Turtle Talk with Crush Review

Radical

Yoo, dudes! Ever wanted to speak to a sea turtle in the middle of Epcot? You are lucky, then. One of the best characters from Finding Nemo is waiting for you in Disney World for a one on one talk. No, not Marlin or Dory, but that beautiful turtle called Crush who is always looking extra chill. I need to learn a thing or two from him.

So, do you have any questions for Crush? Go ahead. Want to ask where Dory is? Or maybe how he can actually talk underwater? Or maybe why the Lightning Passes are so expensive sometimes? How about asking him if he knows what the capital of Nigeria is? You can do all of this in Turtle Talk with Crush, one of the most unique attractions in Epcot which is a great option for kids.

The Good

Crush is primarily an interactive show lasting from ten to seventeen minutes. Families enter a setting resembling a movie theater, with children seated at the front and adults at the back. A cast member then invites everyone to greet Crush, who appears on a large digital screen in front of the audience.

Crush is well animated, and pretty much the same guy we see in Finding Nemo. The background is basically the same one during the entire show, depicting the ocean depths adorned with occasional coral formations and cameo appearances by characters from Finding Nemo. I actually prefer the simple background, since Crush is the star of the show and kids should probably focus on him before anything else.

Do you want to know how the magic happens? Crush, in fact, can hear everything that kids say and answer accordingly. That is because it’s the real Crush there talking to you, brought to life by Tinker Bell’s Pixie Dust©…

…okay, it’s not as cool as that. There is actually an actor behind the stage, who controls Crush by moving a puppet around. Crush is then digitized on the screen, with expressions that change in real time. Of course, the actor also uses a voice changer so he can sound like a true, real sea turtle. That’s how he can answer questions from the audience, as if he was actually right there in front of you!

This is a pretty funny show, since you can never predict kids. Some children might ask how old he is, or how he is doing, or… if he ever wanted to eat Nemo, or something crazy like that. Crush will answer everything. Some answers are actually scripted and can trigger a difference sequence on the screen, while others are completely improvised. Parents can always sit back, relax and enjoy the show.

The Bad

It is clear that this attraction is mostly aimed at kids, since they are almost always the ones asking the questions. Sorry, adults, there is Test Track and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind for you in Epcot. 

Turtle Talk with Crush is ideal for chatterbox kids who love to ask questions. If your little ones tend to be shy, they might not fully enjoy the experience. But, hey, they can also have fun with Crush answering all sorts of questions even if they want to remain completely silent.

Will Kids enjoy it?

Most young children will really like interacting with Crush. I'd recommend this show for kids aged 4 to 8, especially for the inquisitive ones who love meeting new friends. Older children might feel too self-conscious to participate or consider themselves too mature to converse with a sea turtle. However, even shy kids can still marvel at the facial expressions and ponder how the digitized turtle comprehends and responds to every question on the spot.

You do know how to explain it to them, right? Pixie Dust.