20K Seagulls?

[Dragonman]

I was wondering if anyone here had any good photos of the animatronic seagulls in the queue/lagoon of 20k?

I remember photos of three standing on a rock similar to Disneyland’s Nemo version as well as one nested up in the queue rockwork that could only be seen by cast members apparently. I remember a site talking about them but can’t seem to find it or the photos.

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

My guess would have been that you were looking for www.20kride.com, but after a quick search I actually can't find anything on the Seagulls there.

But you're definitely not crazy - I too recall seeing them on the net, including the bit about the hidden one only CM's could see, so I'll keep on the hunt and see if I can find where that information lives.

 

[Dragonman]

@marni1971 I remember you doing a great video about 20k a few years ago. Do you remember these?

 

[marni1971]

@marni1971 I remember you doing a great video about 20k a few years ago. Do you remember these?

Can’t say I do. But that’s with a Covid fogged memory.

 

[Dragonman]

Finally found a mention of them on the old WidenYourWold site.

Widen Your World - 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea (20K)

Found a decent photo showing them all over the show building facade:

 

[CHOX]

Inject those gulls into my veins! I demand more 20k!

 

[S.I.R. the Robot]

Squid musta been lonely all alone in the dark murky water, with no motion to boot, for a mousin' decade. RIP.

 

[Dragonman]

WidenYourWorld has been teasing more photos of the seagulls to come, he recently posted this animatronic maintenance sheet showing both models:

 

[Smiley/OCD]

WidenYourWorld has been teasing more photos of the seagulls to come, he recently posted this animatronic maintenance sheet showing both models:
View attachment 718786

WOW! Imagine if they had a maintenance log like THAT for Splash Mountain…lol

 

[S.I.R. the Robot]

WOW! Imagine if they had a maintenance log like THAT for Splash Mountain…lol

You mean Tiana's Bayou Adventure

 

[Smiley/OCD]

You mean Tiana's Bayou Adventure

No, I mean Splash Mountain and all the AA’s that would have to be checked (that didn’t work) on a daily basis…it would’ve been a VERY long report…

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

No, I mean Splash Mountain and all the AA’s that would have to be checked (that didn’t work) on a daily basis…it would’ve been a VERY long report…

That is exactly how it used to be done. Splash Mountain included.

Used to . . .

 

[S.I.R. the Robot]

No, I mean Splash Mountain and all the AA’s that would have to be checked (that didn’t work) on a daily basis…it would’ve been a VERY long report…

I was JK

 

[mysto]

Maybe this is just me jumping to conclusions, but could some of those seagulls have been reused? Possibly outside the Living Seas?

Disclaimer: I have no inside knowledge of this...

 

[Dragonman]

Maybe this is just me jumping to conclusions, but could some of those seagulls have been reused? Possibly outside the Living Seas?

Disclaimer: I have no inside knowledge of this...

To my knowledge Living Seas never had seagulls until the Nemo refurb, before that it was just the crashing waves.

 

[Dragonman]

Oh my god, this is amazing! I have seen some finished auctions for manuals like this and always hope somebody dumps the contents.

Came across a completed auction for a book of reference photos supposedly some imagineer took during a Submarine Voyage refurb. I would really love to see those photos.

He worked the ride back in the 80’s and kept some materials as a momento. Here’s the other page:

 

[CHOX]

He worked the ride back in the 80’s and kept some materials as a momento. Here’s the other page:
View attachment 719429

The guy is a hero. Imagine how much is still floating out there on all these defunct rides.

 

[VicariousCorpse]

Here's a good video of them. At 6:31 the rock in the very foreground houses the hidden seagull mentioned above. Followed by a nice panning shot of the ones on the facade across the lagoon. Also another good picture. Does anyone know when they were added?

 

[Dragonman]

Here's a good video of them. At 6:31 the rock in the very foreground houses the hidden seagull mentioned above. Followed by a nice panning shot of the ones on the facade across the lagoon. Also another good picture. Does anyone know when they were added?
View attachment 720661

It’s unfortunate that they were placed so far away from guests that no close up shots seem to exist, although this apparently led to many people believing that they were actually real seagulls.

The seagulls along with many other elements were added in a big refurb Tony Baxter helped with around 1973.

Apparently before that the lagoon was connected to the main waterways and used unchlorinated water and mostly had “water activated” animatronics, according to the RetroWDW podcast.

 

[VicariousCorpse]

It’s unfortunate that they were placed so far away from guests that no close up shots seem to exist, although this apparently led to many people believing that they were actually real seagulls.

The seagulls along with many other elements were added in a big refurb Tony Baxter helped with around 1973.

Apparently before that the lagoon was connected to the main waterways and used unchlorinated water and mostly had “water activated” animatronics, according to the RetroWDW podcast.

Reading more about the refurb, it seems it took place September 1975 through Spring of 1976. I believe you misheard air actuators as "water activated". They were pneumatic rather than hydraulic. Along with the daily checklist, they had this board to keep track of what was broken.