Just keep swimming… This gentle The Seas with Nemo & F
It is a favorite for young children as well as adults. You will know you arrived when you see the three animatronic seagulls all hollering “mine, mine, mine”.
The original pavilion at The Seas with Nemo & Friends was built in 1986. At the time it housed the largest saltwater aquarium in the world holding an amazing 5.7 million gallons of water. It remained the largest until 2005 when it was eclipsed by the Georgia Aquarium.
The ride of The Seas with Nemo & Friends lasts about ten minutes and is in a very relaxing “Clamobile”. It winds its way through video screens and exhibits telling a story for the kids to enjoy. The story centers around Mr. Ray and his students on a field trip. When they end up helping to find Nemo after he had wandered off. The ride descends under the sea and you get to see many of the characters from Finding Nemo. Be careful though because Bruce the shark is there as well as stinging jellyfish.
When you get off the ride you are in the center area of all the aquariums. You can then spend all the time you want viewing them. The main tank has a circular viewing area. In the middle of it where you can watch feedings or divers swimming with the fish and yes…..sharks! It is possible to swim in the tanks but involves extra charges and the ability to use scuba equipment. In the tank is an amazing mix of fish from the very small all the way up to rays and sharks. You will even see a few very large sea turtles.
A larger tank houses Manatees. Here the manatees are rehabilitated before introducing them back to their natural habitat. It gives you a chance to see how large they are. It is awesome watching these graceful animals glide by you while chomping on leafy vegetables.
Also, in the central area are many smaller tanks with all types of colorful fish and crustaceans, even clownfish like Nemo. Be sure to look for the various types of seahorses. Yes, they are very slow, but fast is not how they escape predators. Camouflage is how they survive in the wild and that is why it sometimes takes you a while to find them. They are fascinating to watch.
My favorite sea creature in the smaller tanks was the tiny squid in the next photo. It is only a few inches long. Its colors were just amazing, and I had a hard time walking away.
You can also stop in at the Turtle Talk theater where you can talk with Crush the turtle. from Finding Nemo, as he swims through the ocean. Your children can even ask him questions. If they are lucky enough to be handed the mic and ask a question, Crush may even answer them by name. It is an impromptu show which means it is different every time, depending on the audience questions and interactions. For young children, it will probably be the best part of visiting The Seas with Nemo & Friends.
Finally, you might want to dine at the Coral Reef restaurant, but it would be best to make reservations first. There are plenty of seafood choices to pick from and some outstanding desserts as well. Ask to sit by one of the windows into the large saltwater tank where you can watch the fish as you eat. The whole restaurant is designed around an ocean motive to enhance your experience.
A visit to The Seas with Nemo & Friends will not let you down. In total there are over 4,000 sea creatures spread through the many tanks in the pavilion. It is well worth your time to visit The Seas with Nemo & Friends and the kids will love it too.
If you get the chance it would be great to watch Finding Nemo with the whole family before you visit this attraction.
