8 Amazing Things to Do at the Living Seas Pavilion in EPCOT at Walt Disney World

The Living Seas Pavilion is our favorite spot to escape the harsh Florida heat while visiting EPCOT. From the huge aquarium to an amazing restaurant where you can admire sea creatures right from your table, what’s not to love??

1. Help Crush and Squirt Find Nemo 

Uh oh, Nemo’s lost – again! Board a clam-shaped “clamobile” for this exciting ride as you embark on a journey to track that little guy down. You’ll descend beneath the waves where Nemo’s friends flit through vibrantly colored coral reefs and anemones that sway in the ocean current.

You’ll dodge stinging jellyfish, a fierce-looking anglerfish, treacherous underwater mines, and even big, bad Bruce the shark on your way through the ocean! Then, catch a ride on the righteous East Australian Current with Crush and his little dude, Squirt. Just keep swimming until you find Nemo!

2. Living Seas Pavilion: The Coral Reef Restaurant

This table service restaurant is part of the pavilion proper. The seafood and ocean-inspired menu are worth making time for. But the coolest thing about this restaurant is the ambiance – one of the main walls is the aquarium’s glass back! That means that while you dine, you can watch the sea creatures float past you.

Occasionally, you’ll even catch a glimpse of Mickey himself, scuba diving in the aquarium! He likes to take a dip just like the rest of us!

3. Explore the Awesome Aquarium

You can’t go to this pavilion without spending some time at the Living Seas aquarium. First, head to Sea Base, the main portion of the pavilion. It consists of two levels of viewing into the main Caribbean Coral Reef exhibit, where you’ll get up close and personal with clownfish (just like Nemo!), dolphins, sea turtles, rays, and sharks in the 5.7 million gallon saltwater aquarium.

When you’ve had your fill of saying “hi” to all the fishies, head to the smaller exhibits for fun “fins-on” activities to teach the kiddos about marine biology, ocean life, and more.

Turtle Talk with Crush

You’re sure to leave the Sea Base full of burning questions about ocean life, but luckily, you can get all your answers right from the source! During this fun interactive show, you’ll get to see Crush from Finding Nemo, and he’ll answer kids’ questions about the sea in real-time. Radical, duuude!

Bruce’s Shark World

This is one of the best places on the pavilion to snap a pic (though there’s another great spot we’ll reveal later!). Huddle up with Bruce, Anchor, and Chum to take a selfie and make all your fishy friends jealous on Instagram! You’ll also get a chance to learn all about shark conservation, which is both eye-opening and truly fascinating.

Ocean Life – Reef Ecosystems

This ecosystem station is home to an array of small coral tanks for you to peer into. Coral is one of the ocean’s most important life forms, and this is a rare chance to see it up close! You’ll also get a chance to view a digital ocean in the exhibit – something you can’t see anywhere else.

Nursery – Coastal Ecosystems

This exhibit is home to a handful of young fish, as well as tanks cultivating life coral for reef restoration projects. Your little ones will laugh with glee while they say hello to the little ones of the ocean!

Lockout Chamber

Watch as a scuba diver delves into a circular tube filled with water. The spectacle is narrated by a guide who will explain how scuba diving works, talk about the gear the diver is wearing, and what he’s doing every step of the way. Any kids interested in exploring the ocean floor someday will love this up-close and personal chance to see how diving works.

Manatees Rehabilitation Center

Who doesn’t love manatees? They’re one of the gentlest giants of the ocean. At the Rehabilitation Center, you’ll see manatees being rehabilitated and nursed back to health so they can eventually be released back into their wild ocean habitat.

After you’ve met all the manatees, watch awesome video clips – narrated by Mr. Ray – about the many amazing wildlife rehabilitation projects across Florida.

4. Embark on a Scavenger Hunt

This complimentary self-guided scavenger hunt takes you all the way through the aquarium as you help Dory find her friends! 

Make sure you grab a free scavenger hunt book near The Seas with Nemo & Friends exit before you start because this isn’t your average scavenger hunt – this one comes with stickers! Collect stickers, solve clues, and learn fun facts as you go. When you finally reach your destination, you’ll have helped Dory find her way back to her friends – what a relief!

5. Browse the Gift Shop

If you ask us, half the fun of any excursion is exploring the gift shop. You never know what you’ll find! Shop stuffed animals, keychains, souvenirs, t-shirts, and other items inspired by your favorite aquatic creatures.

6. Book a Day in the Backstage VIP Room

Traveling to Disney for a family reunion, wedding, or get-together? The backstage VIP Room is the perfect place to hold your special private event. The VIP Room features an acrylic see-through piano and floor-to-ceiling windows that look directly into the aquarium. It’s everything you need for the party of a lifetime.

7. Look for a Special Hidden Mickey

Hidden Mickeys are all around us if we just keep our eyes peeled. In one of the tanks, there’s a female round ribbontail ray with a hidden Mickey on her back! When you finally find her, make sure to say “hi” and snap a picture so you can prove to everyone you meet that you managed to track her down.

8. Snap a Pic at the Toothpaste Wall

When you first arrive at the Living Seas Pavilion, you might be so excited to explore the inside that you can miss one of the best photo backdrops in the Disney parks: the Toothpaste Wall! Waves of blue, lavender and teal swooshes make for an ideal photo op that goes with every outfit and color scheme imaginable.

For extra pop, we recommend planning your outfit for the day in a contrasting color like yellow, red, or orange so you can stand out even more. And don’t forget to tag your Instagram post with #ToothpasteWall so Disney lovers everywhere can see it!

What’s your favorite thing to do at the Living Seas Pavilion? What’s your favorite pavilion at EPCOT? Let us know in the comments below!

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