Nemo has arrived at The Living Seas..............

[crusader]

If the new exhibit is along the lines of "you've seen the movie, now come learn about the real life animals!" then it will be a perfect addition to the park.

I agree.

I don't see this as requiring too much to accomplish.

I hope the past practices will remain just that. This company has been given a wake up call as far as I'm concerned and they appear to be listening.

 

[DisneyKidds]

.... you know that's not how it works around here.

I know Vike (btw - nice job against KC and they better not blow it against the lowly Cards), but that doesn't mean I can't try and be a voice of reason among the vultures .

One persons road kill is another's gumbo secret ingredient

Don't care much for gumbo myself. Aversion to that slimy ocra stuff...........

Hey Kidds!!!! Did you read my last sentence?

Yeah, I saw it. I'm not a big fan of the chicken little approach to posting with a disclaimer at the end though .

 

[DisneyKidds]

Thanks for the thoughts AV....................I quite agree with you. Maybe I've got a little more optimism than you, but things would be remiss in the world if that weren't the case .

My guess is we will get something halfway between great education and ugly synergy. Hopefully the ugly synergy gets em in the door....................only to be greatly educated and wonderfully entertained. That could happen. Realistically. Hopefully the newly opened exhibit portion accomplishes some of that education by including facts about the fish in question and tanks with clown and dory fish, etc. I know my kids will love seeing that. From the pictures I saw of this new area I didn't spy a big plush surrounded cash register in the middle.

The real question is what happens during the March rehab that is widely rumored. At this point it seems anyones guess. It would be nice if the old sea cab space was put to good use. If an entertaining and education walk through exhibit regarding the reef and the Nemo fish showed up, even if it included a meet and greet in the mix, it could be nice.

Time will tell I suppose.

 

[SnackyStacky]

Originally posted by DisneyKidds
Yeah, I saw it. I'm not a big fan of the chicken little approach to posting with a disclaimer at the end though .

Nothing chicken little about it. I stand completely by what I said. I just knew that someone would say that I couldn't be certain of what I said.

 

[JeffH]

In order to make it what it once was (and I agree it WAS a great pavilion), they'd need to close it down, and do a major overhaul

If it 'was' a great pavilion, what changed to make it not a great pavilion? The loss of the little cab ride that mearly rode you by the aquarium that is much better appreciated with a walk into the aquarium upstairs? Otherwise it has only gotten better, with the manatees, the jellyfish, the camoflaging fish, and such.

And I'm sorry that it's my observation that finds so many who seem to cling to unhappyness by spending all their time looking for the negative (which they will always find or manufacture) instead of embracing the positive (which there is an endless amount of at WDW), and being happy.

Personally I would prefer that guest step straight into the hydrolators to enter the seabase, and the pre-wait and preshow areas be integrated into the seabase to provide another display area and a theatre where you can rest your legs between exploring that shows 3(?) different films.

 

[DisneyFanGuy]

What happened is that many aquariums passed them by. If you want to see a great example of what Disney could do to wow people again, check out the aquarium at the Mall of America in MN. You ride on moving sidewalks underneath the exibits and the illusion is amazing. At times it feels like you are in among the fish.

If a small, private company can do that, imagine what Disney could do with today's technology and the correct level of funding. It would be worth traveling to EPCOT just for TLS.

 

[Bob O]

And i DONT GO TO disney for cheap character tie-ins!!!!!!
I go for the atmosphere, excellant rides/shows etc, but not to have everything based on a movie .
And some of us, the" non-apologists" arent going to pay homage to the altar of disney and think every thing they do is great and accept all cutbacks and cheap tie-ins as being great.
Nemo belong is MK or maybe MGM, but not epcot.
I for one will miss the old AE, even though i felt it should have been far scarier and shouldnt have been placed in the MK, but MGM with a adult type story and not made less scarier to satisfy kids!!! And i do miss Skippy!!!

 

[SnackyStacky]

Originally posted by JeffH
If it 'was' a great pavilion, what changed to make it not a great pavilion? The loss of the little cab ride that mearly rode you by the aquarium that is much better appreciated with a walk into the aquarium upstairs? Otherwise it has only gotten better, with the manatees, the jellyfish, the camoflaging fish, and such.

When I went in 2002, there was nothing. There WERE no manatees, and no jellyfish, and no camoflaging fish. There was nothing. There were a few different fish in the main tank, but nothing extremely out of the ordinary. When I say there was nothing, I mean, there was NOTHING. The Aquarium in Buffalo (or I should say Niagara Falls) had more exhibits and more sea life than The Living Seas, and that's saying a LOT. Although I do miss the cab ride, that has not a thing to do with my opinion of The Living Seas as a whole.

Originally posted by JeffH
And I'm sorry that it's my observation that finds so many who seem to cling to unhappyness by spending all their time looking for the negative (which they will always find or manufacture) instead of embracing the positive (which there is an endless amount of at WDW), and being happy.

Look, I asked you nicely to please respect the fact that my opinion is different than yours. It doesn't mean that I spend all my time continually looking for the negative. Do I really need to take this to a 1st grade level and list anything that I think is positive, or can you just accept the fact that I think something different than you do?

 

[Mooobooks]

The Living Seas attraction has only been of moderate to zero interest to most Epcot visitors for many years. Frankly, it would have fit much better into a "Fishy" part of the Animal Kingdom had there been such a thing when it was built. As it is, it's simply a snooze.
My 2 year old daughter loves to go to the aquarium, but Living Seas bores her after 10 minutes.
Now, with Nemo coming, it will TOP of her list after Playhouse Disney.
That's good from both Disney's point of view and OUR point of view.

 

[mitros]

Cut your losses. There are those on these boards that think no one else can have a differing opinion. I have said this time and time again. If it's any comfort, I agree with your outlook. take care..

 

[warpdarkmatter]

i was there nov 18 all i saw was some clown fish in a small tank

 

[tigger07082000]

Yes, it's true, they have already set up the Nemo exhibit at the Living Seas. We were there for New Year's, and the exhibit is really cool. They have aquariums set up with the actual fish that were in different scenes in the movie. I swear, I'm 27 years old and I spent a good 30 minutes staring at the tanks. (and I only went in to the Living Seas because my hubby loves it) It is really well done, and far less about buying merchandise than you would expect. You can buy some Nemo dolls and puppets, but not much else...just a tiny gift shop. Considering that SO many rides at WDW dump out into the gift shop, this is nothing. (do I really want a t-shirt from each ride I go on?). Definately a great addition to the exhibit.

Mara

 

[YoHo]

I have 2 problems with it

1: Like AV I'm cynical to any efforts Disney makes at this point. and JeffH, I'm not negative all the time. I am part of Generation X though, so cynicism is my stock in trade.

2: I can go to the Local Petco or better yet the local specialized Reef store and for half the cost of a trip to Disney World purchase tank and equipment and fish and living coral all of which were tank raised and propogated and learn all about them in my own home. ever single Petco in the frickin country has 100s of little Nemos swimming around and they weren't even captured like Nemo was.

(not that I recommend this, considering the numbe rof Dalmation pups in the pound after the last Disney inspired pet craze.)

 

[RickinNYC]

Lest anyone has forgotten, and I apologize for stepping in to state the obvious but I feel compelled to do so, Disney is a COMPANY. COMPANIES make MONEY. TOURISTS pay MONEY to see all things Disney. TOURISTS buy the merchandise. TOURISTS pay for the tickets. TOURISTS are the ones spending MONEY.

WE are TOURISTS when we visit DISNEY and spend our MONEY.

If you don't want to buy another t-shirt or plush toy, then DON'T and keep walking. It's not a big deal. Go to the next pavilian or attraction (and ignore THAT gift shop as well I might add, LOL!).

And lest we forget, if tourists weren't spending the money, Disney World wouldn't exist. That said, why can't Disney make a buck? Afterall, they ARE a COMPANY.

 

[YoHo]

The porblem isn't with Disney making a buck. The problem is how and where.

Look, there is a reason WDW is so phenominally popular. It is popular, because of the way it was built. When Epcot was first opened they weren't allowed to have a single character in the park. They wanted to establish Epcot as its own entity. It wasn't until after Epcot had become established that you started seeing Pluto walking aorund in a space suit and thousands of plush toys in the Communicore gift shop. The theory was that all that Mickey Mouse stuff owuld distract from what Epcot is.

I have no problem with utilizing assests like Nemo to further define and encourage exploration and knowledge within Epcot, My problem is that a Tank full of Clown fish is not very Disney.


Sea World's had a manatee exhibit across the nation for decades, why should I be impressed that Disney decided to jump in the game too? private aquarists are doing more to both sustain and to sceintificly learn about the reef ecosystem then anything Disney is doing.

You know what would impress me? Turn the whole thing into a research facility exploring the reef ecosystem. you have Carribean reef dying not 100 miles from the resort due to human intervention yet there are private people in delaware doing moe to preserve those species then Disney. Build the worlds largist selff sustaining reef system complete with rock, sand and coral. All living, develop new technologies for sustaining such systems. develope artificial reef substrates that are more advanced then what is being provided by private companies today. Then I'll buy your plush. Make the Living Seas relevent in the 21st century. Then I'll be impressed.

That after all was the goal of Epcot was it not?

 

[jgates]

Originally posted by DisneyFanGuy
What happened is that many aquariums passed them by. If you want to see a great example of what Disney could do to wow people again, check out the aquarium at the Mall of America in MN. You ride on moving sidewalks underneath the exibits and the illusion is amazing. At times it feels like you are in among the fish.

If a small, private company can do that, imagine what Disney could do with today's technology and the correct level of funding. It would be worth traveling to EPCOT just for TLS.

Actually they about bit the big one a few years ago and I believe had to be purchased by another company to even remain open. However, it is a very nice place to visit - nice exhibits - but for the size of it, quite pricey too.

I still enjoy the Living Seas but I do feel it looks a bit dated. Am I wrong or was or is there a restaurant where you can eat and watch the fish? What I am thinking of here? I know we didn't do it, & on the last visit I was making a mad dash back for First Aid to get a band-aid for the BLISTER that was killing me so I missed stuff.

 

[tigger07082000]

All I have to say is, don't knock it until you've seen it. Think about how many rides/attractions/etc. that didn't sound great on paper, but when you got there, you got swept up in the magic. There's a lot more to the exhibit than some clown fish in a tank. It's very much an exhibit about learning about the actual fish that were featured in the movie. And the merchandising part of it is practically non-existant. The place to buy the few Nemo things is NOT in the exhibit. It might not have even been on the same floor (although I may be remembering that wrong). Finally, you also have to remember that Disney is trying to make EPCOT more kid-friendly. The kid art stations in each of the World Showcase pavillions are a great example of that (I wish they had them when I was little!). If tying Nemo in gets kids excited about being there, than GREAT.

Mara