Most people walk into EPCOT’s Seas pavilion expecting a Finding Nemo dark ride. What they are actually entering is one of the biggest aquariums in the United States: a 5.7-million-US-gallon (21.6-million-liter) saltwater system that held the title of world’s largest tank for nearly two decades. It still ranks 11th on our list of the largest aquariums in the world.
Opened in 1986 as The Living Seas, the pavilion was re-imagined around Pixar’s Finding Nemo in 2007, and today mixes animatronic storytelling with a very real Caribbean coral reef environment.
Key Stats
| Water volume | 5.7 million US gallons (21.6 million liters) |
| Opened | January 15, 1986 (as The Living Seas) |
| Re-opened as The Seas with Nemo & Friends | January 24, 2007 |
| Location | World Nature, EPCOT, Walt Disney World Resort, Bay Lake, Florida |
| Signature tank | Caribbean Coral Reef main tank – 5.7 million US gal |
| Notable residents | Sand tiger and sandbar sharks, rays, a green sea turtle, rescued manatees |
| Record | World’s largest saltwater tank, 1986–2005 |
The Living Seas Years (1986–2005)
When The Living Seas opened on January 15, 1986, its 5.7-million-gallon main tank was the largest saltwater tank in the world. The conceit was a working undersea research base, “Sea Base Alpha.” Guests descended in “Hydrolators” (elevators that faked a deep dive with moving walls and rumbling floors), rode Seacabs through the middle of the reef tank, and emerged into exhibit modules stuffed with 1980s-vintage ocean science.
The record stood for 19 years until the Georgia Aquarium opened in Atlanta in 2005. Even today the pavilion remains the second-largest aquarium in the United States.
Finding Nemo Takes Over
In 2005 Disney closed The Living Seas and rebuilt the pavilion around Finding Nemo. The Seacabs became clamshell-shaped “Clamobiles,” the ride was lengthened by 85 meters of new show scenes, and a clever projection system now lets animated characters swim across the windows of the real tank, so Nemo and Dory appear to dart among live fish. The rededicated pavilion opened on January 24, 2007, becoming the first EPCOT pavilion themed to a Disney animated film.
The other headline attraction, Turtle Talk with Crush, is a live interactive show in which a digitally animated sea turtle chats with the audience in real time. It debuted in 2004 and proved so popular it was moved to a larger theater during the retheme.
Inside the Aquarium Today
Beyond the ride, the SeaBase exhibit area wraps around the main tank, home to sand tiger, sandbar, bonnethead and zebra sharks, rays, guitarfish, tarpon and a green sea turtle. A separate tank houses rescued West Indian manatees. Bottlenose dolphins lived in the pavilion for decades until October 2024, when they were relocated to other facilities. Certified scuba divers can even book Epcot DiveQuest and spend 40 minutes inside the main tank, and the Coral Reef Restaurant serves dinner against a floor-to-ceiling wall of live reef.
FAQ
How big is the aquarium at The Seas with Nemo & Friends?
The pavilion’s saltwater system holds 5.7 million US gallons (about 21.6 million liters). It was the largest saltwater tank in the world from 1986 until 2005 and still places 11th among the largest aquariums in the world.
Can you scuba dive in the EPCOT aquarium?
Yes. The Epcot DiveQuest experience lets certified scuba divers take a guided 40-minute dive inside the Caribbean reef main tank, including a backstage tour.
Are there still dolphins at The Seas?
No. The pavilion’s bottlenose dolphins were moved to other facilities in October 2024. Sharks, rays, a green sea turtle and rescued manatees remain on display.
Photo: DearCatastropheWaitress at English Wikipedia via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.5)