Living Seas - tell me it isn't so!!

[Rhonda]

I haven't been keeping up with theme park news lately, and somebody just told me that the Hydrolators at the Living Seas are gone now!! That was the best part of the attraction! Is it really so? Or were they just shut down for awhile for maintenance?

If they really are gone - then how do we get all the way down to Seabase Alpha???

 

[tigger&tigerlover]

As of last Sunday, Oct 19th when we were there, the hydrolaters were still there and functional.

 

[eeyore0062]

The Hydrolators are still operational, however the actual ride has been gone since before 2000.

 

[kilarney]

Yup... the are there. It's the sea cabs (or whatever they were called) that have been out of use for a while.
Has anyone heard about the possible Finding Nemo overlay for the Living Seas? I'm actually for this, since I think the Living Seas is one of the most disappointing parts of EPCOT.

 

[ohanaMAMA]

LS!!! This past march we took our two dd (8 and 2) to WDW as a surprise.. our first day we saw EPCOT and were in living seas... My small town dd2 (now 3) who was potty trained at 14 mos and going through her "i can do it" stage.. when we went into the restroom there were no acceptions made. She was disrobing when one of the automatic flush toilets activiated!!! She screamed bloody murder and proceded to wet herself! When she explained her wet condition she said "mommy a shark flushed my toilet." She was later seen around EPCOT in a giant living seas tshirt and little else until her pants dried out as our luggage was still enroute from the airlines!

SO we will ALWAYS love living seas.. shark flushing toilets or no!

 

[KathyR]

Hydrolators were functioning as of last week. I have not heard of them going anywhere.

Has anyone heard about the possible Finding Nemo overlay for the Living Seas?

My 8 y/o daughter and I did the Seas Aqua Tour(very good by the way), and the guide spoke of this change. He said it should be open in the next 6 months or so I can't wait to see it. I really enjoyed the ride through and was sad to see it go!

 

[sters]

I'd forogotten about those little cab rides. I knew something was different the last time I went (in 2000) and now I know why! We spent heaps of time there because my son was in a "don't like dark" and "don't like boat" phase, which severely limits the attractions one can do.

I, too, would like to see a Nemo or Little Mermaid tie in here. It seems a bit lackluster and tired. There are many excellent aquariums locally, that the Living Seas seems very ordinary any more. I plan to skip it entrirely on this trip.

I did see an excellent write up in a trip report by a man who did the sea dive and it sounded like it was a fabulous experience. But, no one in my family is certified for scuba diving.

 

[DisneyKidds]

.......how do we get all the way down to Seabase Alpha???

It is the sea cab portion of the ride that is no longer. The hydrolators are still there and the means by which you access Seabase Alpha. As for getting "all the way down".......................do you need to be let in on a little secret about those hydrolators?

 

[barbeml]

That is SOOOO Funny!

I would love to see LS made over with Nemo and Little Mermaid. It really needs a shot in the arm. The only reason we visit now is because I love to see the manatees, but that's it.

 

[capnho]

That's a great story. My DD (now 4) had a fear of automatic flush toilets that started at WDW and she's only recently outgrown. It's been a real challenge getting her to go when she discovers a place has "magic flush" toilets!

Originally posted by ohanaMAMA
She was disrobing when one of the automatic flush toilets activiated!!! She screamed bloody murder and proceded to wet herself! When she explained her wet condition she said "mommy a shark flushed my toilet." She was later seen around EPCOT in a giant living seas tshirt and little else until her pants dried out as our luggage was still enroute from the airlines!

SO we will ALWAYS love living seas.. shark flushing toilets or no!

 

[KathyR]

I did see an excellent write up in a trip report by a man who did the sea dive and it sounded like it was a fabulous experience. But, no one in my family is certified for scuba diving.

For the "dive" my daughter and I did, you NOT have to be scuba certified to go on. It is called the EPCOT Seas Aqua Tour. The only requirement is that you are at least 8 years old. You go on a tour that lasts about 1.5 hours and then get a 30 minute "dive" in the tank. You are using a scuba asisted snorkel system to breathe (small tank and regulator), but you can't dive down as you have flotation on your suit to keep you at the surface. You get to swim everywhere in the tank except w/in 10 feet of the dolphin enclosure. We had a blast on the tour and the dive. The rays swim right up to your face to say hello as do a whole bunch of smaller fish and occassionally a sea turtle. Most of the creatures keep their distance, but are easily viewed as the water is clear. It was a very special experience for my daughter and me. I hope to do it again sometime

 

[lenshanem]

ohanaMAMA,
Years back I had my oldest potty trained. We went to WDw and it all reversed! The large bathrooms, super loud automatic flushes and just the excitemnt of the trip was too much. She was back in pull ups months after that! i thought we'd never recoup. Now it looks liek I'll be in the same situation next trip with my youngest. I've heard about taking stickers and palcing them over the sensors until they get off the seat.

 

[Anna_Sh]

Does anyone know why they took the sea cabs out? They were the best part of the pavilion.

 

[Princess Michelle]

Originally posted by Anna_Sh
Does anyone know why they took the sea cabs out? They were the best part of the pavilion.

They took them out to give us yet another chance to buy more stuff. So in other words, they paved the sea cabs and put in a gift shop.

 

[goofyernmost]

Originally posted by Anna_Sh
Does anyone know why they took the sea cabs out? They were the best part of the pavilion.

Actually, I think I read someplace that the "sea cabs" just weren't worth the effort and man/woman power necessary to operate them. The ride was only about 100 feet and the load time and unload time was longer than the ride.

I do wish they would at least let you enter and walk through the area or tunnel within the aquarium. That would still be interesting.

 

[lynetteSC]

Does anyone know if you can still skip the movie/intro and go right to the hydrolator portion of LS? It seems I remember reading that on the DIS awhile back?!?

LOL at sharks flushing toilets!

 

[safetymom]

Yes you can skip the movie. You turn right to view the movie, turn left to skip it when you are in the circular room at the beginning. I did just that last week.