An Evolving Mission at Epcot's The Seas

When The Living Seas opened at Epcot in 1986, the pavilion reflected an era when large-scale aquarium attractions were designed to impress—anchored by scale, spectacle, and themed storytelling. Four decades later, now known as The Seas with Nemo & Friends, the building’s identity has evolved to reflect shifting guest expectations and a broader emphasis on education, conservation, and measurable impact.

That evolution mirrors a deliberate approach in how the pavilion engages guests, particularly families. According to Dario Silva, education manager of Walt Disney World’s Animals, Science, and Environment team, The Seas has transitioned from a largely entertainment-driven experience to one rooted in science-based education and emotional connection.

“For the first part of our chapter here at Epcot, it was very entertaining and story-based,” Silva says. “But progressively, we’ve changed to a more educational approach. Just in my time here, we’re really pushing the emotional connection with guests—sharing thoughtful, true, science-backed stories so guests feel connected to these animals.”

Family-focused programming plays a key role in that strategy. One popular offering is a Dory-themed scavenger hunt experience that encourages guests to explore the pavilion while interacting with educators positioned throughout the environments.

“Guests are finding animals, but they’re also learning something from our education team,” Silva says. “It’s about making learning accessible and engaging.”

Behind the scenes, education is closely tied to hands-on animal care and veterinary expertise. The Seas team provides care for cold-stunned sea turtles, supports short-term manatee rehabilitation, and conducts routine veterinary checkups for fish and other aquatic life. These operational efforts reinforce the conservation messages shared with guests.

The manatees housed at The Seas have proven to be popular and serve as powerful ambassadors for conservation storytelling. “They’re so charismatic—big, lovable, and gentle,” Silva says. “People fall in love with them, and then we encourage them to do something to help, especially here in Central Florida where manatees are so important.”

For Claire Martin, senior manager of biodiversity conservation and the Disney Conservation Fund at the Walt Disney Company, the pavilion’s 40th anniversary is connected to her own history. Her Disney career began at The Seas, where exposure to marine life shaped her professional trajectory.

“I have a special connection to this place and am very excited to celebrate this amazing anniversary. My Disney career started at The Seas,” Martin says. “It was the passion of the people—how much they cared for the animals here and their wild counterparts—that formed a foundation for my conservation work.”

That foundation continues through Disney Conservation Fund initiatives, which support marine conservation efforts ranging from sea turtle and manta ray protection to coral reef nurseries and shark conservation. “We have some of the best coral experts in the world helping to figure out how you take care of corals in a land-based nursery, and we have teams that are working on efforts to protect sharks,” remarks Martin, adding that the pavilion’s strength lies in connecting in-park expertise with broader environmental outcomes.

“What’s great is that we can bring together the expertise that we all have and marry it with the investments that we’re making in the wild to create a bigger picture of conservation,” she says. Forty years after its debut, The Seas pavilion demonstrates how an attraction’s identity can successfully evolve with the guests that experience it—balancing immersive storytelling, operational excellence, and conservation impact in ways that resonate with a modern audience.