Ah, the Seas… a shimmering blue enigma containing untold mystery. Who knows what wonders lurk beneath the surface?

The Seas with Nemo and Friends at EPCOT isn’t quite as mysterious, but it still has plenty of secrets. 

Here are some things you might not have known about this amazing attraction.

This Place is Huge

People don’t normally think of The Seas as being a top-tier aquarium, since there are so many other attractions surrounding it. It’s easy to assume this place is just an afterthought. A tiny little ocean attraction in the middle of a larger theme park. But it’s so much more than that!

This aquarium holds 5.7 million gallons of water. That makes it the second largest aquarium in the United States and one of the largest aquariums in the world. It’s large enough that if you emptied it out, you could fit all of Spaceship Earth inside. Though you’d have a lot of angry fish… around 6,000, to be precise. Sixty different species are represented here, including some you might not have expected.

It’s a major conservation project.

The sea life here isn’t just to look pretty. The Seas is a major conservation project, complete with marine biologists in residence and the backing of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the NOAA, and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

One of the major goals of the project is learning how to preserve our oceans and sea life, and many of the creatures here were rescued from dangerous situations. This is most obvious if you visit the manatees.

Manatees, or sea cows, are native to the oceans and canals of Florida. Like whales and dolphins, they’re also mammals and need to come up for air. Unfortunately, this puts them in the path of boaters, who often inadvertently run over these poor creatures and amputate parts of their fins with their propellers. That’s why you will see No Wake signs throughout the Florida Intercoastal canals. Several of the manatees in the aquarium were rescued after being injured by boaters and have been nursed back to health and cared for by Disney staff. Once they’re healthy, they’re released back into the wild.

Still, not all manatees here were rescues. Lorelei, the first manatee conceived and born in captivity, had a six-year residency at The Seas before returning to her birthplace at the Miami Seaquarium. As a manatee born in captivity, she wasn’t prepared for life in the wild, so she spent her entire life in aquariums.

Residents at The Seas live a luxurious life.

Land-going guests at The Seas can eat a luxurious meal at Coral Reef, featuring some of the freshest seafood in the World. What you probably don’t know is that the sea life you’re gawking at eats just as well.

Each morning, cast members prepare meticulous diets for every resident of the tank. These aren’t fish flakes either; the food here is the same quality as what you’d find at Coral Reef, though humans might not find some ingredients (like algae) as appetizing! Twice a day, scuba divers will enter the tanks and individually hand feed the fish, ensuring that everyone gets proper nutrition. This also keeps the fish from looking at each other as snacks. Why munch on your tank mates when you get two five-star meals a day?

Oh, this also applies for the sharks, though the average guest will never see it happen. Each evening, when the Park is closed, a spotlight shines in the tank to draw sharks to a meal of salmon, mackerel, and other meaty fish. This feeding frenzy leaves them full for the rest of the day, allowing them to remember that fish are friends, not food.

Oh, and like any luxury resort, there are plenty of activities. Guests on the Dolphins in Depth tour already know that marine biologists train and play games with the dolphins, but that same process applies to every resident in the tank. Divers will perform special activities to enrich and stimulate the fish, including simple games and responses to signals. Try to catch one of these training sessions next time you’re at EPCOT.

The water in that tank is probably cleaner than the water you drink.

As anyone who has owned a fish tank knows keeping it clean can be a challenge. Poor filtration and imbalanced chemicals can turn your window underwater into an algae bloom. The problem is multiplied with larger tanks; not only are they harder to clean, but more inhabitants are releasing waste into the tank. So, how does the water here stay so spotless?

The answer is an insane reverse flow filtration system, which forces impurities to the top where they can be skimmed out. The water then passes through multiple sand filters to capture smaller impurities that could escape a skimming net. Finally, an ozone defuser cleans the water of bacteria and parasites, much like chlorination does in your swimming pool but without the harsh effects on sea life. This process takes place at a rate of 35,000 gallons per minute! That’s faster than most cities!  In just under three hours, all the water in the tank has been cleaned and recirculated.

Still, you probably shouldn’t drink it. While the water here came from multiple freshwater sources (to avoid stressing out Florida’s extensive aquifer system), it was then converted into perfectly balanced seawater by adding tons of salt and other materials. Not great for quenching your thirst but perfect for the fish!

There’s a secret salon with exclusive views of the tank.

While there are plenty of places to wave to the fishes in SeaBase, there’s one spot you probably have never seen.

Located on the right side of the pavilion, this private venue is available for parties, group meetings, and weddings. Disney will cater a meal of your choice and can even provide character appearances. You might even see Mickey swimming in the tank!

However, the real draw is the sea life.

These are vantage points you can’t get anywhere else. So if you have a big event and a few thousand dollars to drop, this is the best venue under the sea!

So, how many of these sea-crets did you know? Did we miss any big ones? Let us know in the comments!

 

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