Changes

Although The Living Seas was originally planned as an opening day pavilion for EPCOT Center, the pavilion did not open until 1986<ref name= "martin"> http://www.martinsvids.net/?tag=the-living-seas-pavilion </ref>. Part of this delay was the fact that both the design and tone of The Living Seas changed drastically during this time. The original concepts for the pavilion were more fantasy based then scientific, with one of the early ideas for an attraction within the pavilion allowing guests to “Board the clipper ship ‘Spirit of Mankind’ to sail through moments of peril and triumph with seven legendary mariners, the great explorers who charted the seas for civilization”. Another early concept would have begun with guests entering The Living Seas and seeing a preshow where the Greek god Poseidon would calm a raging storm. After the preshow, Poseidon would have narrated guests on their dark ride adventure. This dark ride would have been a fully immersive experience, with shark attacks, shipwrecks, and various special effects adding to the excitement. Guests would eventually enter the pavilion’s 200 ft. tank at the rides conclusion. Following the dark ride, guests would have arrived at Sea Base Alpha- an underwater research facility. According to the 1982 book EPCOT Center: Creating the World of Tomorrow, while in The Living Seas ride guests would see: