quick question about epcot.

[schoollover]

I have a question. When disney turned the living seas into finding nemo, I was watching the travel channel and saw the new one but I didn't see the dolphins, did disney keep them or just put them back into the sea. Help. and how are you able to get a photo for your profile and signature.

[David S.]

The dolphins are still there. Their names are Reiner, Khyber (sp?), Malabar (sp?), and Calvin. There are 3 dolphin presentations a day where you can see them do behaviors and sometimes even an object matching exercise.

The pavillion is basically the same as far as the animals go. The main difference is the ride, and there is Nemo theming to some of the post-ride exhibits as well.

But the main tank is still viewable and teaming with aquatic life - such as fish, sea turtles, rays, sharks, and dolphins.

The manatees have their own tank in a seperate exhibit area, and there are still other smaller exhibits featuring other critters such as jellyfish, clownfish, lionfish, seahorse, etc.

[slave2moonlight]

I will always miss the old days of EPCOT when it really seemed educational with an "optimistic futurist" spirit and less worried about connecting things to Disney films for kids. I'm not against such connections, the Nemo theming sounds cool (haven't seen it yet), but the old pavilions and the ways they presented things made everything seem so big, smart, and amazing (like that big film they showed at the Living Seas, do they still show that?), though I didn't find many other people who appreciated some of that stuff as much as me (my own family always said the Living Seas was boring, and that drove me nuts!).

[David S.]

I'm not against such connections, the Nemo theming sounds cool (haven't seen it yet), but the old pavilions and the ways they presented things made everything seem so big, smart, and amazing (like that big film they showed at the Living Seas, do they still show that?

Unfortunately, no.

Turtle Talk With Crush uses the theatre where the old pre-ride film used to be, so the queue after entering the pavillion winds a bit but leads straight to the clamshell vehicles.

I agree with you though, that was a good film. I also REALLY miss classics like Horizons, World Of Motion, Journey Into Imagination (version 1), and Kitchen Kabaret.

Having said that, I do enjoy the new Nemo ride, and am glad the focus of most of the post-ride areas (which can now be accessed through the pavillion exit doors for those who have already ridden the ride or wish to bypass it if the line gets long, etc) is still on the animals who live in the pavillion.

[Fidget1234]

dolphins are still there in the jumbo tank. u can still see them.

[slave2moonlight]

I agree with you though, that was a good film. I also REALLY miss classics like Horizons, World Of Motion, Journey Into Imagination (version 1), and Kitchen Kabaret.

Having said that, I do enjoy the new Nemo ride, and am glad the focus of most of the post-ride areas (which can now be accessed through the pavillion exit doors for those who have already ridden the ride or wish to bypass it if the line gets long, etc) is still on the animals who live in the pavillion.

Yes, I miss all that, as well as the meet 'n' greet Figment and Dreamfinder, and above all, the music/songs! I still say they could have updated the FutureWorld pavilions rather than all-out replacing them. The subjects themselves will always be relevant, like the human body, transportation, energy, etc..., and The Kitchen Kabaret was such a great show! Plus, Journey Into Imagination never needed to be altered and has never been as good as the original! Future World is tragic to experience for me now, knowing how great it once was.

Still, I do look forward to the Nemo experiences in Living Seas, though some of what was lost is still tragic and a downgrade to me. On the other hand, though I've only seen it on YouTube, I think incorporating the Three Caballeros into the Mexico Pavilion boat ride of World Showcase was an excellent idea that didn't hurt the pavilion at all! Not that World Showcase hasn't suffered from some changes, but that one is a welcome one to me, despite that I already loved the ride before.

[blackcauldron85]

I have a quick question about Epcot. I'm reading a 1988 article about dining at WDW, and it mentions "West Germany" as one of the cultural cuisines. Before East Germany and West Germany were unified, was the Germany at Epcot called West Germany?

[David S.]

It was always called just "Germany".

[blackcauldron85]

Thanks, David. I wonder why the article said "West Germany", then.

[David S.]

I guess maybe they were saying that the food they were discussing came from West Germany.

One interesting thing about the early days of the German pavilion (you may know this already) is the pre-opening publicity materials for Epcot had mentioned a "Rhine River boat cruise" indoor dark ride. But due to budget cuts, this did not open with the park and has still of course not materialized! The show building was built though, in back of the pavilion - you would have entered near the restaurant but on the right side of the clock and there is a wall with a painting of the German countryside where the ride entrance would have been.

[blackcauldron85]

It's interesting, all the possibilities of Epcot. There have been many pavillions and attractions that were thought of but never materialized.

[PrincePhillipFan]

I find it fascinating too all the ideas that Disney had thought of in the planning of Epcot, but sadly so much was scaled down. I would have loved to seen the Rhine River and Thames River Cruise attractions, as well as the Equatorial Africa, Israel, Venezulea, and Costa Rica pavilions.

[Super Aurora]

I find it fascinating too all the ideas that Disney had thought of in the planning of Epcot, but sadly so much was scaled down. I would have loved to seen the Rhine River and Thames River Cruise attractions, as well as the Equatorial Africa, Israel, Venezulea, and Costa Rica pavilions.

If want get technical Equatorial Africa is now in Animal Kingdom, heh.

[Prudence]

Gosh, I would love to see Israel in Epcot. Put it right next to Morocco.