt Disney World will proceed to honor reservations for visitors with previously-booked Dolphins in Depth and DiveQuest experiences by way of October 19. DiveQuest will return someday in 2025, probably after the infrastructure work is accomplished. The Dolphins in Depth tour is not going to return, on condition that there gained’t be dolphins.
Though there are adjustments on the horizon for the Residing Seas Pavilion at EPCOT, the aquatic animals will proceed to be the main focus of the group. Solid Members affected by the strikes of marine mammals will proceed to do vital work with different sea life. EPCOT will proceed to be house to marine species, together with sharks, sea turtles, jellyfish, angelfish, eagle rays, clownfish, and extra.
Turning to commentary, let’s begin by dispelling any misconceptions that it is a matter of finances cuts or penny-pinching on the a part of Walt Disney World. Although we’re getting near the tip of the fiscal yr and begin of the following when precisely that sort of factor begins taking place, that isn’t what that is. The dolphins, clever as they’re, in all probability haven’t demanded raises (until you rely will increase to the variety of fish they’re fed every day, wherein case, these requests are in all probability common).
In all probability, this has extra to do with evolving expectations and societal perceptions of cetaceans in captivity. The Residing Seas aquarium area for the dolphins is small and it’s frankly a bit unhappy. Transferring the dolphins to Gulfarium ought to, at minimal, give them extra room and enhance their high quality of life. Aquariums having cetaceans in captivity has been controversial for no less than just a few years now, and I’m truthfully stunned that Walt Disney World didn’t really feel pressured to make this transfer earlier than.
For the final a number of years, a gaggle referred to as the Dolphin Undertaking has been working a unfavourable evaluate, letter-writing and petition marketing campaign about “Disney’s Dismal Dolphins” that makes an attempt to convey concerning the finish to Walt Disney World’s dolphin program. It’s unclear whether or not that initiative has achieved success, or if Disney–which companions with number of conservation organizations–has acquired outdoors recommendation that it’s time to maneuver on. Both manner, the result is similar.
One factor I discovered fascinating and downright disturbing is the historical past of dolphins within the Residing Seas pavilion, relationship again to its beginnings in 1985. Right here’s the complete historical past of their seize and deaths of the unique dolphins for individuals who are curious. As somebody who has cherished this pavilion since I used to be a small youngster, that was robust to learn. I’d prefer to assume that: 1) it was a unique period; 2) the positives from the variety of children who have been impressed to get into conservation, marine biology, and so on., outweighs the hurt–a for the ‘higher good’ sort of state of affairs, even when it was undeniably unhealthy for the person creatures.
However, this information is just a little bittersweet. It’s the tip of an period for dolphins within the Residing Seas pavilion. At the same time as I had my misgivings about cetaceans in captivity, I’d be mendacity if I didn’t additionally admit that I nonetheless get pleasure from watching the dolphins. Possibly it makes me a hypocrite, however the Residing Seas is a favourite noon escape, excellent as darkish and funky counterprogramming to the sunny and scorching summer season days at Walt Disney World.
Simply a few weeks in the past, I occurred to search out myself within the Seas pavilion one night because the crowds cleared out. Two of the dolphins have been zooming across the tank, and I swear they have been taking part in disguise and search with each other. It was cute and a decompressing method to spend a little bit of time after consuming manner an excessive amount of mac & cheese in CommuniCore Corridor.
Effectively, it was decompressing till one of many few different teams of visitors in your complete pavilion began banging on the tank, making an attempt to get the eye of the dolphins. I suppose they felt omitted and needed to play disguise and search with the dolphins? In any case, one of these habits is all too frequent, and it baffles me that grown adults don’t know higher. (Then once more, I see adults feeding geese nearly each time I’m within the parks, too.) Conduct like that’s simply unhappy, and additional underscores why it’s in all probability time for Disney to maneuver on from a dolphin exhibit. However I digress.
In the end, these are good adjustments on steadiness for the well being and welfare of the mammals within the Residing Seas at EPCOT. Nonetheless, there might be a unfavourable affect to the visitor expertise, as dolphins are a spotlight of the aquarium. Certain, sharks are cool and the rays enjoyable to observe glide round. However dolphins are/have been a giant draw.
A bit tangential, however the most effective “compromise” I can consider is bringing out Scuba Mickey extra usually. We’ve had the great fortune of seeing him just a few instances within the final a number of years, as Scuba Mickey Mouse usually makes uncommon appearances on World Oceans Day. I can’t even start to let you know how superior that is to see as an old style EPCOT Middle fan. (I assume it’s superior for anybody, although.) The Walt Disney World promotional VHS tapes of my childhood all contained footage of two characters in Future World: Figment and Scuba Mickey.
Between the Boy Meets World proposal at Coral Reef and photographs of Scuba Mickey, the Residing Seas pavilion held a particular place in my coronary heart as a child. (It additionally bodily held manatees, which have been my favourite animal as a child.) Mickey Mouse scuba diving in one of many largest man-made ocean environments on the planet is the sort of unforgettable “little factor” that completely defines (or ought to outline) Walt Disney World.
It’s seemingly insignificant, but it surely leaves a long-lasting impression–an indelible reminiscence that visitors will cherish lengthy after they’ve forgotten which rides they rode or reveals they noticed at EPCOT. In brief, it looks like swapping a trio of dolphins for one gigantic aquatic mouse is a good commerce. One that may make as many or extra magical moments for visitors, and with none considerations about animal welfare. Win-win.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you consider the adjustments coming to the Residing Seas pavilion? Unhappy to see dolphins being retired from EPCOT, or do you perceive and agree with the probably rationale for the choice? What do you consider Scuba Mickey as a “commerce” for the three dolphins? Ideas on the DiveQuest or Dolphins in Depth excursions at EPCOT? Any questions we can assist you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even if you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!