After 39 Years, EPCOT Suddenly Closes Its Massive Aquarium

After 39 years, Walt Disney World Resort’s iconic aquarium is undergoing significant changes, leaving guests without access to the building and its attractions for part of the day. Ongoing construction in The Seas with Nemo and Friends Pavilion is causing early closures, which is impacting the EPCOT guest experience. According to a recent report, the aquarium will continue to close at 7:00 p.m. throughout the summer, long before the rest of the park.

The Seas with Nemo and Friends originally opened as The Living Seas in 1986 and housed the world’s largest saltwater tank at the time, holding an impressive 5.7 million U.S. gallons of water. In 2007, Walt Disney Imagineers gave the pavilion a fresh theme, incorporating Finding Nemo (2003) elements and adding Disney’s intellectual properties to its attractions. Today, The Seas hosts several attractions, including the Finding Nemo dark ride, the Coral Reef restaurant, and the interactive Turtle Talk with Crush show.

Significant changes have been happening at The Seas recently. In 2024, Walt Disney World Resort announced the permanent end of its dolphin care program, with the dolphins relocated to a third-party facility. In January, the manatee program was shifted from long-term care to short-term rehabilitation, with the former manatees moved to other Florida facilities. The new EPCOT residents are rescues with hopes of eventually being returned to the wild.

Changes in The Seas are far from complete. A month ago, construction walls appeared inside, blocking two escalators from guest use. The building started closing at 7:00 p.m., earlier than the rest of EPCOT. A recent report confirms that construction is still ongoing.

On Thursday, BlogMickey reported that new blue construction walls have been placed in a tunnel leading to the second-floor aquarium viewing area in addition to the escalator closures. Additionally, according to the Walt Disney World Resort website, The Seas with Nemo and Friends at EPCOT will continue to close at 7:00 p.m. through at least June 17, 2025.

While Disney has not officially commented on the reasons for these early closures, the schedule is believed to allow for construction during quieter hours when animals require less disturbance.

There’s no set end date for the work at The Seas, and construction is expected to continue into the summer. Walt Disney World Resort has not provided a timeline for when these early closures will end, so guests are advised to stay tuned for future updates.

Which part of The Seas With Nemo and Friends is your favorite? Disney Tips would love to hear from you in the comments!