22. The Living Seas
Okay so just to be clear, I have nothing against the replacement attraction, The Seas with Nemo and Friends. It's cute, it's fun, it's got great atmosphere and it even tells a story. But, man, it cannot hold a candle to Sea Base Alpha.
Following a short pre-show on the creation of the oceans, guests board Hydrolators that purportedly take them down miles beneath the sea(actually just two inches) to just outside the base. From there, they board Omnimover Seacabs which take them through a tunnel and into Sea Base Alpha itself, all the while viewing the marine life in Disney World's 5,700,000 gallon aquarium.
The idea that The Living Seas was an underwater exploration base is crucial to its entire being to me. It's beautiful and simple in the open, scientific base, viewing and learning of the fascinating creatures that reside in the ocean(including my friend, the Cuttlefish). It made me want to be a marine biologist, thinking I could spend my time in a real Sea Base Alpha. The Living Seas remains close to my heart as an example of what Disney can do as an immersive educational tool. Sure, it's just a massive aquarium(the largest saltwater tank in the world until the Georgia Aquarium opened in 2005), but it's because of that feeling that you're seeing science happen that makes it all the more special to observe fish.
There's also a seafood restaurant next door with one of the walls being part of the aquarium, which is kinda messed up.
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