Stanza II: The Pavilion Symphony
Projects Behind The Stanza (Part 1)
The Ocean Pavilion
Presented by United Technologies
(from Episode 7 of The Sole Imagineer Season 2: Redemption Island hosted by @RMichael21)
by spacemt354
Introduction
Re-opening in 2021 to celebrate Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary, The Ocean Pavilion will be the third itineration of the aquatic pavilion at Epcot that opened its original doors in 1986. Transcending from the thematic inclusion of Nemo and Friends, the new pavilion seeks to merge the sense of discovery and adventure that the original Living Seas possessed, and couple it with a distinct flare. Given the recent release of the Disney film
Captain Nemo in the late 2010s, going into the new decade, Jules Verne’s
20 Thousand Leagues Under the Sea emerged as a popular Disney brand once again. While the original attraction at the Magic Kingdom could not be replicated, the story could continue on in a different direction. Much like Horizons was intended to be a sequel to the Carousel of Progress, The Ocean Pavilion will be a sequel to the 20 Thousand Leagues Under the Sea attraction, by venturing towards the depths of our world’s oceans to explore the unknown.
The Ocean Pavilion Layout
The blueprint above outlines the façade of the Ocean Pavilion. Remaining structurally the same as before, only interior elements of the pavilion will be adjusted to fit the new story.
As guests walk through the main entrance they will queue for the omnimover dark ride “Ocean Oasis” – a breathtaking visual attraction as you launch from a sunken ship and voyage down to the lowest points in the known ocean to uncover the mysteries of the deep. Once the attraction concludes, you journey towards the oceanic research facility structured in a futuristic setting to illustrate the advancements in aquatic animal research, deep sea exploration, and the uncharted territories of our oceans.
Guests can also dine in our nautically themed restaurant replacing the Coral Reef entitled
The Nautilus, themed and named after Captain Nemo’s submarine. Observe the serenity of fish swimming around in the tank to your side, as you take in the ambiance of this elegant Future World restaurant.
Entrance Mural
Replacing the Finding Nemo themed mural on the side of the pavilion as you queue for Ocean Oasis will be a large scale illustration of one of the famous scenes of the giant squid attacking the Nautilus amid the depths of the ocean. A foreboding sight for what’s to come, but one that also entices the guests to find out more about what lies within…
Ocean Oasis
This slow moving dark ride takes you on a voyage to the depths of our oceans, exploring the mysteries and excitement within
Interactive Queue
As you enter through the Stand-By or Fastpass+ Queue, you are immediately immersed in the story of the pavilion.
Utilizing futuristic technology that allows scientists and adventurers alike to travel to the darkest depths of the ocean, a scientific exploration camp has been built in a sunken ship buried in the Abyssopelagic Zone – roughly 6,000 m below sea level in the Pacific Ocean. The missions have been traveling to the Hadalpelagic Zone and beyond, to discover the unknown of the ocean as well as help preserve the beauty of our underwater treasures.
Walking through the sunken ship you see the stunning visual of the ocean glistening over you. You enter the ship’s algae eroded library and several interactive elements allow guests to be entertained by touching the books, and gazing out at projection fish through the windows. Guests with a sharp eye will notice, hidden in the library, is a novel entitled “The Society of Explorers and Adventurers”
You then travel through the captain’s quarters, and towards the loading area.
Loading Area
You approach the ship’s main lobby where your pods await to venture to the depths of the ocean. On the walls you see murals and illustrations indicating a possible heritage of the sunken ship. The ride vehicles are themed to oceanic rover pods that are capable of withstanding the immense pressure of the ocean floor. Guests approach the walkway towards the vehicles as the lap bar comes down and you leave the ship to explore the ocean.
Your tour through the ocean depths is narrated by Jeremy Irons.
Scene 1 – Light to Dark
Your pods are surrounded by projected screens that mimic a descent to lower levels of the ocean as you see sunlight glistening from above and descend into further darkness.
Narrator: “An ocean of knowledge and discover lies under the tempest crests of waves that sway around the earth. Our watery planet holds vast treasures of discovery and imagination that have intrigued man since the beginning of time.
Existing for four and a half billion years, the oceans have shaped the world, raising and lowering mountains, and creating a sediment below the waves of a geological record of time on earth. As we dive down deeper into the ocean, we hope to find a new alien world, teeming with discovery and opportunity.”
Scene 2 – Coral
On your descent, you level out temporarily to interact with a variety of audio animatronic sea creatures in a coral reef setting.
Narrator: “Amid the ever expansive world under our ocean, we encounter creatures of the deep in their natural habitat, adapting to the pressure changes and alien ecosystem of their environment”
Scene 3 – Angler Fish
As you descend, pressures rise, and the lights dim, revealing the angler fish
Narrator: “In the aphotic zone of the ocean, we are approaching blackness, lost from the known world, and on a voyage into the unknown. Species such as the angler fish have genetically adapted to the dim light with the accessibility of light to guide them around in their exploration.
Scene 4 –Blue Whale
A loud bellow can be heard, almost as if a submarine was approaching, but out of the watery image you can see your pods near a cliff of seaweed and coral as a giant animatronic whale beckons from the distance.
Narrator: “A giant of the sea, the Blue Whale is a symbol of the mighty ocean. These mammals breed our imagination to discover what other immense creatures does the deep dark ocean inhabit?
Scene 5 – Giant Squid
Red tentacles flow out from the dark shadows of the water and it is then reveals to be a giant squid animatronic, similar to the squid in 20 Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.
Narrator: “These mesmerizing yet terrifying creatures, giant squid inhabit the most exotic and alien worlds of the ocean.”
Scene 6 – The Ocean Floor
Your pods enter pitch black and after a brief narration, all is silent as you gaze out on the lunar ocean floor surface
Narrator: Approaching the bottom of the ocean floor, you look out at the landscape. The dark, cold, pressurized land…yet with all of its ailments, there is still life, finding a way and adapting to the pressure and silence of the sea.
Scene 7/8 – The Ocean Oasis
You emerge from the ocean floor and begin to rise to a more light sensitive area and see a colorful array of fish and aquatic plants teeming in the distance
Narrator: “Out of the depths, there are areas that we still need to learn. Need to research and enthrall ourselves with the majesty that lives under the ocean. This is a populous world, and its our job into the future in order to do as much as we can to preserve and protect this beautiful ecosystem.”
Scene 9 – Hydrulators
As you begin to ascend even further, a subtle nod to the original pavilion is performed as bubbles surround your pods and demonstrate the “hydrulator” effect, this time ascending to the Oceanic Laboratory.
Narrator: After exploring the sea, voyaging into the unknown, and coming to terms with the true nature of the ocean, it’s our opportunity to bridge the gap heading into the future, and help protect, our ocean oasis
Your pods proceed to the unload area which is connected to the Oceanic Laboratory.
Oceanic Laboratory
The interactive post show area, formally known as Sea Base Alpha, has been redesigned to resemble a futuristic marine laboratory. As you walk in you see dive tanks taking scuba divers into the large aquarium tank inside the pavilion, and interactive exhibits including a show called “Pacific” which elaborates on the eclectic species that populate our largest ocean.
Exhibits
Most of the animal shelter exhibits will remain relatively the same, because in any sort of realistic refurbishment to the pavilion, the animal habitats wouldn’t be tampered with or removed, rather the thematic elements around them would.
With that said, the Manatee exhibit, the Dolphin show, and the exotic coral reef stations will remain in place, only given an overlay of being a futuristic research laboratory instead of based on Finding Nemo themes.
Pacific Interactive Theater Show
This family friendly interactive show explores the nature of the creatures of the deep Pacific. Follow your guide, Donny Dolphin, a futuristic talking dolphin, as he shows you the ocean and interacts with you in the process. This show creates an atmosphere where guests feel as if they are part of the story and are able to have input into how the attraction plays out. Check your times guide for details.
The Nautilus
The nautically themed restaurant based on Captain Nemo’s submarine The Nautilus, serves lunch and dinner daily in a relaxing, quaint setting, replacing the Coral Reef restaurant and updating the menu to offer a more eclectic sampling of fish including swordfish, oysters, clams, and more!
The Nautilus - Captain's Quarters
For special occasions, dine in the exclusive Captain Quarters, themed to Captain Nemo's dining room on the submarine as seen in the film. Euqipped with a wide variety of props and thematic backdrops that make you feel like you are truly 20 Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, be sure to check this out!
Conclusion
WIth The Land Pavilion next door, and the west side of Future World putting more of an emphasis on exploring and aesthetically beautiful locations, the Ocean Pavilion is the perfect match of Epcot futurism as well as the sense of adventure the current iteration of the pavilion is lacking. It will put the pavilion back on the map in a way never before seen! Thanks for reading and we'll see you soon!
-- which inspired Gryffindor's project in The House Cup -- an attempt at replicating the video game
