Epcot removing dolphins, swapping manatees at The Seas with Nemo & Friends
All three dolphins and one manatee will leave Epcot at Walt Disney World as The Seas with Nemo & Friends evolves.
Walt Disney World is reevaluating its roster of mammals at The Seas with Nemo & Friends, the 5.7-million-gallon aquarium pavilion at Epcot near Orlando, Fla. As part of this, Epcot will permanently relocate its dolphins, as well as swap one of its manatees with a neighboring facility, Disney shared with Attractions Magazine.
“As we look to the future of The Seas with Nemo & Friends at Epcot, we are making some changes that require careful thought, prioritizing the wellbeing of these sensitive marine mammals,” Disney told us.
Epcot will continue to be home to marine life such as sharks, sea turtles, jellyfish, and, of course, clownfish (aka Nemo), among many others.
Dolphins leaving Epcot
All three of Epcot’s dolphins will relocate to the Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park in Fort Walton Beach, Fla. in late October 2024. This effectively means dolphins will no longer live at Epcot. Dolphins have been part of the aquarium pavilion since its debut in 1986, when it was known as The Living Seas.
Disney told us they have no plans to introduce more dolphins to Epcot in the future.
At their new home, the dolphins will be cared for by a marine mammal expert who previously worked with these same dolphins for many years at Epcot.
Gulfarium opened its multimillion dollar Dolphin Oasis earlier this year, and offers dolphin encounters and a live show. The park is accredited by the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks & Aquariums and the International Marine Animals Trainer’s Association.
“This decision came after a comprehensive evaluation as to what is best for these dolphins as infrastructure work progresses at The Seas,” Disney said. “Through the extraordinary care from our team, these three male dolphins have thrived and led long lives and we will continue to be a resource while they receive the best possible care after they are moved.”
Elsewhere in Orlando, United Parks & Resorts continues to host dolphin encounters at SeaWorld Orlando and Discovery Cove, as well as a live dolphin show at SeaWorld.
Manatee swap at Epcot
Separate from the dolphins, Lou the manatee will relocate from Epcot to another manatee rehabilitation center on Sept. 11, 2024. Following Lou’s move, another manatee will arrive at Epcot and accompany Lil Joe, the park’s other manatee who will remain with Disney. The manatee relocations will be performed in collaboration with the Manatee Rehabilitation Partnership and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services as part of a state-wide initiative of manatee moves throughout Florida.
Disney told us, “While we will greatly miss Lou, we do look forward to aiding this other manatee in the next stage of rehabilitation as we continue to do our part in addressing the manatee crisis in Florida, which has seen declining manatee populations in the past few years.”
Epcot backstage tours impacted
As a result of Epcot’s dolphin relocation, Disney will permanently close the Dolphins in Depth backstage tour and temporarily suspend the DiveQuest experience. Disney will honor existing reservations for both of these programs through Oct. 19, 2024. DiveQuest will return in 2025.
The day-to-day operations of The Seas with Nemo & Friends and its indoor ride will not be affected.
National Geographic spotlights the animal care at The Seas in both seasons of “Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom” on Disney+. Also available on the streaming service is the 2018 Disneynature documentary “Dolphin Reef.”
More Attractions Magazine stories:
Follow us:
